On September 12 CRE sent a letter ( cre-dea-kratom-1 ) which contains a roadmap for the Drug Enforcement Administration to address the alleged problems with kratom through the adoption of a transparent and public process.
CRE concluded in the aforementioned letter:
However in this instance, the DEA action to ban Kratom, the conflict is considerably wider in scope. In this instance there is a sharp disagreement among a number of federal agencies. Consequently if there were ever a time for an OMB intervention this is it.
CRE recommends the following:
CRE is requesting that the DEA take the following actions, none of which prejudge the final status of Mitragynine and 7-Hydroxymitragynine:
1. Extend the effective date for placing kratom into schedule I until July, 1, 2017.
2. Open a Federal Register notice-and-comment proceeding on placing kratom into Schedule I and inform the public that the DEA’s proposal is a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866 because it,
a) Has an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more or
b) Creates a serious inconsistency with an action taken by another agency, FDA, or
c) Raises novel legal and policy issues arising out of legal mandates.
3. Submit the proposed listing to OMB for review pursuant to Executive Order 12866.
4. Inform the US-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) via OMB of DEA’s intent to place kratom on schedule I and seek its comments.
5. Conduct an interagency peer review of DEA’s science which lead to a Schedule I listing of kratom as required by the HISA requirements of the Data (Information) Quality Act
Also see comments on this page.
This seems like the sensible approach, why rush into something like this? Millions will be effected and thousands could go to prison. Not to mention all the vendors who will shut down.
Kratom is easily hundreds of million dollars / year in business – alot of lost tax revenue. Worse, is a lot of lost jobs – most informed estimates are over 10,000 jobs lost. What a shame!
People should look into the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA).
I agree this is totally sensible. A notice and comment period is often used for a reason. Kratom is not killing or endangering the public so there is absolutely no reason to rush this. I hope the DEA will do the right thing despite big pharma most likely being in their ear and pushing a rush
Our government wants and needs more people to go to prison and will end up making a lot of money off the illegal sale of Kratom with all the $ it seizes in illegal transactions once it becomes illegal, the same with all the rest of the illegal drugs. Our government isn’t interested in anything ‘sensible’ or have any concern for the public. We now live in a police state and have been for a long time now.
The administrative points and analysis are objectively quite solid and clearly demonstrate the recklessness of the DEA’s approach. The requested reliefs are just plain sensible. Why do I have a feeling that the other shoe is about to drop on DEA when they will be given comprehensive, scientific report refuting DEA’s position. Of course, that may just be what’s in the letter that the DEA refuses to make public. Waiting …
I would like to thank the CRE for looking into this and noticing that the DEA has over stepped their boundaries. They do not make laws. They enforce them. Yet they would like to make Kratom a schedule 1 drug which would classify me as a felon. ME – a mother, a daughter, a paralegal, a tax payer. I am a chronic pain patient and kratom is how I manage my pain instead of with opiates. I have used it for 10 years and now the DEA would criminalize me for it. Its a horrendous injustice. Please do not schedule kratom. Its a botanical like kava that should be available to all without a prescription.
Can I copy and paste your comment to Facebook as a testimony on the benefits of kratim?
You are so right! Kratom is beneficial to so many people like you and me. We must not let the DEA take away this natural pain reliever.
Now this is reasonable action. The DEA’s action is not reasonable or logical!
Thank you CRE. This states the facts clearly. We, the people should be allowed to choose what we put into our bodies. The DEA has overreached here.
Thank you CRE. This is a very sensible response to the outrageous ban on Kratom by the DEA. Kratom has helped my live with my migraines without being on pain pills. Kratom also helps with my restless leg syndrome. Kratom has helped my best friend fight her depression and anxiety. Please help us keep Kratom legal!! Thanks
The DEA is full of it! They should not be allowed to ban anything without input from the citizens of our country. This is a democracy…the DEA acts like a dictator.
Well said!
Thank you CRE for addressing this, Kratom has helped so many people including myself. I am a Mother of 3 children, a wife, a Sunday school teacher and they all Need me, I can’t be a felon and I have suffered years with Depression, finally have my life back in order and doing great, Thanks to this all natural Leaf. Saving lives, bettering lives, and productive lives is what Kratom does for so many! Thank you
My name is April Smith and I am a Certified Medical Assistant. I am expressing my opinions regarding the DEAs decision to classify Kratom as a Schedule I drug. I take kratom daily to help with several health issues and my life would be negatively affected if this happened. I am 30 years old and developed arthritis in my back in my early 20s. Because of this I developed an addiction to prescription pain pills. My life revolved around them and I could not stop no matter how hard I tried. Because of this I Put myself into a methadone matienence program. The $400 monthly out of pocket cost for the program quickly became too much of a financial burden for my husband and myself to handle with 2 small children to care for. In addition to the financial costs, I was having nasty side effects from consuming such a large quantity of methadone daily. I detoxed out of the program, and even doing a taper the withdrawal symptoms left me unable to function. I came to close to relapsing back to my prescription pain pills from my back pain reemerging and the crippling withdrawal symptoms. After a desperate Google search I became educated on kratom. I can't begin to describe to you how amazing that day . The plant as like a beacon of light to me in an entirely dark world. It took away my withdrawal symptoms and by back no longer hurt! This is something narcotic pain pills had only been able to do in the . There at also no side effects like with prescription drugs. The cost is something my family can afford. True kratom does not give a "buzz" or a "high" feeling. The most Ive ever felt from kratom is a coffee like burst of energy and improved mood because my pain is gone. I have also suffered from depression and anxiety since my teenage years. I had been on strong medications to treat this off and on throughout the years, also with side effects. Since finding kratom I have not had to resort back to those medications. In addition to kratom's pain relieving properties, it significantly improved my anxiety and depression. I do take kratom daily, bc I the dramatic improvement on my life it has made. With kratom I have been able to discontinue several strong medications with known side effects, including death in certain cases, with a natural alternative that has no side effects. I am an educated person. I graduated magna cum laude and have a degree in Medical assisting. I have obtained certifications in Medical Coding and Billing, EKG, and Phlebotomy. I can hold a job now, and be a functional memeber of society. In getting up and gling to worm daily. Something I was not able to do before. Im going to be honest. Im scared. I'm scared that if the DEA follows through with there intent to classify Kratom as a Schedule 1 I will have to return to use of prescription pain pills again. I dont want to live that addict lifestyle anymore. I am on a good path, and I am happy. There are hundreds of thousands of I the testimonies out there just like mine. Please don't take our right away to choose a natural alternative to prescription medications. Kratom has made such a significant improvement in our lives. Please, please don't take this away from us. Your not just taking out plant away, if some cases your taking our jobs, our families, or our ability to get out and function. Your taking our freedom away by removing our access to Kratom. Please reconsider. Thank you.
My story is your story.
Thank you CRE for taking this actionionary step. The DEA certainly needs to be held accountable for the reasons they proclaimed without solid enough data or justification. The public has clearly spoken and not allowing a commentary is an incredible overstepping of our rights. During this opiate crisis and chronic pain patients being fired, and or suddenly stopped from their medications, it is clear that thousands and thousands of lives have been brought to quality of living with the help of this plant. I am a mother of three children, I volunteer, have helped many people detox off of their drugs, or (alcohol which is legal) I am a productive member of society. I nor any other person CHOOSING to use the aid of nature’s leaf and intended properties am not a criminal. What should be criminal is banning a leaf that is KNOWN for helping with opiate withrawal and sobriety especially during this opiate crisis. Sincerely, #iamkratom
Finally some common sense! This plant needs to be available to the hundreds of thousands of people who get relief from it. And our vendors need to be able to support their families. I have never met a better class of business owners.
Not to mention all those in chronic pain and illness that were able to return to work with kratom that will be flooding our already strained welfare and disability system. We already can’t get any rx drug relief due to the parnoria now that everyone is a faker and looking to score drugs even people like myself who have been sick over 5 years with well documented diagnosis and injuries cannot even get my doctor to write a sleep medication script out let alone anything for pain. I did a short stint at a pain clinic but the treatment there was inhumane we were forced to hold our pee for sometimes four hours when the doctor was running behind which was almost always. Treated like the worst scum on earth I recall them laughing at an ninty year old woman who wasn’t able to pee enough on command for the test. Plus opiates gave me cluster migraines so I traded body pain for horrible head pain and still was bedridden so I didn’t get any benfit from the medication. I couldn’t walk stand use the bathroom on my own never mind work.
I personally work because kratom made me able to.
This is the approach that should’ve been taken to begin with! Thank you for this proposal!! I’d especially be anxious to see the results of that #5! Kratom has drastically improved my quality of life and I’m am greatly fearful of having to revert to being in constant debilitating pain and fatigue if they take away my rights to this plant. Your efforts here are enormously appreciated!
I take kratom to aid my almost crippling anxiety. My doctor had me on xanax for 8 years before I decided I didn’t want to be a slave to mind-altering medications. I’ve tried many, many different herbs but none of them touched it quite like kratom. I do not get “high”, I do not get a “buzz”…I can just function normally. I shudder to think what my life will become if this leaf is banned. Not to mention the chronic pain sufferers who were able to get their lives back!!! I am hoping the CRE succeeds with this!
#iamkratom
Banning kratom protects no one, but endangers many. Businesses as well as lives would be lost. DEA must not be allowed to act without oversight. Kratom is scientifically proven to be a harmless substance with potential for great medicinal value. Millions, including a huge contingency of veterans, use kratom in their dietary regimen to great benefit; there has never in history been a single recorded instance of kratom overdose. Thank you CRE.
I have never seen a real study that concluded that kratom was unsafe.
I have a friend who relies on Kratom. I care about this issue and do not want it to be banned.
Banning Kratom would be a big mistake. All it would do is put more people in the prison system. It helps so many people in so many different ways it is a great suppliment. Kratom makes it possible for me to live a normal clear headed life with hip dysplasia. I can take a walk with my husband or go shopping with my daughter. Thanks for not demonizing it CRE
Kratom saved my life. It helped me quit using heroin and I was able to go back to school and get a great job. My family is happy and I am happy. It has giving me a quality of life I never thought possible. I don’t get “high” from it. It has givin me my life back. Now the DEA wants to take my life away from me again.
This is definitely a much more sensible plan of action. Though the DEA claims that kratom is an imminent threat. I think the testimony of thousands of people who safely use kratom speaks for itself. The ban would not only effect thousands, if not millions of people, it would seriously disrupt the economy. Small businesses will be forced to close. Not to mention how this ban would effect the opiod epidemic. If thousands of people went back on opiods, statistical speaking, this would cost many of them their lives. We’re not just talking about monetary gain or loss, but complete loss of life for a certain percentage of people. This is no way reflects an agency that is set in place to protect people. This could cause major backlash for the validity of such an agency to exist. People do not want to be dictated to the point that nature is taken away. This policy was a big fail the first time and yet the dea still refuses to recognize and rectify it’s mistake on certain other natural plants. They have a pretty set in stone record of not ever temporarily banning anything! The whole of this matter just needs to be shut down completely . I digress. Thank you for recognizing the need for this situation to be slowed down and considered more carefully. It is definitely a step in the right direction, when this whole situation has been a seemingly endless sweeping of the proverbial rug from under the feet of the kratom community. Kratom saved me from a life of long term opiod management for my pain. It also replaced my anxiety and depression medications. I feel alive, clear headed, and pain free thanks to kratom. I find it very difficult for anyone to find the harm in that! I know my physicians certainly do not. They have watched me go from a bed bound person, to an active member of society again. Guess in the eyes of the dea this should make me a criminal? There are just so many common sense statements coming against the ban on kratom but I have yet to see the dea address this matter with any validity, let alone common sense. It’s a frustrating world indeed when the truth is ignored. Thank you again for recognizing the need to put some common sense back on the table of topics.
Big thank you to the CRE for recognizing the reckless attempt of the DEA to ban a plant. The leaves have been chewed in Southeast Asia for centuries. Kratom is a very helpful plant. For me personally it helps my chronic pain enough so that I do not have to be on such powerful pain medications that cause terrible side effects and cause me to be like a zombie. I have been put on two drugs in the past by doctors that nearly killed me. I promised my family I would never do that again.
This seems like a very sensible approach! Kratom should not be scheduled untill undeniable evidence is available that it is harmfull. And consumer’s need to be notified more than a month in advance so they can prepare ahead of time for such an insrance. Major actions like this should not be made off of inadequate and one sided reasearch and conjecture! Also I think you should add conditions for regulation to prohibit the sale to minors.
Thank you so much! We are adults, and we are capable of deciding what substances best suit our bodies and our needs. There is no public endangerment from kratom. Everyone can discover the FACTS about this leaf by doing proper research. So many things can kill us…… and do kill people everyday…..cigarettes, alcohol, guns, cars, airplanes, etc. I think if kratom is made illegal, all that will do is create a lucrative black market. Once chronic pain suffers have found again, some quality of life, they will not let go that easily. No good will come from the ban.
That you so much CRE for this information. Kratom has given me the ability to lead a productive and fulfilling life after 15 years in pain from a car accident. It is not right that the DEA can come in and take this away for the thousands of people who have found this miracle. It is our right as tax-paying, productive members of society to choose nature over harmful medications. It is also unfair that they have Patents on Kratom and releasing information on how beneficial it is while claiming it is dangerous and a public health crisis. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jacs.6b00360 Thank you so much!!!!
Thank You CRE for standing up to the truth–I suffer from crippling RA, progressive Peripheral Neuropathy and Unstable Angina. I found relief from my chronic pain through the help of Kratom leafs which has been helping millions for centuries. I was prescribed Lyrica for the burning sensations which Kratom now gives me relief and tramadol for my crippling arthritic pain that no longer works, but kratom has given me relief as well. Also, for my Unstable Angina in which I get occasional chest pains, Kratom has cured as I have not needed to use my nitrospray in over 8 months. The Pharmaceutical companies should not be allowed to mandate and make opiate addicts out of us for their profit (Oxycontin should be BANNED, NOT Kratom)
Kratom is harmless. Just one more time our government stepped where they don’t belong.
Thank you CRE – MUCH needed. I am still trying to figure out how I am going to remain a working, functioning citizen if kratom is placed on a schedule 1. Myself and MANY other people are in danger of losing our functionality in society as well as losing our sobriety from prescription opioids if this harmless plant is taken away from us. This should be our choice – to heal ourselves naturally and without the large and imposing hand of big pharma’s influence via the government. Thank you for making them accountable in all regards. THANK YOU!!
I’m a 60-year-old grandmother who has suffered from debilitating fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue for eighteen years. Kratom is the first thing that has given me dependable pain relief with no side-effects. It has helped me be more functional and not quite so house-bound. It’s not a cure, but it sure is a help. Plus it’s affordable. And now I’ll be a felon criminal is I continue to ingest my daily teaspoon of kratom? Please, it makes no sense to take away a natural substance that can help the disabled be more functional. In crude financial terms, anything that helps the disabled be more functional saves the disability system money.
The possibility that this one plant can change the future of hundreds of thousands of people addicted to opiates, whether they be prescribed or illegal is life changing. For me being left with the residual effects of cancer, degenerative disc disease, and fibromyalgia just to name a few I find myself leaning towards being almost symptom free and my hope would be to change my disability status and re-enter the working world.
Please don’t do this to people that need it. Read the comments and concerns from Americans that rely on this for so many positive effects in life. Please trust the American people that they know this is something that can truly help them manage pain or overcome addictions. Use your conscience and don’t take this away.
Than you, CRE for proposing this plan of action. My life was saved with Kratom and I cannot imagine the devastating effects on the population if this ban is enforced, much more so that if it were to remain legal and be approved for mass study. This is clearly about money for the DEA and Big Pharm. For once, IT MUST BE ABOUT OUR HEALTH AND FREEDOM TO CHOOSE NATURAL CARE. Not to mention an enormous infringement on our religious freedoms. My GOD is NATURE. I choose Nature. I can never go back to pain management, the opiates will kill me my conditions have no cure. It’s important to slow this down and let the public be heard.
It is essential, for an action of this magnitude that very literally affects tens of thousands of people, that the legislation be sensible and appropriate. The DEA’s approach to listing kratom as a Schedule I controlled substance with little research, 660 out-of-context calls to poison control in a FIVE YEAR period, and the claim of 15 deaths without any evidence to support such a claim goes against the very foundation of our country…freedom. Kratom is a plant in the coffee family. While it does activate the mu-opioid receptors, so does chocolate, cheese, breastmilk, and sex. According to the several studies, our country is facing a critical issue with chronic pain patients being severely undertreated for pain. There are over 100 million people in the United States that suffer from chronic pain, however the majority of these patients are unable to receive appropriate treatment from medical professionals due, in large part, to knee-jerk reactions to the heroin crisis. It is a fact that many thousands of people have found relief from chronic pain; emotional pain caused by PTSD, depression, and anxiety; and heroin/opiate addiction with the assistance of kratom. With kratom assisting these significant healthcare issues during such a critical time and relieving an over-burdened healthcare system, why would it make sense to enact an “emergency” scheduling with, at best, inadequate and incomplete research? It is simply unacceptable and reckless.
I am a U.S. Army veteran, a mother, a wife, and I work full time. I suffer from chronic pain as a result of arthritis in addition to suffering PTSD, depression, and anxiety as a result of military sexual trauma. I have had several surgeries on my joints, recently in January 2016 having a major knee surgery that included drilling and screws. Kratom has significantly impacted my life in a positive way. I am able to work without calling off due to pain and I am able to be the mother and wife my family deserves. Without kratom, I would be burdening an already overly burdened healthcare system. I am now living the life I deserve to live as any other U.S. citizen deserves. Taking away our ability to choose for ourselves a natural alternative to pharmaceutical medications is a violation of our right to freedom. And, doing so in such a way that circumvents regular channels is dishonest and seriously calls into question the motivations of the DEA.
THANK YOU CRE!
Due process is what is needed. Let voices be heard. Let facts be presented. Let discussions take place. Then let logic & reason prevail. I have never heard of you but you got my attention and I will start following what you do..
Thank you! This letter made mine and my family’s day, and it has even more evidence on kratom’s side than I was aware of. I didn’t know how many Acts, or laws that the DEA broke in this unilateral decision, and you, the CRE, are my personal hero right now.
Thank you so much for standing up for science, for truth, and for level headedness. That is all that we kratom supporters want, for level heads and science to prevail.
This is a copy of the letter I sent to the DEA, HHS, the Attorney General, my Senators and my Representative:
My name is Laura. I come from a law enforcement background (my father worked for the police) and I currently work for the Department of Human Services. I am also a born again Christian and I genuinely love my country.
I am writing to you today asking you to NOT make Kratom (mitragyna speciosa) a Schedule I substance. Please listen to my story and see how this will negatively affect my life.
I have struggled with Restless Legs Syndrome for almost as long as I can remember. In 2008 I discovered an herb that can help treat my condition on a Restless Legs Syndrome forum. It is called Kratom, or Mitragyna Speciosa. It is a deciduous tree in the coffee family. It is not synthetic or made in a lab, it is just a leaf that grows on a tree. I have used it since 2008 and it has helped my life immensely.
It works better than any prescription medication I have ever taken, and I have never experienced any side effects or interactions with the other medications that I take. The only thing I experience after taking kratom is relief from my debilitating condition. I have tried Requip, Levodopa/Carbadopa, Mirapex, Benzodiazepenes, and prescription opiates to try to treat my condition. All unsuccessfully.
My Restless Legs Syndrome is so severe it cripples me when left untreated. My skin feels like it is crawling and it’s often very painful. I can’t focus on anything else when I’m having a flare up. I actually found that Requip and Mirapex made my symptoms worse (called “augmentation”), and the opiates and benzodiazepenes interfered with my judgment and made me lethargic. They are also incredibly addicting. I experience no addiction from kratom at all.
As I have taken kratom since 2008, that makes 8 years of regular use with no negative incidents at all. I take Kratom at only the lowest dose that effectively controls my symptoms, and I do not experience any psychoactive effects from it at all. All I get is relief from my condition. It does not affect my judgment or memory, or behavior. It doesn’t change my personality like opiates and benzodiazepenes do. That is why I love it. Making this substance a schedule I drug makes no sense at all.
I found out today from the American Kratom Association, that the DEA has made an emergency scheduling ruling which would make my medicine a Schedule I substance as of September 30, 2016. Unfortunately, unscrupulous vendors out to make a quick buck have mis-marketed kratom as a “legal high”, and compared it to opiates. As someone who has taken opiates, I can tell you kratom is nothing like opiates, as in I can stop taking it all of a sudden and feel no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever. The only result that happens from me stopping taking it is that my Restless Legs Syndrome stops being treated effectively.
Just because some irresponsible people have abused this wonderful God-created plant, does not mean that the majority of us who use it condone that kind of abuse. One can abuse anything but the majority of people who take this plant do so for medicine, and do so responsibly, like I do.
The main people who take Kratom are like I am: hard-working, tax-paying, law-abiding, respectable citizens who love our country. Please don’t turn me into a criminal just because I want relief from Restless Legs Syndrome. I do not want the DEA to take my medicine away from me. I am all for regulation, let the government regulate it, including making an age restriction to only over age 18, or over age 21. But blanket scheduling out of nowhere is not productive.
I would not be able to function at such a high level (full time employment) or have such a high quality of life without this plant. Please reconsider this law and keep it legal for the majority of users who use it as a legitimate medicine.
I’d like to take a moment out of my day to thank you for the work that you’re doing. This is a Democracy and we deserve to have our voices heard.
This is sensible. Period.
Thank you cre! This all natural plant has helped countless people including myself. It has never made anyone do anything illegal nor has it ever harmed anyone. #savekratom #iamkratom
Thank you for your support. This ban will make thousands of law abiding citizens felons overnight. They closed off our ability to comment and took away our right to speak. Deplorable and a gross overreach of power.
ditto We are law abiding citizens, suddenly to become felons? What sense does this make?
“Deplorable and a gross overreach of power” This can be stopped, now!
The Only reason I could agree with DEA doing it’s job, would be to spot check these ‘gas station’ type vendors, who offer NO proof of Kratom’s origin or purity. Same idea as with ‘bath salts’
These are the offenders, Not US.
Thank you for this rational and more sensible solution. I am a chronic pain sufferer who uses kratom to give me back my dignity and quality of life. The ban the DEA plans will destroy mine and many others lives.
This is fantastic news! Thanks to all for pushing so hard on such an important issue for myself and so so many others… God bless you all and may this Kratom ban be stopped, or delayed at least!!!❤️❤️❤️
We need a Constitutional Amendment firmly establishing the right of the American people to decide for themselves what natural substances they wish to imbibe. Yes, by all means regulate for purity and truth in advertising on the part of natural supplement and herbal vendors, but this whole “War on Drugs” is a war on the liberty of the American people. The DEA needs to be abolished. There is way too much government and executive overreach, and the problem is endemic. The DEA’s imperial conduct regarding kratom is the last straw. The DEA is an enemy of liberty, and of the sovereign American people.
I also find the DEA’s callous disregard for human life to be profoundly disturbing. This ban will cost human lives. The DEA knows this, and is pushing it anyway. I think we need an independent inquiry into whether or not the DEA leadership is attempting to commit democide (causing the calculated, deliberate death of a specific group of people, in this case the mentally ill and chronic pain patients). If so, this is a violation of American and international law, and the DEA leadership needs to be indicted and put on trial.
Get a Stay Of Execution. Yes! One year, or 10 months is sufficient time to prove the DEA are making completely baseless accusations. Great work. The Canadian Black Market for Kratom ALREADY EXISTS IN 6 STATES.Common knowledge now. I’m not “snitching.” Keep stalling while we compile evidence for the safety and efficacy and medicinal value and lack of abuse potential of Kratom. You can have a copy of my own bloodwork if you’d like. Or do another physical exam on me. I take an ounce of plain leaf a day, every day-with certain other meds(which ARE safe to combine-I checked their pharmacology first), and have had no ill effects except constipation & occasional dry mouth, if I don’t drink enough water.
Kratom is even safer than Cannabis, to put it in perspective. Safer than Acetaminophen too. And COUNTLESS other household items, drugs, supplements, etc.
Thank You.
James P.
As a healthcare provider and a friend of someone who will never have a normal human life again without kratom, I insist that it is a mistake to make kratom schedule I, and thereby inaccessible. Another friend of mine died of painkiller overdose–if he had used kratom when he initiated his painkiller regimen, he would still be here today. He was a kind, intelligent, and warm-hearted person with a very good job whose only mistake was an injury with chronic pain afterward; he even had made it through his prescribed rehab. Science and experience demonstrates how safe kratom is; past history shows when kratom is regulated, overdose fatalities from truly dangerous drugs increase.
To allow kratom to become regulated as a Schedule I drug–without so much as a nod to public comment, which further insults our intelligence–is to write a death warrant for untold numbers of innocent people–both those who will die and those who will suffer a living hell of chronic pain trying to avoid addiction–and only serves to line the pockets of the pharmaceutical industry. They are quite wealthy enough already at our expense.
Greetings,
I’m a 39 year old male and I’d like to voice my concern & opposition regarding the DEA’s misinformed decision to make Kratom (Mitragyna Speciosa) a Schedule I drug (this is the same class as heroin, crack, cocaine, LSD, etc!!). Most importantly, please understand that kratom is an herbal remedy and not a drug. It’s as much of a drug as Coffee, Kava Kava, Valerian Root & countless other herbal supplements that help combat anxiety, fatigue, insomnia with the difference being that Kratom can single-handedly soothe all 3 of those common factors in our daily lives.
I have been using Kratom for over 4 years to help alleviate migraines, arthritis, fatigue, to assist lowering anxiety, to aid in dulling life’s minor aches & pains as well as promoting a subtle sense of well-being. Within those 4 years, I was also able to lower my alcohol intake to less than (the doctor-recommended) 1 glass of red wine a day thanks to kratom (kratom does not make one drunk or high nor is it toxic to the liver unlike the ‘legal’ alcohol). I was also able to stop using NSAIDS (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, etc) as often for migraines as these have been proven to cause liver issues and even liver failure (unlike kratom!!). Many responsible adults rely on kratom as a mild life-enhancing herb no different from those who rely on their Coffee, Chamomile or any other herb that has been used for thousands of years without negative impact upon society.
Kratom should remain legal and available for responsible adults like myself and my fiancé who live more productive lives thanks to this mild herb that has been used safely for thousands of years. It is widely understood by the community & an ever-growing array of media outlets that kratom has received undue scrutiny by those that see kratom as a means to lose revenue or worse.
This ban is absolutely not in the best interest of the public, there are over 100,000 signatures on the white house petition in less than 10 days. The people do not support this outdated and quite frankly draconian approach to an herb that has been in our society (the U.S.) for at least 10 years w/out much incident. We are relying on our lawmakers to listen and speak up for the people and we remain hopeful that you will consider a reasonable outcome to the kratom situation such as an 18+ age restriction (which we completely support). Please, help restore the faith of the people in our lawmakers and do the right thing by us.
The ban of this benign plant (especially while alcohol, tobacco, etc are available) would be bad news for all responsible adults and for purveyors of personal choice, freedom & liberty…the very fabric from which this land was sewn!
The following are pertinent facts for your consideration:
● Kratom is a plant, NOT a synthetic chemical or “Street Drug”.
● Kratom is in the same family as the coffee tree (Rubiaceae).
● Kratom is no more habit forming than coffee see recent article by the cato institute, http://www.cato.org/blog/addiction-problem-case-kartom
● Kratom has been safely used for thousands of years.
● No one has ever died from taking Kratom alone (any deaths were from several drug combinations or pre-existing health conditions).
● It is impossible to overdose on Kratom (one would simply become nauseous).
● Tens of thousands of Americans (Responsible, Adults) can attest to the beneficial properties of Kratom.
Furthermore, Kratom and its 30+ active alkaloids show tremendous dietary supplement potential. The legislation, as it currently reads, would place Kratom and its alkaloids in the most severe scheduling category, schedule I. Making this plant and its constituents schedule I, effectively makes it impossible for legitimate researchers to study Kratom which could benefit the lives of millions! This ban is not a sensible approach to regulating this plant.
A few more facts for you to consider when making your informed decision:
● The FDLE Report of Kratom: A review of available law enforcement and laboratory sources in Florida demonstrates that Kratom does not currently constitute a significant risk to the safety and welfare of Florida residents. According to the Florida Department of Health (DOH), no pervasive health issues have been attributed to the ingestion of Kratom products in Florida.
● According to the CDC, cigarette smoking causes 440,000 deaths in the United States every year; about one of every five deaths in this country are caused by cigarettes!
● Alcohol causes more than 1.2 million emergency room visits and 2.7 million physician office visits due to excessive drinking each year!
● Pharmaceutical drugs are one of the leading causes of death in this country, killing one American every 19 minutes!
● Prescription opiate pain killers account for more than 475,000 emergency room visits annually.
● Over the counter pain relievers such as Tylenol send over 56,000 people to the emergency room each year with liver related complications.
● The Mayo Clinic has reported a 28% increase in overall mortality in people who drink 4 cups of coffee per day.
Kratom is a safe herb in and of itself as well as in comparison to other plants (including coffee) and has changed my life for the better, so I’m asking you to please support us by voting AGAINST the Kratom Ban, keeping kratom legal for adults that are 18+. If you have questions about kratom, please visit https://www.americankratom.org.
Thank you for your time, consideration and service to the people of the U.S. who rely on your wisdom.
Sincerely,
Gregulus
(Multiple Business Owner, Job Creator, Tax Payer, Kratom Advocate, …)
Not sure how they can possibly say that it fits the criteria for a schedule 1 substance when it’s medicinal properties are blatantly obvious and is known all over the world. Why don’t they just come out and say it’s about money?
Help us fight the addiction epidemic by keeping Kratom legal! Sadly, if this ban goes through many will die, help us save Lives by keeping Kratom legal.
I’m a 51 year old diagnosed with syringomyelia (a painful and progressively dibilating spinal cord disease for which there is no cure or treatment protocol), fibromyalgia, scoliosis, spinal stenosis, sciatica, cervical postlaminectomy syndrome,
brachial neuritis, cervical disc degeneration and migraines.
At one point several years ago doctors had me on fentanyl (which is 100 times stronger than morphine), oxycodone, Xanax and about 6 more drugs with awful side effects. I was so miserable that I spent most of two years in bed and isolating myself resolved that that would be how I would spend the remainder of my life.
With support from my husband, mother and family we decided that what doctors were doing to me wasn’t working and only I could change that.
I began researching the meds I was on and discovered that combinations of some meds were incredibly dangerous and even could be deadly. I carefully began tapering off the meds one at a time and started researching natural medicines and found many options one of them being kratom. I researched for days learning everything I could and found claims that kratom could be used to detox off opiates, manage pain, treat anxiety and depression, and provide energy. It sounded too good to be true. Soon after I had joined a kratom community on FB, ordered a variety and my experiment began. I found it worked very well and also quickly realized it to be non-addictive unlike the opiates I had been taking.
I am so happy to say that I am down from 9 medications to just a couple plus kratom and a few other herbs. I am back to the me that had been lost during those two miserable years. I am taking much better care of myself and although I may have to lie down a couple times a day I can even take short walks, do some light housekeeping, light gardening I love and get out to do necessary shopping. I’ve even been fortunate enough to find a few new friends from my kratom community Facebook page who are local.
I won’t ever be able to resume working in the career I loved but I thanks to my journey with kratom I have a life again.
Sent from my iPhone
Please do not make Kratom a Schedule 1 drug. By doing so you are turning hard working tax payers.. mothers… fathers.. Sons and daughters and grandparents into Felons when all they wanna do is be productive members of society! Taking this action will definitely do more harm than good.
Thank you CRE for hearing our pleas and recommending sensible action. I have been using kratom for over a year. It literally saved my life as I had already attempted suicide once and was ready to do it again because I could not take the unbearable chronic pain. I am afraid if it goes schedule 1 I will not be strong enough to handle the pain when it returns. I am afraid for my life.
I suffer from a painful connective tissue disorder and am also 9 years sober. I’m a 56 year old mother whose family needs me. I can think for myself and can do my own research. Kratom is the safest means of managing my pain and other symptoms without jeopardizing my sobriety.
Thank you CRE for proposing a sensible action to this important topic. When I found my life in danger after years of being physically reliant on dangerous opiates for chronic pain, Kratom truly saved my life by freeing me from this deadly path by providing a safe, natural remedy. My life has changed from a person who was on the edge of existence, desperate to survive to each day, to one who is now thriving and contributing to society in a healthy manner. While opiates and alcohol surely have endless amounts of negative repercussions in consuming them, I have truly not witnessed any negative aspects of this safe natural plant.
Kratom is natural medicine!!! The dea is funded by big pharm. We the people, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is their target. They uphold the almighty dollar.
Kratom is a natural herb used by thousands of Americans safely. We the people deserve the right of due process that is protected by the Constitution of the United States of America. The schedule of Kratom is an abuse of power by the DEA. The DEA is a law enforcement agency, they enforce laws not make them.Making laws is the job of Congress, Congress is the representation of the people. I oppose the DEA ban on Kratom, it is a violation of our rights as American citizens. Thus a perfect example of government overreach.
With kratom I was able to wean off of 13+ harmful prescription drugs. Those toxic pharmaceutical drugs were destroying my kidneys and liver. My doctor sees how I am doing now compared to three years ago. He believes kratom saved my life. So do I. Please think about all the harm banning kratom will do to already chronically ill people. Thanks.
I am grateful you are keeping the SEA in check. I believe it’s a irresponsible move they are trying to make. Kratom has benefit me dramatically. I had an opiate addiction which I kicked a couple years ago. 5 months ago I started taking Kratom, since then I’ve been relatively pain free (I can tolerate it) I have stopped several times wondering if I’d experience withdrawal and have had none.
With Kratom I have been able to stop taking harmful meds. I have lived my entire life in pain but with Kratom my pain has been drastically reduced to almost zero pain. In opinion, this ban should never have been initiated in the first place
This helps my birth defect with pain and getting locked from sitting for any length of time.With pain meds I can’t be involved with my grandson as I don’t like being under the influence at his school or driving,I had a huge tumor removed at birth and as I have gotten older the pain is terrible.i feel being a schedule one is not the route to go.My husband is a Vietnam vet and struggles with PTSD and he also has prostate cancer and this puts him in a very nicely restful sleep.He only takes a tsp a couple nights a week.I feel if someone is going to research it fine but please take a different way.Thank you
Thank you for holding the DEA accountable for their haste and attempt to circumvent our rights to due process.
