The My Kratom Voice page is dedicated to my ongoing involvement and commentary regarding Kratom, whether I post a comment to YouTube or I write a letter to my U.S. Representative. This is a good way for me to track what I post, where I post, who I write, and what I write.
My Letters Written to/from Legislators and Government Agencies:
Letter to Senators Marco Rubio & Bill Nelson per the SITSA Act (1 reply) - 6/30/2017
Letter to U.S. Rep Gus Bilirakis, 12th District of Florida (He replied) - 6/30/2017
Letters to state legislators regarding Florida Kratom Ban - 4/9/2017
Letter from the DEA in response to my letter to President Obama - 12/1/2016
DEA's Period of Public Commenting - My Comment - 11/30/2016
Letter to Senator Orrin Hatch (Thank You Letter) - 11/30/2016
Letter to Assistant Secretary of Health - 10/3/2017
2017-October 5 - Article on Officer's death due to Kratom (which we all know is totally impossible)
Article: Officer's death intensifies scrutiny of herbal supplement.
Hillsborough County death article: Hillsborough Co. medical examiner confirms 1st death by herbal supplement Kratom
This death, as well as a death that has been recently reported out of Hillsborough County, Florida (my next-door county), has been quite infuriating to me. It is probably the work of Big Pharma (losing prescription opioid users), the federal government (DEA wants to increase their budget, personnel, and relevancy), or medical examiners trying to make a name for themselves. I'm betting on Big Pharma colluding with the government. So, the DEA tries to ban Kratom and is unsuccessful because Kratom does NOT kill and they were unable to give documented proof of Kratom killing. Thus, Kratom was not an "imminent threat to public safety," their ban attempt fell through, and they had to let Kratom go.
Fast-forward about 8 months and now we have this new bill in Congress called the SITSA Act. They claim that SITSA is not geared toward Kratom, but nowhere does the language state that SITSA applies to synthetic drugs exclusively. Anyone who read the SITSA proposal carefully will see that Kratom is not safe. Now that SITSA is about to make it's way through Congress, these 2 "Kratom" deaths mysteriously crop up. By the way, the Hillsborough County man died back on July 7. Maybe I'm ignorant to the medical examination industry, but it seems like a long time for them to determine that Kratom killed this guy. The Hillsborough County man had a history struggling with opioids and the police officer who died was a body builder, who likely took other supplements and possibly even steroids.
Bottom line: Kratom didn't kill these individuals and I hope the AKA or another entity can have these two men re-examined by a completely independent examiner. Kratom is too important to our opioid-infected society and it benefits so many who struggle with medical ailments. Kratom deserves to keep a clear name.
My comment on the officer death article (link):
No way Kratom single-handedly killed this man. Kratom has never directly killed anyone in documented history worldwide. The timing is quite peculiar, by the way. DEA couldn't ban Kratom because it doesn't in fact kill, the SITSA Act is about to show itself in Congress, and they need deaths before they can ban Kratom. And 2 people die within a week of each other, which happen to be the first 2 Kratom deaths ever?! Nope. Don't buy it. Reeks of BS. I guarantee you that a completely independent examiner will find the real reason behind these two deaths (another guy died recently, which they blame Kratom).
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2017-September 4 - Article on Press Republican describing Kratom as a "deadly drug" and my reply to this article through Reddit.
Press Republican Article: http://www.pressrepublican.com/news/local_news/mothers-of-drug-addicts-to-light-candles-of-hope/article_47dc8f02-56c5-5548-9474-9519e0b341ca.html
Reddit Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/kratom/comments/6xuria/fake_kratom_news_alert/
Real quick, the original post on Reddit talking about this article included the e-mail address to the editor of the publication, as well as their Twitter handle: lclermont@pressrepublican.com
Twitter: @EditorLois
My post on Reddit:
It is important for those misinformed to understand that Kratom does NOT cause respiratory depression and death because Kratom is NOT an opiate!!! This fact proves such; that and the fact that Kratom is simply not in the opioid family. The misinformation has been so frustrating lately, not just because they report for all to see, but nearly all press releases do not allow a method or venue to comment and attempt to set the record straight. I dig around on social media to try and find a post of the article, then I comment accordingly, but that's about all I've been successful with.
I wanted to add to Imminent_Beanpole's reply by saying that 9 of the 15 deaths associated with Kratom were of Swedes who ingested a drug called Krypton, which is a mixture of Kratom, Caffeine, and the synthetic opioid O-Desmethyltramadol (Tramadol). It is believed that the 9 who died ingested a very high amount of Tramadol because the person developing the drug made an error in measuring the Tramadol, thus adding way too much. All 9 died in a relatively short period of time in 2010, which further supports the theory that a batch of Krypton contained too much Tramadol. You can absolutely die from an overdose of Tramadol and many have in the past. This further supports the fact that Kratom by itself does not kill people!
