The FDA plans to add the compound to Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning the product has a high misuse potential and no medical purpose. The compound 7-OH, or 7-hydroxymitragynine, has been linked to binding with opioid receptors in the brain, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The FDA announced that it is urging the Drug Enforcement Agency to "classify 7-OH as a Schedule 1 substance, placing it on a list of drugs that include heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and ecstasy," said The Hill. This would make the drug harder to obtain at locations like gas stations and convenience stores.