We must keep kratom legal
I’m a 47 yr old high school teacher and mother of two. I’ve always been really active on my own and with my kids. As years went by my fatigue and widespread pain free until I barely got out of bed. I was diagnosed with osteo arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and Fibromyalgia. All of this on top of the IBS, displaced cervical discs, degenerated discs, TMJ Disorder, and migraines that I had been being diagnosed with since the 8th grade. We tried the Cymbalta, Lyrica, and gabapentin (Norco for only the worst of days). With each, I got worse instead of better. Within six months I had packed on 60lbs and could barely function through the basic necessities of daily living. I seriously gave thought to removing myself from this planet. I ran across someone who told me about Kratom for pain and fatigue. I researched it and eventually gave it a try. I was amazed at the pain relief, energy boost, anxiety relief, and mood boost that it gave me. I used it to take myself off of one pharmaceutical at a time. It took months and the withdrawals from Cymbalta, Lyrica, and Gabapentin were horrid. The only pharmaceuticals that I still use are Enbrel injections, muscle relaxers, and the very rare Norco. Kratom has given me my life back. I’m a functioning interactive mom and high school teacher again. I gain no “euphoria” or “high” with Kratom. There’s no intellectual muddiness, like with opiates or the antidepressants previously prescribed. The only side effect, if I take too much, is nausea. I switch strains each dose to keep my tolerance low, at 3-6 grams. I take it only when I have to, in order to be able to move. I still feel pain 24/7 but it’s tolerable most days and I gladly smile again. We MUST keep Kratom legal so that I can keep my life.
Connie Fuller
I’m a 60 year old medical writer and author of 3 books on cancer. Two years ago I weighed 215 pounds (50 pounds overweight), I suffered from severe alcohol abuse and clinical depression and was on a sure path toward serious illness, perhaps even death. I began researching natural alternatives via PubMed and any other source available and came across Kratom. I’ve been on a maintenance dose of 3 grams daily, NEVER, or RARELY exceeding that amount and frankly, having absolutely no urge to do so. This plant has literally turned my life around 180 full degrees; my alcohol cravings are almost 0, my weight has dropped to 166, I cycle and run avidly now, and I’m in the best athletic condition of my life. Depression and anxiety are greatly reduced and the definitive cause of these major milestones is unequivocally KRATOM. If DEA makes me a felon, I’m literally afraid for my future health; it’ll likely mean back to Celexa or other anti-depressants which have had horrible effects on me. The government ban would also be disastrous for many thousands of people. This is no melodramatic plea from a kid seeking a ‘buzz’, but urgency from a serious and sober senior citizen who has literally been saved by this God-given plant. DEA: please allow/consider due process and proper analysis of this decision and include the VOICE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
58 years old and I have chronic pain. I was taking 10 Percocet a day and was addicted to them. My liver was getting terrible and the blood tests told me if I couldn’t find a safer alternative, that I wouldn’t live very much kinger. A friend sent me Kratom last year and I weened off the pills.
Kratom helps me with pain management and I can now do things that I couldn’t before. Like drive myself somewhere without fear of having an accident. Please reconsider schedule 1 for Kratom. There is plenty of evidence this plant works for pain.
This seems like a more sensible idea than the knee-jerk reaction of banning and scheduling kratom. Thank you for your time and consideration on this.
Thank You, CRE! This safe supplement has been nothing short of a miracle in my life and I rely on it solely for attaining the pain relief I need to be a mother, grandmother and partner that participates in day to day normal activities again instead of bedridden and disabled as I was while prescribed narcotic medication for eight years. I am a 51 year old law abiding citizen of the United States and deserve the basic right to be free of pain and the dangers of opiate based pills while once again enjoying a quality of life that is affordable and what my family deserves.
I am a 63 year old disabled man in chronic pain due to several medical conditions.I have used Kratom tea for the past 3 years.I have found it to safe and very effective to relieve pain and calm anxiety without any “high” or harm.I have been able to keep all other medication at an absolute minimum.Kratom is not a health threat, it is a health restorer.This simple and harmless plant may be the answer to the current opioid problem in our nation,and to take that option away when it is most needed is illogical and harmful to millions of people.
Thank you for what your are proposing. This leaf is helping soo many people. People are finding relief from addiction, pain, anxiety, depression, mood swings, sleepless nights. I could go on and on! And this leaf is not hurting people. Because of kratom people are able to work again, moms are able to play with their kids and manage a household, people bed ridden due to pain are enjoying mine again. You can’t overdose on kratom, you don’t get high. Some of the reports the DEA has put out there are unbelievable and soo far from the truth!! I think most are ok with studying it more but this leaf is not a danger to the public!
Than you for taking the time to look into this. In the middle of an opioid/heroin epidemic, it would be completely unreasonable to ban this natural substance . So many Americans depend of this herbal supplement just to participate in day to day activities. People who are in chronic pain, have various diseases, anxiety/depression, many who have undergone surgeries or have been in any number of accidents. Look around you, because Kratom is..your mothers, daughters sisters, brothers, wives, husbands, and anyone from teachers to police officers, to people fighting for our country. Please do not take this life saving substance away from these people.
Thank you so much for this. DEA is really overreaching their authority and making felons out of thousands of hardworking Americans is not going to help our nation. They are using their un-elected powers for “emergency” scheduling when there is NO EMERGENCY. No proven deaths, not one. Versus 28,000+ deaths from prescription painkillers? At one time my husband was getting 240 Lortab a month IN THE MAIL from the Veteran’s Administration. Imagine what that was doing to his liver? Is that really better than a few grams of a botanical extract once a day, which is what he takes instead now? Kratom got me off doctor prescribed Percocet after 13 years practically overnight. It has given me my life back. I do not want the choice between my children watching me dragged off to jail because mommy is a criminal drug user or going back into the zombie hell of being a Percocet victim. Thank you for helping save kratom and thousands of lives.
I am a 47 year old wife and mother who suffers from bipolar depression, PTSD, and anxiety disorders. Kratom has enabled me to function again. I am now able to be a wife, a mom, a friend and a daughter. It helps me manage my emotions and eases my anxiety to where I can see a hope and a future instead of being a prisoner in my own home due to anxiety and depression. Thank you with all my heart! I see how Kratom is helping so many people with mental illness like me as well as those with chronic pain and many other debilitating illnesses. Peeaonally I see nothing harmful with this plant. It has been a tool that changed my life for the better.
Thank you CRE for stepping in. Kratom is a wonderful natural supplement to help calm the body without adverse side effects like so many pharmaceuticals have. People who choose to live a holistic lifestyle need alternatives to allopathic medicines..
I am Kratom.
3 years ago I began going to the doctors and through many tests because of severe pain. Tests showed Degenerative discs . 4-6 cervical are so bad my only answer is surgery but I’m only 36 and too young according to doctors . I was told the longer I wait the better because surgery is a 50-50 success to eliminate my pain. I was given narcotics I cannot take. I get sick on them and I cannot function as a normal human being . I had to quit my job. I’m not eligible for any kind of help .
A friend led me to kratom. After the first dose I felt normal. I’ve taken kratom for 2 years and my numbers remain perfect. I’m able to function as a normal citizen in society. I’m able to be a good wife and mother . I’m not bed ridden with kratom ! My doctors all know about the kratom I take and are supportive .
Please don’t ban my way of a normal life!!!
Please reconsider the ban. I have been able to work bow because of Kratom. And now that I haven’t ordered baby in fear of it being illegal and me loosing my job over it. But now in in a catch 22 I could loose my job because NY anxiety is off the chart. Please think of the thousands of people you are hurting.
I am an Air Force veteran who has suffered a lot since my years of service to include diabetes and degenerative disk disease in my lower back. I live in constant pain on a daily basis from the time I wake up until the time I go to sleep and I refuse to succumb to using opiates because I have seen the horrors they have unleashed in the lives of others. I have always lived as healthy and as naturally as possible; and that includes using the by nature given plant kratom. This plant has given me the chance to make a proper and moral living that my family and I deserve, free from chronic pain or fear of the addictions associated with pharmaceutical or illicit opiates.
Thank you so much! I’m 43, female, mother and devoted fiancee. I have rheumatoid arthritis which came on in 2012. Over time, I became bedridden, unable to work, lost my social life, relied on my fiance to open doors, bottles, bags etc for me, undo and do up my pants for dressing and undressing, help me shower etc. I found kratom in 2014 and to make this short but effective, I got off rx pain killers that did nothing for me, I took far more because I wanted relief. It never came. Kratom took my pain fully away, I’m holding a 40 hr a week job in a FACTORY, running different presses, I have my social life back, am also self employed walking around events and stores promoting my business and getting customers, I can do normal mom things and not be in bed 99% of the day. Kratom does not make me foggy, have jitters, see things, talk odd, stumble about, none of that. I am precisely how I was pre rheumatoid arthritis. My quality of life is back 100 percent. If kratom is taken away, or big pharma decide to make synthetic man made kratom with who knows what else included in it, (side effects which natural kratom doesn’t have), I’ll be angry. I will refuse to go back to rx drugs. Refuse.
Kratom has never had any one overdose, get addicted, or die from its use. Ever. I’ve lost so much faith in our government already. If they take this from us, normal responsible people who just want to LIVE NORMAL LIVES, I’ll expat.
CRE, We appreciate you and everything you are doing. ! Love on…
I am so grateful for the CRE. I feel terrorized by the DEA that wants to make me a criminal for the only substance that has ever helped my endometriosis while at the same time giving me no side effects and able to have a clear, lucid mind. I can’t go back to that misery again.
Thanks to the CRE for recognizing that is inappropriate for the DEA to make the laws rather than enforcing them. Their proposal to ban kratom is irresponsible at best, and denies centuries of safe use of the plant as well as keeps an effective treatment for addiction away from those who need it. In addition, the proposed ban makes health care decisions for chronic pain patients from afar, without their input – an entirely unethical move. Keep the pressure on the DEA!
Thank you CRE for addressing this. Kratom helped me get off of disgustingly large doses of Dr prescribed, life ruining opiates. It has helped my chronic back pain, my anxiety, my depression and arthritis in various places on my body. I am terrified of the thought of what my life will be like without it. Will I. Have a life? Will I relapse? What will become of me as a mother? My children. This absolutely cannot happen. Not for me, and not for 1000’s of others who consume kratom for health reasons and to kick an opiate addiction.
I’m a 40 year old mother to a seven year old. I suffer from endometriosis and a genetic disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome hypermobility type. The combo of these two conditions causes me debilitating pain and fatigue that leaves me bounds to my bed. Three years ago I had to leave my job because the pain became so severe. In the three years since, my doctors put me on a combo of medications that caused my health began to spiral out of control. I became sick, unable to eat and my pain became more severe over time. I wanted to stop my medications but I found myself getting sick every time I skipped a dose. After reading about Kratom online and researching it for months, I decided to see if it really could help me get off my opioid medications. It worked. I’m 100% drug free and my pain is 50% of what it was, my hair stopped falling out, I’m able to eat again, I’ve gained 7 pounds and my body is still slowly recovering from the medications. An added benefit I found is that kratom helps me immensely with pain control, anxiety relief and energy. EDS leaves me exhausted but Kratom helps me function like a normal person. I was excitedly planning my life again after finding kratom. I thought I’d even be able to work again, but that isn’t going to be possible with out kratom. I cannot go back on opioids due to the side effects and health consequences. I use kratom to get me through my bad days and I only use it a few times a week, it doesn’t give me any kind of high, the only euphoria I feel from kratom is the happiness I feel from being able to get out of bed and function, play with my daughter, cook and clean my house. It’s the joy I get from having the ability to do all of the little things that healthy people take for granted.
Hey guys, my name is Chad!
I travel for a living and some weeks work 80+ hours. I have been taking Kratom for 2 years now. I usually dose one tea spoon in the morning followed by coffee.. Another around lunch, and then another dose in the evening. Kratom really helps me to focus, and be more productive through out my day. I don’t think I would be as successful as I am today with out Kratom. I have also had at least 7 close friends pass away from over dose. I have seen this herb keep so many of my friends off hard drugs. I don’t suffer from depression or anxiety. I just really enjoy Kratom and it has made a huge difference in my life. Kratom is for everyone! Kratom helps so many walls of life. I have seen Kratom transform so many lives, and enable them to live normal productive lives, and to stay off hard drugs. Kratom is an all natural alternative. For those of you who don’t know what Kratom is. Kratom is a leaf that is grinded up into a powder in the same family as coffee. There is nothing synthetic about Kratom. Kratom in low doses can be used for energy, anxiety, anti inflammatory, and depression. Kratom can also boost your immune system. In higher doses Kratom can be taken to treat pain. Kratom really is a magical herb that can be used in everyone day to day life. Please keep this all natural amazing leaf legal for the people that need it. it would really be a shame to ban a herb that is helping so many people’s life!
I am a disabled professional with 15 years of print production experience for large fortune 500 companies. I got injured in 1990 and was in a car accident in 2011 that brought my previous injury to the breaking point. After 2 major back operations and the loss of my job, I am waiting for my Social Security hearing (29 months to date) and have no health insurance. I take Kratom for pain, and have no way to get any other medicines. Kratom helps me to feel a little better. The DEA will be killing people, and ruining the lives of many if they do this, including me.
I want to focus on the bad press out there, for example the article By Deborah Simmons – The Washington Times – Tuesday, September 6, 2016.
The fact this naval officer took his own life and had Kratom in his room is tragic, but do we need to jump on that? When people commit suicide, it does not mean things in their possession caused the suicide, and to write one sided stories to that affect does more harm than good.
The DEA / FDA must conduct research, and ask the hundreds of thousands, perhaps 5 million people this plant helps, and don’t allow the Scheduling of Kratom based on assumptions.
A good example of these assumptions is when rock bands get blamed because their lyrics supposedly caused someone to take their own life. Do we assume that lyrics caused the suicide when millions of other people don’t kill themselves when they listen to it? Do articles like this attract readers? Perhaps…. Does it harm others like me, yes it does. Thank you for hearing us. Eric –
CRE, Thank you for a fair answer to the DEA actions.
Hey every one my name is Brandy
Im a nurse i work usually 80 hours a week and kratom keeps me doing my job well. I have 2 slipped disc and several other issues it helps with my anxiety from getting attacked by patients. And kratom helps all that it helps me manage my pain so i can run around like a lunatic to take care of my patients thanks CRE for a fair chance on this
I am a peaceful law abiding person. Kratom is not a drug. Is big pharma paying you???
I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, Neuritis, and Osteoarthritis. I also suffer from anxiety. I’m a better wife and mother because of Kratom. I’m 33 years old, yet felt as if i were 80!! Having four children and living in severe pain everyday was not acceptable! Kratom changed that. Thank you CRE! I hope the DEA listens.
Dear CRE
Thank you for the considerable effort & knowledge utilized in creating this letter/document addressing the DEA’s unethical (and possibly unlawful ), underhanded measures enforced in an attempt to make 2 of the alkaloids from the leaf of the evergreen tree (Kratom) a schedule 1 substance. As a critcal care nurse who has been disabled since 2001, I find that their attempted ban extremely troubling given the lack of scientific and empirical research of this tea & its alkaloids. The medications that I have been prescribed over the years has had horrendous side effects. It’s quite interesting that this supposed dangerous tea has literally helped thousands of people to be able to rejoin society with improved function on numerous levels. I’m concerned that this almost secretive overreaching of the DEA is a symptom of something more nefarious occuring within the administration which definitely needs to be investigated and addressed. Once again, thank you CRE! Please remain diligent in your endeavors!
Thank you
Kratom is not even as bad as alcohol it helps people not drink I drink it like my coffee in the morning that’s what it is to me I don’t use it to get “high it help be get up and go to work I am abiding by the laws and I am contributing to society so what’s so wrong with that there is just no reason it should be ban when alcohol and cigarettes are a million times worse and they are legal and they kill thousands of people a year so please stop the ban it is a good thing for society not a bad thing
Thank you, CRE, for being the voice of reason. I have chronic pain from scoliosis, spinal stenosis, ddd, three messed up discs in my lower lumbar (and the bottom disc has a hole in it) nerve damage, and arthritis growing in me like kudzu. I went to pain management for several years and only ended up sicker and in worse shape than when I started! I prayed to find something that would help, and I found kratom. And I have my life back because of how it helps. I should not be made a criminal just because I want some kind of quality of life that isn’t filled with pain every minute of every day. When the DEA presented this, and claimed that American citizens didn’t have the right to be heard or listened to by their own government, I was shocked! This is not the America I grew up in! Thank you again.
Hi my name is Tina and I am Kratom I have 14 months clean because of Kratom I suffer from lupus and fibromyalgia I have a normal life again where where I was on purpose as I had no life I was dead the ritual only took 3 days with Kratom I tried many times before to get off of opiates and could never have done it this is a miracle plant and I’m so blessed that I came across kratom Kratom lives matter and my life matters also I don’t want to be addicted to RX medications ever again because I did not have a life I could not drive a car I could not socialize with anyone now I could do all them things I can make my own doctor’s appointment so I can live normal I could be happy I could think normal because of Kratom I cannot emphasise enough to everyone out there that thinks Kratom get you high it does not get you high you just have a well sense of being like you’re living a normal life pain-free why try to take that away I don’t understand oh maybe I do yes I am Kratom and I support my Kratom family I have 15 months clean because of Kratom could have never done it on my own because I tried many times before I don’t even think about percocets they did not come across my mind Kratom helped me so many ways mentally physically emotionally I also suffer from anxiety and Kratom takes away that too and I could socialize and have a conversation with people again where before I was completely dead I have nothing else to say Kratom on my friends I love each and everyone of you
A friend introduced me to kratom after my official fibromyalgia diagnosis, after battling with Hashimoto’s for at least two years. With kratom, I was able to make it through two weeks of over 50 hours at work, which is a miracle! Please do not ban something that has been so beneficial to me, and has helped my pain, energy, and foggy mind!
This plant has saved me from my depression and chronic pain- it works better than any of the pills my doctors have prescribed and best news is I am not sick from withdrawels if I dont have it (like the man made drugs have all done to me). I am so scared of this ban going through- I don’t want to end up on 10-20 prescriptions for my pain, anxiety, and depression for the rest of my life. It has saved friends of mine from opiate addiction- literally 100% sober using only Kratom every day- active members of society instead of drug addicts stealing or dying in the streets. This plant is a miracle for so so many! A gift from God!
As a registered nurse I have to be careful of what I take so that I can function adequately on my job without any impedance of thought or perception. I have suffered from chronic pain for years from an autoimmune disease that is attacking my spine and joints. I’ve tried nearly every medication available both narcotic and non-opiate. Every single one, including drugs like Celebrex and Neurontin left me unable to think clearly. Opiates offered relief, but at the risk of addiction and I couldn’t chance risking my license just to get through a shift. I was seriously looking into disability because I could no longer perform in any real capacity. I felt defeated and worthless. I regaled myself to a desk job, and even that was too tasking. I discovered Kratom last year when a family member recommended it. After months of research, I decided to try it. It surprisingly offered more relief than anything I have ever tried. And not only did it not alter my thought process, it improved my concentration. I am now back to school seeking a masters and can work full time. I can be a mother that can spend quality time with her children rather than being bedridden.
Thank you so much to the CRE for your assistance with the DEAs rash response. Over the counter medication that is deemed safe is far more harmful than this herb, and claims lives that doesn’t even compare to Kratom. Acetaminophen alone has claimed more lives in one month conspired to years of Kratom users. I would honestly not be able to continue to be a contributing member to society without it. I greatly appreciate your input and efforts on the issue.
Delaying the action of making kratom a schedule 1 drug would give the proper agencies due process to study and understand the positive usage of this plant. It has given thousands of individuals a quality of life they will not have without it. It would be devastating to so many to lose this plant that helps so many physical needs such as chronic pain, depression, PTSD,and many other medical situations. Study it, even regulate it with an age restriction, but do not make it illegal. It does have medicinal value to thousands of suffering individuals.
This obviously is not due to the DEA thinking it’s such a dangerous thing. If it is then ban fast food, Tabacco, alcohol, ect. Cmon, it’s obvious looking at the numbers. Please don’t tell me big pharm has nothing to do with this. Some day they will get a fine that doesn’t mean shit to them. I am a recovering addict, dad raising 4 children, and a professional that saved people from overdosing. Kratom, a fucking plant!, has been such a positive factor in my life. I know, though, that my story individually doesn’t mean shit to the DEA and that is sad. Please allow me to be a free American, oh but wait, I can drink as much alcohol as I want!!!! Nevermind DEA, I’m content with something that has NO MEDICINAL PURPOSE AND TAKES INHIBIRIONS AWAY! But I know you kiwi all this, it’s just always been this way, good for you, bad for “free” Americans.
Thank you CRE!! This plant is helping so many of thousands of people!! It helps me personally with chronic pain and depression. It would be a real shame for so many if this was put into law as the DEA is trying to do. People will go back to other drugs. They are addictive & have many side effects & truly don’t work as well as Kratom does. I hope the DEA is stopped!!
Thank you CRE for your common sense in the midst of this madness! My husband and I both use Kratom to manage our pain. I am a 57 year old with arthritis, he is a 59 year old who has had 2 fusion surgeries on his back, and it helps us so much more that the prescription pain meds we have been prescribed over the years. Our quality of life has greatly improved since Kratom!
Kratom has helped me stay clean from all drugs. I have not had any cravings since I started kratom. 3mths clean and sober. I wish I found this years ago, I’d have prevented so much heartache, stayed clean and wouldnt have hurt my family. Now that I got it all back, the DEA wants to ban it & I’m scared to death my cravings will come back and I’ll give into my cravings. Please continue to fight for kratom. I ty from the bottom of my heart. It means sooo much
Thank you CRE for your interest, knowledge and commitment on this matter of criminalizing another plant that has shown so many great benefits from utilizing this plant! I for one am very grateful for your attention not just for this unethical ban by government officials, but support each one of us Americans that support nature for assistanting in helping our ailments!
Thanks so much CRE.
Thank you, CRE! I’m a professional, a mom, a wife…and I suffer from crippling anxiety. Kratom is the only thing that has ever allowed me to function normally and have a productive life. I was prescribed benzo’s for years and don’t want to return to such addictive prescription meds! They are dangerous! Kratom is not! #IAmKratom
Thank you CRE for providing a common sense approach to kratom. I have been taking it for a year for my spinal stenosis and rheumatoid arthritis pain. It has allowed me to stop prescription pain meds entirely, so I can live my life. This plant has helped so many other people quit prescription drugs and get their lives back. I am fearful of the harm a kratom ban would do to people who would no longer have access to this harmless, life saving plant.
Thank you, CRE. This plant saved my mother from a life on pain pills. Her doctors did NOTHING for almost a year when she would go in with unbearable pain in her leg and hip. They just wrote her a prescription and sent her on her way even after her telling them multiple times she did not want pills, but wanted to know what was wrong. She eventually found out she had aseptic necrosis of her right hip and needed a total hip replacement. A full year for multiple doctors to actually take the time to find this out. If it weren’t for kratom she would be dependant on pain pills right now. Instead she takes kratom when it’s needed, not every day, and she can functiin. She can walk, go out, and actually WORK now, so thank you so much for helping us defend this helpful and harmless plant.
Thank you CRE!! I am mom a and R.N. I have been taking Kratom for about 5 years now. It helped me get off and stay off opiates. I became addicted to opiates after they were prescribed to me for rheumatoid arthritis several years ago. Kratom not only got me off the opiates but other meds as well. Kratom relives the symptoms of R.A. fibromyalgia and lupus. Kratom gives me the energy and motivation to get up everyday and lead a somewhat normal life!!! I am terrified of what will happen to me if this ban goes thru!! I refuse to go back on pharmaceuticals!! Kratom has given me my life back! It is an excellent antidepressant and works windrs on my chronic pain with almost no adverse side effects! This plant cannot be taken away from us!
#iamkratom
THANK YOU. CRE! I’m a mother of 2 girls, & have finally been able to have fun with them! I’ve dealt with chronic back pain, due to degenerative discs for almost 12 years now. I’ve been on oxycodone, heroin, & methadone for it….finally detoxed from it all last year. I also drank HEAVILY to help ease the pain, & to help with severe anxiety. I landed in severs legal trouble & completely destroyed my relationships with my kids, my husband, & all family & friends before I discovered kratom about 5 months ago…it has given me my life back! I am (relatively) pain-free & have absolutely NO desire to drink! I have none of the bad side-effects that come with prescription pain pills or anti-depressants…I can now ride a bike, which is something I couldn’t do before. Please let’s keep kratom legal….let me keep BEING A MOTHER to my kids…they deserve it! #kratomsaveslives
My son, who has inflammatory issues, uses Kratom to ease his pain and discomfort. He is a mechanic and there were days he would come home in tears. My 27 year old has the body and pain of an old man. He also has severe stomach issues from taking nsaids. Doctors have tried to give him narcotics but he has declined as he dies not tolerate them well. I too use Kratom. I have upper spine arthritis, inflammatory issues, and chronic 41 years of migraine. We, my son and I are living fuller more productive lives with the help of Kratom. Thank you for hearing our stories.
Thank you CRE! I am a mother of 4 whom can’t express enough the difference in my life and subsequently those around that kratom has made. It has saved my life and relationships with family, work, and friends.
Kratom has saved my life, my husbands..therefore saving our children’s lives.this plant has saved thousands and will continue to save lives everyday! Thank you CRE for doing what’s right. Our Kratom community is full of wonderful and productive people! Without this plant many will suffer and have minimal quality of life..
Yes, this needs an intelligent approach. Kratom does not make me high or impaired and it has proven to be a safe adjunct to my depression medication.
Thank you for this. I have been able to stop taking my Anti-Depressants and Anxiety Medication thanks to Kratom.
This makes more sense to me than in a month’s time, they banning kratom. I just wanted to thank you for stepping up for the kratom community, & asking for the proper channels to be taken. I have been able to get off my psych meds & tons of pain medication because of this wonderful tree. Thank you so much.
Thank you CRE for fighting for our right to use a safe, effective alternative to the dangerous and addictive [pharmaceuticals. I’m a 47 year old wife, Mom and Grandma. I use kratom to help me deal with chronic pain from RSD, arthritis and herniated disks, along with depression, anxiety, PTSD, insomnia, muscle spasms and chronic fatigue. Kratom gave me my life back. I’ve been using kratom over 2 1/2 years now and my overall health and quality of life has improved tremendously! It’s a terrifying prospect of having to live without this amazing plant. I stopped using Big Pharma over 7 years ago because of all the negative and dangerous side effects. Also because all they did was make me a zombie without controlling my symptoms. With kratom I have closer to a “normal” life. I will be in pain the rest of my life but I choose to use herbal remedies over prescriptions. I’m a patient not a criminal! My family needs me and if kratom is taken away my family will suffer more than we already have. Kratom helped save me and my family. #IAmKratom
Thank you CRE This is a bit much over a leaf that helps so many
I am a 27 year old honors student, single mom, & community volunteer who suffers with Ankylosing Spondylitis, Fibromyalgia, and PTSD. I was going to drop out of school and file for disability before I found kratom. Pills had me sick and in bed. I could not be there for my family, I was unable to enjoy life, and I was depressed. Many times I became deoendent on opiates and antidepressants, but with kratom I do not have to use pills with severe and dangerous side effects everyday. I do not have to be bed ridden, isolated, and uninvolved at school and in the community. This ban will cause us to lose jobs, quality of life, and we will lose lives. We will lose Vets! We will lose chronic illness sufferers! We will lose recovered addicts! This country will lose money, hope, freedom, and this ban will contribute to more overcrowding in prisons. Do not criminalize decent people for using a plant. Do not take away our new lease on life, our health, and our happiness!
Thank you for calling the DEA out on this clear overreach of their authority.
I use kratom for my chronic pain. For six years I used harsh and addictive narcotics and muscle relaxers. I’m so glad I found this plant. Please don’t make me a criminal for drinking tea.
THANK YOU. CRE! I’m a mother of 2 boys and 1 girl. I learned about KRATOM a few months ago. I had severe pain for many years. Several MRI’s and bloodwork revealed the possibility of Lupus/Fibromyalgia in addition to herniated disc/bulging disc. I had chronic back pain for years. I couldn’t get out of bed I was usually so active and always on the go and then suddenly my husband or kids couldn’t even talk to me. The pain nearly ended my marriage. I was in such pain and so angry because of it. Prescription pills and anti-depressants did nothing. Now I can finally have fun with them! I have none of the negative side-effects that come with prescription pain pills or anti-depressants… Please keep kratom legal….I want to be around for my children. #kratomsaveslives#IAMKRATOM
I just found Kratom a little over a month ago. It has helped me get off of opiods that my pain management dr. prescribed. I had been on opiods for chronic pain for over ten years. It doesn’t get me high. I thank you for what you are doing.
The DEA ban poses more of a health risk to the public by removing a very low risk plant on Schedule 1 when it has no deaths related to it unless altered which makes it NOT THE KRATOM CAUSING HARM. People die every day from sugar poisoning aka diabetes etc and 3,000 + calls per month go through the poison control center a month for things like Tramadol which I could argue has zero medicinal value and a very addicting substance with a fatality record. Banning Kratom would cause more deaths than it would prevent as it is a safe as coffee plant and even chocolate hits the same receptors as does exercise and sex. So are we banning those things too?
I have only received my life back in the last 6 months, thanks to kratom. I am a full time teacher, mother of two and I pay my taxes! I am tired of being scammed and abused by our so called “for the people” govt. I was put on opiates at the ripe age of 13 and struggled with opiate addiction throughout my life. I tried to seek professional help 3 years ago and was put on suboxone. Huge mistake. Instead of suffering a week or so from opiate wd, I had to face suboxone wd and I never would’ve made that decision if it wasn’t for kratom. I have been clean for 6 months thanks to kratom and have gained numerous benefits aside from being free of opiates. I am happier, healthier and no longer live like a slave to the almighty pharmaceutical industry. I hope and pray that this plant isn’t snatched out from under us just to keep people’s pockets full. Banning this plant will have serious reprocussions on society. So much for living in the land of the free. It’s obvious that our freedoms are not in the best interest of our own govt who is sworn to serve us. I am ashamed of America.
Kratom has helped me with my pain, in a way narcotics can’t. I can’t handle the side effects of pain meds, they make me very sick. I am a grandmother to a 5 and 8 ye a r old. They are my world. I am able to play with them, help them with homework, cook, take care of their needs. I have fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease, a failed cervical fusion, to name a few. These girls need me, I can’t function without pain relief. Kratom is a God send, it makes it possible to thrive.
Thank you CREE that is more than reasonable i will be effected by this ban along with hundreds of others kratom saved my life and has given me a quality i havnt seen in many years.
I urge for research and regulation kratom has helped so many people this ban is rediculous
Thank goodness someone is finally standing up with us. Thank you CRE.
I have thyroid issues, pinched nerves in my neck & spine. Several bulging discs, osteoarthritis & neuropathy throughout my back & neck. Instead of taking prescription narcotics I use Kratom. I do not want to take addictive medications. Kratom helps me more than pain pills ever have.
I’m sure there are many members of the group with way more inspiring and long term stories but here’s mine. I’ve suffered from severe anxiety and depression my whole life. I’ve been on about every antidepressant, benzo, sleeping pill, etc. The side effects always seemed to outweigh the benefits because weight gain, lost libido, all gave me more things to be depressed about. I drank alot. Getting through my pregnancy med and alcohol free was the hardest thing i ever did. Using Kratom the past couple months has made me more productive, helped my moods giving me there patience to truly enjoy my son and not worry so much about the little things. And I remember every minute, no more getting black out drunk and losing chunks of time. I have no desire to drink. My son is 17 months old and while I never went back to the way things were before pregnancy the desire was still there but it’s gone now. I no longer take any antidepressants and rarely take my prescribed anxiety meds. I can now enjoy a headache from smiling too much as opposed to daily tension headaches. Kratom does not get me high or impair my judgement in any way. I want to be the best possible mother I can be for my son, not a depressed lump on the couch with no motivation.
Banning a potential natural alternative to the opiate epidemic and a natural SAFE pain reliever is RIDICULOUS. Energy drinks have killed more people than Kratom. This is Big-Pharma strong-arming the DEA into banning their biggest competition. They want their customers back!
First of all I’d like to say thank you CRE for standing with us in this fight! Now my story. I’m a mother of two children who has worked my whole life and taken care of myself and my children alone without my always gone or in prison husband. I’ve worked hard for years and then I got sick. I have chronic Lyme disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, arthritis, degenerative disc disease and finally I have a heart condition. It sounds crazy to have so much wrong with one person but I assure you that it is true. I started college in 2000 and was loving going back to school when one day I couldn’t move or have anyone touch me without excruciating pain. I was fatigued and in a fog most of the time. I was so sick that after I had to drop out of school I was bedridden for six years! I finally had to apply for disability and hated having to apply for it but I had no choice. I’ve been on it since while the Lyme disease gets worse and worse. I was given so many strong painkillers like fentanyl, morphine, hydrocodone and oxycodone. Well it goes without saying that I became dependant on them and it took more and more to work. I was so miserable. I stumbled across kratom on the Internet one day and after reading about it became so happy and hopeful because here was an all natural way to take care of my pain and get me off methedone which I was given to get off the other narcotics. That was fifteen years ago and I’m still using methedone! I want to quit the methedone and talked to so many people that got off methedone, suboxone and other drugs including heroin! I felt like I’m saved! I can “jump” to kratom from methedone! So that’s where I’m at now, wanting to taper as far as I can on my dose then go to kratom. Now I can’t because of this ban. I won’t ever get the chance to try. Please help us get the message across to the DEA that if they ban kratom they are hurting a lot of good people. I’ve never been in trouble with the law and I’ve never broken one but if this ban goes through I will be a criminal. It’s not fair and it’s not right! Thank you for letting me share my story and kratom on!
I have two years clean, from opiates AND Suboxone, thanks to Kratom. Clean from the Suboxone that held me in its chains for almost another two years. Free from the drugs to manage the pain-but didn’t. They simply made me forget for a while. They made me a slave to them, which took me away from my children, my family, society… Kratom also helps manage the pain the pills didn’t. It keeps manage the anxiety medication never could. Banning Kratom in the midst of the drug Epidemic is not only irresponsible, is criminal.
I have severe social anxiety to the extent that I begin sweating when interacting with people who I do not know. For years, I was a recluse and did not interact with others much. I would stay home many days in a row in order to avoid the anxiety. Then one day, I came across an herb called kratom on the Internet. I was so desperate for relief that I decided to try it. When I first tried it, I felt RELIEF that I had never experienced before. My mind was at peace and I still had energy and a focused mind-set to work. I have been using kratom and I can now interact with others and not sweat! I feel calm and still mentally clear. Kratom has been a God-send to me and I just can’t believe that the federal government is causing so much harm to me. I feel sad, hopeless, and desperate. If kratom becomes illegal, I will have to choose between being a felon or going back to my crushing anxiety. I have been prescribed benzos for my anxiety but they harm my sense of clarity and make me groggy and lazy. I have a full time job, I enjoy sports, I’m a father of three and husband, I’m active in my community, and I’m university-educated. It really is disheartening to witness the government working to actively harm its citizens. I am in shock and my heart is truly crushed. I believed in my government before, and now, I have lost all faith.