Here's a 2010 article describing Krypton and those who died in Sweden: https://www.thelocal.se/20101229/31134
My comment on the Press Republican article:
Kratom is not deadly. Total misinformation. There were 9 deaths in Sweden back in 2010 (more than half of total worldwide deaths associated with Kratom...ever), who took a drug known as Krypton, which is a mixture of synthetic opioid O-Desmethyltramadol, Caffeine, and Kratom. Caffeine will kill if too much is ingested. Tramadol will lead to death if overdosed because it is an opioid. Kratom is not an opioid. It is not a member of the opiate family; it belongs to the Coffee family. Studies have been conducted on Kratom with respect to respiratory depression and every study has shown that Kratom does NOT cause respiratory depression, the leading cause of death in opioid overdoses. The reason for this...Kratom is not an opioid, pure plain and simple. No wonder the media has the phrase "FAKE NEWS" glued to their image.
Everyone in journalism these days seems to forget The Journalist's Creed which includes the passage, "I believe that clear thinking, clear statement, accuracy and fairness are fundamental to good journalism." This article is a crystal-clear illustration of the lack of true, honest and accurate journalism today. It takes just 10 minutes to learn that Kratom is not deadly and is far more beneficial than the media realizes. What a despicable time we're living in.
My E-mail to Lois Clermont, the editor of Press Republican:
I am writing with regard to the "Mothers of drug addicts to light candles of hope" article published on Sept 3, 2017 and I felt I needed to voice my concern with a statement contained inside this publication. Kratom is not deadly. There were 9 deaths in Sweden back in 2010 (more than half of total worldwide deaths associated with Kratom...ever), who took a drug known as Krypton, which is a mixture of the synthetic opioid O-Desmethyltramadol (Tramadol), Caffeine, and Kratom. Caffeine can lead to death if taken in excess. Tramadol will lead to death if overdosed because it is an opioid. Kratom is not an opioid. It is not a member of the opiate family; it belongs to the Coffee family. Studies have been conducted on Kratom with respect to respiratory depression and every study has shown that Kratom does NOT cause respiratory depression, the leading cause of death in opioid overdoses. The reason is because Kratom is not an opioid, pure plain and simple.
Individuals in journalism these days commonly forget The Journalist's Creed which includes the passage, "I believe that clear thinking, clear statement, accuracy and fairness are fundamental to good journalism." Just 1 word in this article illustrates the lack of accurate journalism today. It takes 10 minutes to learn that Kratom is not deadly and is far more beneficial than the media realizes. It is imperative to conduct fair and accurate research into a natural product that millions use as a substitute for dangerous narcotics.
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2017-August 25 - The shocking news segment that labels Kratom as "Synthetic Marijuana"
KNWA-TV | Fox 24 (KFTA-TV) | NWAHomepage.com
Article: Bella Vista Drug Seizure Found Kratom in Bella Vista
Yep, you read it right. On this 25th day of August, 2017, there are still people who refer Kratom to synthetic marijuana. This is exactly why Kratom is illegal in Arkansas. Because people are too lazy and ignorant to take a moment to read a few paragraphs about Kratom. Absolutely disgusting. I tried to send the newsroom an e-mail, but conveniently received this message, "Portlet is temporarily unavailable." So, I went to Facebook and found their page (KNWA - Northwest Arkansas News) and left a comment on the story's post (which was posted Aug 25, 2017 at 11:27am). The comment I left is below.
My Facebook comment:
At 0:44 into the video segment, it was reported that "Kratom is a form of synthetic marijuana." This is shockingly untrue. Kratom is a leaf from the Mitragyna speciosa tree; that's it. It is not related to cannabinoids, nor is it related to opioids. Kratom is a member of the coffee family. Kratom is illegal in Arkansas due to publications like this. Due to the unwillingness to perform 10 minutes of research, you all should be ashamed to misinform your viewers to this extent. Remember the line from The Journalist's Creed, "I believe that clear thinking, clear statement, accuracy and fairness are fundamental to good journalism." You have a duty to correct this statement so your viewers receive the accuracy they deserve. But of course that will never happen.
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2017-August 17 - E-mail Communication between a Kratom vendor and I
Brief note:
Okay, so this is an email that a vendor sent to me after I inquired about their Red Vein Bali. I haven't tried this vendor yet and I was wondering what they, or others, thought about their Bali quality. I have been searching for almost 3 years now for a real nice red vein quality at a fair price, without much luck. I won't give the name of this vendor because I didn't ask them if I could publicly post our e-mail communication. However, I felt I should post this because he provides some very important information concerning Kratom in general; specifically what vendors have been doing to try and sell more Kratom. This really surprised me!
