Senator Grassley Urges Trump Administration to Ban Kratom Immediately

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has called on the Trump administration to finalize a ban on kratom, a plant with opioid-like effects that is widely sold over the counter. On Friday, Grassley urged the administration to act swiftly to limit kratom sales amid mounting public health concerns and recent developments involving synthetic kratom products.

Grassley’s Statement and Urgency

On the social media platform X, Senator Grassley declared, “All Kratom is deadly it should NOT be sold at gas stations/vape stores/ANYWHERE Admin needs 2 put out final 7OH rule NOW Kratom is killing our kids BEWARE of special interest snake oil.” His comments emphasize his belief that kratom poses a significant threat to public safety and that regulatory action is overdue.

DEA’s Proposed Rule on Synthetic Kratom

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published a proposed rule in July targeting synthetic kratom products. This rule would temporarily classify synthetic kratom substances containing more than 0.05 percent dry weight of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) as Schedule I substances. 7-OH is an opioid-like chemical naturally found in trace amounts in kratom, but synthetic or highly concentrated commercial products often exceed this threshold.

In August, the DEA further expanded emergency scheduling by categorizing two synthetic derivatives of 7-OH, MGM-15 and MGM-16, as Schedule I substances. These moves reflect growing concerns about the risks these compounds pose to public health.

Legal Status and Health Risks

While kratom itself is currently unscheduled at the federal level and remains legal in many states including Iowa, 11 states have enacted bans. The DEA highlighted in July that 7-OH “presents severe risks to public health, including tolerance, dependence and addiction.” Despite kratom’s origins as a Southeast Asian plant, it remains controversial in the United States due to its opioid-like effects and potential for abuse.

Addiction organizations such as American Addiction Centers do not endorse kratom, citing risks of dependence, lack of regulatory oversight, and possible harmful drug interactions. Although overdoses and deaths tied directly to kratom are rare, the substance returned to national attention last month when two University of Mississippi students were found dead near kratom packages. Authorities have charged two individuals for selling kratom in connection to those deaths, though it remains unclear if kratom was the cause.

Rising Exposure and Public Health Data

A March report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found a staggering 1,200 percent increase in kratom-related exposure reports between 2015 and 2025. This sharp rise underscores growing use and potential dangers associated with kratom products. The increase in exposures has fueled calls from lawmakers like Grassley for stricter federal regulation or a total ban.

Senator Grassley’s demand for immediate action from the Trump administration aligns with the DEA’s ongoing efforts to regulate synthetic kratom and protect public health from substances with opioid-like addictive properties.

As the debate over kratom’s legal status and health impact continues, the Trump administration faces mounting pressure to finalize rules that could reshape how these products are sold and controlled nationwide.

Grassley’s call highlights the urgency felt by some lawmakers to address what they view as a significant and growing public health threat.