This seems a very fair and sensible approach to this situation. Without peer reviewed research there can be no scientific support for any claims the DEA has made to justify the scheduling of Mitragyna speciosa. This is 21st century America, i think its past time to start making legislation based on science rather than propaganda
My name is Steven Talbert and I am a daily kratom user. Six years ago I was at a total rock bottom. I was on several medications including seroquel, Lamictal, clonopin lithium and a few others. I was in and out of hospitals and applying for Disability. I had resigned my life to misery and being a vegetable. I have months at a time I can not remember at all. I lived at home with my parents at the young age of 32. One night for whatever reason I was surfing the Internet for answers to my issues and came across kratom. I ordered a little and waited for the mail man expecting nothing major to come. I was completely wrong. The stuff melted my depression and anxiety away. Slowly i found myself becoming interested in life and working. I met my wife, got a job, did some schooling all in the first two years after finding kratom. Now i pay taxes, play with my children enjoy life to the fullest with 0 prescription medications. All this in a matter of 5 years. I’m just one story of the miracles of this plant. I do not know how it works out why it works. I just know like all the rest of the people here. Kratom has changed my life. Taking this plant away is taking life away. Please CRE do anything and everything in your power to keep this miracle from becoming a felony. Life is to short to go back to where I once was.
Kratom has helped me immeasurably in my own treatment of chronic pain. The doctors I had back in 2003-2006 gave me plenty of vicodin and muscle relaxers – enough to get me fully addicted to opiate painkillers, which lead me to self medicate with Heroin after the doctors cut me off with little to no help on what to do about the opiate addiction. I had to eventually go on suboxone but that was difficult to take and even harder to taper off and quit. I found kratom in 2013 and it helped me with tapering off suboxone and helped managed flareups of chronic neck and back pain relating to several disc herniations. It still helps to this day. Making it illegal would be a huge mistake and only push law abiding citizens like me to make black market purchases of kratom. No need to create this black market or worse send people back to the streets to score smack and overdose.
I suffer from multiple conditions, illnesses,progressive diseases, several of which cause me daily chronic pain. Kratom’s efficacy coupled with it’s agonist/antagonist (means it’s basically impossible to overdose on) helps me to control my daily pain. It allows me freedoms that were taken away by the War On Opiates. Please, please do not move this plant to schedule 1 status based only on the DEA’s current information.
Kratom has helped so many people. This ban will destroy lives and families. This is not another synthetic chemical we are talking about, this is a plant. Such a travesty. The DEA are overstepping on this one.
I am a 46-yr old self-employed consultant in the agriculture/beverage industry. I have used kratom for three years to manage chronic pain from herniated discs in my back and tendinosis in my knees. Kratom allows me to function normally in demanding physical work conditions that would otherwise put me off the job. It is almost impossible for me to take enough NSAID painkillers to manage the pain and I’ll have ulcers in my gut from doing it. Doctors will prescribe opioid painkillers freely but they leave me doped up and unable to work, drive or operate machinery.
Kratom takes the pain away, leaves me clear headed and able to do whatever I need to get the job done, along with a nice energy and mood boost. Since starting kratom supplementation I have gotten healthier (blood tests for cholesterol, blood sugar, liver values, etc. and blood pressure all better).
Kratom is in no way a threat to our society. It is a harmless herb that can help many and literally save the lives of some.
The CRE is acting in a reasonable manner here. The DEA is overreaching and abusing their power by placing kratom in an emergency schedule 1 category. They will turn law abiding citizens into felons overnight. Kratom has saved my life. It is my right to choose to treat my mental and physical health with a natural alternative to prescription medication.
It seems like the DEA made a rash decision without doing much investigation into what kratom is and what it is used for. They state that it doesn’t have medicinal value, well they didn’t even go so far as to Google search the government funded research done on it that shows it has several medicinal applications. They aren’t doing a good job of helping themselves and they certainly aren’t objective when analyzing data. If you excluded all of kratom’s uses that someone might abuse it for, it would still be a safe, cheap and natural way to help someone live with IBS, it’s been used in Indonesia for decades to treat diarrhea and IBS.
The CRE is acting in a reasonable manner here. The DEA is overreaching and abusing their power by placing kratom in an emergency schedule 1 category. They will turn law abiding citizens into felons overnight. Kratom has saved my life. It is my right to choose to treat my mental and physical health with a natural alternative to prescription medication.
If kratom is banned, opiate overdose deaths are highly likely to rise. Is this what the government wants?
I am a 60 year old grandfather who relies on Kratom to help the effects of paralyzing anxiety attacks, depression ans insomnia, If this ban goes into affect I will be forced back to pharmaceuticals and live a life of more depression and a quality I wish to never experience again.
I agree with every point the author makes, and I also want to share my story about how kratom helps my life. Several years ago, I was diagnosed with an incurable colon disease called ulcerative colitis. I tried medications that did little other than make me nauseous and give me other side effects that I could not tolerate while not helping my symptoms. While searching and trying every natural remedy I could find to improve my life (I was virtually house-bound due to needing to use the bathroom an average of 20 times a day), I finally tried kratom. It has helped me finally begin to live a normal life over the past year and a half I have been using it. In August of 2016, I had finally developed faith in the fact that if kratom had helped me begin to lead a normal life so long, that the effects would likely last and I could finally go back to college to pursue my goal of earning my bachelor’s degree. I felt like that dream was crushed when I heard the announcement on Sept. 1 that the DEA was planning to place kratom on schedule one on Sept 30th. If this natural product is taken from my life, I know I will have to go back to being virtually housebound, which means I will not fulfill my college goals, career goals, or live any type of happy life. This issue is very important to me because kratom gave me my life back, and if it is placed on schedule one, I will once again suffer daily physically and mentally.
The DEA would be wise to heed this proposal. There is already mass discontent about the harm the DEA is causing in trying to fight a nonexistent “war” on drugs. Addiction and overdoses continue to rise, criminal organizations continue to get richer, and the American people continue to become less safe. The DEA is failing, and their intent to ban kratom is evidence that they plan to continue down the wrong path. Eventually this will rise to a boiling point and a majority of Americans will demand that the DEA be abolished and the Controlled Substances Act be repealed. We are already headed that way. If the DEA is truly concerned with their long term longevity instead of short term notoriety and profits, then they would take heed of warnings like this and refocus their efforts on things like harm reduction, education, access to safe facilities and equipment for drug users, decriminalization and regulation of controlled drugs, etc. The rest of the civilized world are already doing these things, and they’re working! If the DEA continues promoted their archaic ethos of drug abstinence and criminalization, they may continue to lock up fathers and mothers for now, but eventually they will “enforce” themselves into extinction.
The tyranny the DEA wants to unleash by banning kratom with zero scientific evidence and lack of due process is nothing short of unjust criminality of an epic magnitude. I suffer from severe suicidal depression and chronic fatigue syndrome without kratom. Celexa, zoloft and paxil did nothing to help my condition and in fact made it worse all while experiencing horrible side effects. Kratom literally saved my life and has allowed me to be a happy, healthy and productive functioning member of society, without which I am not. Apparently the DEA couldn’t care less if I were to end up offing myself, or about the millions of honest, hard working Americans who need kratom to curb their debilitating conditions and allows them to simply have a life worth living. I can not believe that other members of my fellow species are so willing to blindly induce such catastrophic pain and suffering to their own kind for absolutely no reason just reason whatsoever, I just can’t believe it.
Thank you for recommending a sensible approach. Facts are needed as this plant is changing loves of people suffering with many chronic illnesses including me…. RA, lupus, chronic lyme, degenerative disc disease, depression and anxiety name a few.
This proposal is excellent & quite frankly should have been considered by the DEA instead of the strong-arm approach they used. I can’t imagine how they (DEA & legislators) are able to justify bans & prohibition based on hearsay…where are the facts? Where are the statistics? Where are the studies proving their claims? Look, you can’t have your cake & eat it too what with picking strategic contextual information from studies done when on the same token claiming that same study is not enough extended research to site medical use? I’m confused…and that has been done deliberately. What kind of example is this to set? How is this remotely logical? Where is the motive? It’s quite clear it is NOT in the best interest of the very people who need “protection” from themselves. This agency is redundant & overstepping boundaries they’re not qualified to cross.
I have been a successful investment banker and venture capitalist ever since I graduated from MSU. What a lot of people didn’t know is I also abused substances. Both alcohol and drugs. I finally checked into rehab in 2013, upon release, in addition to doing AA, seeing a therapist and every other play in the book, I got placed on Xanax and Fentanyl and a host of other prescription drugs that did not work. The party train left the station again, but this time it was worst. I did something terrible and caused an accident that totaled two police cars while well under heavy influence. Luckily, no one was hurt. When I left jail after realizing that my life was over (I convinced myself of that) I was working on withdrawing money from various accounts so I could take off for Mexico and party until I dropped dead. Then one day a buddy brought some kratom over and my head cleared up and anxiety eased some. He convinced me to stick around for awhile and I started taking kratom regularly and working my sobriety program, and I didn’t pick up any other substances. Now I have been clean for almost 2 years, I own a couple a of regular tax paying businesses and I use kratom 4-5 times a week. According to what I understand from the DEA ban, I will become a felon again on October 1, 2016? This does not seem right, this plant saved my life.
This is a much more logical approach.kratom had helped many people get clean from opiates, myself included. The heroin epidemic in this country needs solutions like Kratom. Please consider what all these commenters have to say, and the proposal made by the CRE!
The motives for this ban are severely transparent. Especially considering the announcements of new opoid medications similar to the chemical structure of this plants active compounds.
I will share my personal story: Decades of stomach problems that prevented me from leading a normal life. I have been on a host of medications, all of them causing mild to serious side effects, none of which completely managed my illness. Finding kratom was a lifesaver for me because it allowed me to lead a normal life again. I could leave my home, I could travel, I didn’t have to worry about accidents and having to flake on work events and personal situations like I’ve been forced to so much in the past.
And now the narrative is that this stuff is somehow DANGEROUS and it’s the problem?
This is nothing less than a modern-day witch hunt. It took civilization a few hundred years to look back and realize how absurd the witch hunts were..they were a frenzy of unfounded fear coupled with paranoia and ignorance. And that’s EXACTLY what’s happening currently with kratom. And I hope whenever humans look back in 50 years and realize the scope and breadth of the ignorance that people promoted in attempting to ban this healing plant that those responsible are publicly shamed and humiliated for perpetuating human suffering at the expense of banning a simple, natural herb.
Like McCarthyism and the fear and paranoia of the ‘red scare,’ the ignorance that clouded the judgment of our ‘leaders,’ the shame of blatant disregard for the lives of others…this DEA reach is in the exact same vein as both of those issues from our past. And apparently we STILL have not learned our lesson.
Many feel there is a direct connection between this proposed ’emergency’ ban and the DEA’s direct connection to the pharmaceutical industry. And I believe 100% that time will tell and will out those responsible for this, whether it’s Chuck Rosenberg or whoever else. This is not going away, ever. And the search for the truth will be around just as long as kratom. And when that truth does come out, it will put the whole thing into proper perspective.
As has been stated many times, the DEA either has acted with knee-jerk panic and zero research into what they are planning to ban – or this is some sort of carefully orchestrated prohibition for political or money reasons…certainly not for logical or “we care about our citizens” reasons. We will likely never know.
BUT, yes – the CRE’s outline above makes a hell of a lot more sense than an “emergency” ban on a tea leaf that is helping so many – and that other federal agencies received appropriated funds to study, and didn’t report that it was harmful. And the fact that it is legal in Canada and Mexico, and many European countries…?
If this ban goes through as planned, it will simply be because someone/some agency with the power wants it banned, and nothing we say or do will stop it – even if the DEA isn’t following the laws (as the CRE letter indicates).
However, if anyone in the DEA or anyone with jurisdiction over them is paying any attention to the massive response from Americans – at the very LEAST – consider the relief requested above. Postpone the ban, and allow commentary and scientific research before making a determination. That would actually be the democratic thing to do…considering the claim that there is an imminent danger is threadbare at best. After reading the CRE’s letter, I couldn’t even come up with a way to maintain that narrative…
This makes much more sense than the current DEA approach. Kratom should not be schedule 1, kratom is not a public health crisis.
My name is Corinne. I am Kratom.
I’ve never taken the time to write to one of my elected officials before, but I’ve also never felt so threatened by my own government before, either. The reason I, and many others who are also making their voices heard, feel so threatened, is because of the DEA’s Intent to Schedule the alkaloids Mitragynine and 7-Hydroxymitragynine, which would make the Kratom plant (Mitragynaspeciosa), a schedule 1 controlled substance with no medicinal value. This decision will be downright harmful to many people, including myself. Kratom currently provides safe, natural, side-effect free relief for people suffering from chronic pain, depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADD, and it even helps people struggling with addiction get off of drugs and alcohol, and live sober, functioning lives. We are hoping to save Kratom not only for ourselves, but for more people who could also find help from it like we have. Kratom is not a drug that people hoard and become addicted to, it is a remedy that many of us desire to share with others, but have been unable to because of stigma and falsehoods.
My first experience with Kratom was almost four years ago, when my boyfriend gave some that he had gotten from a local head shop to me before a family wedding. He said it was supposed to help with anxiety, which I was definitely experiencing. I was skeptical, I think I even called it “snake oil,” but I ate my words. I did not get high like a drug. I was not impaired like alcohol. I was just able to be myself, not a nervous wreck, even though I was around so many relatives (which for me, unfortunately is not an ideal situation).
I did not take Kratom regularly from that point on. To be honest, even though my own experience proved its functionality to me, I was still skeptical. “It’s a head shop product,” I’d think. “It comes in ugly packages and it’s sold by guys who sell bath salts and other questionable substances. It’s gotta be BAD, or at least not ‘good,'” I’d say to myself. But I was wrong. Guilt by association was not guilt, it was just good old fear and misinformation filling in the gaps of my ignorance. My boyfriend continued buying Kratom from the shop, and used it daily for anxiety. Over time, I saw him go from two grams of prescribed Klonopin a day, down to one, without any kind of adverse effects. During this same time, I had started seeking treatment for my own mental health issues.
If you have never sought professional help for your own mental health before, you may not know how frustrating it can be. For someone like me, even more so. Although I can now succinctly state, “I have mental health issues stemming from childhood abuse, abandonment, and neglect that manifest in depression, anxiety, attention deficit, debilitating “fight/flight/freeze” reactions, panic attacks, and binge eating,” it wasn’t always that easy. It took years. Being prescribed incorrect, unhelpful, or even harmful drugs. Searching for a therapist who listens and actually treats you with compassion (which I was incredibly lucky to find, though not FIRST). Not being able to express my feelings without crying. Wondering if I’m just always going to be broken, off, incomplete… If you don’t know that feeling, it’s hard to understand HOW significant a simple leaf – comparable to coffee or tea – can be to those of us who do.
About a year ago, after being fed up with the grogginess, weight gain, GI issues, and overall zombie-like feeling of being on mood stabilizing drugs (commonly prescribed for people in my situation of gray-area diagnosis), I decided to give Kratom an honest shot. I’m still on Lexapro, an anti-depressant, but adding Kratom to my daily self care regimen has truly been life changing. I feel in control of my emotions, rather than feeling like my emotions control me. I don’t feel like I am “under the influence” of anything, rather, it feels like my depression and anxiety have LESS influence over me. I am able, in times of high stress, to remain composed and rational, able to think through problem-solving solutions rather than give up in frustration or fear. I have made more progressive steps for my own mental health – confronting hard memories from the past that triggered unwanted behaviors/responses in me, finding strength to take responsibility for my future instead of just blaming those old hurts – things I never thought I’d be able to do, and I believe Kratom has been instrumental in that progress.
No one would claim that Kratom is a magical cure-all for what ails you. I take great pride in the work I’ve done, and in the strides I’ve taken to work through my barriers to mental health and happiness. I acknowledge that my journey has been helped immeasurably by a caring partner who has been there for me during times of immense hardship, deep depression, and feelings of utter hopelessness. I can’t deny that love and safety have been key players in my personal recovery. That being said, denying that Kratom has played a major role would be just as insincere and untrue. The difference that Kratom has made in my daily life is almost miraculous. I was afraid of being stuck in a life of yucky Rx drugs that made me too tired to work and zapped me of all my personality, or not being on anything and being stuck under the mountain of my depression. Kratom offered me a dream come true – freedom from my depression and anxiety, and the energy and presence of mind to still be my friendly, warm, caring self. I get to be ME.
It should be known, we stopped buying head shop Kratom after my boyfriend found a community on Reddit. He found people there with similar stories of searching for help from depression and pain, as well as myriad testimonies of people having their first successful attempts at sobriety. He met people who came together to share their experiences and to offer help and encouragement to those who just needed moral support. Sometimes members would even band together if one of their friends was in financial trouble. (Side note: I have never had an issue with illicit drugs. I grew up in a home where drug/alcohol abuse and addiction were big red flags of what I never wanted to be. The “drug people” I grew up around sure didn’t love and support each other, and they sure didn’t share their “stuff” like “Kratom people” seem to – because Kratom simply isn’t a drug.) That community, and many like it, also helped us find vendors who sold Kratom at much better prices than what we could find in head shops. The vendors genuinely seem to have a legitimate personal investment in Kratom, not just a financial one. They know the benefits of this simple plant either from first-hand experience, or they see how it helps people regain their lives when NOTHING ELSE COULD. Kratom isn’t simply a money-making venture, but a people-helping one as well, evidenced in their pricing, and willingness to donate to people with financial difficulties. (One could easily argue that the American pharmaceutical industry could learn a lot from their methods.)
Many of us stayed quiet about our Kratom consumption because we knew it was misunderstood by some. We heard the accusations of it being like bath salts. We heard about it being compared to heroin and opiates. We knew it was wrong, but because people love to cling to what they know – regardless of its validity – it didn’t always seem “worth” the time and effort to educate those who would vilify Kratom. However, what the DEA is proposing to do now is inspiring many of us to take a stand and say “I Am Kratom.” We simply cannot sit by quietly while lies and fear are spread about a plant that has saved our lives. Allowing it to become Schedule I, deeming it of no medical value, as dangerous as heroin, is WRONG. To criminalize something so valuable to so many already – and potentially to so many more – solely based on poor anecdotal evidence and FEAR, would be a breach of justice. It would be a blow to our freedom as Americans.
There is also a very legitimate concern that public safety is not even what is spearheading this so-called “emergency,” but rather, the almighty dollar. There is substantial reason to believe that drug companies are close to (or are already done) synthesizing the beneficial properties of Kratom, which unlike an ordinary, God-given plant, can be patented and lead to LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY. We are getting the message loudly and clearly that IF what is in the best interest of American citizens does not line up with the easiest way for someone to make a quick buck, we, the citizens, are the ones who will suffer. We are ordinary people who have found an ordinary plant that helps us live ordinary lives, instead of lives filled with pain or depression. To be told that our wellbeing is not as valuable as some corporation’s profit margin is to be an American in 2016, I suppose.
The DEA continues to spread propaganda and fake horror stories in order to keep the uneducated populous ignorant. They demonize Kratom and us, its users, so people aren’t aware of what a wonderful thing is actually being taken from us. Enough is enough. We are raising our voices in truth, in solidarity, and in love. The DEA has no right to make illegal, that which can bring freedom and renewed life to so many. The American government has no right to play God and say that this plant is suddenly “sinful,” especially if the real motivator is greed. We are calling on those of you who were elected or put in positions of power for our support and protection, to stand up for us who are being victimized by unethical practices. We are asking you to do what is right, and help Kratom remain legal and accessible. We are asking for justice.
At the very least the ban should be postponed to July of 2017. This would be a perfect time to really research kratom and its effects
I am 23 and I have a bulging disc in my lower back and I have Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Kratom helps relieve both of these problems that I have. Before I found Kratom I had serious depression and anxiety issues that made me not want to be alive. My back pain also was also extremely unbearable and it also made me very depressed and hopeless. When I take Kratom I don’t feel the mental and physical pain anymore and I feel like a productive person. The DEA should not ban Kratom because it is helping so many people like me and I know it’s helping people with worse conditions to live a normal life.
I first discovered Kratom through a guy who I had met, he told me it’s a good way to relax at the end of the day, seeing how I do don’t drink alcohol and I have a great appreciation for plants (Nature’s medicine) I decided to try it. I was astounded by the effects it had on me, I knew immedietly that I would be buying my own. I was 19 years old when I first tried it, I had started college when I was 18 and in between my high school graduation and my first semester of college a lot of stuff happened. Things that were out of my control yet I couldn’t help but obsess over, it took a huge toll on me and let to depression, insomnia, and irritability.. Mind you I had tried many different supplements with no success in the past.. When my first order of kratom arrived at my house I used it that night and I had the best nights sleep I have had in a long time. Before Kratom I was averaging about 1.5 – 2 hours of sleep per night , not because I had no time, but because my mind was constantly in distress and couldn’t seem to shut down, I would lay in bed for 7-8 hours and couldn’t shut down.. The lack of sleep was taking a toll on my grades, my relationships, and my overall mental and physical health. I was just a normal person that had been through some traumatic events which caused a lot of mental issues and Kratom helped me cope with the trauma.. I have been using Kratom daily for about 2.5 years, I have had absolutely no symptoms associated with ingesting Kratom. It allows me to fall asleep at night, so I can be a functioning adult in the morning when I wake up. I choose to take Kratom because I don’t want to use alcohol or pills to help me cope (been there, done that) .. Kratom is truly a special herb and it gave me my life back. Banning Kratom would effect the quality of life of thousands of people each day. Do the right thing, keep Kratom legal.
I have met many, many people who have turned their lives around with the use of this plant. For example, I met one woman who was given a prescription for tramadol following a field hockey accident. She told me that doctor assured her of the low risk of addiction; she spent the next several years battling an addiction to her prescription. When she finally got to a place where she could start to leave the tromodal behind, kratom allowed her to feel human again and to function. I do not look forward to seeing how she may end up if kratom ends up as a Schedule 1 substance by the end of this month. At the very least, postponing the scheduling till July 2017 would give her time to effectively work on her recovery.
So sad to see an action which will cause so much harm to so many people taken with so little consideration. We do not need protection from this plant we need protection from this overreaching and unneeded action by the DEA..
Why would the Drug Enforcement Agency turn people with arthritis and fibromyalgia into felons? This makes no sense. I would like to ask the DEA to reconsider banning Kratom as a controlled substance because it has helped a lot of people with their health problems. To me and many other people the DEA has made themselves out to be a completely negligent administration and if they go through with this it won’t be long until riots start and show up on their front lawn. Once the ban has taken place it will cost taxpayers millions once police start arresting people for a completely harmless plant and throwing them in jail on felony charges. We are asking the DEA to do the right thing. We are asking the DEA to do the research.
I would like to see the DEA and/or FDA fully evaluate both the science and anecdotal claims of proponents and opponents of kratom within the eye of the public. The conclusion of the DEA and FDA contained in the Notice of Intent for Temporary Placement that kratom is an ‘Imminent Hazard to Public Safety’ appears to be based on false conclusions, inaccuracies, and misinformation. It appears that the data may have been advanced by an advocacy, or special interest, group with the special access to the DEA and/or FDA; or alternatively “cherry picked” by agency staff to support this extreme action.
The DEA and/or FDA should consider the public health impacts and monetary costs of a ban to individuals and the Nation. This ban would put additional strain on law enforcement as well as create a dangerous black market that would benefit organizations and cartels that promote and benefit from terrorism, murder, human trafficking, sale of illegal arms, and trade of illicit drugs. It would endanger the safety of Americans. It would cut off legal access to a plant this Nation’s citizens utilize for reasons distinct to each individual; and access to government and civil courts to redress grievances associated with its trade and sale.
There must be an approach that would both accomplish the restriction of access to adulterated products or products marketed as a “legal high” to the public, as this is the apparent intent of the DEA and/or FDA, while allowing this Nation’s citizens access to this plant.
As such, I ask that the recommendations of the CRE, as outlined in its letter of September 12, 2016, be implemented to allow public comment/involvement and that any final decision be based on sound data and public policy. The extension of the effective date for placing kratom into schedule I until at least July, 1, 2017 seems to be a reasonable time frame to allow for this.
Thank you for your attention to my concerns.
I work in construction and the years of my trade have created lots of wear and tear mostly in my lower back. I was prescribed pain meds and they worked at first but I noticed I had to keep upping the dose very quickly. After a year in I was totally depent on them not just for pain but also to manage they also effected most of my aspects in life I was in a fog 24/7. Enough was enough so I did some research a year ago and found kratom. I able to quit the pain meds and I was at a hefty dose it wasn’t easy but it would have been near impossible to keep my job and my life intact with out the aid of kratom. What was the most amazing part of using kratom was it got rid of so much of my pain and it didn’t leave me in a fog. It’s like having the focus one would get from a good latte but with out the jittery feelings and combine that with the pain killing effects and I have a safe alternative for my pain. I’m able to put in a good hard days at work and get projects done around the house with the little amount of time I have off, and not be distracted from pain all day. I’ve been on both sides of the fence and this plant is harmless but most importantly it’s a plant and our right to take a organic natrual supplement if we want.
Thanks you CRE for Bring for sensible and not overegulation
Thank you CRE. I only came across Kratom in the last six months after a desperate search for a natural alternative to prescription opiates for chronic pain (after multiple surgeries and blood clots that have permanently damaged my veins), life long IBS and anxiety. I am absolutely grateful for the relief it has provided me with no side effects and the ability to use it and still work 10 hour days (no drowsiness!) and take care of a toddler. This announcement by the DEA came as a shock and still confounds me. Further, the distortion of facts to demonize Kratom and further their cause is unsettling. The loss of Kratom will disappoint me and require me to go back to opiates for pain, and I can’t even imagine what will happen to those that have found it a godsend for fighting addiction, PTSD, pain much worse than mine, and all of the other reasons people have made Kratom a part of their daily life. I hope the right thing will be done.
I’m glad there is at least one large agency on Kratom’s side. I use this herb for my anxiety and depression, because I don’t like the way prescriptions make me feel. I would never look back, if not for the overreach on behalf of the DEA.
I agree with the points listed above.
This will give enough time for not only vendors to make plans for the future and let employees find new employment, but also to further study whether or not Kratom poses any medical benefit. I believe review is very much necessary in cases such as this, where the reasoning behind scheduling is not very clear.
This plant has been the sole reason why I got off suboxone. I tried many time to come off that poison. I’ve been off all pharmaceuticals for 2 years. Kratom has given me my choice to be off of pharmaceuticals. Taken this miracle plant away will turn great productive citizens into criminals over night. It’s our right to choose using natural herbals. If this goes through this will prove the power the pharmaceutical companies have over our government. Do the proper research like smart people do before making a decision.
Yes! Due process for something that is clearly not an “imminent threat” having been used by thousands in US for many years by hard working up standing citizens.
Thank you, CRE, for advocating for these sensible guidelines. If the DEA did not realize how many upstanding citizens have made kratom an integral part of their natural approaches to health and pain management, then changing their current stance to these well-thought out measures would show that they are sincere in their intentions.
The DEA is not a scientific body, so perhaps they did not realize the abundance of scientific data indicating that kratom does in fact have medicinal value that must be studied further. The letters on the CRE and #iamkratom posts on social media provide vast amounts of evidence that this herbal supplement does indeed have positive effects that allow thousands of people to manage seriously debilitating conditions without getting high.
I am one of those people who rely on kratom to be able to work full time as a teacher working with struggling readers, instead of staying home on disability due to Chiari Malformation, an incurable condition. I am heartbroken to learn that I could lose the one thing that has been a gamechanger for me in getting my life back after years of incapacity do due to severe pain.
To not accept these recommended action steps would be nothing short of cruel. To the DEA, I ask, “What if this was your mother, daughter, grandmother? What if this was you with a pain condition for which kratom had been the answer?” Would you allow this blessing to be taken away for 2 years or more without direct evidence of an emergency? It is clear that this evidence simply does not exist.
The DEA’s present plan will plunge thousands upon thousands back into pain and addiction. As the media has reported, people will die. The DEA’s Twitter account is full of images representing the opiod abuse epidemic in America. And yet banning kratom which helps people successfully quit using these dangerous painkillers will greatly increase this tragedy.
I ask the DEA, “Are you really interested in looking out for the American people?” If they in fact are, then the only action that can follow is to stop the emergency ban. Show this is not a war on people in chronic pain. Step up and make this right.
I’ve used kratom in the past to treat addiction to using opiates. Since then I have not touched any opiate nor do I have the urge like I used to when I would stop for months at a time. It also helps with my anxiety and depression not having to rely on addictive and dangerous substances to feel normal. Since starting and stopping using kratom my life has changed for the better in my personal and professional life. I can live without worry without depression and most importantly without addiction.
I think extending the date and following the guidelines outlined by CRE for sensible regulation are, well, sensible. Kratom deserves a closer look and more study. The kratom community is a vibrant business community and the proposed scheduling would have a negative impact on this economy. And of course, there’s also the negative impact on the hundreds of thousands who use kratom to ease opioid withdrawals, manage chronic pain, increase energy and lift their mood. I’m a 55 year old grandma, a skilled data worker and tax payer and, after some research, I used kratom to help me give up the pain pills that my doctor prescribed after an accident. I was definitely headed down a dangerous path of addiction and I’m so glad there was a safe alternative available to help me change my course.
Kratom has given me life, where my reactions to oxycodin, vicodin and stronger stuff was killing me slowly, but surely.
An accident left me with chronic pain in my gut. Imagine a bad stomach ache. Now imagine having this stomach ache 24/7. This is what my normal state feels like. I am literally unable to sleep unless I find some relief.
I have tried everything; from prescription drugs to hypnosis and it was literally gut-wrenching, to the extent where I was ready to end it all. In all my hopelessness, I tried kratom and it actually helped me! It alleviates my pain in a natural and functional way, and it has helped me to actually have a job and lead a life where I can move and am able to hold my children and loved ones, without pain.
Don’t take kratom away from me. Don’t take my life away from me.
This is the logical approach! How is kratom a threat? No one has died directly from it which speaks loads. Kratom is not a threat!!
If Chuck Rosenberg honestly believes that kratom is a cause for public health concern, then he is more naive than a freshman in high school who just realized his elementary school D.A.R.E. program was all a lie after smoking some cannabis, and in that case should be removed from office immediately for his severe incompetence. The CRE proposal is much more realistic and allows time for the public to comment as well as allow researchers to further study kratom so as to prove it’s safety. Rosenberg’s decision to issue a emergency scheduling reeks of corruption and he should be removed from office immediately.
I’ve heard the word “deplorable” tossed around an awful lot lately. Mind you, in that context, the word was being used against citizens by lawmakers, while I mean to flip it around. The intention to ban kratom as a Schedule I substance alongside heroin is hilariously ignorant, and it is downright dangerous. No, there has not been extensive research on this plant or its persecuted alkaloids, but the anecdotal evidence alone should be enough to prevent such an ill-advised move. Thousands of people die from opiate and opioid overdoses, prescription or not, every year. There have been ~16 deaths in five years (or was it 15 deaths in six years?) in which the deceased persons merely showed the presence of mitragynine in their systems. There is absolutely no conclusive evidence that this substance has directly caused any deaths, and yet it is demonized as among the likes of street dope.
Kratom is useful and it doesn’t kill. I use it. I am a CPA; I currently work for a reputable public company as an accountant. I have been driven to succeed all my life; I played varsity sports in high school, participated in my university’s honor’s program, worked for one of the big public accounting firms, earned my CPA license; I hike, I travel, I spend time with family and friends; I live with my girlfriend whom I love deeply.
I am a better person than I was letting myself become because I have finally found something that addresses my chronic pain, anxiety, and depression. With two herniated and one bulging disc in my back, I’ve been tasked with dealing with chronic back and neck pain on a daily basis. It’s not the most painful thing in the world, I freely admit, but the consistency, the nagging, it is draining. Kratom mutes that pain. It is a more effective analgesic than advil, tylenol, naproxen; it is a better painkiller than tramadol. In fact, it saved me from a dangerous love affair with tramadol.
My point is, I am a normal person. I am one of the hundreds of thousands of normal people who use this plant to help address a myriad of issues. I’ve tried the pharmaceutical route with tramadol, ambien, various SSRIs, too-frequent NSAIDs, etc. Finally I’ve found one plant that has helped me find my normal.
No reasonable person can look at all the facts and say the DEA is justified with their intent to emergency schedule mitragynine (an unprecedented action for a natural substance, mind you). Postpone it. Put it through the normal process where public comment is allowed and lawmakers are actually aware of the new plans. Represent the people whom you serve.
Seems reasonable. Though I would personally like to see the scheduling postponed indefinitely until all research can be completed and peer reviewed. Kratom is the only thing that has really helped my condition(Crohn’s Disease). It hasn’t cured it, but it’s vastly helped reduced my flare ups which has in turn allowed me to eat more since I’m not in agonizing stomach/intestinal pain.
I have seen absolutely nothing in the DEA’s stated info on kratom that points to an emergency situation. Why the rush to suddenly schedule it? Their letter clearly shows that they either don’t know what they’re talking about, or that they’re being disingenuous. Get the facts, listen to experts, look at the research. Go through the process as intended, and then make a decision. Postponing until at least July 2017 is the most prudent course of action at this point, and would avoid a horrible mistake.
Kratom is, by far, the most affective aid in relieving any symptoms of pain, anxiety, and depression. This magical plant is a gratuitous grace, put here by God himself, to make this life just a little bit easier. With this in mind, the current actions of the DEA are a blatant a obvious call to reform these ancient and outdated drug laws. And furthermore, it is a fundamental right as a US citizen to have sovereignty over my own consciousness and health. By unjustly taking this layaway from those who need it, the DEA will be effectively signing the death warrants of thousands of sick people. Please, do not let this happen.
I am university-educated, a member of the National Honor’s Society, and never been charged with a crime. Kratom has helped me cope with the chronic pain of a vertebral fracture. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to work my way through college at a very labor-intensive job. I found kratom after the medications prescribed to me for pain made me dizzy and nauseous. Before I began taking kratom, I also suffered with periodic bouts of depression; these have totally ceased since I found kratom.
I was able to beat an eight year addiction to pain pills because of kratom. Kratom works on the same receptor as heroin and other opiates so it tricks your brain into thinking you’ve had a traditional opiate. This kills all withdrawals which is why it’s so effective as am addiction treatment. Kratom does not get you high. It has a slight mood lift, similar to that first cup of coffee, and also helps with mild to moderate pain.
Schedule 1 substances are said to have no medicinal value. There are pending patents on chemicals made using kratom so how can anyone say it has no medicinal value. That’s proof right there that it does.
Im a 37 mom of two. At age 30 I herniated 2 discs in my back. An MRI also revealed spinal stenosis. Everything changed. I went from being a metal worker and teacher to being on my back and in pain all day everyday. The doctors could only give me opioids and steriods. My marriage ended as shoveled pain killers into my body just to be well enough to care for my beautiful children.
After 3 years of Vicoden and Norco everyday I had enough. I hated the depressed and moody person it made me. My family was suffering. I dedicated myself to looking for alternative treatments to the daily nerve pain and constant battle against inflammation. I found curcumin (found in tumeric) as a natural anti inflammatory. MSM and glucosamine to help with the Osteoarthritis. And Kratom instead of those horrible Norcos.
I was able to get off the perscription pain killers after 3 miserable years. I got my life back. My doctor was amazed and constantly asked if I needed more pain meds. Ive been on a small daily does of Kratom for 3 years. I started a business and joined the world again.
