US DEA backs off banning popular herb, Kratom
http://www.ktvu.com/news/209461343-story
JUST WATCH… the DEA screwed up using the wrong law and declaring an EMERGENCY to reschedule Kratom… They will now go back to the drawing board and find or create an interpretation of some law that they believe that they can use.. they will have some public comment period.. and just like the CDC’s actions with their pubic comment period.. the public comment period CHANGED NOTHING.. in their proposed opiate prescribing guidelines… and the DEA will go down the same path… the 50+ House members and the 10+ Senators and their letters to the DEA.. will get them all past the November election… I expect that the DEA will try to implement the rescheduling between the Nov 8th election and the Jan 20th inauguration. While the rest of the legislative/executive branches of our Federal government are in transition.
BERKELEY, Calif. (KTVU) – The US Drug Enforcement Agency backed off banning a popular herb after major pushback from users and federal legislators. The Southeast Asian tree leaf Kratom was supposed to be named an illegal schedule 1 substance, the same classification as heroin, on September 30.
The DEA delayed the ban after Congressional lawmakers urged a public comment period. Kratom sellers and users, however, fear the ban is still coming from DEA.
“We didn’t get into this business for Kratom. Kratom found us,” said owner Ethan Franc.
Franc said customers swear the powdered leaves, used for hundreds of years in Asia, are the answer to their physical and emotional ailments.
“Pain relief or getting off opioid addiction,” said Franc.
“We’ve had customers use it to get off anti depressants.”
The Haight’s Head Rush smoke shop said people frequently ask for Kratom.
“A lot of people use it to stay off of the methadone and opiates,” said Head Rush’s Allan Sprage.
“My description is like a cloud suit. It’s comforting for sure.”
The DEA called for an emergency ban on Kratom on August 30, claiming Kratom has hallucinogenic properties and is addictive. Descriptions Kratom advocates dispute.
“As far as addictive, it’s on par with coffee and caffeine,” said Franc.
The DEA also says Kratom is associated with 15 US deaths, but advocates say those cases may have been in combination with opioid use.
Multiple herbal shops and smoke shops pulled Kratom and prepared to destroy supplies in anticipation of the September 30 ban, but the DEA delayed the ban for an undetermined amount of time.
“My greatest hope is that people have access to it,” said Franc, who believes Kratom will end up on the Black Market if outlawed.
The legal consequences have not been laid out for possession or sale of Kratom if a ban goes through.
Advocates worry a level one classification will also mean research on Kratom and why people experience pain relief and addiction management will stop.
Filed under: General Problems
Pharmacist Steve…have you been contacted by the AKA or the BEA regarding lending your professional voice to the cause of keeping kratom legal? We have become a huge and cohesive community, but the AKA and BEA need medical professionals, health advocates, not to mention legal professionals, to lend their powerful voices. Soon we will all need to come together and begin to be real loud to save kratom for all the chronic pain patients, the veterans, the grandmothers and single mothers, the depressed and the anxious, and the addicts whose fragile sobriety was hard fought and won. I hope you will be there shouting with us, Pharmacist Steve.
I have seen, as we all have ,,how corrupt and abuse of ”just powers,” our government has become..What they did w/decocainized coca teas,,coca leave in natural form is,,they declared in 2010,,to ban it in our country,,Thjey changed the wording on customs importation forms in 2010,,That in order to import the coca leaf to the U.S,,,u HAVE TO/MUST register it at customs as the ”cocaine alkaloid”anotherwards either u lie about it in natural form,ie a coca leaf,,or u can’t import it,,and customs will take it before it even gets into the country..Also the dea literally changed the definitiojn of what cocaine it,,it use to be, a white crystalline substance synthetically extracted from the coca leaf..Now,,,it is changed to ,,cocaine= benzoylecgonine,,,,They took out white powder,and synthetically extracted,,My point being,,if the dea want this band,,,they will ban it,,,behind your backs,,by changing a definition,,some corrupted back alley way,,,the dea will bann your kratom,,if it means employment for them!!!Their corrupt,,thats what corrupt governments do,,,they lie,cheat and abuse their power derived from the governed,,mary
It would be nice if government agencies and reporters would decide on just how many people have died from the use of this herb. The correct number of ZERO would be nice! Obviously it must work as anecdotal evidence suggests or they wouldn’t be so adamant about its dangers. We must not be allowed legal access to anything that interferes with their agenda of torture and genocide!
I would encourage anyone that desires to see kratom remain legal,to contact the American KRATOM association,and the botanical education alliance,for the latest info and strategies to save this medicinal plant.Contact with lawmakers,senators and congressmen,is especially helpful.Senator Orrin Hatch,Chuck Grassley,Bernie Sanders,And Bill Nelson,have been instrumental in delaying the illegal ban.Call them,Email them,express your views.Numerous medical science professionals have also expressed to DEA that this IS a plant with profound medical value,and therefore does not belong in schedule 1.I personally do not believe it is a done deal that they will attempt to ban it any time soon,if at all.We have lawmakers,medical science,and numerous agencies such as the center for regulatory effectiveness,on our side in this battle that should have never occurred in the first place.