Letters to U.S. Rep David Jolly, Responding to DEA Ban - 9/2016 - 10/2016

My letters:


September 26, 2016
Dear Mr. Jolly,
I sent you two previous e-mails detailing my concerns over the DEA's push to ban Kratom, scheduled for this Friday, September 30, 2016. I am disappointed to see that you ignored my pleas for help and did not join your fellow congressmen in the signing of this letter. The DEA has made allegations backed by no evidence and this ban will negatively affect hundreds of thousands of Americans, including myself.
As of today, 46 of your fellow U.S. Representatives signed a letter presented by Congressmen Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin) and Rep. Matt Salmon (R-Arizona) asking for bipartisan support in delaying the DEA's decision to ban Kratom. Among the 28 Democrats and 18 Republicans who signed this letter are two physicians, Rep. Daniel Banishek (R-Michigan) and Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio). The letter backed by these congressmen will be sent today to acting DEA administrator Charles Rosenberg. The letter will also be sent to Shaun Donovan, the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), asking him to use his “statutory authority” to DELAY the DEA’s decision to add Kratom on the list of Schedule 1 substances.
To put it simply, Kratom is not an opiate as the DEA suggests. Kratom is a member of the caffeine family, not the opium family. The two main alkaloids in Kratom partially bind with certain opiate receptors in the brain, as does dark chocolate. Only 2% of 6,000 Kratom users surveyed use Kratom for recreational purposes. Kratom did not cause 15 worldwide deaths over the past 2 years, as the DEA claims. A toxicologist who reviewed these 15 cases stated that other substances played a role in these peoples' deaths. Although Kratom has no current documented medical use, research on Kratom by the University of Mississippi and the University of Massachusetts led researchers to apply for a patent identifying Mitragynine, one of the active ingredients in Kratom, as a useful treatment for opioid addiction. Kratom is a highly effective tool that combats addiction and is something the DEA should defend, not exterminate. Tens of thousands of Kratom users claim that Kratom provides more effective relief than prescription narcotics toward their treatments of pain, anxiety, PTSD, depression, and other serious medical conditions. Any alternative to prescription and illegal narcotics should be embraced, not banned.
After showing you once again that Kratom has significance in our society, I ask you to support the delay in the DEA's push to ban Kratom. Please show compassion toward your constituents and take the few minutes to read the letter presented to you by Rep. Pocan and Rep. Salmon. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
-[Spaethon]

*He didn't respond*

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October 10, 2017

Mr. Jolly,
The DEA is planning to list Kratom as a Schedule 1 controlled substance and, as a Kratom consumer, I strongly object to this decision. Kratom simply does not belong in a category of a controlled substance. There is no medical proof supporting the necessity to ban a harmless leaf. Millions claim Kratom helps with a wide variety of ailments. As free American citizens, we have the right to choose a natural remedy over a pharmaceutical if it WORKS for us. It is completely unjust for the DEA to irresponsibly list an herbal supplement as a controlled substance with no research of any kind. You as my U.S. Representative of the 13th district of Florida have a duty to listen to your constituents and take a stance. At least respond to one of my several emails I have already sent to you regarding this matter. We will be anxiously awaiting your response and I’ll send a daily reminder in the meantime.

Regards,
-[Spaethon]


He never responded. Big jerk! I sent this last letter to him several more times, but nothing.
Instead, I kept receiving these generic emails from his office:


Thank you for contacting me with your concerns. I believe that all correspondence I receive from my constituents is extremely important and I make every attempt to respond to everyone. However, please be aware that due to the large volume of e-mails I receive, you may experience a delay in receiving a detailed response.

If this is a pressing legislative issue, please call my Washington, D.C., office at 202-225-5961. If you are contacting me regarding casework, please call one of my district offices:

. Seminole District Office: 727-392-4100
. St. Petersburg District Office: 727-823-8900
. Clearwater District Office: 727-781-4400

Again, thank you for your e-mail, and please do not hesitate to contact me for any further assistance.

With much respect,

David W. Jolly
Member of Congress

This e-mail address is unattended. Please do not reply. If you require further assistance, please contact my office.