If Kratom is banned I face a choice: Become a criminal in order to continue existing or go back to the opioids that were ruining my life. I don’t know what I’ll do
Thank you. There is not sufficient evidence that Kratom is harmful but there certainly is sufficient evidence that it has and can continue to help people suffering from all sorts of diseases and health issues. It is certainly safer and less habit forming than prescription opiates and people deserve the right to be heard on this issue.
Rational and well thought out. Anyone who thinks kratom has no medicinal value has not yet educated him or herself about it. Reasonable controls are a good idea; an outright ban is penalizing thousands and thousands of people in pain who need this miracle plant. And that’s just what it is: a plant. Not a dangerous drug.
Whether you take Kratom or not, looking at the facts ,stories, and science you can only logically come to the conclusion that it has helped a countless number of people safely. I was lied to when doctors told me to take these for pain following surgery. I was lied to when they told me to take this (Suboxone) to easily get off of the pills. The only thing that has been honest to me in the last 10 years is Kratom.
Thank you CRE for taking action against the ban. Thousands of innocent people would be turned in to criminals just for wanting relief for the countless things Kratom helps with.
Kratom was a godsend for me when it came to getting off opioids. I struggled with heroin addiction for 3 years, and struggled to manage my anxiety and depression on top of it. With the help of therapy and kratom I have managed to stay clean for 3 years and start a professional career. The herb does not give me the typical high associated with opioids, but rather eliminates my desire to use drugs and makes me feel normal. It has way less side effects then Suboxone or Methadone, and is much easier to remain functional on. I believe it has been a strong crutch in terms of preventing me from relapsing back into drug use, and helps allow me live a happy positive life. I do not want to break the law, but I can not imagine life without this plant.
I know a number of people who have significantly benefited from. kratom. It has helped them manage pain, depression, and addiction. For me personally it has helped me deal with depression allowing me to support and care for my family. It also helped me deal with months of pain due to blistering on my cornea, caused by a decade of glaucoma surgeries, when no alternatives to manage the pain were available to me. I am married man, I own a home and two cars, and have been successful at my job in software development for four years. Please don’t ban kratom, take away a safe alternative that helps, without any reason or rhyme. There are folks out there who could be helped and they should not be denied the opportunity.
The DEA will put so many of us out of business and remove a necessary botanical!! We paid over $20,000 in taxes in 2015 alone and we’re a modest kratom operation. It is in the best interest of the people to extend the deadline to July of 2017 and let the science prove that this is an ill-fated decision (to ban kratom) or not.
It’s about time for the DEA to show some compassion toward the people it was designed to protect!
As Nietzsche said “He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.” It is time for the DEA to show us that it has not become the Monster that it claims to be pursuing…
Kratom saved my life. I found it just in time It was to late for my sister.Please keep kratom legal. I know what it feels like to be on drugs and I don’t feel like I am on a drug at all. I feel free. Stay clean stay green.
I have horrible social anxiety that has been treated with a wide range of pharmaceuticals that have taken me from “high” to a zombie… along with alcohol which helped, but I didn’t like how it made me feel either. I heard about Kratom from a friend that takes it for back pain. I heard that it helps with anxiety, so after doing a ton of research, I gave it a try around 5 years ago. It took some time to find the perfect dose, but it’s been a life changer for me and my family. I’m able to function normally now and I even hold a full time job where I need to interact with others all the time. I don’t get “high” or even feel anything from it, besides being able to combat my anxiety. Please do not ban Kratom, but rather regulate it and make it 18/21+. That will help make it safer and allow those of us to continue life without going back to harsh medications.
I believe kratom has literally saved my life. It helped me kick a serious addiction to alcohol. Thanks to kratom I am able to live a normal life and be a good father to my kids. Kratom has also helped me with some of my anxiety. PLEASE PLEASE do not take away this plant from the people. It has helped so many.
Please keep kratom legal. My medicines were costing tax payers $1000 a month. By keeping kratom legal, i alone save the tax payers 12k a year.
My husband has used this leaf for over five years. He has had five back surgeries; two laminectomies, fusion of L5-S1, implantation of temporary nerve stimulator and then implantation of a permanent nerve stimulator.
For many years he was on hydrocodone, tramadol and gabapentin. He is now just using ibuprofen and kratom. To say that kratom has no accepted use is just nonsense.
We are adults and have the right to choose how we want to go about managing our health. We do not live in a dictatorship. I think this scheduling is complete nonsense.
The DEA is trying to bamboozle the people of the United States with this significant quick-to-act decision of temporarily placing the alkaloids of another tree leaf (Mitrogyna speciosa) on the scheduling list. Not only are this leafs alkaloids being scheduled, they are to be listed among schedule 1 substances. This is a shame for the people who this leaf helps but it is a intolerable act on the part of our government. Our government should act to protect the people and not against our interests.
This would be a sensible approach to the issue. Millions of Americans, including myself, have had their lives greatly improved by kratom. It has turned my life around. I worry what will happen if it is taken away. Kratom could be regulated and taxed. For me it is a great natural alternative to over the counter pain meds, and it helps lift my mood on rainy days. This nation of fine people doesn’t deserve another forced step in the wrong direction.
Kratom has been in use in its native lands for centuries and has been used by many Americans for decades for a variety of reasons. It is a relatively safe supplement made from the leaves of a plant and involves no dangerous processing or routes of administration. Current kratom users are not criminals and come from every walk of life. Scheduling kratom so suddenly will not prevent crime, but rather it will make criminals out of everyday people trying to manage their conditions and lives.
It is important that we find out as much about the impact of this proposed ban before it goes into effect. I know if many people’s lives who have been helped greatly by this herb, and don’t understand the rush to ban it.
Kratom helped me walk after a serious sports injury. Banning kratom will cause people to use more dangerous and addictive substances instead. I disagree with the DEAs decision as banning kratom will cause more harm than good.
Reasonable! Banning would definitely lead to blood on the DEAs hands.
Reasonable and responsible way to handle this. Kratom, like anything else, should be studied, understood, and regulated, not outright banned. One of the scariest eventualities of this proposed ban is that if it does become a black market product, it could end up being cut with other dangerous substances which pose a far greater risk of harm than the kratom leaf.
Educate the population, regulate and tax its distribution (within reason), and protect peoples right to manage their own pain in a safe, open market. A government has the responsibility to protect its citizens, and treating them as criminals is quite the opposite of that duty.
I support responsible use of kratom and believe that this in line with my thoughts as well.
CRE I applaud you! The DEA’S blatant overreaching is disturbing on so many levels! Keep fighting the good fight much love and respect!
Banning a plant that has numerous medicinal qualities and that has never killed anyone based on false information/propaganda? Sound familiar? That’s because it is very similar to what they did to Cannabis oh so long ago and we all see how that worked out. They lied, and they are doing it again. Anything natural and safe cannot possibly be allowed because Big Pharma can’t make their millions off of it and, even worse, it can take away from their profits they make from selling drugs that are both deadly and addictive which this plant can replace (i.e. painkillers, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety meds, ADHD meds, etc. .). This ban will cause opiate painkiller/heroin overdose deaths to skyrocket again, and will cause a great many people will lose the ability to live a normal, productive life. By banning this plant, our government is officially telling us that they would rather keep up/expand the failed “war on drugs” and allow heroin and painkillers to kill more people, all so Big Pharma, the cartels, and the court system can keep making money off of addicts.
Kratom is safer than aspirin and Tylenol, literally – people actually die all the time from the latter two. There’s no justification for scheduling it at all, much less making it Schedule I. It’s like scheduling coffee – it’s a safe herbal thing that people get a lot of benefit from, with an extremely minor side effect profile and very low abuse potential. The DEA is completely over reaching here.
The DEA is completely abusing their emergency scheduling power with this. That’s supposed to be for some new designer drug that’s put a ton of people in the hospital or something. This is an herbal thing that people have used for ages without incident. And, no, the 15 cases they tried to trot out to justify themselves weren’t caused by kratom, they were people who died from other causes but had kratom in their systems. It’s safe to say that no one has ever died from kratom, at all.
This is much more reasonable. Coming from someone who has chronic pain due to a permanent back injury, I was unable to even do things like play with my child before kratom. The opiates prescribed to me left me in a zombie like state and extremely ill when I didn’t have them. I didn’t abuse them and was completely unprepared to face the same withdraw symptoms as addicts go through. A few times of that and seeing myself unable to care for my child made me decide to make a change. I gave kratom a chance and now that it is trying to be taken away from me, tears come to my eyes when I think about the first time I was able to get on the floor and play with my child for the first time. She was so excited that I was on the floor playing with her. I don’t want that taken from me or from my child. She deserves to have a mom that is not sick and able to give her good childhood memories.
The DEAs intent to ban kratom is sadly based on misinformation. Consultation of medical professionals and review of SCIENTIFIC literature is of the utmost importance before putting a plant related to coffee on Schedule I with heroin. Not to mention kratom has been sold as an herbal supplement in the US for some 30 years and used safely by indigenous people for thousands of years.
I am so relieved to see some sensibility brought to this travesty. I suffer chronic pain from intractable Lyme disease. Kratom has been an absolute godsend for the management of my pain. Suffered for many years, and kratom has changed my life in so many ways for the better. With its energy and mood boost, in addition to pain relief as good or better than Rx opiates, kratom is the perfect remedy for the travails of Lyme. I really question a world that has “leaders” that think they can tell a person that they cannot eat a leaf that brings such blessed relief.
Thanks CRE. This is how it should be done. Banning Kratom outright would make millions of law abiding Americans become criminals literally over night and have a huge negative effect on our economy. Maybe Americans depend on Kratom to be able to make it through their everyday lives without using harmful prescription drugs. The DEA is definitely over stepping their boundaries on this.
I love the way the CRE is handling this. Very concise and well thought out! I hope that Kratom can be saved, as it has saved my life so much.
The DEA is definitely stepping over their boundaries with trying to make this a schedule I drug. Kratom is a natural tree, in the same family as the coffee tree, and has saved thousands of people from having to take the garbage big pharma wants everyone to take. Not everyone wants to be on drugs with horrible side effects, and choose to go a more natural route to relief pain, anxiety, depression, and more. It’s also helped plenty, including myself, to be able to stop taking rx’d pain medication. It’s a crime for them to ban this tree that has helped, and still helps thousands. In its purest form, Kratom is an excellent, natural alternative to taking nasty chemicals such as suboxone. Subs are horrible, and will have people hooked for life, due to its ridiculous half life and buildup. People experience withdrawals for months or more trying to come off of that garbage. Kratom needs to be studied more, has proven benefits, and cannot be lumped together with bath salts or spice. It’s not even close. And the fact alone that they are trying to make it a schedule I drug is absurd. Unless of course it’s because of an agenda, linking to big pharma losing sales. No way this plant should be banned, and it’s a mockery of our justice system to act otherwise.
Thanks CRE. You are doing God’s work.
As a responsible adult, I feel it is my right to use this plant as I wish. This just feeds into my contempt
for other dea/fda limits imposed on us. I am going to continue personal use if banned.
Kratom has helped me with my PTSD. In tandem with my therapy it has made me a happy productive member of society. Please don’t make me a criminal, I defended this country for freedoms that you’re trying to strip away with insufficient information.
I found Kratom when looking for natural ways to ease my extreme social anxiety. I tried many different things until I finally decided to try Kratom and now I wish I would have sooner. It definety helps and I would have never imagined the DEA trying to ban it and put people in prison for it! It sounds so ridiculous. It’s really opened my eyes to how wrong things can be and how nothing is done about it.
So it comes down to one thing. Does the government care about us, the people, and our wellbeing, or are they more concerned with the pharmaceutical companies continuing to profit off of people, and ruining lives? I would hope the former, but if this goes through, then it pretty much sums up that an agenda to make more money, is more important than people’s overall quality of life. This has to be exposed and stopped.
Kratom helps me with chronic pain from lyme disease. Without it, I would either be in pain all day or on opiates. Please do not ban it, the only reason it is considered dangerous by some is because of misinformation. Kratom is an effective medecine ,and my situation is an example of only one of the numerous ways it has helped people across the world with their medical issues.
The DEA’s rush to place another natural herb on Schedule I is unwise. A decision that will impact the economy and, more importantly, the lives and freedom of law-abiding citizens should not be made without due consideration and a period of comment.
I use kratom. I am a young, successful professional working in a technical industry. Kratom has improved my life. The DEA wants to turn me into a felon. I have always leaned to the left politically. This action makes me question how large we have allowed government to grow. Maybe the libertarians are right. Maybe a powerful bureaucracy is unhealthy.
Thank you so much for this. Kratom is so helpful to so many and what they are trying to do is completely wrong. I have used Kratom for multiple issues including chronic back pain, anxiety, and related depression. It has been a practically a miracle for me.
We have an opioid epidemic, we have the largest prison population in the world, and we are nearly 20 trillion dollars in debt. So we are going to spend more money, to lock up more nonviolent citizens, for a plant that is a safe alternative to deadly opioids. Makes absolutely no sense whatsoever! I was an alcoholic and drug addict, and since I’ve been using kratom I have been drug and alcohol free.
I believe at the very least that postponing the ban to July of 2017 would be fair and lawful. In that time we can approach kratom in a logical manner and really look into it. From what I have personally seen it has helped my brother turn his life completely around. After an accident he was addicted to opiates, an alcoholic, and in pain and constant fatigue. Now he is a successful, hardworking individual who never touches any substance except a very small dose of kratom when needed. This is the truth, I just want to approach this in a democratic and fair way. The US is a wonderful country, and I hate to see it be governed by a couple people in charge. Please find the compassion to address kratom logically.
Kratom helped me see through the veil of anxiety without causing dependence. I am a fully functional member of society now with a good job in consulting – Kratom helped me achieve this. I agree to at least delay the ban, why is this so urgent? Please, let us not make the millions who rely on kratom over more dangerous drugs have to make that choice.
It really seems like the DEA is supporting the pharmaceutical industry. Of course they wouldn’t want a natural substance that a company doesn’t hold a patent on. They don’t want you to stop taking there pain medicine. Where is the profit in that. I garentee you all that these big medical company’s lobbied for this to become illegal so they can get their slaves back. OxyContin should be labeled as a schedule 1 and become illegal to produce. The second leading cause of death in this country are contributed to the medicine these company’s are pushing to people. Not letting them know that they are giving them highly addictive substances. The kind of meds that you will need to take a different horrible medication to come off of. And then become more addicted to that ( methadone and Suboxone ). They want you as their slaves and it seems they will stop at nothing to maintain that. The fair thing to do would be at least hold out till July of next year so people can get their affairs in order.
Thank you CRE. Logical and reasonable response to illogical ban by the DEA. We can’t let the DEA get away with this.
Thank you CRE. Logical and reasonable response to illogical ban by the DEA. We can’t let the DEA get away with this. Kratom is a plant with so much potential, already helping so many people. I can’t even imagine what it would do to do if it really got banned…
52 year old male with family history of hereditary hypertension/high blood pressure. Untreated hypertension leads to organ damage,
blindness, stroke and heart attack. I am Native American.
I found out about Kratom when I was doing research about Hypertension/High blood pressure. I was looking for an alternative supplement to
control my hereditary hypertension. I have been on different types of BP meds for the past 11 years. Thiazide, calcium blockers, ACE
inhibitors and beta blockers. They do not work for me. Too many negative side effects and most gave me much anxiety and raised my blood
pressure even more.
As I did internet searches for information, I used keywords like ‘lower blood pressure’ and ‘Alternative hypertension supplements’.
I came across a discussion forum where people were talking about Kratom. This was the first time I heard of Kratom. Someone made a
comment “I had to adjust my dose of Kratom because it made my blood pressure go low”.
This comment caught my attention.
I did more searches using words like ‘makes my blood pressure too low” or ‘lowers blood pressure’.
I found more people making comments about Kratom making their blood pressure too low.
Now I began researching Kratom. I am finding most people use it for pain management. And it also used for anxiety and depression. Both of
which are connected to hypertension symptoms. (at least it does with me). I am also finding that people have used/use Kratom to relieve
opiate withdrawal symptoms.
My interest is how it lowers blood pressure.
Now I want to try Kratom to see how it works for me. I find many websites selling it. I am now wondering if it is legal.
I find that in my state (Arizona) there are no laws against it.
After extensive research on Kratom, I finally buy some. There are different strains of Kratom that have different effects. I am trying to find
the strain that lowers blood pressure. After a year of experimenting with different strains and dosages, I have found a strain and dose that
works for me. I don’t feel stoned, or intoxicated in any way.
I stopped taking prescription BP drugs two years ago. My BP readings averaged 145-155/95-101 on an average. Usually higher in the
mornings.
For the past year my BP numbers have been from 117/65 to 125/78. I have a detailed log to prove this.
I have not had to see a doctor in over a year. With regular exercise and Kratom I am managing my blood pressure on my own.
I have watched family members and friends die from illnesses stemming from hypertension/high blood pressure. It’s all around me.
I am only one person. This is my fight. I do not use illegal drugs. I have no criminal record.
Kratom is my medication. It derives from a plant/tree by nature.
Man belongs to the Earth.
Earth does not belong to man.
This is an extremely legitimate and sensible approach to this illogical emergency scheduling of an extremely beneficial plant that has been used for centuries if not longer. The proposed emergency scheduling MAKES NO SENSE as THIS IS NOT AN EMERGENCY SITUATION that is endangering the public!!! Kratom is NOT a threat to the general public It has helped hundreds of thousands of people with a myriad of conditions such as PTSD, chronic pain, anxiety, depression & fybromyalgia. If the DEA CARES ABOUT HELPING COMBAT THE OPIATE EPIDEMIC, THEY WILL ALLOW RESEARCH ON KRATOM
These recommendations need to be implemented immediately. The DEA needs to held accountable to the law and reasonable standards of conduct. They cannot act unilaterally to ban Kratom without addressing these concerns if they want to maintain any shred of credibility.
I completely agree with the CRE letter. The DEA is taking unwarranted action with out due diligence. The amount of people negatively impacted by this scheduling is astounding.
This is a copy of the letter I wrote to my senators and representative today, along with a copy of your letter. Thank you so much!!
My name is Laura **** and I am live in ******. I come from a law enforcement background (my father worked for the police) and I currently work for *****. I am also a born again Christian and I genuinely love my country.
I have written you my kratom story before (I use it to treat severe Restless Legs Syndrome), but since I last wrote to you, the Center for Regulatory Effectiveness has issued a cease and desist letter to the DEA with a clear case laid out of how they have broken the Canadian-American treaty, have violated the Data Quality Act, and how they are ignoring published science from other federal agencies (the USDA and the National Institutes of Health) stating that kratom is safe and has definite medicinal uses, and recommending further research.
I am pleading with you to not stand idly by while the DEA blatantly abuses its authority and puts the United States’ relationship with Canada at risk. This letter issued by the Center for Regulatory Effectiveness asks that the imminent ban set for September 30th be delayed until July 1, 2017 while the existing research can be peer reviewed, Health Canada (where kratom is classified as a Natural Health Product) can give its input on the matter, and there can be a public comment period.
I have attached the letter from the CRE to the DEA with my own letter so you can read the case in kratom’s favor and see the evidence for yourself. As your constituent I urge you to do the right thing and tell the Office of Management and Budget to exercise its authority over the DEA and to give time for the evidence regarding kratom’s benefits or detriments to be properly reviewed.
I am someone who has many ailments, some chronic that had me taking up to 8 medications a day, majority of them being narcotics. I hated the way I felt, I was tired all the time, had seizures from some etc. I was able to go off all but one of these medications after taking Kratom, have been saving money, am clear headed and never once have felt sick or “high” I do not have side effects, I am aware of the alkaloids in these leaves all working together in harmony, due to some research. Some of the same available research states some of the alkaloids have anti-cancer, anti-diabetic and increases oxygen levels in the brain. I believe it is morally wrong to outlaw something that has not been proven to be dangerous, while at the same time the pharmaceutical companies have been researching the 2 active alkaloids. I am a veteran that would have given my life for this country but am now being told I have to live it in pain, as I refuse to take mind altering substances such as all of the narcotic pain relievers on the market, that are effective for me. Please show the American people that their voice means something. I am a nurse, and I believe Kratom is completely safe. I know though my experience is anecdotal evidence, I have want to say I have taken it for years with no negative outcomes whatsoever but with many positive.
I fully support the CRE’s above proposal. Kratom is the only thing that has helped my friends anxiety, even after trying many pills from the doctor. It’s helped her to get her life back on track without getting anyone “high”. It also helps those suffering from pain without the side effects of prescription opiates, and is a major aid to the many, many people who use it to help get off of stong drugs like heroin. Many people would lose a safe, effective alternate to prescription pills and hard drugs if Kratom were to be illegalized.
I am a supporter of kratom. I have the following to say about the CRE’s proposal:
1. Extend the effective date for placing kratom into schedule I until July, 1, 2017.
***It is my personal opinion that this date is too soon. Considering that kratom is not a drug and there is no evidence of major public threat, it is unreasonable to cut short what could take years. Right now, most of the benefits of the kratom supplement are ancedotal. We need to allow at least three years for researchers to provide peer-reviewed studies. An effective REVIEW date, not a ban date, of Sept. 1st 2019 should allow sufficient time for research and peer review, as well as public comment.
2. Open a Federal Register notice-and-comment proceeding on placing kratom into Schedule I and inform the public that the DEA’s proposal is a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866 because it,
a) Has an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more or
b) Creates a serious inconsistency with an action taken by another agency, FDA, or
c) Raises novel legal and policy issues arising out of legal mandates.
***I agree with the CRE that this is not only important, but absolutely necessary under EO 12866.
3. Submit the proposed listing to OMB for review pursuant to Executive Order 12866.
***Again, I agree. This is absolutely necessary under EO 12866.
4. Inform the US-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) via OMB of DEA’s intent to place kratom on schedule I and seek its comments.
***I agree, however, we also need to invite comment on how Canada will prevent kratom from entering the United States. This could come at a significant cost to Canada. The US-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council will also need to provide the estimated costs to the Canadian government, as well as estimated costs to provinces along the US/Canada border. Canadian comment should also include the expected cost to the US.
5. Conduct an interagency peer review of DEA’s science which lead to a Schedule I listing of kratom as required by the HISA requirements of the Data (Information) Quality Act
This is absolutely necessary, however, the proposed response date of July 1st 2017 is unreasonable. Again, I propose Sept. 1st 2019.
Thank you for taking the time to read my comments.
I am a 42 year old computer scientist who has suffered bouts of arthritis, depression and anxiety. For arthritis and multiple surgeries x3 on my shoulder and x2 on my knee, I had been prescribed pain medication. I don’t need to go into the downside of prescription pain pills so needless to say Kratom helped out in so many ways for that specific illness – I NO LONGER RELY ON PRESCRIPTION PAIN MEDS. For depression and anxiety, I noticed that after taking kratom for pain, I felt better, more focused and more prepared to deal with life that I had been before. I cannot think Kratom enough for helping me feel normal. Things I and my doctors have noticed while I’ve been taking a kratom supplement – my Blood Pressure usually measures 145/97 has dropped to 110/70. It has never been that low in my life. There has also been a very noticeable improvement to my social life and my ability to get past my stage fright. Kratom has helped in so many ways that I cannot just put a label and say it’s helped me with THIS, except to say it’s helped me with LIFE.
When the DEA plans to make this plant illegal, I know my life will suffer. I know it will in every way and I cannot believe our government is ok with letting it’s citizens suffer. I do not get ‘high’ from kratom. I don’t know what a heroin high feels like, but I know from description it’s much more than the pick me up I get from Kratom – similar to how I felt when I used to be able to drink coffee (Coffee interacts negatively with anxiety).
Dear .gov,
Prohibition doesn’t work and it never has. Please reconsider this ban and continue to allow our brightest minds access to the plant to do the research so sorely needed. If you are worried about health of the population, please look into regulating it instead. Force out these people that are mixing the plant with dangerous substances. Please don’t let them ruin it for the rest of us.
I cannot put into words how much I support the CRE’s proposal. Kratom has helped so many people, and an emergency scheduling will do real harm to so many Americans. For some, it is the only thing keeping them out of pain
Kratom has helped me immensely with anxiety and depression. I don’t know where I’d be without it. I know many others who use it for physical pain as well. I’m terrified for those that need this amazing plant just to live their lives with a little less pain. I think it’s a disgrace that they could have it ripped from their hands on such short notice and with no real proof of the “imminent health hazard” that it poses. I’ve used kratom for two years and have had zero negative effects to my body and mind. That’s why I believe that this nonsense scheduling should be delayed.
I support this CRE proposal.
We need more data about the harms and benefits of kratom before we make any definitive regulations. We need the time and freedom in which to conduct that research. In America, we rely on evidence and reason. We need to take a measured, sensible approach to kratom that isn’t based on fear or outdated modes of enforcement. This kind of prohibition has been shown to be costly, ineffective, misguided, and a general waste of resources.
Are we the kind of people that seek to imprison our neighbors (at further taxpayer expense) for possessing a plant that’s similar to coffee?
Another ideal that is a cornerstone of American governance is ‘innocent until proven guilty’. Where is the body of damning evidence against kratom that would warrant the same level of enforcement as heroin? The DEA proposal has no purchase on reality; there’s no hard data to justify the most severe level of prohibition.
What does ‘freedom’ mean in today’s society? Making kratom illegal is actively impinging on citizens’ autonomy. That is reason enough keep kratom legal.
Legally, it is very troubling to me that an office of the executive branch is abusing it’s power by acting as though it is both part of the legislative AND executive branches. We have (or used to have) checks and balances in our government for a reason. That is first and foremost the most worrying aspect of this whole debacle as it will inevitably lead to larger abuses sooner rather than later.
Secondarily, kratom is not a public safetry hazard. It never has been. It is low hanging fruit for the DEA to attempt to stay relevant in a time when most on the U.S. population want to see decriminalization of non-violent drug offenses, and an increased awareness of how the privatization of prisons have lead to people losing years of their lives to line corporate interests’ profit margins.
Thirdly, kratom is not a threat and it is certainly not on par with heroine. Caffeine is legal. Alcohol is legal. Nicotine is legal. Marijuana is getting increasingly legal. Kratom is stronger than caffeine but much less strong than the other three. And I won’t even get into addiction and health issues from increased sugars in our foods, once again contributing to corporate profit margins at the cost of public health.
On a personal note, I myself have been helped by kratom. It helps with my depression and anxiety, and helps me curb binge eating that stems from these two issues. And this is only from taking it once or twice a week if that! The worst side effect that I have encountered is constipation, that has been addressed by eating healthier, and taking magnesium. My husband on the other hand, has IBS-D from years of having to depend on mega-doses of ibuprofen from the migraines caused by Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) that he sustained as a soldier overseas in Afghanistan. While the kratom has not helped the migraines as far as we can tell, it has made a massive difference in his Irritable Bowel symptoms. How empowering it is to not worry about how long one needs to be out away from home and one’s personal toilet (because of how embarrassing diarrhea can be in a public bathroom.) Also, there has been some slight aleviation in his joint pain but we need longer to supplement to see if that is a placebo effect or an actual effect.
After reading the CRE’s letter to the DOJ re: placing Kratom on the Schedule 1 list of dangerous narcotics, it would seem that the DEA is breaking the law in their blundering attempt to regulate the lives of innocent Americans tending to their health problems in a natural way. It would seem that the DEA would rather that these citizens who are dealing with all sorts of health issues naturally instead resort or revert back to using opiate narcotics such as Oxycontin, heroin and the like. It would almost seem that the DEA is in league with the Big Pharmacy companies (who can hardly patent a plant that has been around for millennia); because it sure as hell doesn’t seem like the DEA is paying any attention to logic, science or the health of the American people. Shame on the DEA!
Thank you CRE for putting together this proposal. As someone who was bed ridden from pain for a year and contemplating suicide while on 5x different prescriptions including Methadone, Kratom has quite literally saved my life. I only use twice a day and I’m able thold a job, be productive, and most importantly thoughts of ending my life are gone. I can’t imagine going back to that life of hell on opioids. They just don’t work, but Kratom did!
I would hope the DEA would realize that there is a wealth of public comment on this action, and that attempting to schedule kratom without any public input was shortsighted. If they had allowed a public hearing on kratom they would have discovered that they are removing the most valuable tool they have in the fight against opiate/opioid addiction from their arsenal. Clearly there is an imperative to open up this action for public comment, and a delay of scheduling would allow for that.
… in the midst of an opioid epidemic, it seems incredibly foolish to ban the one plant that saves many individuals and families from the horrors of opioid addiction … .
I a cancer survivor with depression back pain and ptsd. Kratom helps me with my back pain and helps me alleviate some pain. I don’t want to take Vicodin anymore cuz my doctor makes me feel weird about it plus I gain weight get moody etc. kratom doesn’t take away all the pain but does alleviate to where I can get out of bed and have a good day like a normal person. What am I going to do if they take kratom from me? I’m so depressed.
I’m a child abuse survivor and have been suffering from PTSD, anxiety, and depression for decades. Doctors throughout the years have prescribed a variety of medications, but very few of them truly helped and the ones that did help were only intended for short-term use and carried the problem of being habit-forming (benzodiazepines). Trying to find a safe and long-term remedy to dampen my symptoms has been a tremendous struggle. During the worst times I was completely non-functional and could not leave the house nor perform basic tasks such as cooking food and maintaining hygiene.
Kratom changed my life. Thanks to small daily doses of kratom I was able function again and get my life back on track. My symptoms still persist, but kratom made them manageable when nothing else did. Kratom is an effective herbal remedy that costs very little and has a proven safety record.
The DEA’s ban on kratom is ill-conceived, mired in ignorance, and will cause far more harm than good.
Thank you so much for sharing this story. It is clear that the ban must not begin without due process. Your story matters and together we must stand up for the right to help ourselves be health and happy. Kratom has helped me and you and many others. It should not be banned in anyway at all!!
This rush to ban Kratom is terrible idea. I have suffered from severe anxiety and kratom
has helped where prescriptions can’t. I tried xanax, clonopin etc… I didn’t like the way the made me feel and they were addictive…. then I found kratom. Having kratom
A few times a week helps keep my anxiety down but be alert and clearheaded. This would
Be a shame and really have a negative impact on my life
I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It’s affected all parts of my life. Some days I find it hard to even function. But luckily, with Kratom I was able to keep it manageable, where no prescribed medicine helped, and also no side effects from kratom. If this plant is banned, me and many people like me, and those much worse off, will have a much lower quality of life.
Please, look at this from a different perspective. There is no reason to cause this much pain to so many. Thank you.
As a 20 year old college student being able to balance classes, sleep and a social life is very difficult… Kratom helps me with all of this. Taking Kratom helps me focus, sleep and socialize without having to rely on dangerous or overpowering pharmeuticals. Having suffered from anxiety for the past 5 or so years, Kratom is my best option for dealing with it. Please listen to the words of myself and everyone here and understand that Kratom is an incredible plant that holds countless benifits.
I can totally relate to what you are saying. Kratom for me is a wonderful and helpful herbal supplement that helps with chronic pain and stress in general. thanks for sharing, let us prevent the DEA’s ban!
The unilateral action taken by the DEA not only precludes any official studies on the medical benefits and legitimacy of Kratom, but is a serious offense on civil liberties. The CRE has proposed a rational compromise in the interests of all concerned parties, and I hope their measured approach will be considered for the common good.
Kratom has lived my life. I was on heroin for years and then methadone. Kratom has been a godsend for me and has helped me live a drug free life. If kratom becomes illegal I am sure I will get back on opiates again, maybe even heroin. This ban could potentially kill me
I found Kratom about 5 years ago. I was looking for something to assist me when I was in a large amount of back pain. I got hit by a car about 15 years ago. I did not have any pain issues for the first 3 years. However, for the past 11-12 years my back has progressively gotten worse. I’ve taken TONS of ibuprofen and Tylenol as my methods of pain relief.. Stronger pain relievers (RX) don’t agree with me. I was afraid of long term liver damage from the OTC Meds I was taking. I looked into a Pain Management Forum and Kratom was mentioned as a Mild supplement to aid in pain recovery. I questioned the guy that recommended it and I decided to purchase some from a vendor that he suggested. I started taking kratom in-betwen doses of Tylenol and ibuprofen and it truly assisted with the pain. I’ve used it successfully and others deserve to benefit from it if they so choose.. Kratom is a beneficial supplement and should continue to stay legal. It’s so very mild and could continue to help people with pain and discomfort.
The rush to ban a plant that very obviously has had a positive impact on so many people’s lives is cruel, and to do it without going through the proper procedures is even worse. Many people will die or have their livelihoods taken away (I’m not sure which is worse) from having to go back on powerful pharmaceuticals that they do not want to be on in the first place. Please wait to schedule such a benign, yet useful plant when there is virtually no cause for concern; alcohol and tobacco are much bigger threats to society.
Kratom is a life saver for many people. Why would they take this alway from anybody. This is ridiculous.
Ive never done heroin, dont drink, havent smoked marijuana in 20 yrs since i was in highschool and I suffer from periodic anxiety and depression. Im 35 married and a proud father of two girls. Ive never gotten remotely “high” from Kratom and I take it everyday. Ive tried numerous ssris….some that came with nightmarish side effects and one that gave me suicidal thoughts and I gave up. Kratom saved me. Its mild, effective has zero impact on my cognitive functions. I run a multi million dollar business with 180 employees, Im happy, productive and love my life. Ive taken kratom daily for 3+ years….i cannot think of a single person who has had my success that has taken heroin or drank/smoked daily for 3 yrs that has had my success. This comes down to fear, misinformation and money. The fact that the DEA has not learned from past mistakes yet is baffling to me and the “science” behind their reasoning for this is even morecastounding to me. I pray that this is reconsidered if for no other reason than to pause for a moment to invest at least a little time into the potential benefits of this plant. I have little hope that logic will trump money and power this time though….just look at who we have to choose from in one of the most highly edjucated countries in the world. We have another clinton and a billionaire and if that doesnt say it all i dont know what does. I really hope people get up and say something. You may be impacted by kratom indirectly and not even know it. My wife, kids, employees and friends are impacted by its positive effects through me everyday and they dont know it. Im able to make hundreds of peoples lives better everyday because Of this plant. Im not going back to the poisons the doctors pushed me to, I would rather struggle through everyday like i used to. I would be happy to verify all the information I provided to anyone who cares.
Thank you for some compassion and common sense CRE. While our nation is in the midst of a massive heroin epidemic, and people are dying at an alarming rate from heroin cut with fentanyl, and now elephant tranquilizer, banning an all natural tree leaf from the coffee family makes zero sense. It has safely, and effectively helped thousands of people break free from the chains of opiate addiction.
