What's the latest on 7-OH and kratom availability and addiction care?
For two years, anyone has been able to walk into a vape shop or convenience store in Michigan and other states, hand over cash or a credit card, and walk out with as much of a substance called 7-OH and other related products as they can afford. Or they can click online and get it shipped to them.
Seven-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and related synthetic opioids have been readily available for years in vape shops and stores across Michigan and other states. Originally sought for pain relief or as alternatives to illegal drugs, many users have found themselves addicted to these substances, with the need escalating to higher doses for the same effect.
Now, three additional synthetic opioids—mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MP), MGM-15 and MGM-16—will be federally prohibited in Michigan and other states as of August 26, 2026, due to their temporary placement on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Schedule I list of drugs. As of the same date, 7-OH remains unplaced but the DEA has reopened public comments on a proposal for its temporary Schedule I placement.
These compounds act on the same opioid receptors in the brain as natural opioids, leading to increasing addiction rates and overdose deaths. While buprenorphine, a medication for opioid use disorder, can assist in recovery, increased demand has been noted in clinics as users prepare for the product shortages.
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