On March 26, 2026, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a hearing titled “Policies to Protect Our Communities from Illicit Drug Threats,” which included discussion of H.R. 8000, the “End Needless Distribution of 7-OH Act”. This legislation seeks to classify synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a naturally occurring alkaloid found in the kratom plant, as a Schedule I controlled substance.

While proponents of the bill aim to regulate synthetic versions, SSDP is concerned that a Schedule I designation would effectively freeze vital research into a compound that shows immense therapeutic potential for chronic pain management and even oncology.

In a formal statement of opposition submitted to the Subcommittee, Brooke Sanders, SSDP’s Director of Network Relations and Strategic Expansion and a Neuroscience PhD researcher, warned that scheduling 7-OH is not grounded in a comprehensive scientific assessment. Sanders highlighted that as a partial agonist at the mu-opioid receptor, 7-OH possesses a “ceiling effect” that may produce less respiratory depression, the primary cause of overdose fatalities, compared to traditional full-opioid agonists. She argued that criminalization would not only stifle urgent research into its low-risk profile and antitumor properties but would also drive consumers toward unregulated, adulterated illicit markets.

Understanding 7-OH is critical to this debate. Unlike traditional full-opioid agonists like oxycodone or fentanyl, 7-OH is a partial agonist. Recent studies have even highlighted 7-OH as a viable candidate for targeted therapies in HER2-positive breast cancer and other antitumor applications. By criminalizing this substance, we risk driving consumers toward unregulated illicit markets and halting the scientific progress necessary to develop safer alternatives to traditional opioids.

SSDP strongly urges the Subcommittee to reject criminalization in favor of evidence-based safeguards rather than broad prohibition. We advocate for a regulatory framework that includes product testing, accurate labeling, age verification, and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards. As we have noted in previous blog posts, protecting access to kratom-derived compounds is a matter of public health, safety, and scientific integrity. We must ensure that researchers can continue to study these alkaloids to better understand their low-risk profile and potential to save lives.

Link to Brooke Sander’s statement to the Subcommittee on March 26:

Link to HR 8000 Bill Text and Summary:

Link to the Hearing Announcement, Memo, Agenda, and YouTube Stream: Energy & Commerce Meeting Link

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