It sucks what they have done I went to kratom to ease my screwed back and my wallet for another. I am a diesel mechanic and was a trash man for years and dumping entire towns has taken its toll I work hard I have a whole page of stuff wrong with my back. stenosis degeneration straightening compression scoliosis arthritis and was on oxy never really got addicted, pain pill high isnt that great for mebseems actually quite worthless my prescription of adderall does alot better on the mood and energy but no pain relief. sure pain pills little euphoria but man hour later your sweatin balls and feel like death. just give me some weed for recreation.. hell i can’t even do that random drug tests and such anyways kratom it works great for pain. I had mri 2 cat scans 5k worth of injections i am still paying off dodnt do shit. Kratom works better really motivating no nasty ass shitty feeling unless i take a strong red vein and over do it blah but youll just puke it up try that with oxy see you at the morgue.. man it was nice being able to cover it for about a buck or so a day not anymore thanks DEA. Not to mention nobody stops to think about how the kratom had vastly slowed the deforestation of rainforests they were selling the land now they need it to make money. all those families working those trees are all technically fired also not just java bars and resellers here. It was all they had well back to choppin andbselling some rare wood and burning it down for open land to build some mc donalds I guess… dumbass DEA.
What people who have never had chronic pain before don’t understand is that taking nothing is not an option. If this ban goes through I will have to choose between going back to dangerous pills, living my life in pain again, or keep taking kratom and be labeled a criminal. I am a successful business owner and a good person. I don’t even kill spiders when they come in the house. Through no fault of my own, I suffered a bad accident and live with the pain every day. I found Kratom a year ago and it was like a curtain was lifted. It is not a cure for anything, but it simply makes life more manageable for me with less side effects than narcotics. Now, just when I finally feel like my life is under control and I am happy again, the very people who are supposed to protect my rights are stripping them from me. I honestly don’t feel free anymore. Why was this decided with so little time for us to respond and comment? In fact, I believe Mr. Rosenberg said that we have no right to comment. The government and the DEA exist to serve us, not the other way around. This is an overreach and abuse of the power given to them. This decision was reached based on false information and the scheduling needs to be delayed in order to collect actual scientific data. All this ban will do is cause people who have suffered all their lives to suffer even more. It is inhumane and immoral. What we need is information and regulation, listen to the CRE!
Kratom has given me my life back. I have PTSD and could barely hold a job, but now I can because it lessens the effects of my anxiety and depression so much. The blood of veterans in pain will be on the DEAs hands if they ban goes through, its just wrong on so many levels…
Kratom has allowed so many of us to live a happier and healthier life, without having to take dangerous, addictive pain medication. Banning Kratom will endanger the lives of so many honest hard working people who have tried the alternatives and only found relief in this wonderful plant.
This plan seem like a sensible approach and something one would expect from a democracy. To allow the DEA to unilaterally both act as enforcer and judge goes against everything we stand for. The DEA has clearly not established the criteria to enact an emergency scheduling.
It is scandalous that the two million Kratom users in America will be considered felons in the eyes of the DEA. Keep in mind Kratom is 100% legal in Canada and Mexico. This is going to create a black market and give the DEA more reason to exist.
We have a serious heroin and opiate pill crisis in this nation, and kratom is helping many former addicts stay off drugs using a natural remedy. Many former alcoholics (including myself) have used kratom to kick booze and live more productive, healthier lives. Congress has rarely scrutinized the DEA or its actions, but this proposed Kratom ban is so absurd that the people who made this decision deserve much closer scrutiny.
Kratom has kept me out of the psych ward for months,for extreme anxiety, that I have been hospitalized for over 10 times. I will be back to in and out of the hospital soon after a ban. My life is ruined.
The DEA trying to ban a leaf that helps tons of people relieve pain is ridiculous. I have been having horrible backpain for ages and when I take kratom, it relieves the pain and it even makes me sleep a lot better. I’m not walking around high with it or it does not make me do stupid things beyond control. This plant helps people everyday with things in their life. Why try to ban it? Don’t ruin our lives with this ban!
As someone suffering from chronic insomnia, Kratom has been the only remedy for fatigue that doesn’t make me jittery or produce the withdrawal effects of caffeine addiction. I was dependent on caffeine prior to trying Kratom, and the withdrawal symptoms from just one day of caffeine abstinence were horrible. Kratom has been a gift that gave my life back and I know I’m not the only one! Please don’t do this to us.
I cannot fathom how the DEA is making laws and our legislature is not stepping in on our behalf.
I’m a 57 year old woman and I’d like to voice my concern & opposition regarding the DEA’s misinformed decision to make Kratom (Mitragyna Speciosa) a Schedule I drug (this is the same class as heroin, crack, cocaine, LSD, etc!!). Most importantly, please understand that kratom is an herbal remedy and not a drug. It’s as much of a drug as Coffee, Kava Kava, Valerian Root & countless other herbal supplements that help combat anxiety, fatigue, insomnia with the difference being that Kratom can single-handedly soothe all 3 of those common factors in our daily lives.
I have been using Kratom for over 6 months to help alleviate fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease and pain from herniated discs in neck and low back, as well as promoting a subtle sense of well-being. Many responsible adults rely on kratom as a mild life-enhancing herb no different from those who rely on their Coffee, Chamomile or any other herb that has been used for thousands of years without negative impact upon society.
Kratom should remain legal and available for responsible adults like myself and my fiancé who live more productive lives thanks to this mild herb that has been used safely for thousands of years. It is widely understood by the community & an ever-growing array of media outlets that kratom has received undue scrutiny by those that see kratom as a means to lose revenue or worse.
This ban is absolutely not in the best interest of the public, there are over 100,000 signatures on the white house petition in less than 10 days. The people do not support this outdated and quite frankly draconian approach to an herb that has been in our society (the U.S.) for at least 10 years w/out much incident. We are relying on our lawmakers to listen and speak up for the people and we remain hopeful that you will consider a reasonable outcome to the kratom situation such as an 18+ age restriction (which we completely support). Please, help restore the faith of the people in our lawmakers and do the right thing by us.
The ban of this benign plant (especially while alcohol, tobacco, etc are available) would be bad news for all responsible adults and for purveyors of personal choice, freedom & liberty…the very fabric from which this land was sewn!
The following are pertinent facts for your consideration:
● Kratom is a plant, NOT a synthetic chemical or “Street Drug”. ● Kratom is in the same family as the coffee tree (Rubiaceae). ● Kratom is no more habit forming than coffee see recent article by the cato institute, http://www.cato.org/blog/addiction-problem-case-kartom ● Kratom has been safely used for thousands of years. ● No one has ever died from taking Kratom alone (any deaths were from several drug combinations or pre-existing health conditions). ● It is impossible to overdose on Kratom (one would simply become nauseous). ● Tens of thousands of Americans (Responsible, Adults) can attest to the beneficial properties of Kratom.
Furthermore, Kratom and its 30+ active alkaloids show tremendous dietary supplement potential. The legislation, as it currently reads, would place Kratom and its alkaloids in the most severe scheduling category, schedule I. Making this plant and its constituents schedule I, effectively makes it impossible for legitimate researchers to study Kratom which could benefit the lives of millions! This ban is not a sensible approach to regulating this plant.
A few more facts for you to consider when making your informed decision:
● The FDLE Report of Kratom: A review of available law enforcement and laboratory sources in Florida demonstrates that Kratom does not currently constitute a significant risk to the safety and welfare of Florida residents. According to the Florida Department of Health (DOH), no pervasive health issues have been attributed to the ingestion of Kratom products in Florida. ● According to the CDC, cigarette smoking causes 440,000 deaths in the United States every year; about one of every five deaths in this country are caused by cigarettes! ● Alcohol causes more than 1.2 million emergency room visits and 2.7 million physician office visits due to excessive drinking each year! ● Pharmaceutical drugs are one of the leading causes of death in this country, killing one American every 19 minutes! ● Prescription opiate pain killers account for more than 475,000 emergency room visits annually. ● Over the counter pain relievers such as Tylenol send over 56,000 people to the emergency room each year with liver related complications. ● The Mayo Clinic has reported a 28% increase in overall mortality in people who drink 4 cups of coffee per day.
Kratom is a safe herb in and of itself as well as in comparison to other plants (including coffee) and has changed my life for the better, so I’m asking you to please support us by voting AGAINST the Kratom Ban, keeping kratom legal for adults that are 18+. If you have questions about kratom, please visit http://www.americankratom.org.
Please do not make Kratom a Schedule 1 drug. By doing so you are turning hard working tax payers.. mothers… fathers.. Sons and daughters and grandparents into Felons when all they wanna do is be productive members of society!
Thank you for your time, consideration and service to the people of the U.S. who rely on your wisdom.
Sincerely,
I have been using it for years everyday (its so cheap $120 for a years supply) and before I started I was unemployed and depressed now I have 2 full time jobs and an impressive stock portfolio, all because Kratom helped my depression to the point where if I cant get it I fear I’m not going to able to keep my success up.
This is the kind of logic that I expect the DEA to use in the first place. I don’t think any kratom user has an issue with regulation of this wonderful plant but to pull the rug out from under the American people that this plant helps each and every day is unacceptable!
Kratom has given me my life back! 16 years of living in constant pain and now Im living life again!
I agree that is important to have some time for public comment regarding this proposed ban of kratom; thus, the DEA really needs to postpone the ban as requested by the CRE. It is quite obvious from the public outcry since the DEA’s announcement that kratom does, indeed, have medical benefit for some people. In my case, I use it to treat severe chronic pain from osteogenesis imperfecta, failed back surgery syndrome, CRPS, and neuropathy. Without kratom, I would have to take prescription pain medicine, which leaves me with no quality of life to speak of. My pain has taken away so much from me over the last 20 years, and kratom gave me a little bit of it back over the last 3 years or so. The DEA isn’t made up of monsters. It’s made up of human beings, with hearts, with families; I’m asking those humans to look into their hearts and realize how many lives will be ruined by banning kratom. We need regulation, not prohibition.
For God’s sake do NOT ban this plant! Kratom has helped literally tens of thousands of people stop shooting up, doing dangerous drugs, and even stop drinking. I stopped drinking entirely with the help of kratom and now I’m back in school with a high gpa, making great progress professionally as well as in my personal family life. It had worked miracles for my depression and severe anxiety as well!!!!! This is NOT a dangerous drug. It is a MEDICINAL PLANT which has PROVEN itself to be safe and effective. Do not let this happen. Thousands of people will suffer needlessly and many will die from going back to being addicted to drugs which kill. Haven’t we had enough death?!? Do the Right thing. Do NOT schedule kratom.
Thank you for looking out for the American people, and attempting to make the DEA follow the rules
Don’t ban Kratom. I know many in the drug recovery community who would not have been able get off true, lethal opiates without this plant. kratom has been a safe way to treat a variety of ailments without the ill side effects of Rx medications.
The people with ailments are not running to Dr after dr now because of it and hurting the big pharmaceutical companies because of Kratom. They are controlling their pain better and having a true quality of life off of the opioid crap they try to poison us with everyday. Kratom saves lives that’s all I know. No reason this tea should be criminalized except it’s all about the mighty dollar
Seems like a reasonable approach, I still don’t like that it is even up for discussion. When it kills 78 people a day like oxycotton come talk to me about real issues…
This is a good start. I think what is happening now is a gross overreach. At least sit down and discuss the real problems.
Where is the Congressional oversight on this? For all those writing/calling your ELECTED representatives please remember this when you are at the polls this Fall. This issue should be resolved fairly easily if this were some level of oversight on this agency. I believe the CRE has laid out a reasonable road map for a way ahead. This approach seems a lot more reasonable then a non-legislative body creating laws without input from the American people.
I just want to thank CRE for trying to fight this ban by the DEA.
Kratom changed my life. Before I found kratom I was tied to my local methadone clinic, spending almost 400$ a month just to be well. A ban on this herb would be devastating to me and my family. I hope and pray that at the very least this ban is extended to next July as your organization has proposed. This terrible over reach by the DEA is unacceptable. People who use kratom don’t bother anyone and this substance is not harmful. The only way it could hurt anyone is if a giant bag of it fell on someone!
I’m so disappointed in the blatant lack of concern for the American people. You work for US, DEA. NOT fit big pharma! I am a sufferer of physical pain and mental anxieties that are quelled by drinking a tea made from Kratom leaves. I have done so for a better part of three years.
Where is the REAL evidence that Kratom is harmful and void of medicinal uses? I am asking, as an America with the right to voice my concern AND treat my illnesses in a safe and effective way. Rethink your stance on the war on drugs b and do NOT include Kratom!
Thank you
After treatment for cervical cancer and severe endometriosis, I was forced into early menopause. The endometriosis is still present, literally everywhere. HRT is required for me because without hormones our bodies cannot function properly. HRT is actually devastating to endo cells, causing internal bleeding. The pain can be unbearable. So one required medicine that I have to take causes the other disease to flare up and some days it can be pretty horrible. The pain medicines are dangerous and have a high probability of addiction, which is not something I would ever want to endure on top of everything else. I researched natural herbs and treatments and discovered on the endometriosis support group website that several members utilized kratom. I did my homework and found a vendor that offered a wealth of information regarding the plant. I ordered some and thought I would wait until a day that I was bedridden to try it. When that day came I simply put some in my yogurt and tried it. Believe me, it isn’t a taste that would enable someone to abuse the plant. It tasted horrible! I literally had to plug my nose to get it down. 20 minutes later I was able to straighten my body and all of the sharp stabbing pains subsided. I could function again! That was 7 years ago. I have had full work ups, liver function tests, complete blood tests, and more and every test taken came back good. This has not harmed my liver or kidneys or anything else. I am more healthy now than I was 10 years ago. If the DEA proceeds to ban this highly beneficial herb, a plant that is part of my daily life, then I will be faced with pain, so bad somedays, that I am unable to move. It will force me on harmful pain medicines that I want no part of. I can’t live like that. My family doesn’t deserve that.
I have a host of illnesses ranging from autoimmune, lupus, RA, fibro, to nouro, chronic daily migraines, seizures and several other bracket “because I have lupus- I have x” issues. Some of which include anxiety and depression. I’m allergic to asprin, and NSAIDS, and have an intolerance to narcotics. Herbal supplements are what I use to help aid and sooth me. Kratom is on my herbal supplement list. When my migraine gets bad– my “go to” is burning peppermint oil, ice on head, dark room, and sipping on a cup of tea, that was brewed with Kratom and chamomile. This cocktail never takes away the migraine, but helps me and the mixture of the supplements make it so I don’t have to go to the hospital.
This is the kind of logic that I expect the DEA to use in the first place. I don’t think any kratom user has an issue with regulation of this wonderful plant but to pull the rug out from under the American people that this plant helps each and every day is unacceptable!
In a day and age where the people have made it clear that they want to be ‘free’ in the ‘land of the free’ to use whatever plants and medicinal herbs they choose, it is a gigantic step backwards to spend precious time, energy and tax money to ban a plant. If this temporary ban goes through, the US will truly be on the wrong side of history.
The citizens of this country are well aware that the war on drugs has been an epic failure – and people WANT medicinal plants like Cannabis, Valerian, Kratom, Ginseng, etc. to be accessible as alternatives to pharmaceuticals. When hundreds of thousands of people say that these plants have medicinal qualities, and have helped to save countless lives, how can it be considered reasonable to even think of a ban, let alone hastily and ignorantly enforce one and not allow public comment? Clearly the public has a whole lot to say about this – from personal experience.
Hundreds of thousands of people cannot be wrong. Please do what you can to stop this ban. This ban is going to leave so many people in pain, and worse – make criminals out of non-violent good people who just want to be free with their non-threatening plants! This is the ‘land of the free’ – how can we call ourselves that with a straight face while we are busy banning plants and not allowing people to even have a say? People want to have faith in government, but it’s very hard when all of our freedoms are ripped away one by one.
Please put an end to this ban.
I fully support this. Seems like common sense to me. Kratom has helped me with my sciatica and IBS. Please take this into consideration.
Please, Kratom has saved mine & my husband’s lives. We support this fully!!!!
There is no upside for banning Kratom other than to help Big Pharma make more money. Which is clearly what this is all about, I know this sounds crazy but it is the truth. This plant has 0 downsides that could be a health concern. The 14 listed deaths were not even at the hands of Kratom they were brought on by other means mostly including anti-depressants and other big pharma products. Out of all the bad and wrong things in our country what in the hell are doing wasting money and time on banning something like Kratom? Look at all the stories where it has helped people get off drugs.. hard drugs… hard drugs that kill THOUSANDS every year.. This isn’t a complicated problem at all… a corrupted one maybe, but not complicated. Don’t BAN KRATOM.
I’m a retired police officer from New York City. I moved out west after I retired. 2 1/2 years ago I had gotten myself into the best shape of my life and was training to run one hundred miles, and then something abruptly happened to me that caused nerve damage in my legs. After two stays in the hospital and a back operation and eight epidural injections the pain is still there. Almost constant pain and the doctors don’t have a clue. Hunting around the internet I came across kratom about a year and a half ago on Amazon. I read the amazon reviews and ordered some. It was the first thing that really helped me, and with no side effects. Later I learned that I could order better quality ground up kratom leaves from venders that specialized in it. I even cleared it with my doctor. All I ever wanted from it, and all it ever did for me, was to relieve the pain. I never felt any kind of high. I read the kratom forums that I found online and I feel so sad for people who are in much worse shape than me (I am still in pretty good shape despite the pain – I fight it!) and have found the leaf to be a lifesaver. Why are you arbitrarily wanting to ban this and make it on to the same level as heroin no less!? Do you want to instantly change all the honest people who use it for pain and getting off opioid drugs (which they tried to give me too but I refused…they made me nauseous and didn’t help my pain) and even illegal drugs from which they’ve gotten clean, into instant felons subject to many years in prison…including me? Why!?
The point in your life when you realize it will now be easier for me to get Crystal meth them kratom. Kratom a natural remedy a plant that’s related to coffee. I enjoy kratom tea. It does cure me but it died offer relief. I can’t wrap my mind around the fact the DEA the same failing agency that is failing in every other aspects of the drug war now has the power to declare war on a plant. Have they not learned there lesson. Please extend the time to July let’s work on finding out more about this plant and how it can be distributed in the United States.
My name is Travis, I’m a 32 year old from Minnesota.
I’d like to voice my opposition to the DEA’s Intent to Schedule the alkaloids Mitragynine and 7-Hydroxymitragynine, which would make Kratom (Mitragynaspeciosa), a schedule 1 controlled substance with no medicinal value. This would put kratom, a plant helping millions of people suffering chronic and acute mental and physical conditions that is also safely easing the nation’s opiate epidemic problem naturally, on the same level as illegal drugs like heroin. It would also prevent further research which, to date, has shown kratom to be an effective painkiller that does not cause respiratory depression; the main cause of death from opiate overdose.
I was diagnosed with migraines at a young age and have been through many treatments including trigger point injections in the back of my head (ouch). I recently found kratom and was relieved that it was a natural product. I joined a forum that is filled with thousands of individuals just like me. I have never tried hard drugs, I work in one of Minnesota’s top ten law firms. I am not a criminal. If kratom is scheduled my medicine will be gone. My medicine comes from a plant that is made into tea, there’s no snorting, injecting etc that you see with other drugs, its tea. I have a family and kratom has helped eliminate my migraines so I can enjoy my children even more. Please take the time to review the benefits of this wonderful plant before it is to late.
If you have questions about kratom, please visit https://www.americankratom.org. Thank you for your time and service to the state.
Sincerely,
-Travis
Thank you CRE. This sounds very reasonable. I have been using kratom without incident for 2 and a half years. I have fibromyalgia, EDS type 3, early onset arthritis, and have struggled with anxiety and depression for the majority of my life. I am 34 years old and have tried so many pharmaceutical medications without relief. I watched my husband go through hell trying to find treatment for his debilitating headaches after having a brain hemmorhage and a craniotomy to correct an AVM. We both spent years miserable and barley existing due to chronic pain and sometimes due to the side effects of medications we were trying in hopes of getting better. Kratom in its natural and unadulterated form is not a legal “high” nor has it produced psychoactive affects for either of us. Kratom is no more addictive than coffee. I can discontinue taking it tomorrow and not experience withdrawals, only the return of my chronic pain. Please extend the ban, allow science to triumph over fear mongering and false information. I am a single mother to my 2 daughter’s now. My husband finally lost his battle with uncontrollable grand mal seizures on August 1st of this year due to a fall from his last seizure but he thankfully found some relief in his last 2 and a half years with us. My children just lost their father and I just lost the most importantant man in my world, my husband of almost 15 years. Please do not make them lose their mother. Please do not subject them to the person I was with chronic pain before finding kratom. I can go to school functions again, I can be at their sports events, I can be the active involved parent I once was before living a life dictated by chronic pain. My family and friends can attest to how much they’ve seen the old me shining through again since beginning my journey with kratom and putting down almost all of the pharmaceutical medicines I had taken blindly for years without relief. I beleive that as Americans, as a military spouse and caregiver, that we should have the freedom to make this choice. Please stop this ban!!
Thank you, CRE, for having a rational approach to this insanity. I am a law abiding, hard working, middle aged adult who has been using this plant for years for anxiety, depression, allergies, pain, & adhd. None of the supposed best medicines did anything for me except make me feel worse. I am not the only person who has found kratom to be the only thing that helps their conditions.
Kratom hasn’t killed anybody. The DEA is spreading misinformation & half truths to push this absurd agenda. Everyone is waking up to the insanity of the drug war. (True insanity…doing the same thing repeatedly, but expecting different results. They keep making things illegal, throwing people in jail, expecting it to suddenly start to help, even though it’s been proven time & time again it only makes things worse.) The scheduling system is so completely hypocritical, that I’m not sure how anybody has ever taken it seriously. Methamphetamine is schedule II & prescribed to children constantly. But marijuana has no medicinal value & is schedule I? What about alcohol & cigarettes? They are the very definition of a schedule I substance, yet they’re legal & available anywhere.
Is the government really going to allow the dea to start arresting otherwise law abiding citizens because they’ve found this leaf helps their conditions? This ban will condemn people to a hellish existence either because of their chronic pain, or because they’ll be forced onto much more dangerous substances to treat their conditions. Substances that very often keep them from being productive, happy people. Thousands of jobs will be lost. People who are only able to work thanks to kratom, will now be on disability or otherwise unable to work, provide for their families, or have a productive life.
At a time when the opiate crisis is at an all time high, & jobs are at an all time low, is it really a good or rational idea to intentionally make things worse? Keeping kratom away from people will not make less addicts. It will only make addicts look for something else, that will inevitable be much more dangerous than kratom could ever possibly be. If they od on kratom, they’ll throw up. That’s it. If they od on anything else, they’ll likely die. This ban will make things worse & ruin tens of thousands of lives. Please just do the right things & stop the DEA’s insanity. They help do nothing, except give themselves job security.
We need to flood the phone lines of the congress people to tell them that the DEA is violating the 10th amendment of our constitution!
Please consider how many people are helped by this plant banning it would ruin allot of lives.
It’s this simple, if we, as adults want to sip a cup of tea made from Kratom, it’s no bodies business. If I take an acetaminophen or two ibuprofen, I can breath a bit better and I don’t hurt as much so the days work can get started. I won’t make it through more than two hours and the side effects have ripped apart my stomach causing more issues that I can’t afford. I live in pain. If I sip a cup of Kratom tea, I breath great and feel wonderful, for hours. No high, just no pain which in and of itself, makes me giddy. The government needs to get out of our pantries and our gardens. This blatant lying to the public while they allow a pharmaceutical company to mimic the plant for profits has to end.
I have been using Kratom for over 4 years to help alleviate migraines, arthritis, fatigue, to assist lowering anxiety, to aid in dulling life’s minor aches & pains as well as promoting a subtle sense of well-being. Within those 4 years, I was also able to lower my alcohol intake to less than (the doctor-recommended) 1 glass of red wine a day thanks to kratom (kratom does not make one drunk or high nor is it toxic to the liver unlike the ‘legal’ alcohol). I was also able to stop using NSAIDS (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, etc) as often for migraines as these have been proven to cause liver issues and even liver failure (unlike kratom!!). Many responsible adults rely on kratom as a mild life-enhancing herb no different from those who rely on their Coffee, Chamomile or any other herb that has been used for thousands of years without negative impact upon society.
Kratom has increased my productivity which in turn has helped me become more of a productive member of society! I run two (going on three) successful businesses of which one of them sells kratom (online). Several individuals rely on my kratom store for their economic well-being and as the business becomes more successful, I have been employing more people that make their living from this industry. Banning kratom will not only have adverse health effects on society but it will also put hundreds of thousands of people out of a job. My own income will be negatively impacted by this ban.
Kratom should remain legal and available for responsible adults like myself, who live more productive lives thanks to this mild herb that has been used safely for thousands of years. It is widely understood by the community & an ever-growing array of media outlets that kratom has received undue scrutiny by those that see kratom as a means to lose revenue or worse.
This ban is absolutely not in the best interest of the public, there are over 100,000 signatures on the white house petition in less than 10 days. The people do not support this outdated and quite frankly draconian approach to an herb that has been in our society (the U.S.) for at least 10 years w/out much incident. We are relying on our lawmakers to listen and speak up for the people and we remain hopeful that you will consider a reasonable outcome to the kratom situation such as an 18+ age restriction (which we completely support). Please, help restore the faith of the people in our lawmakers and do the right thing by us. CRE has the right idea and I’m looking forward to the day where these draconian/restrictive ideals are no more.
This ban must be put on hold in order to avoid irreversible damage to the American people. This ban will, in all scientific reason, lead to overdoses and suicide of those who depend in it to avoid hard drug use and pain. It is the only sensible thing to do.
The ban, if instituted on September 30th will, without a doubt, lead to many overdoses and suicid. The only humane thing to do is put it on hold.
This ban needs to be put on hold or defeated, there is no reason to ban a human from ingesting something that grows out of the ground naturally. The CRE recommendation seems like a fair, sensible plan.
Stop the kratom ban!!!
I started using kratom for my chronic back pain 3 years ago. I found it in my local health food store. It has helped me tremendously! It not only alleviates my pain, it boosts my energy levels.
If this ban goes through, I don’t know what I’ll do.
Thank you, CRE. We all appreciate your efforts! I hope the DEA recognizes that what they’re trying to do is WRONG.
-A
I have suffered the alienating and frightening effects of PTSD and major depression since adolescence. My effects originated in different circumstances, but like her, after years of unpleasant psychiatric medication roulette, diligent cognitive behavioral therapy, traditional psychoanalysis, EMDR, I have found a medication that works. Again, I deal with the side effects of an ssri that diminish my productivity and ability as a parent and citizen, has harmed my promising career, and has left me basically housebound. Paroxetine reduces my symptoms to a more manageable level, but leaves me with extreme fatigue. Prescribed pharmaceutical remedies have failed me. Coffee leaves me overstimulated, and amplifies my startle reflex and anxiety. Kratom, on the other hand, I can take as needed, without becoming agitated. It helps relieve my fatigue and my social anxieties, so much so that I have volunteered with an elementary school reading program, have taken on leadership positions in wilderness guidance for the Girl Scouts, and can travel without my husband. For the first time in my adult life, since my sexual assault, and its subsequent trauma, I can wear a bathing suit to the beach or pool.
My family life, my parenting abilities, my marriage, and my community have all benefitted from the gentle benefits that kratom has provided to me.
I was prescribed Xanax as an adjunct to my ssri. Cautious due to a family history of addiction, I did not continue that prescription. I have stopped my use of kratom for weeks at a time, just to make sure I was able. Kratom has more manageable dosing, as its effects are subtle.
Perhaps instead of scheduling an ancient herbal medicine that has killed no one, and also helped to combat the scourge of prescription opiate deaths and addiction, m. Speciosa should be regulated. Adding a new phantom in the failed War on Drugs will not put the United States of the right side of history: think about how destructive marijuana scheduling has been to families, communities, snd society. Maybe a better use of American medical research funding would be to study our broken mental healthcare, addictive drug rehabilitation, and pain management structures.
The CRE is on the right track for a more prudent investigation into the so-called risks and very real benefits of kratom.
Ethan Nadelmann’s TED talk really explains how this DEA decision to ban kratom will only grow the black market! Another very sad day in the USA!
https://www.ted.com/talks/ethan_nadelmann_why_we_need_to_end_the_war_on_drugs?language=en
DEA, stop wasting our tax dollars on nonsense! We are hard working people and we are tired of paying you our hard earned money so that you can tell us what we can and cannot do!
Kratom must be examined as it is responsible for helping thousands of people separate from devastating addictions. The kratom leaf can be consumed like a tea, and will give the consumer a beneficial relaxed state. It is a simple leaf and should be considered a friend to its users, not criminal in any way.
Thank you. This herb has helped me deal with chronic pain and chronic fatigue. As a mother to a two year old I don’t have the “luxury” of being able to stay in bed in pain. I also don’t have the luxury of being sedated from prescription pain medication. There has to be a better way. This ban is unjust.
Sirs… DEA Please allow scientific study so we all will know the truth , the criminals will have it
it will build the terrorists money to do terror. we have had a failed drug war…Kratom is a poor mans help, when we don’t have money for expensive opiates. it is a alternative natural medication…
This ban is a mistake ,
This ban is insane. The only “proof” that kratom is a danger is that people who show up with kratom AND A GALLON OF VODKA in their systems at poison control centers feel ill. It’s probably the vodka, geniuses! Kratom itself is a way to stop people from using substances that actually ARE harmful and poisonous. This ban will kill people. Not to mention putting all the small businesses that currently import it out of work. I cannot fathom what the DEA thinks they’re doing with this madness.
Everyone who didn’t know about kratom tea knows now and it’s helpful more than not. How is it even considered a substance 1 like heroin.. people use it to get off heroin but I’ve never done heroine and kratom makes me feel comfortable, less amxious, and work 5 times better! I’ve never thought about someone using kratom and turning into a tweaker because of it. It’s a mild stimulant. It’s all natural and should be legal for everyour 18 and up. And can we think about how many more drugs people are going to get into once kratom is illegal?! Not cool.. setting people up for disaster if it’s banned.
This makes so much sense! Please extend the deadline! Kratom has given me and countless others a new lease on life! Please allow time for actual research so that everyone can see the benefits of this all natural way to maintain a healthy drug free life!
I am a 47 yr old married man with 2 young children and a homeowner, responsible, pay my taxes, pay my way for everything in life and receive no assistance or support from any city, state or government.
Last year I ended up in the emergency room for heart palpitations and loss of vision in my left eye.
After keeping me for the night, was let go with the diagnosis of optical migraine.
A follow up with my doctor, and a cardiologist uncovered that I had developed an Anxiety disorder.
Funny that I was also told that even though I know it now, it doesn’t just go away.
From then on I found myself at least once a day, gripping my desk and trying to breath while being dizzy and in fear that I was having a heart attack.
My doctor then suggested some form of anti-depressant among other drugs.
By now, I had also developed TMJ (Temporomandibular joint disorder) from the stress I was now experiencing with this new life change and prescribed Tramadol for it.
I was very reluctant to begin anti-depressants as well as taking tramadol as I researched the side effects of taking them and also importantly, getting off them!
In my search for help I found Kratom, didn’t think it would help but at this point I needed to be proactive about what was happening to me, my life, my job and ultimately my family.
Well Kratom COMPLETELY changed my life for the better, and used in responsible amounts I have not needed to take an anti-depressant/anxiety drug and don’t even need the tramadol!
To find that the DEA has suddenly taken a few bad experiences others have had with Kratom upon themselves to ban it has been a hard punch in the gut for me. I feel that’s it’s an injustice to me.
Age restrict it if they must but to just outright put it in the same class as heroin is a gross mistake.
Please take my statement and do not allow this incredible, effective, inexpensive alternative herbal treatment away from me.
I served my country in the Marines way back, please help me now.
Thank you,
Daniel C Bryan
The DEA’s reasoning to Ban Kratom is very far fetched. We have alcohol as the most abused drug there is. It destroys your body, mind and families. Where’s the emergency ban on it?!
Kratom is very helpful for a series of illnesses. Depression and anxiety to name a couple. I can’t help but believe that since Kratom has gained market share Big pharma is in on this one.
I don’t understand what the problem is it’s not a drug don’t get high or stupid I’m new taking it but I haven’t taken any supplement that has worked yet to give me a little energy boost little more aware kratom does that for me no big deal gets me going is all so something that has no side effects or or get u high or makes u dumb but works for certain things and makes money is a reason to put a, stop to it?? Ridiculous doesn’t dea have better things to do other than controls everything well this product needs to be left alone people been using it for years and I know of no problems
CRE’s proposal seems like a sensible approach. Why are we not taking it?
My story: I suffer from a rare autoimmune disease, Behcet’s Disease (and other conditions that go along with it), and have intractable pain as a result. I use Kratom instead of opiates to manage my pain. I have 32 allergies/adverse reactions (and counting) to FDA approved medication to treat my symptoms and ZERO to Kratom. I have the right to use a natural plant to treat my medical condition instead of taking the risk of using FDA approved medications that will likely send me to the hospital from an allergic reaction or worse- I have one medication left I could try but refuse to because it’s fentanyl. Too much danger for me to try it given my history of adverse reactions and the fact that it’s a very strong opiate. Why can’t we decide what’s best for our bodies? We should be allowed to use natural products.
As for the DEA suggesting that the approximately 660 calls to the poison centers in the last six years mean something (anything), more calls in the U.S. to poison control centers are related to acetaminophen than any other drug. These account for more than 100,000 calls, with 56,000 emergency room visits, 2,600 hospitalizations, and 458 deaths. Over 40% of the cases of acute liver failure in the United States are from acetaminophen.
Postponing the scheduling until July 1, 2017 at the earliest is one way to allow the DEA to save face, and would allow for a more thorough investigation into kratom to be conducted. It would also allow time to more accurately determine what the impact of such a ban would be. I completely agree with the CRE on their recommendations.
This sensible approach suggested by CRE MUST BE TAKEN! All eyes are on the DEA to do the right thing for the people they are SUPPOSED to be PROTECTING. The backlash, including the 125,000 whom have now signed the White House petition, clearly shows that SOMETHING needs to be done.
What a great response and a responsible action for such an overreach by the DEA. This is exactly what the Kratom community wants to see. We are all confident enough that kratom has so many benefits and such a small downside that given the proper time and proper study most would come to understand what and how much of a benefit this amazing plant can be to our country. Thank you CRE!!!
DEA is over reaching on this, Prohibition never works.
The fact that the DEA wants to ban this plant for no real reason, just exposes how corrupt this agency is. The have essentially shown how they consider money more important than people. How does the DEA even have the power to change law? Seems ridiculous, considering their motives.
If Kratom can help even 1% of the population the plant should not be banned but instead researched. This is clearly big pharma trying to get people off of natural plants so they can instead buy their pharmaceuticals. Keep Kratom Legal!! Don’t let the DEA control our quality of life!
Sign the petition https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/please-do-not-make-kratom-schedule-i-substance
The DEA is horrificly stepping over the line with this ban on a potentially helpful plant. There is absolutely no logical reason to ban a plant that has never been the direct cause of any deaths without properly studying it first. I personally feel that the vast majority of chronic pain sufferers would greatly benefit from this plant staying legal, and even regulated. It has been shown time and tiem again to deliver a similar, if not better pain relief than opiates and opiods while leaving users fairly clear headed. Most of these opiates and opiods inhibit the user’s ability to perform even simple tasks, while many people claim a benefit of kratom being excess energy and focus in additon to the pain releif. Please don’t ban this plant!