P.S., If you sent this E-mail to me and you do not want this posted, just send me an email to the address where you sent the below message, and I will take it down. Thanks :)
E-mail message to me:
Hi there! Quick question. What makes red Bali red Bali? And considering that's what your looking for, I want to know what makes it unique to Bali. I have tried over 100 Red strains easy. I have yet to find consistency in any region. I am always bewildered at the apparent consistency some people speak of. But, the very reason your shopping around indicates that maybe it's not in fact Bali but, maybe just a solid quality strain in general. When speaking about Bali, one must fully understand about that strain. Because it isn't even grown in that region. As a matter of fact, most of the Bali out there is grown in different places through out Borneo. But, correct me if im wrong. I am in touch with atleast 20 or so suppliers currently and over 100 overall...and none of which get there Bali from Bali. They claim they have transported the genetics and grown it elsewhere. Mis labeling and misinformation is rampant in the kratom industry. It's so bad that it makes people end up handicapping their hunt for kratom by wrongly convincing them of some false narrative. Quality is not based on strain. Characteristics are not based on a region. That's all marketing and people just set out to prove themselves right as suppliers by writing silly little blurbs on their website lying to customers so they can have a hard time identifying truths for the rest of their kratom buying career. There is no proof in today's market that the Bali that you received a couple times, now indicates all Bali should be like that. As a matter of fact I do have Bali. But that Bali is grown in Kali, Hulu, and West Kali... There is very little kratom harvested in Bali anymore. It's all for show on a menu. I just post it because my suppliers claims it's a Bali strain. I am just one of the honest vendors. I get many many different kratoms but Bali is almost like malay, Thai, and Vietnam in the sense that it probably doesn't really exist. But, it's not an illegal territory and all my guys (and everyone else) carries it. So I have it. If it was up to me names wouldn't be like this. I am very very deep in this And the names of strains are sooo overrated. I try to name most of my strains where they come from. But, Bali is one of them that is all show through out the industry. I'm sorry I'm so candid but someone has got to be able to tell you the truth. But, long story short... I do have 3 red bali's... But I firmly disagree with them being any better than the 25 other reds we have. As a matter of fact. A 20 foot tree in the shade next to a 60 foot tree in the sun will create different effects... how do you explain that if those trees grew in Bali. Sorry for my ramble. But, copy and pasting has ruined the truth about this miracle leaf and I get passionate.
My reply:
Wow, what a response! I just sent that message! Thanks for the fast reply. You do make lots of sense with regard to the Bali strain. I first started with Mood & Mind 5 years ago with their Bali. They were expensive, yet average at the time, at $275 per kilogram. The strain they sold was unbelievable. By far the best I've found to date. I don't know what they used or where they got it. They also didn't label it with a 'red' 'white' or 'green' either. They simply advertised it as "Premium Bali." I haven't tried green Bali before because I've read that red vein strains are better for pain relief, more sedative, etc., which is what I look for. Green seems to be more energetic and I prefer the calming end of kratom, although I won't turn down an energetic strain if the other properties are present too.
Anyway, I tried a few other vendors since, and they didn't come close to M&M's quality. M&M also quit carrying kratom, so I couldn't go back if I wanted. I suppose I could reach out to them and ask about the story of their Bali, since they no longer offer kratom. I certainly spent enough $ with them to get an honest reply. But basically, I only had the label to rely on and nothing more.
Very interesting about Bali. My suspicions have raised over the past couple years as many many new strains kept magically appearing on the market. Kratom is from the leaves of a tree and only the location, vein color, and soil quality varies (at least I think so :). Kind of strange how the number of strains keep increasing. But that is very interesting; thanks a lot for sharing that with me! I've been quite unhappy with the handling of this industry, generally-speaking. I am one of most consumers who needs kratom to combat chronic pain. Unfortunately, despite most kratom consumers using kratom to aid in a physical ailment, it is marketed as a "legal high" opioid alternative everywhere. Plus, people sell extracts and its sold in smoke shops and drug paraphernalia shops. I wish it were possible to put a stop to that. It would be great if the whole kratom community could get behind a regulatory entity and establish ground rules and ethical standards. Not a government agency, but an organization. I shouldn't even go there with the govt. Too much to say there!
I am so glad you filled me in with so much information. In fact, I've been getting Red Maeng Da from a vendor over the past 6 months because their "Bali" simply wasn't good at all. I suspect that people slap "Bali" on a random kratom package because, at least in my experience, my first Bali supply was nice and potent, but hasn't been the case since. And it makes a lot of sense that vendors are mislabeling. I mean, Bali should be relatively same quality with every vendor but it clearly isn't.
I would definitely take any recommendation you have with regard to my first purchase. Of course like everyone else, I'm always on the hunt for potency (I don't think I can find much worse today), as well as the relaxing and calming strains. I wouldn't have a problem giving the energizing strains a try, as long as the right one has the pain relief and the calming effects. Perhaps I should take the "sampler" route and do a process of elimination. That seems like the best option at this point. But any types you have that you would recommend, I will absolutely give a try. Once I find something that works great for me, I stick to it like glue. The last 3 years, I went from vendor to vendor, purchased their Bali, and once I became sick of it not working well, I tracked down a new vendor and repeated the process. I just want to find a long-term vendor, while I pray to everything under the Sun that kratom remains available to us.
