Two regulatory developments landed this week that matter to everyone who buys, sells, or follows kratom. One is federal and long-awaited. One is happening at the state level in Florida. Here is a plain-language rundown of both, and a clear statement of where NuWave stands.
What the DEA did
On July 1, 2026, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration filed two Notices of Intent to temporarily place synthetic and chemically manipulated 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), above a set concentration threshold, into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. The action also covers three related lab-made substances: mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MP), MGM-15, and MGM-16.
The DEA acted after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirmed these substances have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. It also follows the recommendation the Food and Drug Administration first issued back in July 2025 — so this is a decision the industry has watched coming for roughly a year. The temporary scheduling takes effect about 30 days after the notices are formally published in the Federal Register.
Natural kratom leaf is not part of this action
This is the most important point, and it is one the DEA itself made clear: the action targets synthesized products and elevated concentrations of 7-OH — not natural kratom leaf.
7-OH occurs only in trace amounts in the Mitragyna speciosa plant. The concentrated and isolated forms the DEA is scheduling are produced through chemical processing, not found in whole leaf at those levels. The three related compounds — MP, MGM-15, and MGM-16 — do not occur naturally in the plant at all; they are laboratory creations. If you want the fuller picture, we walked through the difference between natural kratom leaf and concentrated 7-OH in a separate guide.
The American Kratom Association publicly supported the DEA's action and emphasized the same distinction: chemically manipulated, high-potency 7-OH products are not natural kratom leaf. Natural leaf remains federally unscheduled.
Where NuWave stands
We'll say this as plainly as we can: NuWave has never sold isolated, concentrated, or semi-synthetic 7-OH products, and we never will. None of the lab-made derivatives named in the DEA's notices have ever been part of our catalog.
For twelve years we've built this company on one principle — traditional kratom from the Mitragyna speciosa leaf, with nothing synthesized and nothing chemically manufactured. The line the DEA drew this week is the same line we've drawn since day one, and we support it without reservation. Natural leaf and the synthetic 7-OH marketplace are not the same thing, and never were. We're glad to see federal policy finally reflect that.
Florida's new labeling rule
Closer to home, Florida has taken a more complicated path. On July 1, the state's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services put a new emergency rule into effect requiring every kratom product sold in Florida to be lab-tested and labeled for the concentration of seven specific compounds.
Here is the practical problem, stated as a fact: validated, commercially available laboratory tests for several of those compounds do not yet exist. A rule that requires a lab result no lab can currently produce cannot be complied with — which means, in effect, it removes lawful, properly tested natural kratom products from Florida shelves along with everything else. A legal challenge to the rule is anticipated on those grounds, and we're following it closely.
Where NuWave stands here is consistent with everything above: we support honest labeling, real third-party testing, and sensible regulation — we've asked for exactly that for years. But a rule that cannot be met, however well-intentioned, doesn't protect consumers. Banning genuinely synthetic 7-OH, as the DEA did this week, is the right call. Making compliant natural leaf impossible to sell is a different outcome entirely.
What this means for you
If you're a NuWave customer, nothing about our product line changes as a result of the DEA's action. Natural kratom leaf remains federally unscheduled, and our catalog does not contain the synthetic isolates this action addresses.
Every batch we carry is third-party lab tested, with Certificates of Analysis available so you can see exactly what's in what you're buying — and if you want to know what separates quality kratom from the rest, here's how to spot high-quality, lab-tested kratom. We're an American Kratom Association GMP-qualified vendor, and we comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws — we don't fulfill orders to areas where kratom is restricted.
If you want to see what traditional, lab-tested kratom looks like at NuWave, browse our kratom powder collection and our kratom capsules collection.
The bottom line
This week drew a bright line between two very different things: naturally occurring kratom leaf and the synthetic, chemically manufactured products that have crowded onto shelves in recent years. NuWave has always been on the natural-leaf side of that line. We'll keep advocating for a clear, workable regulatory framework — one that removes genuinely dangerous synthetics while protecting access to properly manufactured, lab-tested natural kratom.
FDA Disclaimer
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Kratom products are intended strictly for individuals 18 years of age or older, or 21+ where required by applicable state law.