Thank you for acknowledging the DEA for their over reach in this matter. It is very suspicious to me that they are conducting this without public comment or factual information. All of the statistic they are providing are skewed to make it seem as though kratom is dangerous, when in fact it is the a very safe alternative to harmful drugs and pharmaceuticals. Why are they so eager to ban this? There have been zero proven deaths with kratom ALONE as the responsible agent. The 15 deaths that they are claiming all had other harmful and strong drugs in their system. And this kratom plant has been around for thousands of years being used for therapeutic reasons in the Eastern part of the world. Please stop them from carrying out their plan, which is a blatant over reach and takes no account of our constitutional rights.
As some other people mentioned, I also suffer from severe restless leg syndrome. Kratom has been a godsend to me. Now I can get more than two or three hours of sleep a night. I can comfortable fly across country to visit my grandchildren. I can even sit and read a book. None of this was possible before I found kratom. The Rx medications for this condition often don’t work well, and at any rate all have harsh side effects. Kratom just works so well, with no side effects.
Another plant to be criminalized? What ever happened to sensible drug reform? For almost 100 years this country has been filling its justice system up with average undeserving people over marijuana. Lets not repeat the mistakes of our fore-fathers. This approach has been proven to not work. Instead lets let science and peer reviewed studies decide how harmful or helpful this plant is before moving forward. I understand the DEA is running out of things to enforce but this is unacceptable.
I used to take 5 medications a day for chronic headaches, lower back pain from herniated discs and annular tears, and IBS. The side effects were terrible – I was constantly nauseous, I felt “high” and couldn’t think clearly, the norco made my headaches worse, and nothing would help the IBS. Most days I could barely get out of bed because I felt so sick all the time. Once I started taking kratom I was able to quit all of the other drugs. It am able to manage my pain without any side effects. I can get up every day and go to work without feeling foggy or nauseous, and I am so much happier now that I feel healthy again. I simply can’t bear the thought of going back to all of those drugs that never really helped in the first place, simply because the DEA decided that kratom is a dangerous drug without doing any research first.
Why does the DEA want to criminalize another plant? This archaic war on drugs has not worked. This will turn law abiding citizens into felons overnight. I refuse to use pharmaceuticals. That will not change if kratom is banned – instead I will just suffer through each day. I am an adult and I should be able to choose nature over pills.
Kratom has never hurt anyone. So many people were able to improve their qaulity of life with kratom, people in pain aren’t subjected to drugs that can make them zombie like, become psychologically and physically addicted to, and or kill them like modern ‘pain relievers’. Those who became addict to opiates, most at the hand of a doctor who was giving them powerful pain killers, are able to quit with kratom and provide relief from the withdraws of these opiates. Kratom has a low potential for abuse because even I higher doses will not produce any more effect then a lower dose other then becoming nauseous because the alkaloids in kratom produce a ceiling effect. So you can only receive so much benifit from kratom and abuse if it would mean nothing but a bad stomachache. Other people, like myself, quit drinking with it as it also eased the urge to want to drink. Also I can take kratom with out altering my thoughts, unlike alcohol,not only could I think clearly I was more productive. Kraton is an amazing plant and the DEA should do there research and band the chemicals killing people not take another plant helping thousands of people away using zero scientific evidence or reason. Things like this makes me think what they really want.
Kratom is helping me so much, and causing much less harm in my life, this action needs to be delayed until a much more reasonable perspective founded on truth is reached.
As a woman on disability, I can tell you that economics of staying healthy and mobile can be harsh. I can tell you right now that heroin is a lot easier for me to obtain than this herb on a fixed income. But unlike heroin, this is a substance that I get relief and keep my mobility, without the horrendous problems that herion or opiate pain killers cause. So I am willing to pay more for a mild herb like kratom, than a bottle of opiate pain meds, or a bag of heroin that has been altered, had baby laxatives or cocaine added to it. Also I remain healthy. Putting this herb on the black market will probably wipe out it’s use as opiate addicts don’t get the high they seek. Kratom just doesn’t do it for the “high” sought. However I see the smiles on the heroin dealers as desperate pain patients have already been lining up to get heroin in a misguided attempt to get relief after the more strict guidelines on opiate medications were enforced. Banning kratom will leave pain patients fewer options. Is that the goal here? Make heroin and heavy doses of opiates the only option for relief? Makes us wonder what regulators are really thinking. Not looking out for our welfare, that’s for sure.
My life has been greatly impacted by this plant. I suffer from anxiety and depression. Prescription meds don’t seem t work like this simple plant. Its all natural an safe and works like a miracle. There is absolutely no reaon to ban this safe and effective natural plant.
Cool. Way to go. Take away a herb that no drug dealer in their right mind would carry, but make the public think you are “getting tough”… on those who chose natural herbs over strong opiate medications that can cause addiction, constipation, tolerance problems. Or the pharmaceutical industry that promotes antidepressants that are useless without therapy but cause brain changes that impact negatively on memory. Are we sure that the DEA isn’t trying to make the illegal heroin trade more lucrative? Promote the abusive trend of doctors prescribing antidepressants to anyone who asks that can’t afford therapy? The pain addiction treatment centers more lucrative than ever? Are we sure that the DEA actually has a clue what they are doing? Making judgment calls without thought, without study or without concern to the impact?
If scheduling Kratom is yet another tool to be used in the war on drugs, I fear you are making a GRAVE mistake. Thousands of people use Kratom as a way to get off more harmful drugs, i.e. HEROIN and other opiates. I fear as a result of such unnecessary, harsh action this country is going to see an insurmountable increase in the deaths related to heroin overdose. The Kratom ban will not only affect US economy but we will literally be putting more money in the hardy of the drug king pens you are trying to fight in the long run. I beg you to reconsider your decision. As a disabled Vet who has been treated heavily with opiates, Kratom has been my savior. Not only do I not feel incapacitated by its use, Kratom has time and time again proven its medicinal qualities. My physical health has improved since I started taking Kratom instead of hydrocodone and oxicontin. My average Dailey consumption of hydrocodone was anywhere from 140-160 mgs per day just to function. My tolerance for this drug was going up daily. I believe Kratom saved my life. Please take the time and suggestions mentioned to reconsider the impact this ban will have.
Respectfully
Patricia
This is pandering to big business at its worst. They make no money on this product and it is used to free others from addiction. How many more people have to die from overdoses until people and health care are more important then profits? We have rights to medical freedom of choice.
I am a 10 year veteran of the United States Navy. I consider myself a patriot and a woman of integrity who has lived an extremely honorable life. I am insulted that the tea I choose to take occasionally for anxiety and depression has painted every day honorable veterans and citizens as common drug users and criminals! I choose a harmless therapeutic tea to take the edge off when needed, like most coffee users do, and live a very functional life. The DEA is not appointed by the people and this country is supposed to work for it’s people. How can such an ignorant government organization have that much power. They shouldn’t. Facts or science do not matter to the DEA, this has been proven for years. How are they not obligated to the same checks and balances of all other branches of government? This is a gross abuse of power manipulated with half truths and blatant lies. Kratom is not addicting or I would not be able to use it only as needed on occasion. It is not anymore addicting than an urge for a cup of coffee or a warm blanket. Addiction runs in my family and I know I’m not immune from it. Kratom should not be regulated anymore than coffee is and certainly not become a felony! I feel like I’m in a ridiculous dream. Some irresponsible people saw that it could help with opiate withdrawal so they marketed it has a legal high, this doesn’t make it true and I don’t understand why we would ever have to explain that to a government organization. Monster Energy drinks and 5 hour energy shots should be scheduled first because they are far more dangerous and have been verified as the result of multiple deaths in this country! If Kratom is heroin then coffee is crack! That’s how logical the DEA is. I hope the CRE is successful in at least getting the DEA to move Kratom to a regular scheduling process because I know, when given the chance, cooler heads will prevail and the scientific data will prove that Kratom is safe and should only be regulated as a health supplement!
Scheduling Kratom will not help a single person in this country. Just like every other illegal substance, just because it’s scheduled doesn’t mean people will stop using it.
This drug war, like any war, is entirely counter productive for the well being of society as a whole. Throwing people in jail for ingesting ANYTHING make no sense as far as I’m concerned.
Regardless of that, there is plenty of data on the web to show that Kratom is not harmful, at least not anymore than any other over-the-counter substance. Mostly you will find first hand accounts of how Kratom has helped them overcome physical or psychological pain or dependence on other, actually harmful substances.
There are those who do make a nasty habit out of Kratom, but you could say the same about cigarettes, alcohol, coffee, or anything else that we consume for pleasure. The DEA’s reasoning is NOT SOUND in this case and they NEED TO ADMIT that fact.
STOP! the banning of kratom because it is not a drug its and natural as green tea. Kratom helps so many ppl myself included, not for drug use but because it helps with anxiety and depression. DEA=is hurting a lot of ppl and show horrible action their trying to take just proves to me they don’t care about the public at large. DEA=BAN BIG PHARM and stop them from marketing dangerous drug that really hurt and kill millions every single day. DEA= STOP allowing the American public to be used as human guinea pigs, if you’re really concerned about Americans DEA= STOP putting profits over people’s lives DEA=STOP ignoring the voices of the public DEA= STOP wasting the American Public tax dollars frivolous bans.
This plant means alot to me i had a severe pain killer addiction when I lived in Missouri i moved to Georgia to start a new life with my fiancee that was 9 months pregnant i ran out of my supply of legal pain killers that i was prescribed by my doctor for my back when i got to Georgia i didn’t have a lot of money i ran out the day before i couldnt find a doctor quickly able to give me my prescriptions i was turned away from doctors offices again and again and i am one of these people that have very bad physical withdrawal symptoms i get very sick at the last minute i was reading about things that could help with the withdrawal and i came across kratom 2 hours before we left to the hospital i was skeptical that it would help but i truly believe it was a god send i was able to enjoy the birth of my first child with no physical and mental signs of withdrawal. Kratom is literally the only reason that i was fully able to enjoy the birth of my first baby girl i was in the delivery room happily crying instead of pucking in the bathroom crying in pain with also i had no side affects at all from the Kratom your movie means a lot to me this fight means a lot to me and my family i just wanted you to know that thank you.
THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS! using the excuse of “well, heroin users and opiate users are using kratom instead” is a “NO CRAP” comment! They are using a harmless, NON-ADDICTIVE, NON-HARMFUL herb to stop their life-threatening addictions. I’ve used kratom for years now, and am off opiates completely which I had been taking for years for back issues/spasms/pain, and they were getting less & less effective until i was taking several pills a day, having little effect on my pain. I began using kratom at the suggestion of a friend, and it changed my life! Now I can take Tylenol and a little kratom tea, and no more pain! You know, I ran out of kratom for a couple weeks because my supplier was out of stock, and you know what? I had NO WITHDRAWALS! Kratom is so harmless, that you couldn’t get high on it if you TRIED. It’s much too expensive to try to use illicitly. You get nauseated instead, and no ‘buzz’ etc.. Also, there has never in the history of mankind been a single overdose on kratom alone. Every overdose case was a person that had many other illicit substances in their systems as well. Putting kratom on a schedule 1 along with heroin is asenine. It’s going to put all these addicts back on heroin and opiates illegally, and put people like me right back on pills again, just to become addicted. Read the research that’s been done already! Look at the science, and then try to justify banning kratom. The DEA is obviously oversteppng its bounds, and quite suspiciously, I might add…. Could it be the pill companies are scared they may be out money??? I agree with Anonymous above from 9/15 that it is a WASTE of American Public tax dollars chasing down a harmless herb that has no interactions with medications, no addictive qualities, no opiate qualities, and is helping people get off harmful substances!
Sounds like a very sound course of action on what otherwise felt like just another regulatory agencies harmful actions to the people it was set up to originally protect and work for the benefit of.
This sounds like the most logical action to take. This would give more time to do the research needed to make a final conclusion. This would also give the people a chance to comment and plan accordingly.
I live in excruciating pain everyday. Searched forever to find something to help that didn’t ruin my stomach. I found this tea and have finally been able to be the mother my daughter deserves. I can play with her, get her ready, read to her. Before I found this tea I was always in bed, in misery, feeling like I should just end my life so I wouldn’t be a burden on my family. Why would someone want to take this away from me? I have never been a criminal in my life. Just a person trying to survive with the hand I have been dealt. I’m so sad that our country has come to this point. The government officials now think they own us and our opinions do not matter! Maybe you should sit down with our family members and explain to them why they can’t have their mothers and fathers to care for them anymore because they probably can barely care for themselves after this ban goes through. One day maybe you will have to deal with crippling pain and then i bet you will search for a healthy alternative to your problem. This whole situation is ludicrous. You are preying on the weak, sick, elderly, disabled community.
The DEA cannot justify an imminent public health threat from Kratom, which has been used for centuries with no adverse effects. There is plenty of time to get the opinions of experts and to learn from the public what effect this action will have on them. There are many concerns regarding DEA’s proposed action on kratom. More people will die from banning kratom than were ever hurt by it.
To place Kratom in the same class as heroin is ridiculous. This plant has done wonders to help with my anxiety and depression. I have never felt any “craving” or addiction to this substance that has been used for hundreds of years. The center for poison control receives FAR more calls each year over alcohol and various household chemicals than Kratom. Should everything be banned? Big Pharma is obviously behind all of this. Tens of thousands of people use this herb with absolutely no problems. Does the DEA really want to turn us all into felons and lock us all up?
ITS A PLANT!!!
Insane times we are living in. Kratom helped one of my loved ones escape the iron grip of prescription narcotics after multiple cancer surgeries. She then easily tapered off of kratom. This beneficial plant was there for my family at a nightmarish time. The DEA’s claims about this plant are all but unintelligible. Thank you CRE for working to bring some accountability into the situation.
First off would like to give a HUGE thank you to the CRE for the letters on the kratom communities behalf..I am a 36 year old single mother of two young boys( one of whom is Autistic) I have many medical diagnosis (hurleys stage III Hidradenitis Suppurativa,Degenerative disc disease,spinal stenosis,carpal tunnel ,migraines, panic disorder and Fibromyalgia) and over the years despite many different surgeries,surgical procedures,medications,elimination diets, over the counter products ect. my health has declined .a few years ago I was barely getting by..just able to do the basic things for me and my children .was in constant pain,and ready to give up.. I was searching for yet another way to treat myself when I came upon a plant called Kratom..I researched for months before actually trying any.After about a week of drinking a cup of bitter tea 2 or 3 times a day I finally had relief..I am NOT a drug addict I am NOT a criminal..I am simply a person who would rather manage my symptoms with one natural leaf tea..than to take up to 13 prescription medications a day with all the added side effects and feeling of being in a fog..Kratom has given me my quality of life back,I feel more clearheaded than I have in over a decade..most importantly my boys have their mom back. Please dont make this plant a scheduled drug ..So many people take this to manage their medical issues and listen to US.We are the proof of medical use!
The alkaloids in kratom could be causing your flare ups!
I’m a NURSE who saved plenty of addicts for getting them to use KRATOM to stop their downward spiral addiction to pain medications, I have seen too much of it over the past 5 years. Those people I helped will be back in the ER in the next 6 months thanks to this draconian move by the DEA.
Please don’t hurt so many innocent people by making kratom a schedule 1 drug, there are many people who use it daily for pain relief even though there’s little to no high from it for most. I tried kratom to find out what all the fuss was about and can say from personal experience that this is a very harmless plant and the DEA needs to reconsider what they are doing.
The DEA will be taking lots of jobs, giving up tax revenue, and most likely sending lots of people back to pain meds that could kill them. please don’t do it.
This will not be my end….I will not allow that…..This ban will indefinitely effect my life……
I regularly use kratom to help my anxiety as well as maintain focus at work. I used to get sever panic and anxiety attacks and was on benzos for years. Drugs such as xanax and klonopin made me feel completely incapacitated, I had a loss of memory while on them, and my mood changed dramatically. Ever since I started medicating with kratom, I am able to work long hours while still on point, due to kratom’s nootropic-like qualities. This also signifcantly uplifts my mood and instills a sense of motivation, that I could never find before with any prescription medication. I don’t see in any way possible that this plant could be harmful. It has helped the quality of my life and others I know who also medicate with this plant….
My boyfriend suffers from congenital scoliosis of the spine and used to live in daily excrutiating pain mixed with anxiety and insomnia. He was prescribed oxycodone and found that he had grown a tolerance to the medication along with an unhealthy addiction to it. It barely masked his pain along with a change in mood and other negative side effects from the medication. Luckily, he discovered this beautiful plant called,”kratom”, which helps his pain DRAMATICALLY. He is able to get through his day with minimal pain and his spirits are up again. Not to mention the availablity and cost effectiveness of this plant seriously trumps any prescription pain killer.
I suffer from cluster headaches which is the most painful condition known to man! Kratom takes away the pain and percocet doesn’t, no matter how many I take i was given morphine for it once and even that didn’t work! So please please do something about this whoever has the power to Ive written letters and signed petitions, I don’t know what else I can do.. but people will die without there herbal remedy and many more will be imprisoned in this so called civilized country that already has the highest Incarceration rate in the world before they started banning herbs. Fair warning my Italian friends there coming for oregano next!lol
I agree with pushing back the cut off date. Kratom helps so many people in a myriad of ways. To take it away from people is going against human rights. The least you xan do is give everyone a few more months with it
I had such severe anxiety from my job at one point that I barely slept at night, I had mouth ulcers, and my stomach was absolutely killing me. I can’t emphasize enough how much pain and despair I was in from all of the stress-related health problems. Kratom made almost everything go away, and I functioned better than ever at work. I have never had a problem quitting, but usually don’t take long breaks because there are no undesirable side effects.
An unspoken harm of this ban is that it makes a safe and natural remedy taboo. Millions of people with conservative leanings, who could otherwise have benefited from kratom, will needlessly suffer pain, depression, anxiety, and insomnia because they believe the DEA is actually protecting them from a public health threat. The DEA has abused the trust and faith of the American people.
Kratom for me serves multiple purposes. For daily use it gives me the energy and clear mind to perform my job as a respiratory therapist. Working a 12 hr shift, I need something for a energy. Caffeine drinks and coffee do work…for a short time. Also these can cause slight jitters which I don’t want when I have to draw blood from a patient’s artery.
I also have DDD and I will not take narcotics. I have used OTC pain meds which help but those have wrecked havoc on my digestive and esophagus. I have GERD and frequent heartburn due to these meds. I know have to take nexium for probably the rest of my life. Every since I discovered kratom, I have not needed these OTC meds.
Restless Leg syndrome also runs in my family. I would only get RLS maybe 4 or 5 times per month but that is still too much. With kratom, I am able to sleep sound which means I am more productive and more alert during the day. This means I am less likely to make mistakes at work which would be detrimental to patients.
I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease over 4 years ago.
Crohn’s is an IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) that comes with severe chronic pain, diarrhea, and a whole other slew of medical problems.
Everyone is affected by it differently but my side-effects are arthritis, TMJ, anemia with chronic fatigue, and fibromyalgia.
There is no cure for Crohn’s so it is important for me to control my disease before it permanently detriments my health, I’ve known of people, kids younger than me even, having such deteriorated intestines that they need to have parts removed surgically. The need for a J pouch is scary to think about.
The one thing I have noticed among my friends and peers who have Crohn’s is that it tends to be worse when the person (victim) is taking pharmaceuticals that come with potentially deadly/harmful side effects. But everyone is different. There is no one “cure-all”, just individual solutions that work for the person who needs it.
While Crohn’s isn’t considered a terminal illness, it can still lead to Colorectal Cancer. The risk just depends on the person’s health, environment, and medication.
I haven’t been to the doctor’s in forever but I’m almost 99% certain that I managed to get Drug-Induced-Lupus from my chemotherapy/biotherapy prescription back when I thought Cannabis was evil and didn’t even know about Kratom.
I also learned that mental health is very tied in with physical health, and they can either boost the other or pull down the other’s level of health. I can literally feel my body responding negatively when I am depressed, and sometimes my depression is triggered by poor physical health, so if I don’t do anything about it, I am stuck, and have to somehow pull myself out of it or it just continues a downward spiral to get worse.
After long use of prescription intravenous drugs and steroids, I finally was convinced to try Marijuana with my girlfriend who also had Crohn’s. It was nearly immediately evident to me what worked. Although at the time of my new discovery, I was still under the guardianship of my Mother so there was no getting out of prescription medication. Still had to go get infused with toxic shit chemicals every 4-8 weeks, and it wasn’t helping much.
Without any medication, I would literally be shitting my guts out anywhere from 5-15-30 times a day, no appetite with constant nausea, and extremely malnourished. My lowest point of weight was 89 lbs from originally being a lightweight at 115 pounds. My skin was so bony looking, it wasn’t even funny.
When I first started taking prescribed meds, my Crohn’s seemed to get better after a little while and eventually it was almost like I was totally normal again, but it would only last for a couple months at a time. When the medication stopped working as well, my dosage was either increased or it was time for a new set of medication.
One of the chemo drugs I took cost upwards of $35,000-$60,000, but could be as cheap as $17,000 per infusion. Once my arthritis started to set in, I sought out cannabis to use in an illegal state and just stayed smart to not get caught. After a while I finally moved to Colorado, finally just saying “fuck it” to all the prescriptions I had. It wasn’t long after I finally got my med card that I looked into Kratom, and discovered it combined with Cannabis quite literally solved all of my problems.
It has been over 2 years since I have needed pharmaceuticals and I am no longer dependent on those conspiracy theories disguised as FDA approved toxic shit.
The joint, muscle, bowel pains are totally gone when I am medicated with my natural plants. I also got into holistics of other natural herbs but none have been near as powerfully anti-inflammatory as Kratom or Cannabis.
I can also eat foods which are usually harmful to Crohn’s with no ill effects when I am feeling good.
Some foods that I can’t otherwise eat are vegetables/fruits with hard skins (apple, cucumber, etc), foods that have tiny seeds like strawberries, cured meats, dairy products, nuts, popcorn, fried foods, shellfish, and even wheat.
I couldn’t drink caffeinated drinks like coffee or energy drinks to fight my chronic fatigue so White Vein Kratom + Sativa strains were quite literally a replacement for that. The burning sensation otherwise is just not worth the caffeine.
My life is just normal with these plants now. No more ulcers in my mouth, bleeding sores when I brush my teeth. My diarrhea is gone, I have energy again, my pain is almost or is completely gone, and I can just live a normal life, pay less for meds, eat normal foods, and have normal output levels of activity.
The benefits outweigh all the risks, and the only risks I’ve discovered yet is that the THC in Cannabis gets me high, and Kratom is about as addictive as coffee.
So “harmful” to society that it needs to get scheduled level 1?
Not even close
TL;DR Kratom has given me life back from Crohn’s Disease and the prescribed shit for it. I can finally be normal again
Hello, I would like to discuss my story. I am not an opiate addict, nor have I ever been. Approximately five years ago, I was diagnosed with herniated C6/7 discs. My situation is not all bad however. The bulging is not bad enough to affect my mobility. However, I am in constant, incessant pain. I have a multitude of abnormal sensations that I have to deal with, including cold, numbness, out right pain, fire, lightning, etc, running all through the left side of my back, running through my neck, shoulder, down my arm and finally into my fingers. Roughly 2 years ago, I saw a friend talking about kratom on a social media web site. At the time, the work that I was involved with was DOT regulated, so Dr’s would not write me any scrips. I eventually started researching kratom, and finally decided to try it out. My initial purchase was from a local “head” shop…but eventually I found a couple social media groups and started purchasing plain leaf powder from their vetted vendors. I have been using kratom to help relieve my maladies for the past 1 1/2 years now. My injury will likely never heal. However, with kratom, I have found the natural ability and desire to face my day to day tasks, with minimal, and on rare occasion, NO pain. I have also found that kratom helps me personally with energy and focus during the day, and different strains that help me to relax and even sedate me at night. Please help me keep this natural plant legal. #iamkratom
I have personally seen kratom work wonders for people with cancer, crohns, and addicts of all kind. This is not a convenient or fashionable “drug.” This is effective medicine for people who are willing to look beyond the conventional pharmaceuticals for something that works without the risk of death and addiction. Taking it away should be a crime, in and of itself.
Hi, my name is Lisa and I have been saved by kratom. I was once on 12 prescriptions a day for several conditions like persistent endometriosis, gastroparesis, chronic gastritis, seizures, high blood pressure, major depression, anxiety and insomnia. And while I became dependent on the pain killers they really were not giving me any quality of life back. At the same time I had left work on temporary disability and was looking at having to transfer to permanent disability when I found kratom. It got me off of all but 1 prescription, I’m back to work and feeling hope again! Hope I thought I’d never have. I write this with tears of gratitude for kratom and fear that it may be taken away. I fear this because I have a family who depends on me, they need me as a mother and they need me as a provider. I cannot imagine what I will do if my natural alternative is taken away. Please do not allow this to happen.
This is a much better approach since this plant seems to do a lot of good for people and should be fully studied before dangerous and rash decisions are made that will do A LOT more harm than good. If the reasons the DEA has given in their decision to schedule kratom are taken at face value, then expect caffeine to be next on their list
The DEA is clearly WRONG for wanting to ban Kratom. They A) Have absolutely no idea what they’re talking about or B) Are taking bribes from big pharma companies. Take your pick; it’s one or the other. Kratom use is responsible for literally countless lives to be on track, or back on track. The people that benefit from the positive effects of Kratom are from all walks of life — and not common drug abusers, like the DEA wants to lead the general public to believe. Kratom has very little to no noticeable effects, except by people who actually have a physical or mental ailment. That’s what Kratom is used for, and NOT to get “high”. I’m very upset with the DEA for being so naive and power hungry. It’s clearly obvious that they are made up of the worst type of people; the type that want to control other people’s lives under the guise of doing “what’s best” for the country. Shame on you DEA. You’re 100% wrong, and don’t have the slightest clue as to what Kratom is and how important it is for the forward-moving livelihood of so many Americans.
I have so much more to say in support of Kratom, but here’s only one more thing:
I firmly believe that tens of thousands (possibly hundreds of thousands? Millions?) of Kratom users in this country are afraid to come forward to support Kratom because of the legal fear and the stigma that organizations like the DEA have projected on users of this miraculous and harmless natural medicine.
I am a college graduate, business owner, hard working father, and devoted mate. I was in a terrible accident. It left me in a wheelchair for several years. I needed pain medication for a long time. It was changing me. Kratom stopped that change and reversed it. I haven’t needed pain medicine since I started using kratom to help control the constant pain i am in. I can now do a lot of the things I did before the accident. I don’t need opiates if I have kratom available. I have what is hopefully my final surgery to mend badly broken legs. I am planning to do it without narcotic pain meds. Please allow me the choice to manage my pain in the way that I have found to be best for me and my family. I do not want the fog that comes with opiate medications. I do not want to risk addiction. I have two bright boys ages 3 and 5. Don’t do it for me, do it for them. Thank you for your time.
I am a 41 year old mother, wife, and elementary school teacher. I have earned two master degrees and I am a peaceful, law abiding citizen. As a law abiding citizen, mother and teacher, I do not think Kratom should be classified as a schedule 1 substance. This benign plant, related to the coffee family, has truly helped so many people with a wide variety of conditions-everything from chronic pain, fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, depression and more. It has helped many people without adverse effects. It saddens me greatly to hear this is happening in America, my native country and my home. I am reaching out so that maybe, in this democratic country, my voice might be heard.
Some action needs to be taken to delay this scheduling of kratom. It came about so suddenly and is clear that kratom does not belong in this category. I don’t know what caused this action to be taken but further research needs to be done on this herb. It’s helping many thousands of people to get off of dangerous opiates and heroin. I have personally spoken to many who have had this experience. Alcoholics find that they no longer crave alcohol and the leaf itself is related to the coffee plant. There IS evidence that kratom is a useful medicinal herbal remedy and it is no more addictive than coffee, nicotine or alcohol which are all legal substances. Not a single death can be attributed to the use of kratom alone. I can attest to the fact that my life has been positively affected because of the ability it gave me to get off of dangerous pain pill addiction. As a 67-year-old responsible retired mother of two successful grown children and a grandmother, I have found the energy and motivation to work 4 part-time jobs at times to supplement my Social Security income and continue to pursue wholesome activities. This action will negatively affect me and all those people whose lifestyles have changed for the better due to their use of this marvelous, harmless herbal remedy.
I was in a serious state of depression due to some life events. My dr. put me on some anti depressants and I was drinking which complicated things. Long story short I am still alive thanks to a few inches. Kratom allowed me to get off the anti depressants which seriously messed with my system and affected me for years after. Finally after 2 years after taking them for a year my system seems to be pretty much back to normal Kratom helped my mood and improved my focus. I was more productive at work and eventually didn’t need anything. I was able to get back on track with kratom. It literally saved my life. It is not a recreational drug that is ruining lives. If you abuse it you will experience side effects. Hell if you eat too much cheese you are going to have side effects. Used responsibly Kratom has virtually no side effects. I live in washington and weed is legal here now and the thought of Kratom being illegal is a joke. I am a strong supporter of anything that can keep people off of prescription drugs. How many success stories are there regarding kratom compared to the handful of negative ones? How many success stories are there with alcohol? I started drinking and really got my life together…said no on ever..
Excellent and Reasonable Plan. Thank You!
How can we even call ourselves a democracy? It is incomprehensible how the DEA was ever given the power to make laws! I thought they just enforced them? It’s way too obvious that big Pharma and corrupt officials are behind this. It’s hard for me to imagine that they could be this bold. I’ve had chronic back and leg pain for 5 years. After 3 years of pharmaceuticals and alcohol I found kratom. IT WORKS FOR PAIN. It doesn’t make me “high” or rot my gut. It is a leaf from a plant with no dangerous side effects. On its own it hasn’t hurt anybody . As an American citizen I should have a choice as to what I use for pain relief . There is too much greed and corruption in Washington . What’s it going to take to stop this? KEEP IT LEGAL
Ban on this seems like a waste of taxpayer money. Focus on more threatening issues please.
They dont want “sensible regulation”, they want prohibition and scheduling so that, in the end, IF the people retain ANY access it will be through a Dr’s script, and big money going to pharma.
I can see no other reason for how they tried to circumvent the usual process, through congress.
Thankyou, CRE for doing this great work. They must be brought to heel.
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It is negligent and irresponsible for the DEA to ban Kratom. An absolute and blatant disregard for dignified living for thousands if not millions of people who choose to use Kratom instead of harmful, addictive and lethal pharmaceuticals.
Kratom is mostly used for it’s therapeutic properties and does not fit the construct of a recreational substance. Kratom does not produce a “high” as insisted by the rule of the DEA in their letter of intent. It is not the sole cause of anyone’s death and has not contributed to the opioid epidemic as also ruled by the letter of intent. These claims have no truth to them and there is no proof. The DEA has and will struggle to produce evidence to the proposed reasons as to why they are moving for an emergent scheduling.
As a former Military Police Officer, Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Staffer and Current Business Owner that takes Kratom I think I have earned the right to make a choice. Ive worked with my VA doctors to monitor my taking of Kratom, Ive found over 18 months that i was able to get off the handful of prescription medications, take a small amount of kratom most mornings and become a very productive member of society again. Between combat related physical and mental injuries, injuries I got supporting this governments agendas Its time that the government supports my health. Taking away my ability to get Kratom will have adverse effects because to stabilize pain and anxiety issues I will have to go back to looking with my doctors help yet more medications that failed for years. We Veterans, We Disabled, We Americans deserve the right to have a voice in this and the way this was pushed was entirely wrong.
Sensible regulation like age limits, responsible packaging, vendors licensing, quality controls by government oversight groups all make complete sense just like in anything we ask the government to monitor. But to just arbitrarily remove our right to choose an alternative that so many find to help is exactly what happens in countries that remove freedom from the table.
I and many others fought for the right to be free, this is exactly what we don’t need. DEA/FDA/HHS being in bed with moneyed interest groups that want to ban this plant is everything wrong with what we are becoming. Do not let this happen, raise your voices and make yourselves heard.
Sensible regulations is one thing, a ban does nothing but take away regulations and cause a black market and criminals to get involved. Its the worst plan they could make.
It is critical, with the election coming up, that Pres. Obama understands the implications of this illegal DEA action and how it will effect his legacy. Disclaimer: I voted for him twice but I will not vote for HRC unless this decision is reversed (by 9/30, not negotiable) and an effort is made to undo the damage to the kratom industry the last several weeks.
I hate Trump, but this is the only issue that should matter to all of us. I’m not saying to vote Trump, but clearly the Democratic Party doesn’t care about facts any more than he does. We should be united in voting for ANYONE but HRC and down ballot dems. Make them pay for making us felons. All we want to do is lead healthy, productive lives. I will quote him, after all this, “what have you got to lose?”
Well, so far, we have lost a lot.
I am a 34 year old mother of three children under the age of 5. I have a Master’s Degree in education and undergrad in Finance. I fully support the use of Kratom because I believe it is a safe and very effective alternative to harmful medications. My father (who was a Vietnam Vet and Purple Heart recipient) passed away a year and a half ago. I blame myself for not researching alternative medicines for him, as I watched him suffer in the last few years of his life. Much of it was due to the illnesses he acquired while at war. He was 100% disabled. But what was even more difficult, was watching him deteriorate (especially mentally), because of the cocktail of prescription medications they kept pushing on him. If I had only researched more on the medicinal benefits of Kratom, I could have at least prolonged the quality of his life. The Kratom plant has been around for thousands of years in other countries, and there is not one solid reported death on Kratom ALONE. The 15 deaths that the DEA reports, have all been mixed with hard drugs or harmful prescription medications. Tylenol is essentially more dangerous than the Kratom plant. Here are some other facts that I hope you choose to read so that we can spread factual knowledge rather than speculation:
· Kratom is a tree native to Southeast Asia, whose leaves have been used as a natural medicine for thousands of years.
· In small doses it provides an energy boost – it’s a botanical cousin of coffee, but in higher doses have a sedative and analgesic (pain relieving) effect
· Its main use is as an effective natural pain reliever and anti-depressant
· Hundreds of testimonials have been written about kratom’s efficacy in treating:
chronic pain, diabetes, fatigue, depression, lack of energy, withdrawal symptoms of opiate and alcohol addiction
· Users report that it is “less addictive than coffee”, with those in middle-age being
the most frequent and enthusiastic proponents of kratom’s benefits.
This age-old medicine is being lumped in with dangerous, unknown synthetic substances, and is under threat of criminalization. If this criminalization occurs, countless sufferers of illness and pain could lose access to a vital natural remedy that they have been using safely for years. Like any plant or medicine, when one regularly ingests excessive amounts of a substance there is a potential for harm. This is true of countless products available for sale in pharmacies and liquor stores today, but few would argue that this means they should be outlawed. If kratom is abused – taken daily in very high doses – it can be mildly addictive, and can also cause “nervousness, sleeplessness, loss of libido, constipation and the darkening of skin complexion”. However, there have been no recorded deaths due to the use of kratom, which highlights its safety.
Public health should be not seen through a lens so narrow that it that disregards practically all alternatives to Western medicine and pharmaceutical drugs. We call upon citizens, policymakers, and politicians to support the reform of archaic drug policy for the benefit of society, and to respect people’s innate right to use all natural plants and herbs.