Again, thanks so much for the education and for the detailed message. I never saw that anywhere else I've been.
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2017-August 8 - News Article and my reply through Reddit
On Reteurs.com:
Trump declares national emergency on opioid abuse
The initial Reddit post gave the article link and asked the community what we thought about this news and how we think it may affect Kratom My comment to this article on Reddit:
This is quite scary to me because we already saw the Government attempt to classify Kratom as a dangerous opioid substance that poses "an imminent threat to public safety," through the DEA's actions last year. The president will surely be misinformed on the true nature of Kratom because where do you think he will go for details on Kratom? Common sense tells me he will reach out to the DEA or the FDA first, both of whom will cast Kratom in a very negative light. The FDA surely will because Pharma is such a big part of that administration. That and the FDA never did conduct that 8-factor analysis on Kratom as the DEA directed them to. The reason for that is because when the analysis is properly conducted, it will prove Kratom to be exactly what it is...a safe alternative to pharmaceuticals and a lack of danger to the public. Dr Henningfield already conducted the analysis using the exact same parameters as the FDA and came to that conclusion. He said that his analysis will mirror the FDA's, if they ever get around to it. They are deliberately attempting to keep the government ignorant on the subject of Kratom and that is why I believe this article is bad news for the Kratom community. The President is very busy, so he will go to whichever official he chooses to ask and he will say, "be straight with me; yes or no. Should we schedule Kratom?" And that'll be it. I would be shocked if the President spends more than 10 minutes on the subject of Kratom. He will ask an adviser, he will receive an answer, and he will act accordingly. That's how the presidency works. That's why he has advisers and a cabinet. He has too much on his plate to educate himself on these things. It's really frustrating because Kratom is truly saving lives. It is changing lives and it's helping people in profound ways. And we are forced to be worried about the future of Kratom, the very thing that will easily kill this epidemic. You don't need to build facilities and hire staff. They can crack down on opioids and simply run commercials educating Americans on Kratom that suggest recovering addicts steer themselves toward Kratom. That's it. The market is here already, it's reasonably priced, and it is easily obtainable. They don't need billions for the recovery process Most will do very well with Kratom alone. Ugh, so damn frustrating I tell you!
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I think it is the worst possible idea to sell Kratom at smoke shops, head shops, and sketchy convenience stores. Selling Kratom in shops that carry drug paraphernalia does nothing but label Kratom as a recreational drug and statistics from Kratom consumers have said otherwise. Surveys taken by thousands of Kratom consumers have stated that less than 2% of people take Kratom for recreational purposes. The overwhelming majority of consumers use Kratom to treat an ailment they're plagued with. It doesn't mean they are taking it as a recreational drug. You can also ask your everyday Kratom user and they will agree that anyone seeking a high from Kratom will be disappointed. It can uplift your mood, give you a caffeine-like energy boost, and may give you a sense of well-being, but it does not make you "high." If you've been prescribed opioids in the past, you'd agree that labeling Kratom as an opioid with regard to its effects is ludicrous. It probably won't happen, but I really wish paraphernalia shops would stop selling Kratom. They are severely hurting its reputation. When news and government agencies attempt to prove their point about a 'legal high' from Kratom, where do they always point their fingers? But I understand these shops won't stop carrying it because it sells so well. It's up to us consumers to insist that our Kratom won't be purchased from these places and we will seek a business that either specializes in Kratom exclusively, or a business that specializes in natural botanicals and supplements. The ladder is more ideal to me. Drug paraphernalia shops also will price-gouge the crap out of Kratom, also something to apply to your common sense.
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2017-July 6 - WALB News 10 post on Facebook
FEEDBACK: It's legal for purchase in Georgia, and users say it's far less dangerous than heroin. But the DEA has pushed to make it illegal. What do you think?
My comment:
This woman, Linda Mautner, who claims her son committed suicide solely because of Kratom has been saying that for a while now. That is what drove Kristen Jacobs, a state Rep, to try and Ban kratom in Florida 3 different times. From what I've read in the past, her son had other psychological issues which was the real factor in his death. He was apparently taking medication for his mental health. She's also the first person on the planet who publicly claims Kratom directly killed someone. With the millions who've taken Kratom in the U.S. alone, that seems highly far-fetched. If anything, I bet Kratom allowed him to hang on a little longer. And there's the $125 question. I cannot fathom how in the world anyone could take that much Kratom daily, especially when Kratom in 2014 would easily sell for a half-kilo for $125. Someone taking 1.1 pounds of Kratom daily is ridiculous. Maybe he took extracts, but even still, $125 a day is impossible, in my opinion. If they want to report on his story, they need to be more complete. At least try to see both sides of the fence. Maybe try to obtain a list of substances in his system when he died, for example? After the election last year, it seems that journalism has become an industry full of people who write only what they want to write; what they believe is true. Once upon a time, journalism used to get all the answers from all sides. Now they just quit when it satisfies their opinions and beliefs. Sadly that's spilled out of political journalism and has infected many other areas today. I don't even take the top news outlets seriously anymore. The best way to get the truth on Kratom is to do some amateur investigative journalism of your own.
