The federal question gets asked more than any other in this category, and the honest answer is a table, not a sentence — because as of September 2026 the federal picture has three rows, and only one of them is about 7-hydroxymitragynine directly. This post is that table, plus the practical meaning of each row. The state-level picture is in the state map; the DEA action breakdown is in the DEA 2026 update. Standing caveats: general information, not legal advice; the regulatory process is moving, and a pending item can become an effective one.
The three-row table (as of September 2026)
| Compound / category | Federal status | Effective date | What it means for a 7-OH buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MP) | Temporary Schedule I | August 26, 2026 | A controlled compound — not in a legitimate 7-OH product; check the COA screens |
| MGM-15, MGM-16 (alkaloid analogs) | Temporary Schedule I | August 26, 2026 | Controlled substitutes — the substitute market is controlled; verify the batch profile |
| 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) | Not scheduled — threshold rule pending | Notice July 6, 2026; not in effect | The open item. If the rule lands, concentrated 7-OH products change status in every state at once |
Read the third row carefully: 7-OH is not federally scheduled as of September 2026. The pending threshold rule is the item to watch — it would regulate 7-OH products above a potency level, and it is the only federal action that reaches the tablet category directly.
Why a pending rule is the thing to track
- It is dated. The notice of intent published July 6, 2026. A pending federal rule with a published notice is not a rumor — it is a process with a direction, and the states are already reacting to it (the June–July 2026 wave of 7-OH restrictions in Florida, Virginia, Tennessee, Kansas, and North Dakota all landed while the rule was pending).
- It is national. State restrictions are one-state-at-a-time; the threshold rule is all-states-at-once. The practical difference: a buyer in a permitted state can be protected by the state map today and unprotected by a federal action tomorrow. The legal status guide is the standing read for both layers.
- It is concentration-based. The rule targets potency above a threshold, which is a description of the tablet category, not the leaf. That design tells you exactly where the regulators see the risk — and exactly which products would be affected if the rule lands.
How the federal and state layers interact
- State restrictions apply regardless of federal status. A 7-OH product is restricted in Florida, Virginia, Tennessee, Kansas, North Dakota, Louisiana (kratom broadly), and Massachusetts (emergency order) whether or not the federal rule ever lands. The state map is always step one.
- Federal action applies regardless of state’status. The scheduled compounds (MP, MGM-15, MGM-16) are controlled in every state, permitted or restricted. That is why the related-compound screens on your batch COA are a first-tier check — the COA guide shows where to look.
- The layers compound. In a restricted state, a buyer faces state exposure today and a pending federal exposure tomorrow; in a permitted state, the pending federal exposure is the whole picture. The Virginia post and the Texas post are the two archetypes, one from each layer.
The buyer’s standing checklist for the federal layer
- Know the table. Scheduled compounds are controlled; 7-OH is not scheduled but is pending; the notice is dated July 6, 2026. Everything else is commentary.
- Verify the batch. The COA screens for the scheduled analogs are the practical expression of the federal layer for a tablet buyer — batch verification is the step-by-step.
- Keep documentation. Order records plus batch COAs, kept. In a moving regulatory environment, the documentation is the buyer’s position when questions arise.
- Re-check on process milestones. When the threshold rule moves — comment period, final action, effective date — the picture changes. The FAQ center and the DEA update are the standing references, updated as the process moves.
None of this changes the responsible-use rules — spacing, real breaks, no mixing with depressants, 21+ only — the responsible use guide is the standing version. The shop serves permitted addresses with 21+ verification and batch COAs on every pack, and the contact page is for order questions — legal questions belong with a licensed professional.