Thank you for your time and my prayer is that you help join the fight to regulate not prohibit the use of this natural herbal tea.
I am an Autistic adult with epilepsy. Years of failed drugs left me still having Grand Mal seizures. 3 years ago, I tried Kratom and have been seizure free ever since. There have been NO harmful effects to my health and my social anxiety associated with the Autism has been relieved so that I am able to work full time and attend all of my children’s social events. This plant is a gift and taking it off the market will only bolster big drug companies while leaving thousands to turn to harder, more dangerous drugs. (opioids and heroin)
Thank you to all who are fighting to keep this plant available to the public. Please do not let the DEA go through with this action.
I am a 34 year old U.S. Army veteran. I served 5 years active duty. Completed 2 tours in OIF. I use Kratom to relieve knee and back pain that the VA prescribed hydrocodone for. Since I started taking Kratom 3 years ago I completely stopped taking the pills that made me tired and irritable. I do not get “high” from Kratom. I function with Kratom. If this ban goes through than this loyal american, Iraq vet. Husband of 11 years and father of three will become a criminal.
I’m a 62 year old male on disability with chronic pain as a result of numerous back and joint surgeries. I can tell you that economics of staying healthy and mobile can be harsh. I can tell you right now that heroin is a lot easier for me to obtain than this herb on a fixed income. But unlike heroin, this is a substance that I get relief and keep my mobility, without the horrendous problems that herion or opiate pain killers cause. So I am willing to pay more for a mild herb like kratom, than a bottle of opiate pain meds, or a bag of heroin that has been altered, had baby laxatives or cocaine added to it. Also I remain healthy. Putting this herb on the black market will probably wipe out it’s use as opiate addicts don’t get the high they seek. Kratom just doesn’t do it for the “high” sought. However I see the smiles on the heroin dealers as desperate pain patients have already been lining up to get heroin in a misguided attempt to get relief after the more strict guidelines on opiate medications were enforced. Banning kratom will leave pain patients fewer options. Is that the goal here? Make heroin and heavy doses of opiates the only option for relief? Makes us wonder what regulators are really thinking. Not looking out for our welfare, that’s for sure
Glad there is someone looking out for those of us whp.are sensible, logical thinkers. Scheduling this [kratom] will only cause people to go back to the easily obtainable Schedule I drugs, the ones that *actually* deserve to be on the list (because they kill hundreds of people every MONTH), and result in many deaths due to overdose of things such as Oxycontin, Heroin, etc. I am really pained to think of the many children who will lose their parents as a result of the DEA’s unjustified actions [regarding Kratom]. I know that personally, Kratom keeps me away from the prescription drugs that took over my life and caused my children to suffer from a zombie mom, who needed to spend money on the black market to get more of these painkillers. Keeping kratom legal will continue to pad our economy and continue to do so well into the future. The black market does not. All of those dollars, legally spent and paid into taxes….will be GONE. This is all just ridiculous.
I don’t have a particularly interesting and dramatic story like some suffering from PTSD, anxiety, and/or chronic pain, but I have used kratom to help with acute pain when I pulled a muscle in my back last year and I’ve also taken it for the occasional headache. It helped in both instances. The kratom I used was pure kratom leaf purchased from a reputable vendor after research on my part. It was NOT an impulse buy at a gas station. I choose to live my version of a healthy lifestyle…whole foods, fresh fruits and veggies, practice yoga regularly, etc. I like knowing that I have an option for natural, herbal pain relief when needed instead of synthetic over the counter drugs. I feel like these plants were put on this earth for our use if we choose to use them and that choice should not be taken away from the American people.
Thank you CRE! I am a 50 year old church going soccer mom. I also suffer from Adhesive Arachnoiditis. Kratom has replaced a half dozen prescriptions that kept me loopy and in a fog. Kratom has allowed me to be able to be mentally present and able to participate in my daughters life. I am devastated by what the DEA is doing. I have always been supportive of law enforcement and the DEA but this has opened my eyes. I have shared my story with my ladies church group and book club. I am disturbed after doing more research about the DEA. I have lost faith in this country!
Mr. Tozzi, thank you for your common sense on this issue. I feel the DEA is overstepping its boundaries and in my opinion we should be allowed to make our own decisions on self dosing with natural solutions. Some people will abuse it yes, but overdose is not an issue with Kratom and there’s always the others who use responsibly. We as humans should have the right to dictate our own choices and I for one am getting sick of the federal government trying to tell me whats good or bad for me especially when it comes to Kratom as there are no overdoses on record from Kratom alone. I am glad so many are coming out of the wood work to stand up for their natural rights against a government that has been abusing it’s power for far too long. As I read more and more personal stories from other Kratom users, I get more uplifted by the day. We mostly are a community of educated individuals from all walks of life, who use this herb responsibly. If anything, this situation has brought us together and has brought Kratom to the public eye. I am not a criminal, I pay my taxes that fund these government programs that are trying to take away my rights, I follow their system accordingly despite my Kratom use. When September 30th 2016 rolls around, I could become a felon and this absolutely baffles me.
I’m terrified. I suffer with chronic pain every day. I have fibromyalgia, chronic migraines, and trigeminal neurologia. All of that has brought along anxiety and minor depression because I can’t really live a normal life of a 31 yr old woman. Even with prescription pain medication I wasn’t feeling very well. I never wanted to get out of bed. Then someone introduced me to kratom. I’ve been on kratom everyday for a year now. I have cut back on the opiates that I was taking and I have the energy to work a full time job now. I haven’t had a trigeminal neurologia flare up that’s sent me to the ER either. I sleep better. My anxiety is better controlled and I would even say my depression is gone. I owe it all to Kratom! It’s a miracle herb and I can’t loose it. Or I will loose the little bit of normalcy I have right now!
This seems like an apt proposal for an issue that is important to the many, many Americans who use this plant to better their lives. The DEA has used their power to outright ban this medicine in lieu of a rational discussion around Kratom’s various benefits. How can we turn our backs on the people who use this plant to, in some cases, get out of bed in the morning? Now we turn them into felons?
Alcohol and tobacco remains legal and wreaks havoc on a large number of Americans, so how is it reasonable to make Kratom illegal when it is so benign? Even IF (and it’s a big IF) 15 people died from Kratom, it doesn’t make any sense to frame the ban around that. Plenty of legal substances cause far more deaths/poisonings and they remain on grocery store shelves.
My kratom story is more my daughter’s story than mine. My twenty year old daughter was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Also known as Brittle Bone Disease. Hers is a very mild case. Over her life time she has broken more bones than I can count. All these broken bones have lead to her having arthritis. Then at age sixteen she started having more health problems, all kinds of breathing and throat and sinus problems. Her pain got much worse. She was hospitalized and saw many doctors that could not figure out these new problems. This went on for a couple of years before she was finally diagnosed with Wegener’s, a very serious Autoimmune Disorder.. Now she is doing a lot better with treatments but one thing she uses that helps her pain and anxiety and yes I think even depression is kratom. The thought of her having to do without something helps her so much breaks my heart and makes me very angry. Her doctors have all been told what she is using. At first most of them said they had never heard of kratom. But all of them after looking into it have at the very least said it shouldn’t hurt you and if seems to be helping keep using it. She sees her doctors very regularly and often. And she is getting better since she started using kratom. She thinks at least part of the reason is she doesn’t need as many medicines. This manages her pain so well and doesn’t leave her feeling drugged. She has used hardly anything stronger since we found kratom. I pray this is not taken away from her!
I use Kratom for aches and pains and energy. Red strains help my migraines better than any prescription I’ve found. This is an attack on the American people to take away something that is helping them live their lives better. I hope that someone will stop this tragegy from happening, before lives ars lost. The DEA will have blood on their hands if this goes through.
I used to use Kratom for my Chronic Pain and Fatigue. Ever since I found out that it is going to be scheduled I’m afraid to purchase any more of it because I don’t want to get in trouble and not using it has significantly affected my daily life. My pain and fatigue have increased and I am back to being unable to accomplish simple daily tasks.
I have an opiate prescription but it doesn’t work as effectively as it used to and I don’t want to keep increasing my dosage. What if I need surgery in the future? A small dose of Kratom powder (no additives) would diminish my pain and increase my energy for several hours, thus allowing me to clean my house, take care of my yard and other small chores. I was able to skip days and NEVER felt any ‘withdrawal’ symptoms.
I am a responsible intelligent adult and I never took too much, mixed it with other medications etc. I dislike taking a lot of medications anyway. I am absolutely devastated that it is being scheduled. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I can only think that there is some serious financial reason behind this move and chronic pain sufferers are the victims.
Thank you so much for what you’re doing by taking on this cause! I am a 44-year-old woman with Fibromyalgia. Kratom had given me my life back! I was sick and unable to work. Since I started taking Kratom, I am able to do things that I literally have not been able to do for years. I am a teacher who gets major fulfillment out of my job. I have Undergrad & Graduate Degrees.When I got sick, it basically took away everything that I love. Now, not only can I teach, but I am able to walk my dogs a mile a day! I literally have not been able to do that for about 10 years. Kratom is amazing, and It is the only thing that has ever worked for me. Just for the record, I am completely anti-drug. I have never done drugs in my life, with the exception of smoking marijuana one time when I was 14 years old. The only medications I take are those few that I take to treat my Fibromyalgia (no pain pills!) I believe Kratom is an herb, not a drug. I don’t believe it should be classified as a drug anymore than caffeine, for example, is.
September 16, 2016 at 12:56 pm
Thank you Mt Tozzi. It would be pointless for me to list the 31 pharmaceuticals that I have experience with, because we all know that the entire focus here is to keep all of us, law abiding citizens, on as many of those big money making meds, as possible. Money is the name of the game. The greedy, selfish individuals that profit from us as long as they can keep us UNhealthy, will have to answer for their actions one way or another. It would take me hours to list all of my diagnoses and most of them have already been addressed in previous comments. I accepted years ago, that my daily life would consist of unrelenting pain, due to an S1 to T9 spinal fusion. But what I had not accepted and desperately longed for was my mental health and emotional state. I wanted to know what “normal” felt like. I wanted to be and feel normal. After years of anti depressants, anti anxiety meds, sleep meds, etc. left me in a coma and my 4 children almost lost their Mother, I’d had enough. I chose, without any help, to discontinue every single one of them. I believe I was actively taking 12 different ones at the time. For 6 years I just existed, literally. 2 years ago I began my quest for a more natural way of living and discovered Kratom. For the first time in my 50 years, I feel and I am, normal. The past 2 years have been the most enjoyable and fulfilling years of my life! My only regret is that my children missed out, all those years, on the “normal” Mom I am today! Shame on the DEA! What has happened to MY great country that I once was so proud to live in? What about MY rights and MY freedom? Why isn’t it MY choice to do and treat my body as I wish? Basically, what it boils down to is, the greedy, conniving politicians, pharmaceutical companies and government officials, actually own MY, this, body that I’ve been living in! I’m saddened and filled with grief, knowing this is the country I’m leaving to my children. I’m a disabled Mother, Grandmother, Daughter, Sister, Aunt and my name is Phyllis. Please help stop the ban on Kratom
This band is based on bad information.please extend the proposed ban.I believe, after the truth be told” Kratom will not be put on any scheduling. Like coffee. It is a helpful plant with no overdose deaths attributed solely to it. Centuries of safe effective herbal tea/lead chewing. This is a mistake. Thank you!
If they (DEA) want to save lives, they should focus their efforts on enforcing the laws already in place in regards to synthetic drugs, that kill people everyday. Seems like the opiate crisis has already spiraled out of control,and the response to this is to criminalize a natural substance that is helping people. I’m sure if the poison control center released there data, you would see the kratom is at the bottom of a very long list. It is inherently obvious, that there is more of an interest in profit margin, rather than safety.
Thank you ! As a chronic pain patient kratom allows me to live and function instead is being bed ridden. As well as many many other chronic pain sufferers in my support groups. I pray you are successful!
Thank you CRE for shedding light on this situation and suggesting sensible reactions. There is no public health risk from kratom. The majority would be affected negatively by this ban. The number of comments here are only a fraction of the kratom community and I hope our representatives read them. Looking at this, it is clear that a rush to action with objectionable reasoning will result in a lot of people’s lives being affected. Perhaps some regulation is needed but this is not a plant without medicinal value. Blocking research will prohibit scientists from finding ways to use it to help patients with real mental and physical problems, some of which do not have perfect medicines to treat them. I’m not sure there is ever going to be a perfect medicine, but kratom is a low risk plant with 0 overdose potential on its own.
I agree that the DEA should not move kratom or its constituents into schedule I on September 30th. Extending the date until next summer so that a well-reasoned, researched, and commented-upon decision can be made is a good start. I am a law-abiding citizen, caretaker, productive member of society, and am highly educated. I’m also prone to severe depression, paralyzing anxiety, and alcoholism. Kratom had helped me get up each day and do what I need to do to take care of myself and meet my needs and those of my loved ones. The past year and a half of using it have been among the most content, productive, and balanced of my adult life. I am not driven crazy by cravings for alcohol, finally. It also helps relieve pain from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. I am not able to take NSAID pain relievers due to being on blood thinners for an inherited clotting disorder, so having kratom for pain relief is important to me.
Thank you for realizing that this is being handled poorly (illegally?) and that many lives will be impacted negatively if this ban is allowed to go through. Personally, I no longer take opioid medications or the synthetic heroin (Suboxone) I was prescribed to stop taking opioids. Kratom allowed me to stop Suboxone successfully and help with pain relief. Please continue to help kratomites as we pray for relief from this ban.
It’s become obvious to me by reading these thousands upon thousands of testimonials and comments sections like this, that Big Pharma is not the single best choice for all people in need of medical help. Why the DEA is acting so heavy handed with a non-toxic plant brings into question whether their allegiance is to the American people or the all mighty lobbyist dollar.
This plant has enabled me to work with two herniated discs that need surgery and was pushed aside by the medical community cause of lack of insurance! I was forced into pain management but those medications made me a zombie an unable to even work a six hour day! I was always sick to my stomach and when I ran out I turned in to a psycho from lake of that nasty addicting medication!!! I also have PTSD, anxiety,major depressive disorder.and kratom helps with all of my medical conditions! I feel better than I have in years ! I am able to play with my kids an have I life without pain an depressive symptoms! This move by the DEA an fda has really discussed me with the power of money and greed that this country has been turned into! Big pharma is not about cures they about treatment! Not saying kratom is a cure for any condition but it’s a very safe alternative to the evil side effects that comes with their medication. thank you
i suffer from PTSD and anxiety and Kratom helped me stop taking perception opiates after 10 years of addiction. Thanks for this.
I am a mom a,a grandma and I’ saw the news last night and they made kratom look so bad and all the people that’s taking it that it really sadden me! I’ve never been a dope head I’ve took pain medication only when had to.. And take kratom only when needed and they was just bashing it in the ground.. I took pain pills because I have kidney stones all the time.. Scholeyosis in my back.. Arthritis.. Ect.. And when I took persecution pain pills I didn’t want to do anything..plus I’m allergic to a lot of pain management they have to offer even allergic to morphene.. Since I’ve been taking kratom I’m up doing things with my sons and husband. I feel better have more energy and not hurting is the main key! For them to ban this herb is really treating the American people like crap.. We live in a country that we aren’t to know what helps us or not and have a right to take this harmless herb that’s helping so many! Not only are the DEA news outlets calling me a dope head they refusing me to have a right to the only thing that’s ever helped me so much! Thanks so much
Chronic pain sufferers and people with a range of illnesses are practically begging the DEA to halt this ban. People with previous addictions to hard drugs and pain prescriptions are scared to death what will happen to them. The DEA needs to take a step back and look at this from a whole new angle and not rush this ban through. These people can’t wait in pain and suffering while the DEA decides what to do with this plant. A schedule 3 will still make criminals out of people bettering their lives with this plant. The ban will destroy lives and help nothing.
I find it shameful that Americans are forced to literally beg for the opportunity to continue to drink an herbal tea that has eliminated, for many of us, the need for prescribed opiates. Because I did become addicted to prescription opiates I can testify first hand that there is NO similarity between Kratom and Opiates. Opiates numb your pain AND your emotions. They make it impossible to stay focused or live anything resembling a normal life. Kratom doesn’t eliminate the pain, like opiates but it certainly improves it to a degree that we can function normally and happily. The only “high” I can speak to regarding kratom is an increase in energy and sense of well being. I think as a recreational drug, it would be disappointing. This cup of tea is an extremely beneficial part of my life.
The DEA has overstepped. Why this entire exercise is necessary when Kratom is legal in Canada and almost every other country is frankly an embarrassment.
I’m extremely grateful for the CRE’s help. And if I could I would apologize to them for having to work so hard on something that never should have happened.
If there was ever a doubt in my mind that our country is broken the DEA has put that to rest. No anonymous comment here. I’m proud to be drinking Kratom tea rather than over taking prescribed opiates. And make no mistake, it’s not possible to use opiates for chronic pain and not use too much because the more you take, the more you need to take. Not true with Kratom tea.
This is a far more sensible approach. Kratom does not pose any immediate risk to the population. Regulation is the answer.
Making kratom illegal is crazy . It’s actually done a lot of good for a lot of people. Getting them off harder drugs like heroin and Xanx . I’ve never heard of anyone ODing on an herbal tea. If you drink too much you end up getting a stomachache. Unlike ODing on prescription drugs which causes death. It’s non addicting and you can’t get “high” off it. I think the DEA is over stepping here.
To make a natural pain reliever a crime to use is crazy. I am tired of taking opiates for chronic pain. This takes the pain down to a tolerable level. I can just see it now, grandmother arrested for possession of Kratom.
I am a recovering heroin addict who has been diagnosed with a variety of depression and anxiety disorders. Kratom has helped me with, with less side effects, than all of the mood stabilizers and anxiolytics I’ve ever been prescribed. Because of this herb I have been off opiates for six years, I have gone back to school and gotten a decent job as a health care professional. I have seen so many friends die in recent years from the fentanyl epidemic, if this plant is taken away I’ve no doubt the body count will increase. There is now downside to having this plant available to those who need it. It’s absence, however, will be devastating.
I have been taking kratom for three years instead of opiates for chronic pain. It is much more effective for my pain without the mood altering effects. I ask that you not categorize kratom as a schedule 1 drug. If anything it should be classified as a safe alternative to opiates
PLEASE do NOT put Kratom on the List of Schedule I Drugs. KRATOM IS NOT A DANGEROUS DRUG. I am 59 years old and I have been using kratom everyday for OVER 3 years now. I take kratom for my back pain (I have 2 compression fractures of the spine) and for my osteoarthritis AND IT DEFINITELY WORKS. I also take kratom for my severe anxiety and depression and sleep problems AND IT DEFINITELY WORKS. I also should mention that I do NOT take any RX or OTC drugs — NONE. And, I do NOT drink alcohol.
I do NOT take kratom to get high. Kratom does NOT get me high no matter how much I take. Kratom is not addicting like heroin, it’s much closer to a coffee addiction which I can easily deal with [IF] I have to. We all are addicted to something, be it coffee, sugar, wheat, cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, gambling or fast food. The fact is… too much of anything can be bad for you and could lead to an addiction.
Too much of anything can also be dangerous, for example, a person can die from drinking too much water, but the fact is nobody has died [specifically] from taking too much kratom ALONE. I do NOT crave more and more kratom even after daily use for 3+ years — I always take the same amount everyday.
On August 31st the DEA irresponsibly placed the active compounds in Kratom , Mitragynine and 7-Hydroxymitragynine, into Schedule I, effective September 30.
As a taxpaying citizen who has elected you to office, I ask that you represent my voice and please act immediately to halt the DEA’s irresponsible action to place Kratom on the list of Schedule I drugs.
Why not just regulate kratom in the same way you regulate alcohol, cigarettes and E-cigarettes which are definitely more of a health problem than kratom. The industry needs to come together to self-regulate and self-police one another and get rid of some of the bad apples out there.
I support placing an age restriction on kratom for consumers who are 18 or older. I also believe that stricter labeling guidelines are necessary. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding shouldn’t use kratom, for example, and anyone with a medical condition or who is taking prescription medications should consult their doctor before trying kratom. Perhaps most importantly, make sure that products aren’t being deliberately marketed toward younger consumers, or with the intent of comparing its effects to other drugs, like actual opiates.
Kratom is a tropical plant in the coffee family from Southeast Asia that has been used to support energy and focus, as well as a potent immune system booster. Kratom is inherently safe and shares many therapeutic constituents in common with other widely recognized medicinal plants such as Cat’s Claw and Yohimbe, which currently enjoy wide spread safe usage as dietary supplements in the United States and abroad.
The DEA, without a serious review of the available scientific literature, has chosen to emergency schedule Kratom and designate it as schedule I substance; one that has no accepted medical value. The common citizen can easily perform a search for “Mitragyna speciosa” in Google scholar and find over 1,660 search results documenting the potential medical value of Kratom. The DEA has not only turned a blind eye to the scientific literature, but it has also taken the stance that it is uninterested in hearing testimony from Kratom users who use it for its therapeutic value. Thus, the DEA considers any and all use of Kratom to be abuse, while ignoring the medical literature, NIH funded studies, numerous patents, and millions of users testimonies, all of which point to its therapeutic potential.
Rather than consider the therapeutic potential for Kratom, the DEA has unilaterally moved to make millions of felons out of Kratom users who are simply using Kratom in accordance with its historical use, its patented use, and the conclusions of thousands of scientific studies. Allowing the DEA to unilaterally criminalize the use of Kratom will not only create millions of felons out of otherwise law abiding citizens, but it will also halt all scientific investigations into Kratom’s medicinal benefits which would benefit millions of other law abiding citizens. With America currently suffering from an opiate epidemic and opiate related overdoses at an all-time high, a policy that prohibits the research of therapeutic compounds does not make sense.
Furthermore, the economic impact of the criminalization of Kratom will have unforeseen consequences due to the enforcement costs and public health costs associated with addiction such as emergency room visits due to substituting Rx medicines, petty theft to obtain said Rx medicines, etc. Lastly, harsh penalties, such as a felony charge for possessing Kratom will not only be ineffective in preventing its use but it will also severely limit otherwise law abiding citizens’ future prospects for jobs, housing, voting rights, food assistance, and education, a challenge that can be permanently damaging to individuals, while costing US citizens tax revenue that is better spent on serious crime.
Given the fact that in Al opiate deaths have risen 20% since kratom has been banned there ,it seems like the DEA is not really sincere in the common good of those that suffer on a daily basis. Therefore turning many back on to opiates ,and there’s many of us that don’t want to go back,many of us believe our Creator has a better way.We found kratom by chance for chronic pain only 3 yrs ago and since then the useage of prescribed narcotics has gone down significantly. It seems like the DEA might have big pharma in thier back pocket because so many ppl have benefited from this Herb therefore it takes a chunk out of profits for big pharma. Benjamin Rush predicted this: Unless we
put medical freedom into the Constitution, the time will come
when medicine will organize into an undercover dictatorship to restrict
the art of healing to one class of Men and deny equal privileges to
others; the Constitution of the Republic should make a Special
privilege for medical freedoms as well as religious freedom. Please don’t let my family suffer by banning this plant..There is absolutely no good reason to allow this to happen,its never right to allow someone to suffer in such a rushed matter..Hear our voices..Truth
Thank you CRE. I’m 46 years old and have fibromyalgia, failed back syndrome from spinal fusion surgery, depression, anxiety, arthritis and bursitis. Automobile accidents caused the majority of my ailments. I have been in pain management, chiropractic, physical therapy and have had several injections and given several different prescription drugs including opiates. None of these things gave me significant relief, we’re costly, and the prescription drugs all gave me horrible side effects. I was looking for something natural that may help me and discovered kratom in a chronic pain support group. I did my research and decided to give kratom a try. I was and still am amazed at how much better I feel with kratom. I do not take any prescription drugs now and have not needed any additional injections since I started kratom. I have been taking kratom for over 2 years and my health is better than it used to be, with my blood work and blood pressure both being very good I do not experience any negative side effects with kratom. Life without kratom will change dramatically and not for the better. Work, home and family will all suffer because I refuse to go back to prescription drugs. They’re simply not for me. They make me feel worse. There is absolutely no reason kratom should be placed as a schedule 1 drug! Frankly, I don’t know how the powers that be in the DEA can live with themselves taking away kratom from thousands of people who are helped by it. Why the rush to ban? This ban will hurt so many people and protect no one other than the pharmaceutical companies.
Kratom has saved me of a life of pain. 18 years of a pain that i feel someone is stabling me over and over again A pain so intense that you feel like your dying slowly.3 years ago I found kratom and my life changed for the better. I am now able to work, cook, clean and care for my 4 beautiful children especially my 10 year old with type 1 diabetes. WHY WOULD YOU TAKE AWAY SOMETHING THAT IS HELPING ME LIVE A BETTER??????????????? I can not understand this. pEASE HELP, I do not want to go back to that life of pain and in the bed crying. PLEASE do not let this happen save MY LIFE.
10
I have been a kratom fan since finding this Herb a short 3 yrs ago.. I was a migraine sufferer using imitex and percocet to relieve them. Today it’s rare I have even a headache. Kratom has been a godsend..I know of ppl that kratom has helped get off street synthetic drugs..And instead of being strung out on drugs they became working professionals.. Please don’t ban Kratom,as I’m very afraid of where ppl will turn,why put it in the hands of the black market,and imprison ppl for getting relief. It just doesn’t make since,kratom has not killed anyone,plz don’t control what I put into my body..
Here is a very detailed scientific study recently published on Kratom from Columbia University, providing detailed information on some of its medical value and interestingly enough was published quite recently:
https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/americankratomassociation/pages/21/attachments/original/1467415534/Journal_Of_The_American_Chemical_Society_6-6-16_Report.pdf?1467415534
In the conclusion of the scientific study, it states that Kratom is safer than Codine which is a drug on the schedule 5 list. The DEA has now been quoted in the Washington Post as realizing the medical value of Kratom and still wants to schedule it. When you look at the scientific facts, age regulation is far more appropriate. Scheduling of any kind makes additional scientific study more challenging, which is exactly what the pharmaceutical companies want… because as Kratom gains popularity and the knowledge of it’s benefits become more widespread, big pharma loses addicts and money. They are KILLING AMERICANS to line their pockets, and they want to keep doing it.
There are many more studies available. So… the DEA’s initial notice stated that they can ban it because it has no medicinal value… well that’s just simply a lie. One that tells the people of this country that big pharma is losing Opiate addicts due to Kratom, and they want to get rid of it. I am one of millions of Americans who is TIRED of all the LIES told by various organizations within our government.
Thank you for asking them to extend the intent to schedule, allowing more time for scientific study. I humbly suggest age regulation over prohibition or scheduling of any kind.
I am a respiratory therapist for over 35 yrs. I’ve seen ppl overdose on prescription pain medications then requiring ventilation support more than a few times,I’ve seen prescription medication ruin livers and kidneys. I’ve seen prescription drugs ruin lives…In fact five years ago when my husband got free of fentaynl 75mcg(50times stronger thanherion)failed back surgery we began a journey using Rick Simpsons oil,it was 6 months later we found kratom,before the oil and kratom my husband was a walking junkie down to 120 pounds,lost his front teeth,and so many side effects from the fentaynl we were chasing symptoms ,he was a non functioning person in our family.But you don’t think your an addict because the doctor gave you a prescription. And then we woke up to the fact that this was our matrix and we got the heck out!! With natural herb life giving plants we choose to use. Today my husband is a functional member of our lives,up to 162 ,hell tell you it’s the best he’s ever felt and he’s a visual to behold from then to now,the red ses parted for us. Why can’t we use the medicine our Creator has given to us?why as a citizen of a free country even need to have this conversation?The only ones that will benefit from this law is criminals,law enforcement,and of coarse big pharma. Time to end this war on the ppl..I don’t even know how this is legal. Don’t ban nature.Hear our voices..
Hello, I suffer from ankylosing spondylitis. Kratom has help ease my pain. Please help me and thousands of other people who use this effective and safe plant. If kratom becomes illegal, I just don’t know what I will do. It is the only thing I have found that will help, besides pain killers and Doctors don’t want to prescribe those to anyone these days. Sigh, I’m just so tired. Why cant people leave those of use that suffer alone. I’t would be nice to live life and not just survive it. Please,leave kratom legal and unregulated.
Thanks,
We the people.
Thank you, CRE.
My daughter was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia at age 17 by a well-known rheumatologist. Since she was 15, she had intense pain, brain fog, costochondritis, disfunctional sleep, and depression from being unable to function as a normal teenager. She had gone through every test imaginable. She was prescribed all of the usual drugs for treatment. She had terrible reactions to all of them. Some had the most horrific withdrawal symptoms you could imagine. If they happened to take her pain away, they caused some other problem that was not worth continuing them. She was left with little, or no, alternative to alleviate her pain and suffering, and was pretty much not able to function well enough to go to college or get a job.
Through much research, we found a reputable Kratom seller and decided to give it a try. Immediately, she had relief. Her pain, sleep pattern, and mental health improved drastically. She is now able, at 21 to go to college and move on with, and even enjoy, her life.
When she heard about the DEA’s plan to make Kratom a schedule 1 drug, she was hysterical. She had finally found something that works for her, is totally natural, and has no adverse side effects like all of the pharmaceutical drugs had. Because of the uninformed DEA’s action, Kratom will be taken away, leaving her without the life-changing benefits Kratom gives her.
As a mother, I am constantly searching and researching all possible things that will help my daughter. I really don’t care if something is legal or illegal; if it is the ONLY thing that helps my daughter be able to live her life without pain, able to go to school, work on her career, be useful, and, most importantly, ENJOY life again, I will do anything to make sure that it is available to her.
The action of the DEA, without being willing to listen to anyone that actually uses Kratom for pain relief speak about their success with it, is worth fighting against. It’s another plant, nature made, that the “powers that be” don’t want the public to use for some strange reason. This is not right. They have no right to take nature away from the people.
I am hoping that enough of the people who benefit, and there are a lot of them, from the use of Kratom, will help to inform and show the general public and government officials, that it is NOT a drug and should NOT be scheduled as one. The people that reportedly had problems from using Kratom, had not used it in it’s natural state, but had added other drugs or synthetics to it that actually caused their problems. You cannot overdose on Kratom. If you take too much, you vomit it up. Please get more information BEFORE allowing it to be made a schedule 1 drug. It really does benefit people, and especially MY OWN DAUGHTER!
Please if you must do this or anything like this, then do it the right way. Do not take this from us and give us a chance. You say you want to protect us, then please do it. You will be hurting thousands of people that have come out of despair and pain to live life!
It is exceedingly important that we quit imprisoning people that are not violent. We don’t have a leg to stand on as a country that wishes to improve human rights around the world when we imprison such an enormous segment of our population. It is a disgrace as it is. This expansion of the war on drugs is the opposite of the direction we need to go.
Thank you, CRE. I am a 44 year old, full time employed homeowner, taxpayer, parent. Yet this action by the DEA positions me as a criminal. I am not a criminal, I am simply trying to take care of myself for the benefit of my family and employer. I have chronic pain and have had some mental health challenges, but kratom helps me function without being a burden upon others. I am outraged by this proposal and urge the DEA to rescind this ban entirely. I have harmed no one while using kratom. I am not a danger to others and I am not impaired. I oppose its use and potential abuse by children of course, but I am an adult with a master of science in health, and I will not give up this fight.
Research is just beginning to be published suggesting that kratom alkaloids could provide a safer, less addictive alternative to opioid pain medications (e.g., Váradi et al., 2016). This rush to classify those alkaloids as Schedule 1 drugs will hinder future research greatly as well as pushing people who are using a less harmful drug towards opioid use. At the same time, the only basis for this sudden move on the DEA’s part are a couple of case reports that are not at all conclusive regarding kratom’s potential dangers.
Leave kratom alone. NO SCHEDULING WHATSOEVER.
If anything, restrict the sale to adults only. This country is going to shit and its mainly because of big government.
In full agreement. Leave it as it stands, with age limits and taxation. IT’S NOT HEROIN.
This is so ridiculous. Kratom has SAVED LIVES. I really hope that the DEA sees the light. I doubt they will though. I love Kratom, and I can speak for close to a million people.
This ban will be detrimental to those who have no choice but to turn to dangerous and harder to obtain opiates for their needs.
I don’t know how this plant works and I don’t really care. I just know it works. It’s helped me w/ PTSD and chronic pain for the past two- two and a half years. Plus, I haven’t had a cold, flu, or any other URI in 2-2 1/2 years either and before I’d get sick just about every winter w/ UR infections. Also, there’s numerous accounts of people beating addiction, veterans better able to deal w/ PTSD and all of us being a positive contribution to this society. To outlaw this plant , or its chemical make-up, is completely asinine , and criminal, in my opinion,and 130,000 others believe the same way. Stop this abuse of power and leave us the hell alone. You’re making a huge mistake by scheduling this plant
I was just reading a article published in my local newspaper about an elderly women who had a number of health issues and was able to find this herb and it was able to change her life in such a positive way, she uses in her tea a few times a daily. The decision was clearly a rush to judgement and will leave so many American lives unprepared without having the time to comprehend what is happening. This God given plant has done so much good for so many people’s lives In a world where big pharma has come up short in so many. People deserve the right to defend a right to choose for themselves whether they would like a alternative and natural approach to pain etc..this clearly is a time where the people deserve a chance to speak out and have their voices heard specifically in this situation. Kratom Saves Lives.
From MY OWN experience,kratom is about as harmful as coffee…Not at all. It’s obvious to all of us that the DEA stands to get a big payoff by banning mitragyna,and leaving an unobstructed pathway for pharmaceuticals as our only option(for some ppl) to continue on. Kratom has been a literal cure-all for me. If the powers that be were really looking out for my health and safety,they wouldn’t ban a harmless,proven remedy against depression and addiction. I am proof! I’m still alive and drug free…for now.
Yes! Reasonableness and due process over knee jerk limitation of freedom. Let the public and researchers provide input before banning another natural plant that humans have used for centuries and reportedly helps many lead better more productive lives.
From the age of 18-22 I ruined my life with pharmaceutical opiates that I obtained off the streets. I ruined relationships and spent all my money on drugs from the street. Kratom saved my life. Without kratom, I wouldn’t be who I am today. This plant is a miracle for most people that encounter it. Banning it is the most short sighted action we can take approaching kratom. Regulate it.
This ban will literally kill people. Kratom has helped so many of us with a lot of different debilitating physical and mental illnesses. Kratom has helped me go from disability to having a great job and living a more productive life. This is such a simple benign plant that allows so many of us, like me, live a better life. This ban is a horrible mistake.
I just want to say that this is an amazing plant and so many people including myself benefit from it everyday. We need to stop this ban. Too many people will suffer and die without it
They absolutely should be forced to open a federal register notice and comment proceeding.
Law enforcement agencies should not be allowed to create laws. That is self serving and is being abused.
If this goes through my law abiding husband will become a felon overnight. Yay for cheap (slave) prison labor. This simply cannot be allowed to happen. It’s ludicrous.