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2017-June 13 - YouTube Video
(DON'T Be Fooled! This is NOT A Bill to BAN KRATOM | SITSA Act 2017)
My initial comment:
I only worry about Atty Gen Sessions and his anti-drug stance. There is also Kratom extracts that have been out there for years. I think extracts have always harmed Kratom's reputation, and they may argue that Kratom should be banned and cite these extracts as the reason. Plus, unless I read the Act wrong, Sessions can ban Kratom without any pushback from the public because there isn't a period of public comment mentioned, unless public comment period falls under the umbrella of the existing Controlled Substances Act, which it probably does. It's common knowledge that the DEA wants Kratom banned, and Atty Gen Sessions oversees the DEA. I'm sure the DEA has talked with Sessions about Kratom and he may push for Kratom to be included in SITSA. Sessions also has the final say with the substances added to SITSA, right? If yes, that really worries me. They could also amend the act at the very last minute to include Kratom and have it signed into law before we have a chance to do anything about it. But as SITSA stands today, it appears that Kratom is still safe. Kratom is obviously 100% natural. It's a leaf, and SITSA's title specifically says "Synthetic" which Kratom clearly is not. It's just the Kratom extracts that has me worried. Of course the extracts are not synthesized or chemically altered as far as I understand. They just make a liquid form of Kratom with a higher concentration of alkaloids. Extracts are also not deadly. But I think AKA should still take the act seriously because the possibility to include Kratom is there, and I wouldn't put it past the government and Sessions. I would feel much more comfortable if they include language in the bill excluding Kratom, such as "Kratom in it's natural state shall be exempt from SITSA" or something like that. AKA may be able to get that included somehow. At least I hope so. If they add Kratom to SITSA, they need to add caffeine as well since caffeine is similar to cocaine. So is lidacaine and benzacaine. And, unlike Kratom, caffeine kills people.
My reply:
And the DEA does not care about the citizens. They are a bunch of beefcakes who only care about kicking in doors and busting asses, as well as their relevance. They get Kratom banned, their fiscal budget increases, their employment increasses, and their relevance increases. Not only do they care about Big Pharma, they also care about job security. So, I would not be surprised if Sessions and the DEA gets some language to include Kratom slipped into the act at the last minute before signing. For all we know, that's been their plan all along. As of today, the act should not concern Kratom, but the potential to insert something that will concern Kratom may happen. And that's what has me worried. In regard to synthetic drugs...ban the hell out of them. Personally, I would legalize anything and OTC everything, even heart meds. In that world, we wouldn't be battling the synthetic market because there probably wouldn't be one like it is today, had drugs always been legal and OTC. Use doctors for recommendations, not as prescribers. What people want to do to themselves, they should be free to do. Someone shouldn't spend decades in prison because they chose to take something to feel good. But anyway, into a tangent so I'll stop :)
Hotheadjoelhaha wrote:
Guy From V Exactly Guy from C... Not only are the Feds a Threat, the are The Enemy concerning Kratom. They Want to Schedule this and they Will.It's MONEY that makes Their World go around. I'm not saying that calls and emails to our Senators will do nothing, the problem is- It won't so enough. Most don't realize how much Big Pharma almost Owns our Government. This is the Perfect Storm for them. When is the last time the PEOPLE really got their way. We Do Not Rule- THEY rule over us.Many Thousands have STOPPED THEIR DOCTOR VISITS AND STOPPED THEIR PAIN( and Other)MEDS. WILL THEY STAND FOR THIS? (Losing Millions)? Not even a Snowballs chance. We had All better wake up. Oh I think it will still be available but it Will be On The Street, Just Like buying Any other illegal Drug. I don't mean to sound like Mr. Doom but this will happen. They( the DEA) Gave us a False Sence of Winning against Big Brother. Hell... They were Planning this legislation as soon as they saw resistance.Oh how I Hope that I'm wrong- But Kratom becoming more popular everyday, I don't think we STAND a chance. Will They Stand for people NOT going to their Doctors and Not taking Their( Poison Pills? (Like Me?) Not a chance.
My reply:
I agree with you hotheadjoelhaha. If this Act is left unchanged, they can absolutely place Kratom into Schedule A. The bill really doesn't specify that it has the authority to ban synthetics exclusively. The title is simply misleading, which is common in Congress. The title is formulated to give the public a sigh of relief without disclosing it's true power. And there is no peer, scientific, medical, or judicial review to stop the Attorney General from scheduling drugs into Schedule A either. There is also no language I found that requires an oversight committee's approval either. This Act will give full drug scheduling power to 1 person. In our democratic society, that should absolutely not be allowed. I don't care what their intentions really are. Everyone is on board with banning dangerous synthetic drugs and there is no reason why the bill should not include oversight approval somewhere. I have never understood why we've allowed cops, politicians, and lawyers to schedule drugs in the first place. This task should be placed into the hands of a committee comprised of independent scientists and medical professionals with no ties to politics or Big Pharma.
