Publisher’s Note: The Guardian reports:
This is an unprecedented action. It’s never happened before,” said agency spokesman Russ Bayer. “We’ve never withdrawn a notice to temporarily schedule any substance but we want to move through this process in a transparent manner.”
CRE most certainly served as a catalyst in its initial communication with the DEA, however it was the DEA—not CRE—that gave all the affected individuals the relief they sought. Kudos to the DEA.
Kudos also to our many readers who made nearly one thousand informative comments which were reviewed by Administration officials as authenticated by our traffic counts on this website.
N. B. The post which follows was made several days before the DEA made its announcement.
CRE appreciates the considerable recognition that the kratom community has given to our work. We continue to receive a large number of emails from you and learn from each and every one of them.
We have been asked repeatedly what our next steps will be; some even asking why our future plans are not near as transparent as our past actions in which we broadcasted our every move on the Kratom Policy Forum.
We, in conjunction with several very talented lobbying firms, were successful in educating the federal agencies of the downsides of a issuing a premature ban on kratom. We also benefited immensely from the informed public comments which were posted on the Forum; these comments placed considerable wind in our sails. We then announced that once the decision was made not to issue a final order instituting a ban that kratom should be subjected to a federal regulatory regime.
Based upon the actions taken by the federal government we conclude that we have met our objectives. Consequently our work is now finished and therefore we will terminate our work on this matter. We will make the Kratom Policy Forum available to the kratom community and will, from time to time, place articles of interest on it. In the meantime the kratom community may continue to use the Kratom Policy Forum as an information exchange by posting comments on the forum.
We would like to express our appreciation for the honor of providing a needed service to the community.
Thank you CRE! The kratom community is very appreciative of your efforts!
Where did the DEA make this announcement? The PR hasn’t changed at all on the federal register?
Thank you so much for giving us the platform and for the support. You are a wonderful organization.
Our forums are well read by regulators, the press and Congressional staff. Therefore we recommend that you present your ideas herein. We will maintain and make the platform available as long as there is a use for it. To this end any success we enjoyed would have been impossible without the repository of informed comments posted herein which we used most extensively as backup for our arguments both in formal and informal settings.
Also in the very few hours that our post has been up we are startled–and pleased–by your responses. We welcome your emails but simply do not have the resources to respond to them; this is not to mean we do not appreciate them.
What actions were taken by the federal government. Have they announced a public comment period?
Thank you for giving us a voice and for standing up for what is right.
Thank You CRE! We’ll never forget your support. The NOTICE HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.
CRE came on board very quickly and galvanized this community. Without your efforts, I am certain we would not be where we are today, with strong legislative support and a broadening coalition of people who support our cause.
I also want to note that CRE did all of this on their own time. Your presence gave the community hope in our darkest hours, and we need hope.
We will continue to fight. Thank you CRE.
CRE gave me hope. Thank you for the bottom of my heart
I sincerely thank everyone at CRE for all the hard work and effort that was put into this issue. There’s no doubt you helped the voices of the kratom community be not only heard but also acknowledged. Please know that we all will be forever grateful to you.
Thank you CRE!!! Your help has been invaluable to our community. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Thank you CRE. This platform as well as the many Tweets certainly played an important role in our fight. We appreciate all that you’ve done.
Seeing how devoted CRE has been in going beyond expectations, this announcement can only be seen as amazing news! Bravo!
CRE, don’t hesitate to contact me if you need any assistance with this issue or any other in the future! We appreciate your help – it has encouraged many citizens to be very participative in regulatory matters. As the People become more knowledgeable about the way the system works, we can accomplish so much more AND set the right foundation for our children. Where we felt hope was lost, you have brought us back together. CRE, you have saved LIVES. We have a much greater respect for our government now. Thank you.
Thank you CRE! Your early involvement and letter to the DEA gave the first shred of hope I felt after the devastation of learning of the proposed ban on kratom. You gave those of us affected by the overreach of the DEA a voice that was noticed and continues to be heard. I will forever remember and be grateful that people like you are looking out for those who could be easily trampled upon by those who misuse their authority. Please remember that the work you did has saved lives! Heartfelt thanks!
I know the kratom community would all like to thank you, and many didnt even know you were on the front lines helping and caring for suffering people. CRE, please allow us to help you , if you should ever need it. God bless this org and continue to FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT. You are one of the reasons we still have a country instead of a dictatorship.
CRE, I just want to add my appreciation for what you have done for us. Your efforts have made a huge difference and words cannot describe how sincerely thankful we all are.
We thank you for your quick action and support in the matter of keeping our voices alive and our choices relevant. I’d hate to think where I’d be right now, if the ban had gone into effect.
Thank you CRE for all you have done in helping us in the fight to keep kratom legal..I truly appreciate your help and voice .
When the kratom community wins the battle for our right to consume this natural botanical product, we will always remember the CRE who was there for us from the very beginning, just like the AKA! We are forever grateful to you. <3
A sincere thank you to everyone at the CRE for representing the kratom community and defending our right to take a natural, botanical herb instead of addictive, expensive and debilitating pharmaceutical drugs.
Thank you so very much CRE. As a Canadian who has been apart of the US kratom community for several years, seeing you step in to help the cause as well as the references regarding the RCC and also your help in retweeting my Canada based tweets on the issue and your own have been an incredible part of this process and for all of the thousands of lives you have stood up for past, present and hopefully future many thanks.
Thank you so very much for your support for this very urgent matter and for getting down to the facts of this matter so quickly and professionally , outlining clearly an extremely efficient and effective plan for the DEA to follow in resolving this issue. I am amazed that they did follow part of your advice and hopeful that they will take a good look at this issue now and see that the benefits of kratom greatly outweigh any claimed risks. My faith in the “system” is now partially restored seeing how a relatively small group of very passionate determined citizens were heard and will be considered . Thanks to you opening the door for the platform we can now have to speak out against this injustice . I am very grateful for that opportunity , thank you again for your help.
The NOTICE HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN. Thank you CRE for your tremendous support. It will never be forgotten. However, we still have much work ahead of us!
Proof that the CRE made a difference: https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2016-24659.pdf
Thank you!
We are reading these posts; the long hours we spent on this issue was worth the effort.
Regarding the October 14th entry, why is the DEA pretending to withdraw the Notice of intent, but still intending to ultimately ban this tree? They are referring to the FDA/HHS now for nails in the coffin, and we all know they’ve been wanting to rid us of this tree for many years. It almost seems calculated that this was going to be the end goal. Still, the DEA overreached their authority in initiating the ban, “withdrew”, then now look towards the real beast for backup? How could anyone hope this will go alright? Where is the transparency? Why did DEA not show us the correspondence with HHS? What is being hidden?
Is it true that the DEA in its ego trip of authority can change with the rest of us. Now we can all comment for the next 6 weeks and get kratom straightened out. It is a leaf for Christ’s sake. DEA, you can do this, just relax and admit you tried too hard, and after all you were only concerned with our health, right?
Yes, there is a public comment period that ends on December 1. One of our readers set forth the procedure in the post of Oct 12 @ 12:51. The reader stated:
Proof that the CRE made a difference:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2016-24659.pdf
Please see the Kratom Roundtable at http://www.thecre.com/forum11/?p=375