History · April 2026
A brief history of kratom.
Direct answer
Kratom has been used as a stimulant and analgesic in Southeast Asia for centuries. It was first scientifically described in 1836, criminalized in Thailand in 1943 to protect state opium revenue, reached Western markets in the 2000s, and became a political flashpoint in the US after the FDA's 2016 scheduling attempt was defeated by public pressure. The 2025 FDA enforcement against 7-OH products is the most recent chapter.
Timeline
Southeast Asian field workers in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia chew fresh kratom leaves for stimulation during long labor hours — a multi-century traditional practice.
Dutch botanist Pieter Willem Korthals describes Mitragyna speciosa scientifically after observing its use in Malaysia.
Mitragynine first isolated by Dutch pharmacologist E.M. Holmes.
Mitragynine structurally characterized and named.
Thailand passes the Kratom Act — not for public-health concerns, but because kratom consumption was displacing government-monopoly opium sales during WWII.
Thailand reinforces kratom as a Category V controlled substance.
Kratom emerges in Western markets as an herbal supplement, imported as dried leaves, powder, and extracts.
DEA places kratom on "Drugs and Chemicals of Concern" list. US sales expand via head shops and online retailers.
DEA announces intent to emergency-schedule mitragynine and 7-OH as Schedule I. Massive public backlash, 140k+ petition signatures, and bipartisan Congressional pushback force the DEA to withdraw.
FDA issues salmonella-related recalls on kratom products, expanding oversight.
Arizona passes the first Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA), establishing labeling and purity standards.
Thailand decriminalizes kratom for traditional and medicinal use, reversing a 78-year ban.
Over 5 US states have passed KCPA; several more have pending legislation. Bans in AL, AR, IN, RI, VT, WI remain in effect.
FDA issues warning letters to multiple firms selling isolated 7-hydroxymitragynine products, signaling intent to schedule 7-OH while explicitly preserving leaf kratom legality.
The 1943 Thailand ban — why it happened
Despite centuries of traditional use, Thailand criminalized kratom in 1943 under the Kratom Act. The motivation was economic, not public health: the Thai government held a monopoly on opium sales, and kratom was a cheap, locally-grown substitute that field workers could forage for free. Taxing kratom was impossible. Banning it was easier.
The ban persisted until 2021 — 78 years. In 2021, Thailand decriminalized kratom for traditional and medical use, reversing one of the most durable prohibitions in Southeast Asian drug policy.
2016 — the DEA scheduling attempt
On August 30, 2016, the DEA announced its intent to emergency-schedule mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine as Schedule I substances — the same category as heroin and LSD. The scheduling would have made kratom illegal at the federal level nationwide.
What happened next surprised everyone: over 140,000 public comments opposed the scheduling. A bipartisan Congressional letter from 51 Representatives asked the DEA to reconsider. Scientific and medical groups publicly questioned the scheduling rationale. On October 12, 2016, the DEA withdrew the notice of intent — an almost unprecedented reversal for an emergency scheduling.
KCPA — industry self-regulation
In the wake of the 2016 scheduling attempt, the American Kratom Association promoted a state-level model law: the Kratom Consumer Protection Act. KCPA establishes age restrictions, labeling requirements, third-party testing standards, and prohibitions on adulteration with synthetic alkaloids. Arizona passed the first KCPA in 2019; five states now have versions in law, with more pending.
2025 — the 7-OH enforcement
The FDA's July 2025 warning letters to 7-OH sellers represent a deliberate policy split: leaf kratom remains legal, but isolated 7-hydroxymitragynine products face enforcement. This is the current kratom-regulation battleground. See our 7-OH explainer.