Kevin Laskowski wrote:
I am so glad someone else had the, pardon the language, balls to say exactly what i was thinking. I think the AKA is blowing this out of proportion. Although i love the AKA, I for one have had a headache since hearing this news. Due to my PTSD, I have been physically sick over this and i blame the AKA for my worry. No offence to the AKA, but come on. Synthetic drugs need to go. Glad the bill is on the table because its a BIG problem.
My reply:
My initial comment:
I only worry about Atty Gen Sessions and his anti-drug stance. There is also Kratom extracts that have been out there for years. I think extracts have always harmed Kratom's reputation, and they may argue that Kratom should be banned and cite these extracts as the reason. Plus, unless I read the Act wrong, Sessions can ban Kratom without any pushback from the public because there isn't a period of public comment mentioned, unless public comment period falls under the umbrella of the existing Controlled Substances Act, which it probably does. It's common knowledge that the DEA wants Kratom banned, and Atty Gen Sessions oversees the DEA. I'm sure the DEA has talked with Sessions about Kratom and he may push for Kratom to be included in SITSA. Sessions also has the final say with the substances added to SITSA, right? If yes, that really worries me. They could also amend the act at the very last minute to include Kratom and have it signed into law before we have a chance to do anything about it. But as SITSA stands today, it appears that Kratom is still safe. Kratom is obviously 100% natural. It's a leaf, and SITSA's title specifically says "Synthetic" which Kratom clearly is not. It's just the Kratom extracts that has me worried. Of course the extracts are not synthesized or chemically altered as far as I understand. They just make a liquid form of Kratom with a higher concentration of alkaloids. Extracts are also not deadly. But I think AKA should still take the act seriously because the possibility to include Kratom is there, and I wouldn't put it past the government and Sessions. I would feel much more comfortable if they include language in the bill excluding Kratom, such as "Kratom in it's natural state shall be exempt from SITSA" or something like that. AKA may be able to get that included somehow. At least I hope so. If they add Kratom to SITSA, they need to add caffeine as well since caffeine is similar to cocaine. So is lidacaine and benzacaine. And, unlike Kratom, caffeine kills people.
Other comments:
Hotheadjoelhaha wrote:
Odin's Elephant comment below is Very important information. There must be a rewording in the legislation to exclude Botanicals- there is Not. Yes, it speaks of synthetics but Adv. Anolog can mean many different things. If a substance such as Kratom is considered to 'Mimic the effects of a shedule I or II drug' it Can be considered An Anolog' and therefore Included in this Bill/Law. They could simply be slipping this in the back door. I guess the Main question is- is Big Pharma going to let Kratom just Slip on By as it(kratom)continues to take Millions of dollars from Their pockets? Kratom is becoming more popular by the day. Is this good for Big Pharma. Do we Really think that we Beat the DEA at their Own Game worth protests and petitions? The DEA exists for One Reason and One Reason only and That is to Protect Big Pharma's interests. This Bill must include wording that Totally exempts Botanicals. It does not. We should Not think that the Powers that Be are going to leave Kratom alone- They are Not. The Only ones that stand to benefit from the banning or scheduling of Kratom are the ones that are trying to ban or schedule it. When is the last time that They didn't get their way? Right, this has Never happened.My reply:
And the DEA does not care about the citizens. They are a bunch of beefcakes who only care about kicking in doors and busting asses, as well as their relevance. They get Kratom banned, their fiscal budget increases, their employment increasses, and their relevance increases. Not only do they care about Big Pharma, they also care about job security. So, I would not be surprised if Sessions and the DEA gets some language to include Kratom slipped into the act at the last minute before signing. For all we know, that's been their plan all along. As of today, the act should not concern Kratom, but the potential to insert something that will concern Kratom may happen. And that's what has me worried. In regard to synthetic drugs...ban the hell out of them. Personally, I would legalize anything and OTC everything, even heart meds. In that world, we wouldn't be battling the synthetic market because there probably wouldn't be one like it is today, had drugs always been legal and OTC. Use doctors for recommendations, not as prescribers. What people want to do to themselves, they should be free to do. Someone shouldn't spend decades in prison because they chose to take something to feel good. But anyway, into a tangent so I'll stop :)
Hotheadjoelhaha wrote:
Guy From V Exactly Guy from C... Not only are the Feds a Threat, the are The Enemy concerning Kratom. They Want to Schedule this and they Will.It's MONEY that makes Their World go around. I'm not saying that calls and emails to our Senators will do nothing, the problem is- It won't so enough. Most don't realize how much Big Pharma almost Owns our Government. This is the Perfect Storm for them. When is the last time the PEOPLE really got their way. We Do Not Rule- THEY rule over us.Many Thousands have STOPPED THEIR DOCTOR VISITS AND STOPPED THEIR PAIN( and Other)MEDS. WILL THEY STAND FOR THIS? (Losing Millions)? Not even a Snowballs chance. We had All better wake up. Oh I think it will still be available but it Will be On The Street, Just Like buying Any other illegal Drug. I don't mean to sound like Mr. Doom but this will happen. They( the DEA) Gave us a False Sence of Winning against Big Brother. Hell... They were Planning this legislation as soon as they saw resistance.Oh how I Hope that I'm wrong- But Kratom becoming more popular everyday, I don't think we STAND a chance. Will They Stand for people NOT going to their Doctors and Not taking Their( Poison Pills? (Like Me?) Not a chance.
