WASHINGTON — The American Kratom Association has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, asking a court to clarify that a temporary scheduling order for three synthetic compounds does not extend to natural kratom leaf.
The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, does not challenge the DEA’s authority to issue the scheduling order, according to the association. Instead, it asks the court to confirm the order applies only to deliberately manufactured, concentrated opioid compounds identified as MGPI, MGM-15 and MGM-16, not to botanical kratom products that may contain only incidental, naturally occurring trace amounts of MGPI.
The Gainesville, Virginia-based advocacy group said it is citing public statements from the U.S. Department of Justice that already distinguish between the synthetic compounds and the plant-based product. The association is asking the court to set a scientifically defensible threshold similar to one already applied to another kratom-derived compound, 7-hydroxymitragynine, known as 7-OH, according to the release.
The federal filing comes after several states moved to restrict kratom sales. Ohio banned kratom-derived products under an emergency rule that took effect Dec. 12, 2025.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the American Kratom Association.