My reply:
I agree with you hotheadjoelhaha. If this Act is left unchanged, they can absolutely place Kratom into Schedule A. The bill really doesn't specify that it has the authority to ban synthetics exclusively. The title is simply misleading, which is common in Congress. The title is formulated to give the public a sigh of relief without disclosing it's true power. And there is no peer, scientific, medical, or judicial review to stop the Attorney General from scheduling drugs into Schedule A either. There is also no language I found that requires an oversight committee's approval either. This Act will give full drug scheduling power to 1 person. In our democratic society, that should absolutely not be allowed. I don't care what their intentions really are. Everyone is on board with banning dangerous synthetic drugs and there is no reason why the bill should not include oversight approval somewhere. I have never understood why we've allowed cops, politicians, and lawyers to schedule drugs in the first place. This task should be placed into the hands of a committee comprised of independent scientists and medical professionals with no ties to politics or Big Pharma.
Kevin Laskowski wrote:
I am so glad someone else had the, pardon the language, balls to say exactly what i was thinking. I think the AKA is blowing this out of proportion. Although i love the AKA, I for one have had a headache since hearing this news. Due to my PTSD, I have been physically sick over this and i blame the AKA for my worry. No offence to the AKA, but come on. Synthetic drugs need to go. Glad the bill is on the table because its a BIG problem.
My reply:
The thing that worries me is that when you read the details of the bill, it doesn't use language which describes synthetic drugs exclusively. Instead the bill describes banning substances similar in chemistry/effect to currently scheduled drugs. All they need is to say "Kratom has one single property similar to opioids" and they can ban it. The bill doesn't require any elaboration or review of their decision. All I want is for them to add "natural botanicals are exempt", that's it. Would take them no time at all and we can have total peace of mind. They exclude natural botanicals in writing, I will fully support the bill. Otherwise, we can keep believing they will leave Kratom alone, the bill passes and signed into law, and the next day they will have full authority to add Kratom to Schedule A and we will be completely unable to stop them. The bottom line is that they will have the ability to schedule Kratom under SITSA. They may not, but they can, and that scares me.
Kevin's reply:
With what i'm hearing around the kratom community is that the powers to be are in favor of adding that exemption. There are some bigwigs on our side. Also, the threat of kratom hitting the black market, Which it will, Is 10 times worse as black marketeers will add bad things to kratom and will say, "Its even better than kratom" Making it into a dangerous product. This is something that the AKA is making aware to the board in charge of perfecting this bill, And i'm sure that is something they don't want to happen. It will hit the black market, No doubt. There will be a HUGE demand for kratom if its banned. Huge.
My reply:
Man I hope you're right about the exemption. It's the one thing that's keeping me awake at night these days and will continue indefinitely if this bill passes in its current form. I think that if they add the exemption, keeping Kratom (and other natural products) safe from Schedule A, there will be much more momentum to get the bill signed into law. I still struggle to figure out why the hell they need this bill. The DEA has been able to 100% successfully handle the scheduling of over 80 substances, then Kratom came along. Something that also worries me about the bill, if left unchanged. The current process works perfectly fine. It also allows the proper communities to voice their comments and possibly intervene if the DEA overreaches. My personal opinion, it seems like too much power is being given to 1 person; someone with no scientific or medical expertise. Anyway, going into a tangent lol. I absolutely agree that banning Kratom will open a huge sector of the black market and much of it will certainly be laced with all sorts of stuff. And I would hope the board doesn't want this. The DEA on the other hand...when the illicit drug market expands, so does their budget, personnel, and job security. I don't know. I really want to be optimistic here and them fixing the bill to keep Kratom safe will have the government on my good side. And as long as they aren't acting with deception with regard to this bill and they stay true to their word, which is going after dangerous synthetic drugs, I'll be okay with that. I believe the entire CSA and DEA should be dismantled, all drugs (including all Rx scripts) should be OTC and regulated, not controlled. Doctors write "recommendations", not prescriptions. The world can't be perfect I suppose. But they leave Kratom alone, I'll be happy :)
Tygar45 wrote:
This is the reason people are worked up over the synthetics part, "Kratom, while not mentioned by name in the Indiana Code has been illegal in Indiana since 2012 as a synthetic drug or synthetic look-alike substance." It has been used to ban kratom in on a state level.
My reply:
I moved out of Indiana literally 1 month before this ban took effect, so I'm well aware of this. I didnt move because if the ban though. I had to temporarily move to Indiana for a while to have surgery and to recover with help of family, which is partially why I take Kratom. I dodged a bullet, until a representative in Florida (where I'm from) started to do the same. She tried 4 times to ban kratom and her latest bill died in the committee last month. So far so good in FL, except Sarasota County. Anyway, I'm glad you pointed out Indiana because they used false information to ban Kratom and I wouldn't put it past our government to try the same tactics.
Mary burkett wrote:
I just ordered some o line from Texas and my son is freaking out now thinking the Dea is gonna come busting thru my door etc...it's told him this is not going to happen...will it
My reply:
Kratom is still legal in Texas, if that's what you were asking. If you are speaking of the SITSA Act, it will probably be a while, if their secret plan is to ban Kratom. If the worst happens and Kratom is placed on Schedule A (god forbid), the day they officially place the ban into the Federal Register, we will have 30 days until the ban goes into effect. Also, the language of SITSA states that possession of a Schedule A substance is subject to no crime, fine, penalty, or punishment. You will be totally fine with what you ordered, and if you stock up beforehand. But ordering Kratom after the ban goes into effect, you'd face prison and/or massive fines.
Kevin's reply:
With what i'm hearing around the kratom community is that the powers to be are in favor of adding that exemption. There are some bigwigs on our side. Also, the threat of kratom hitting the black market, Which it will, Is 10 times worse as black marketeers will add bad things to kratom and will say, "Its even better than kratom" Making it into a dangerous product. This is something that the AKA is making aware to the board in charge of perfecting this bill, And i'm sure that is something they don't want to happen. It will hit the black market, No doubt. There will be a HUGE demand for kratom if its banned. Huge.
My reply:
Man I hope you're right about the exemption. It's the one thing that's keeping me awake at night these days and will continue indefinitely if this bill passes in its current form. I think that if they add the exemption, keeping Kratom (and other natural products) safe from Schedule A, there will be much more momentum to get the bill signed into law. I still struggle to figure out why the hell they need this bill. The DEA has been able to 100% successfully handle the scheduling of over 80 substances, then Kratom came along. Something that also worries me about the bill, if left unchanged. The current process works perfectly fine. It also allows the proper communities to voice their comments and possibly intervene if the DEA overreaches. My personal opinion, it seems like too much power is being given to 1 person; someone with no scientific or medical expertise. Anyway, going into a tangent lol. I absolutely agree that banning Kratom will open a huge sector of the black market and much of it will certainly be laced with all sorts of stuff. And I would hope the board doesn't want this. The DEA on the other hand...when the illicit drug market expands, so does their budget, personnel, and job security. I don't know. I really want to be optimistic here and them fixing the bill to keep Kratom safe will have the government on my good side. And as long as they aren't acting with deception with regard to this bill and they stay true to their word, which is going after dangerous synthetic drugs, I'll be okay with that. I believe the entire CSA and DEA should be dismantled, all drugs (including all Rx scripts) should be OTC and regulated, not controlled. Doctors write "recommendations", not prescriptions. The world can't be perfect I suppose. But they leave Kratom alone, I'll be happy :)
Tygar45 wrote:
This is the reason people are worked up over the synthetics part, "Kratom, while not mentioned by name in the Indiana Code has been illegal in Indiana since 2012 as a synthetic drug or synthetic look-alike substance." It has been used to ban kratom in on a state level.
My reply:
I moved out of Indiana literally 1 month before this ban took effect, so I'm well aware of this. I didnt move because if the ban though. I had to temporarily move to Indiana for a while to have surgery and to recover with help of family, which is partially why I take Kratom. I dodged a bullet, until a representative in Florida (where I'm from) started to do the same. She tried 4 times to ban kratom and her latest bill died in the committee last month. So far so good in FL, except Sarasota County. Anyway, I'm glad you pointed out Indiana because they used false information to ban Kratom and I wouldn't put it past our government to try the same tactics.
Mary burkett wrote:
I just ordered some o line from Texas and my son is freaking out now thinking the Dea is gonna come busting thru my door etc...it's told him this is not going to happen...will it
My reply:
Kratom is still legal in Texas, if that's what you were asking. If you are speaking of the SITSA Act, it will probably be a while, if their secret plan is to ban Kratom. If the worst happens and Kratom is placed on Schedule A (god forbid), the day they officially place the ban into the Federal Register, we will have 30 days until the ban goes into effect. Also, the language of SITSA states that possession of a Schedule A substance is subject to no crime, fine, penalty, or punishment. You will be totally fine with what you ordered, and if you stock up beforehand. But ordering Kratom after the ban goes into effect, you'd face prison and/or massive fines.
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