Kratom is such an improvement in some people’s quality of life that they would be devastated by a sudden ban. It is not an imminent threat to public health now any more than it has been for the last fifteen years on the internet, and the thousands of years used in it’s native land. There are many good people with chronic pain who have been helped by this plant, where nsaids, prescription opiods and others have let them down. It allows people to get pain relief without the physical damage of nsaids and the addiction liability and fogged in effects of strong narcotics. Kratom should have an age limit and taxation, but I think that should be the extent of regulatory control until its effects are better studied. This ban will cost the US economy millions.
I believe, however, that it should be removed from gas station shelves and head shops. Irresponsible marketing of this substance has ruined it for everybody.
Thank you for the work you are doing. Kratom is a godsend! It has given me my life back. I suffer from arachnoiditis with pseudomeningocele. I have attempted suicide twice due to undertreated severe pain. When you are in excruciating pain 24/7 death looks appealing. A friend in the chronic pain community suggested Kratom. It has saved my life! It doesn’t take all my pain away by any stretch but it allows enough relief to where I feel I have some quality of life. Prescription pain Meds made me sick. I suffer no ill effects from Kratom. Please don’t take this plant away from me and the thousands of other chronic pain patients who have found relief from it.
Thanks so much CRE, this is completely logical.
This knee-jerk ban without public comment of a substance that has not even been slightly researched by the banners is proof that the war on drugs needs to end. This strategy has not worked since the CSA’s inception in 1970. I believe we should move more in the direction of a treatment and rehabilitation strategy, addiction is a chronic disease often caused by many other factors beyond the exposure to the drug, and is best handled by medical professionals AS THEY SEE FIT without interference and quotas from government agencies. Arresting the drug user does not work. They come out and they go straight back to drug use. The question is WHAT MAKES THE PERSON WANT TO USE DRUGS IN THE FIRST PLACE? They certainly used them in the 1800s. And 1900s. And now today. I do not believe such an easy answer as BANNING KRATOM will help the opiate epidemic, if anything, it will have the opposite effect. Thank you for your time in entertaining a contrary viewpoint.
Banning kratom with most certainly drive many people back to harmful drugs and will as a whole lead to more problems than already exist in the US nation.
Those who use kratom are typically just regular people trying to lead a fulfilling life beyond that of laying in bed all day writhing in pain. Many have significantly increased their quality of life overall such as taking better care of their family, improving work ethic and allowing for more focus on what is truly important in their life.
Banning kratom will certainly perpetuate criminal elements to a much greater extend, as it will essentially form another black market to which criminals can profit.
Kratom should be regulated in the same way that it is in Canada. Vendors are vetted and require import licenses to import the product while also providing valuable taxation of the product to support the country.
Ignoring the pain problem will NOT make it disappear!
Just looking at the misinformation about Kratom, specially in wikipedia, makes me see how much the want this plant banned. one of the most benign and medicinal plants on the planet and they want to put this on schedule 1 and pretend it doesnt have any medicinal value? Shame on the DEA. BLOOD WILL BE ON THEIR HANDS.
No hallucinations, no psychosis. Seizures are 1% rare.
In my opinion, the DEA is about to commit a complete disservice to our country. Placing Kratom directly as a Schedule 1 will hinder scientific studies into a plant which has purported medicinal benefits. Bypassing open discussion from the public, health officials, and the scientific community without proving imminent harm or danger is an injustice and overreach of power.
There is an epidemic of heroin and opioid abuse. Kratom is rumored to aid in withdrawals from harmful illegal and prescribed drugs. There is an opportunity to research this further but can not proceed if it is scheduled. This is failing the American people of a possible solution and potentially endangering addicted persons’ health.
Once again, in my opinion, the matter of Kratom should be left with the FDA. The positive and negative attributes need to be studied before premature scheduling. I believe there should be quality control measures to ensure pure product as any additives could be harmful. I feel there should be dosage recommendations and proper labeling of any side effects; as well as, persons with certain conditions that should avoid using the product.
Without solid evidence that Kratom alone presents immediate health risks or imminent danger to society, scheduling should be postponed until further research can be conducted.
I love this plant. It has helped me move away from strong medications for my RA. I am no longer following the infusions cause they make me so sick and I can’t afford it. I got off narcotics and methotrexate. I know I’m not being aggressive towards my disease and it’s not the best approach but kratom helps me to live day to day and keep my job. Too much misinformation is behind this ban and the DEA has no clue the hornet’s nest they have just kicked.
If every single person on opiates were to substitute with kratom millions of lives will be saved over the next ten years…. This needs to be studied. How can the DEA say there is no medicinal value to something that is effective for people in severe pain and can be used as an alternative to opiates which cause more overdose deaths a year than all other drugs combined? That just can’t be justified, and it’s not fair to force these people to resort back to fentanyl, oxycontin, morphine, or methadone. I myself will have to go back to anxiety medication, where if I forget a dose i risk having a seizure and in the hospital! This is a great substitute to so many types of medications and can help in so many ways. The side-effects are so minimal compared to so many medications. The DEA, FDA, etc. should show more concern for this and the people that it helps, because banning it seems likely to effect much more people in a negative way.
Finally i find something that helps ease my anxiety, depression, chronic pain and my IBS that doesn’t give me horrible side effects like vicodin, gabapentin, klonopin, mobic, flexeril. I don’t have to take 5 pills first thing in the morning anymore, I don’t puke or faint anymore (due to the drugs my doctor had me on) i don’t feel like a zombie. Now the DEA wants to take that away from me so i can go back to puking and fainting and feeling emotionless?!!? They even went as far as saying public comment is unnecessary… can you say dictatorship.
Sensible regulation is important. Legal vendors will not sell to minors, whereas the black market sells to anybody. Making something illegal doesn’t make it go away.
This ban will hurt/kill many of those addicted to opiates. Please rescind the ban!
The DEA is one of the worst things to happen to America’s healthcare.
I forgot to mention – I’m all for making kratom 21 & over. But banning the plant entirely and saying it has no medicinal, that’s absurd.
So many people will be hurt physically and also financially by the DEA’s decision. Please allow the proper time to research properly and don’t rush to ban.
Before Kratom: I had reached a point where I had given up hope that I could ever live a full life. Suffering from of anxiety, depression and attention deficit issues which failed to be treated by prescription drugs; they also caused bad side effects.
After Kratom: I’m now holding down a full time job, have a degree. No prescription drugs. My outlook has drastically improved.
But now… what’s going to happen to me, and others like me, who have been using Kratom just to live a normal life?
The DEA needs to LISTEN to the people before making uninformed, unscientific decisions that affect the lives of good, decent Americans.
This is a very reasonable roadmap. What they’re trying to do had nothing to do with being reasonable. It’s criminal. Kratom is an answer for so so many people. Thanks for writing this second letter.
This seems very reasonable and I see this as a good way to allow this plant to remain a viable solution to many people’s complex psychological and physiological problems. Anxiety and depression has been something I’ve struggled with all my life. This plant has been extremely beneficial to my wellbeing. I’ve tried many treatments and medications and nothing else has come close allowing me to live a balanced and normal life.
God gave me this plant. It was a answer to my prayers .I live in pain. I do not like to get high it makes me think I am dieing! The only time I have been high is in the hospital. I have never broke a law in my 61 years of life. I can not explain kratom. It does not alter me, I can think clearly. On pain medication I am fuzzy and fear driving. I have managed to avoid addiction by taking my medication very sparingly. I have kratom days and pill day’s this way I keep the dosage of both as low as possible. I like my kratom day’s I get more done .Enjoy sewing cooking and just living my life. The pill day’s I just put my time in hear on earth. Please do make me just put in my time till I die. Let me live my last years as pain free as possible Let me keep my kratom tea.. .
This is a sensible approach. Thank you.
I have a lifelong chronic pain condition. I was prescribed addictive and deadly opioids from my doctor. They made me so fuzzy and tired I was unable to work in my field of computer programming. In other words, I became disabled.
Then I was introduced to Kratom. Within less than a month, I had safely and easily withdrawn from the opioids, but unlike the opioid the Kratom treated my pain without interfering with my mental processes.
I was able to resume my career as a computer programmer again. I have been taking Kratom for over five years, regularly see my doctor every six months for physicals, and all my lab results are normal.
Please do everything you can to stop the DEA from banning Kratom, and with it my quality of life, career I am passionate about and successful in, and force me to return to Doctor prescribed prescription opoids.
Thank you.
I’m in nursing school full time and work part time in a critical care unit in a hospital as a tech. I deal with sick, sometimes dying patients and their loved ones. This can obviously be emotionally stressful.
Two years ago I was placed on a medical leave of absence from university and unemployed. I lived in my parent’s basement for two years with crippling anxiety and depression. I was diagnosed with treatment resistant depression and anxiety as nothing the doctor prescribed worked.
Until I found kratom and now work in a hospital making great money with benefits and am in a prestigious nursing program. Kratom gave me my life back and without it, I’ll go back to where I was two years ago. This plan is extremely sensible and I wholeheartedly support it. Kratom cannot be banned. People’s live are quite literally on the line.
This tea has greatly improved my quality of life. It works well for depression and anxiety. I’ve been taking it for over four years and have not had an adverse effect in all that time, aside from the occasional constipation. I cannot say the same for the pharmaceuticals that were prescribed for my depression. Please don’t take this away, I don’t want to go back to taking pills that mess me up.
This must be pushed back at the least. The idea that kratom poses a danger to the public is ludacris and if it was given enough time to get all the facts right and the publics opinion (the way they should) it would uncover their shady agenda. They should have no choice in this though we the people pay them and they need to wake up and realize theve extorted enough money for the time being and let us have this.
Seems like the right thing do. DEA is obviously over reaching here for no rational reason.
What are we afraid of? Kratom has been used safely for thousands of years, why can’t we give it 10 months so we can perform proper studies and have the truth come out?
Thank you CRE for stepping in. Kratom isn’t harming anybody. It’s helped so many and it needs to stay legal and available to everyone.
I have seen personally how kratom can help people regain a normal productive tax paying life. If this ban goes through the DEA will be making felons out of hundreds of thousands of people who are fighting to live a good life. Making Kratom and schedule is just wrong on so many levels. If you are reading this and you have the power to do something about it please help. When was the last time you have seen an outcry about the DEA banning or scheduling something? Now is the right time to step up and do the right thing.
I have been a kratom user for 3 years now. I hold a steady part time job while I go to college studying environmental science. I would consider myself very experienced with the product and i can absolutely say that making the plant a schedule one is absolutely INSANE. I myself have experienced anti cough and cold effects, as well as it has cure my premature ejaculation problems ( most opiate/opioids would). This will have a very negative impact on peoples lives.
It makes no sense for the DEA to ban this plant. The health care system in this country is broken and creates addicts. Can the government stay out of people trying to self-medicate with safer alternatves than their pharmaceutical b.s., not to mention other legal-but-lethal items like alcohol and cigarettes.
Kratom has helped so many people, but they don’t seem to care. Not just opoid dependence but pain management, anxiety, depression, etc. I hope it’s not banned at all, but at the very least they should push back the ban until 2017. If it stays banned, get ready to read a lot more overdose stories like what happened in Cincinnati. Sad.
Schedule 1 classification is absurd. This plant provides real benefits to hundreds of thousands of Americans. Fewer than 1000 incidents in nearly a decade is not an immediate national public health crisis. The effects of the DEA decision will cause unjust harm to public health and economy.
It’s really good to see the sense of community come together. I’ve been taking kratom for two years now. I have chronic pain in my neck and my lower back due to pinch nerves in my neck a flat and bulging disc also in my neck. Facet triopathy in my lower back and moderate sciatica. I had a much stronger dependence on tramadol before finding kratom. Tramadol withdrawl sucks by the way. Now that I take kratom one to two times a day in small 2g doses I no longer have to live with the foggy head and lack of emotion that was the tram. No more of that crap for me. Kratom truly is a wonderful herb and vastly misunderstood. Even at the strongest dose before nausea sets in it’s only mildly euphoric with very little loss of cognitive function. It is a self regulating herb and cannot be overdosed on. Anyone that tells you otherwise was not consuming Kratom. There is arguably no deaths from anyone that consumed kratom alone. With that said even at the doses that I take it at it has the pain relieving capability better than tramadol.
This is a much better plan of action. Thank you for doing this, for myself and the many others who kratom has been a godsend for.
This is an incredibly reasonable request. This letter is worded excellently, and raises each point important to kratom users who are only asking for sensibility and fairness from the DEA. For each kratom vendor that is raided while kratom is legal, the DEA will have an even harder time explaining their actions. We the people are watching.
Don’t understand why the DEA would want to ban kratom. What’s next, chamomile?
A delay on the DEA’s scheduling is the most practical and beneficial approach for all parties. Melvin Patterson himself has gone on record in the Washington Post by saying that he wants “the kratom community to know that the DEA does hear them. Our goal is to make sure this is available to all of them.” The emergency scheduling that the DEA currently has planned is in contradiction of this.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/09/15/the-dea-wants-to-ban-another-plant-researchers-say-the-plan-is-insane/
Kratom has helped me taper off of stronger opiates like methadone. It is not the problem, but actually a possible solution for the opiate problem plaguing our country. Please listen to this sensible request.
I injured my spine in 2009 when I was moving a couch and it fell on me as I fell down the stairs. The initial diagnosis was herniated discs at the L4/L5 and L5/S1. Since then, my spinal health has deteriorated and I am now diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and MRIs found a small tear along my actual spine. I recently turned 30, and doctors have said that any surgery I have now will only lead to more future surgeries and to delay surgeries as long as i can, because of my age. The drugs that they give me for each exacerbation, hydrocodone APAP and cyclobenzaprine, have horrible side effects for me. Hydrocodone leaves my constipated for days, an cyclobenzabrine leaves me groggy the next day and will terrible cotton mouth. It takes away my pain, but it leaves me feeling awful. 2 years ago, someone introduced me to kratom as a painkiller substitute. Since then, I am able to control my pain and have no side effects I experienced with my prescription medications. I can live a normal life, and sleep for a full night. Without kratom, sleeping for 8 hours is rare for me, as every turn in the night can awake me from the pain. I’ve worked in drug development and early phase clinical research for over a decade. I understand the pre-clinical efficacy that kratom presents for patients with chronic pain. I implore the DEA to reconsider their plan to emergency schedule kratom, so that I can sleep for a full night again, next to my wife. I am not a criminal. I am just a person in pain.
I want to thank the kratom community for coming together so strongly on this ban. I dont know what i will do without this wonderful herb that has so much potential. I was in a car accident that left me with very bad pains in my neck. And my job is very labor intensive. Kratom was the only thing that helped me perform at my level while managing my pain. I couldnt do that with prescription medications as i drive all day long also. Kratom doesnt make me high or foggy headed. It gives me a pep in my step that no other herb can give me. Dont ban kratom pleease
Besides the fact that kratom has been used safely by humans for hundreds, if not thousands of years, from a purely economical standpoint, banning it will destroy a multi million dollar industry, overnight, with a stroke of a pen. And with no input from the people or the congress to boot. This is not how a democracy is supposed to work. This ban will put tens of thousands of Americans instantly out of work and even work, turn them into potential felons. At a time in our country when the economy is a hair away from total collapse, the last thing we need is a federal bureaucracy destroying an entire industry for no good reason.
Do not let your people suffer! We can rely on science instead of our fears. We can be a better country. Save kratom!
I would hope the DOJ accept this proposal. For the sake of the advocates of Kratom. Kratom poses no imminent health risk to the public. The proper legal channels should be taken and factor in all possible outcomes from banning this herb. Kratom has received a bad reputation, yet many know this is not true. All of these people would not advocate a dangerous drug.
Indonesia, where kratom originates from has the some of the toughest drug laws on earth and kratom isn’t even on their radar? Meanwhile our government want to ruin peoples lives with felony charges in just under two weeks?
Thank you for your hard work, CRE. This is a great proposal. The DEA needs to slow down and take a step back before they get out of control. Some education and communication about kratom seems to be needed. I still can’t find any justification for this hail mary scheduling besides corruption or sketchy ulterior motives. I hope this proposal is read and considered by the DEA. From what I’ve gathered there has been almost no communication on their part. This worries me. So many people rely on the subtle benefits this plant has to offer. I’ve been seeing evidence of propoganda and even raids already. The DEA seem to be rushing to ban kratom before too many people notice. This only makes the scheduling seem even more shady. This proposal brings up some very good and important points. Hopefully there will be enough pressure on the DEA soon enough so that they will have to give some answers and stop shamefully ignoring the millions of voices surrounding them. Kratom is safe. Kratom saves lives.
Kratom has helped me with OCD and anxiety problems unlike SSRI’s/SNRI’s that came with many side effects and caused withdrawal. Also kratom doesn’t put me in a fog like benzo’s do.
This plant has literally saved my life. Prescription pain pills nearly destroyed me and my family. Please DEA, consider the thousands of lives you will destroy by this action.
Kratom has helped tremendously with my nerve pain. It also has helped manage my anxiety and made me much more productive person. In the past two years taking it, I have been promoted twice at work. It needs to remain legal for all of the people it currently helps…and the millions it could help.
Thank you CRE for working to stop this overreach of the DEA. Kratom alleviates my spin without clouding my mind, which allows me to perform my job. Banning access to this plant will greatly degrade the quality of life for so many American citizens, and will most likely increase opiate overdoses and veteran suicides. Keep kratom legal and let responsive adults decide what to Putin their bodies. #kratomsaveslives
I think that the DEA’s claim that they are trying to prevent a public health crisis is both incredibly and obviously disingenuous. And the result will not be beneficial to any American. The number of chronic pain patients, veterans with PTSD, people who have successfully kicked a dangerous opiate addiction, and law-abiding productive citizens who want a choice about how to treat their own various conditions – who now will be without medicine and forced to make risky, and even illegal, decisions, will be enormous.
The DEA is NOT preventing a public health crisis. They are CREATING one.
To do this with no public discourse is unfair to those that use kratom to combat pain. You are going to be the cause of tremendous pain.
Wow, a sensible approach to this topic. Makes you wonder why the geniuses at the DEA couldn’t approach this situation like adults.
Thank you to the CRE for the approaching this matter. The number of lives that will be affected by a ban on Kratom is too high to allow this to go through.
I am a mother of two boys with a full time job in a hospital where I have worked for 10 years. I take Kratom for chronic pain and fatigue. My pain and fatigue can be controlled to help me continue to be a productive member of my community.
What the DEA is doing is nothing short of lawmaking by bureaucrats, something that goes against everything the United States stands for politically. Kratom has saved the lives of thousands (possibly even millions) of people within the United States in it’s 20 years of popularity here. I personally know many who were able to kick addictions to heroin, opioid painkillers and alcohol that combined, kill some 120,000 Americans every year. The latter two are legal in the United States and constitute the vast majority (approximately 110,000) of those deaths. Why doesn’t the DEA put those on the “Emergency Schedule I List” instead of a plant that has not been proven to kill anyone in the United States in 2 decades here and has the potential to drastically lower the death rate from substance abuse? The DEA has not proven its case against Kratom, their claims of its dangers go against the findings of scientists, regulating authorities and the testimonies of thousands of Americans across the country.
Thank you to the CRE for doing everything you can to bring attention to this travesty in the making and I hope and pray that someone, either within the DOJ or elsewhere will help to at least post-phone this in favor of due-diligence rather than rashness.
I have had problems with anxiety in the past and kratom has helped immensely. I’ve been taking it for over 2 years now. I’m not alone. Many veterans are using it to cope with PTSS. People have successfully used it to recover from opiate addictions. Some that have chronic pain use it to live functional lives. Now, the DEA wants to criminalize it. This will hurt a lot of good people. In my case, I will abide by the law if it does go through. I don’t want to be locked up in prison.
But, I feel that I should have the choice in managing my own health and well-being. I would like to have control over my body. If it goes through, I will have lost something that’s helping me to live a better life. I hope you will help stop the ban. Thank you for your time.
A Very reasonable approach. This path will surely have a better outcome than what is happening now.
This seems like a better approach. Making Kratom a Schedule 1 drug is ridiculous, in my opinion. My wife has sever pain issues from a nearly fatal car accident as a teen (She is 54 now). She will never, EVER, be pain free. Kratom is instrumental in helping alleviate not only some of her pain, but also helping manage some depression- and with far fewer side effects. This wonderful plant should be respected, embraced and cherished- NOT BANNED!! I can’t help but think that big pharma is partially behind this!
what no congress law makers got called into this first. is this even legal? DEA is getting way out of control. who complained too much? the drug companies? figures. leave our stuff alone. we are adults of sound minds and brains to match. let us make our own choices. DEA stay out of my business!!!!
I’d like to state my opinion: kratom is not a dangerous chemical. It is NOT a “legal high” any more than coffee is. It has what is known as “plateau effects” which is caused by the poor binding efficiency to receptors. Now, I know eyes will glaze over as soon as they see the word opioid-receptor (if anyone even looks at this letter), BUT the primary receptor that is stimulated is the kappa-opioid receptor, one of the many permutations found within our body (Thongpradichote, 1998). This IS NOT the same receptor that diacetyl-morphine (heroin) stimulates, which is the mu-opioid receptor. So, this plateau effect means that only so many poorly binding molecules can activate the receptors, regardless of how high a dose a person takes.
As a matter of fact, once you’ve taken a large dose, it begins to act on other systems, which in turn DECREASE the effects felt. Additionally, an excessively large dose makes the individual feel nauseous and have what is called the “wobbles,” which is a sensation of nystagmus. This doesn’t really impair one, other than the obvious: do not operate heavy machinery or drive; instead, it makes you feel ill for up to 30 minutes before going away. From such a dose, one realizes that they don’t want to consume servings that size. Due to this fact, addiction risk is minimized, and withdrawals (obviously vary per person) are minimal if at all existent. They consist of feeling a bit lethargic for 2-4 days, similar to not having had your morning cup of coffee, you might also have an extra bowel movement a day during those days, and you might feel a bit restless. Kratom was actually found to have “had no opiatelike dependence syndrome” (Jansen, 1988) when being tested for use as an analgesic in the 1980’s.
What we truly need is our excellent government to represent our interests and offer us protections from people trying to make money, not the parenting of the DEA giving us ultimatums on a “poorly” researched compound. For example, when people realize they can make a quick buck, they will sell anything as was the case with 9 deaths. These folks ingested unknown quantities of a “legal high” product called Krypton, which was mainly the schedule 2 substance from the painkiller Tramadol, mixed with kratom. Tramadol has been long known to cause seizures in humans and is reserved for veterinary purposes, and for individuals who cannot handle opiate narcotics. These 9 individuals had blood concentrations of the active compound in kratom of 0.02 – 0.18 micrograms per gram of blood. The “recreational levels” serum blood levels are 10 – 50 micrograms per gram of blood (Kronstrand, 2011). Think about those numbers; the people who died due to the tramadol, the scheduled narcotic compounds had 100 – 1000 times lower levels (just shift the decimal place over until the numbers fall into the recreational range) of kratom’s active compounds in their blood than they should have to be getting the minimal “recreational” effects. It is obvious that this substance had little to do with these deaths…Due to people who create these awful, deceitful, and harmful blends of synthetic narcotics with the natural ground leaves of the kratom tree, a handful of individuals have had negative side effects (although the deaths pale in comparison to other household products, like laundry detergent pods, which had over 7,000 poision control calls during the 6-month period leading up the DEA’s announcement, while kratom and all these “dirty” mixtures totaled around 300 calls during the two-year period that the DEA cites).
What we need is for the FDA to regulate the purity and quality of these herbal supplements. Let’s regulate and tax this supplement so that the people who consume this substance will be safe. As unfortunate as it is, banning it by scheduling this substance will halt research. We have seen it again and again, when something is scheduled, research halts, regulation halts, and the only thing that takes place is the marginalization and incarceration of the poor and people of color. Alternatively, we could schedule laundry detergent pods…
References:
Jansen, K. L., & Prast, C. J. (1988). Psychoactive properties of mitragynine (kratom). Journal of psychoactive drugs, 20(4), 455-457.
Kronstrand, R.; Roman, M.; Thelander, G.; Eriksson, A. (2011). “Unintentional Fatal Intoxications with Mitragynine and O-Desmethyltramadol from the Herbal Blend Krypton”. Journal of Analytical Toxicology. 35 (4): 242–7. doi:10.1093/anatox/35.4.242. PMID 21513619
Thongpradichote, S., Matsumoto, K., Tohda, M., Takayama, H., Aimi, N., Sakai, S. I., & Watanabe, H. (1998). Identification of opioid receptor subtypes in antinociceptive actions of supraspinally-admintstered mitragynine in mice. Life Sciences, 62(16), 1371-1378.
I’ve used Kratom safely, responsibly and successfully for a couple of years to treat my depression, anxiety and physical pain from type II bipolar disorder and back pain. I continue to use Kratom while taking up healthy practices of prayer, mindfulness, exercising self control and personal ethics. All of these things used together help me to maintain a calm mind and satisfied sense of being.
I found Kratom three years ago after I had began searching for natural and safe ways to address my physical pain. This, as I understand is a side effect of bipolar disorder and depression. My medication schedule was so oppressive. So many side effects and the amount of time took to get the therapeutic dosages, it was draining and most of the time unsuccessful. I finally gave up all prescription medication and spiraled into a 6 year period of alcohol and drug abuse.
Kratom is absolutely, without a doubt, the best natural intervention I have stumbled across. I am extremely grateful to have had it.
Kratom, with its alkaloids, needs to have some conclusive studies done, SOON, to verify that this IS a promising plant and has endless potential. Kratom, with its alkaloids, is scaring the FDA. Allowing the DEA to schedule Kratom as a Schedule 1 substance is extreme and unnecessary. Scheduling Kratom this way prevents science to study it’s effects in a medical setting. This is overreach is terrible and harmful to most of society. It is undemocratic. It is a thievery of basic human rights.
Please step in and stop this perversion of what this country was founded and built. Freedom and the pursuit of happiness.
There is currently a petition to the Whitehouse that has yielded over 70K signatures in 7 days. We the people deserve to be heard, but the DEA claims there is no reason for public comment.
Please help us get the word out about this amazing plant, it helped me with my mental illness but countless people use this tea for chronic pain, lupus, endometriosis, PTSD and a myriad of other health concerns.
This is me. We are human beings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzRlc08sNV4
I do hope the DEA will consider this recommendation and reconsider its position and will at least put off action till July 2017 so further consideration can be made of this issue. I am a widely published author who suffers from chronic fatique syndrome and Kratom has been enormously helpful in helping me remain productive and functional despite my condition. I experience it as no stronger or more stimulating or addictive than coffee, but without the caffeine jitters. It is nowhere near comparable to other schedule 1 substances, but is an herbal supplement comparable to, for instance, ginseng, which is widely used and perfectly safe. It has no more potential for abuse, in my experience, than caffeine or ginseng or many other legal plant-based supplements. It would be a big shame to deprive sufferers like myself from its many helpful benefits.
Kratom helped me stop using methamphetamine. If this harmless herb is banned because Big Pharma is patenting the alkaloids, I’m worried myself & numerous other people will go back to using dangerous drugs. Kratom doesn’t get you high! It helps with anxiety, depression, & pain that using meth for so many years left me with.
To whom it may concern,
I’m a 58 year old female, mother of 3 who had previously been prescribed opiate’s for over 25 year’s for my chronic pain and psych med’s for a life long struggle with depression. After being robbed 3 times for my medication’s and burying 5 friends due to accidental overdose I quit all my medication’s and was confined to my bed for over a year. I was truly waiting and wanting to die. Then I read about kratom and decided to try it. The very first dose relieved me of my pain by 90% and the tightness in my chest due to debilitating anxiety and pain was lifted.I was amazed. My hope was restored and I was filled with joy when I could get out of bed and play with my grandchildren.
That was 3 year’s ago. I have experienced no troubling side affects. I take my kratom like a responsible adult and feel that without kratom I will either have to go back to opiate’s which are responsible for hundred’s of death’s daily and put me at risk or die. Or become a felon. I have my life back and one worth living. I believe Kratom is a gift from God as it has saved my life and according to Genesis is a seed bearing tree meant for our health.
I truly get great pain relief and help with my depression without any head changes associated with the many pharmecuetical med’s prescribed over 25 year’s.
Please don’t take this life saving herb from me or the hundred’s of thousand’s of American’s whose very lives hang in the balance due to this proposed scheduling.
Please consider the many lives that will be destroyed by such action.
Kratom has saved many lives for many reasons: Effectively relieves chronic pain, Alleviates depression, debilitating anxiety & PTSD without the awful side effects associated with antidepressants. Kratom has also helped countless people get over addiction, and has been a great help to large numbers of our Veterans suffering with PTSD & chronic pain, and said to have prevented many suicides. No deaths have been reported from Kratom alone (more people die every year from OTC’s). Banning this herb however, will result in many deaths and/or rob sick people of their quality of life which they had gained back from this herb. If all that isn’t bad enough, many non-threatening, law-abiding citizens (including many of our Veterans, and elderly people) will become felons overnight, filling up our already overcrowded prisons. And this, in my opinion, is the real crime!
Kratom is something that should never be banned. I have horrible fibromyalgia and was able to get off opiods with Kratom.
Because of Kratom, I can move around and do things- we have horses and I can get things done such as chores and more !!!!! I do not think they understand or can fathom what it is like to be in that kind of pain and then find something like Kratom that actually works and then being told it is going to be taken away.
It is a herb from the coffee family. To ban Kratom would show great disrespect and uncaring to thousands of people who depend on it’s miracle qualities.
Banning Kratom is the REAL crime, yes !!!! Do not ban Kratom !!!!!
Its a dark day when your own country and people who you elect, turn against you. This is one of those dark days. While opiates and heroin flow freely without much to stem that flow, this ban on Kratom, barely known, and if there was such a negative impact that it warrants an emergency ban, how come nobody even knows about Kratom. Those that have come to learn and benefit from the plant are now going to be stripped of their right to chose a natural remedy over an addictive, life destroying drug. I get through my day on Kratom, as a career person and a mother, running a household and everything else that goes with being a good active citizen. Why does the majority have to suffer because one or two people acted carelessly. We should therefore ban cigarettes, alcohol, opiates, coffee, energy drinks, heck thrown in peanuts too! I dont even want to vote anymore, the government does not work on the behalf of its people – only those who have deep pockets…
I don’t want to go back on pain pills I am actually scared to death right now. I have used this for 5 years and my quality of life got 10000% better. I don’t remember a year of my life because of the mass amounts of crap the VA gave me.
I’m for regulation. Kratom has helped me tremendously, I no longer crave alcohol and my depression is diminished. And it never makes me high or dopey.
I think the peer review on the DEAs scientific references is a great idea. They’re using the same unethical methodology and specious reasoning that created a class war and a culture of mass imprisonment in this country.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I’ve been an RN for 44 years. After almost a year of being unable to sleep because of body pains and my physician REFUSING to order a sleep med for me (she said to take an Epsom salt bath – like I hadn’t already tried everything), I went on the hunt for a supplement that would help me. I finally discovered Kratom and what a Godsend it was. I finally slept and totally without the hangovers, drowsiness and side effects of pharmaceutical medications, BTW.
I don’t smoke nor do I drink but I rely on my nightly Kratom to ease my arthritic pains and get some sleep. Without sleep I cannot function and I’m far more impaired from lack of sleep than I ever am from a dose of Kratom, I can assure you.
Many people use this legal substance as an organic and safe alternative to pharmaceutical drugs which they may not be able to afford or which may cause many serious side effects for them.
I’m begging you – please do not force an entire group of law abiding citizens to become criminals overnight by the mere passing of some arbitrary legislation on the part of the DEA. Please allow some discussion and research first?? Please allow some consideration for the American citizen who is only trying to get along in life? Please allow some kindness and understanding for the vendors who will overnight be losing their businesses?
Thank you
To the powers that be: Kratom has saved my life! When I found kratom, I was able to stop taking the opiate based pain medication I had been prescribed for years. With kratom, I am able to work full time, enjoy my grandchildren and be a positive, productive member of society. I don’t know why the DEA is purposing this crazy change. Does it really come down to the big parma company’s not getting their share of money from the misery of others. Please do not let this happen, I beg of you.
this is a very smart idea to stop the ban. the reasons being that kratom heals pain, ptsd, anxiety, creates energy to be productive. banning it will cause withdrawls to responsible people who have taken it daily for months or years. heroin and prescription pill use will skyrocket and americans will suffer! why ban something that does not cause a high and makes you productive. so many reasons to stop the ban! please do not do this i am pleading! it causes way more good than bad… i didnt know there was a bad
I am so thankful that CRE is doing this. This plant is a Godsend for so many people in chronic pain who do not want to become addicted to, or remain addicted to opioid pain medications. It is not dangerous. This is false. This plant has been used safely for thousands of years and does not cause respiratory depression. Taking away this plant will be detrimental to hundreds of thousands of people. Banning Kratom will have the opposite effect and will make the opioid epidemic WORSE by FORCING people back to the more dangerous and highly addictive drugs like Oxycontin, Methadone, and others. Kratom saved my life and saved the lives of so many others. Delaying or overturning the proposed ruling by the DEA is required to prevent imminent harm to the public.
This plant is so incredibly helpful. It helped me get off opiates, helps my anxiety and even helps my girlfriends migranes. I’ve never heard of this plant harming people, the only downside is it can be potentially addicting, but so is red bull, so are antidepressants. Just doesn’t make sense to ban something that helps do many people without the use of harmful pharmaceuticals.
When the government aka DEA lose out on cash or funds they seem to throw a fit strictly buck the system in which they think they have created. I’m a kratom user not only for mental support but for the better physical part of my day. I spend my money MY MONEY on a non-illegal substance and I actually believe I gain more then I lose. But this is America if you gain to much and enjoy yourself too much someone wants a piece of your cake. I hope the fight for kratom wins no doubt.
Hi my name is Rhianna and I am a kratom user.. I have chronic pain and was on all sorts of pain pills and then I found kratom. I have gotten off of all the pills and just take this and It has changed my life for the better. Making kratom and schedule 1 drug is wrong and will effect millions of people in a negative way. There is nothing wrong with it. You say ok well people have died from it but yes if you take too many aspirin you will die to! Alcohol kills millions of people per year more than anything and I don’t see anyone making that illegally. .. why kratom? Something g that acually helps millions of people! It’s wrong what the DEA is doing so I think they should take everything in to consideration and stop trying to make it a drug. It is a plant! If you’re going to outlaw something make it alcohol something that only harms people not help people like kratom does.
Kratom succesfully helped me get off of Methadone and changed my life. The ban of this plant will end lives.
I am one of the leaders at a celebrate recovery in one of the largest churches in austin tx. I personally found relief from a 4 year prescribed opiate addiction through kratom and i have helped many get off opiates and heroin with kratom. It is saving lives everyday and it will be detrimental to ban it. No one i know abuses it or has withdrawn from use there are no side effects. I have been off opiates for 4 years and my life has changed!!!!
This Ban will harm more people than it will help. I take kratom for my crippling depression that I have been blessed with all my life. I have tried for 20 years the various cocktails from the doctors and most did not work or came with side effects: weight loss-I lost 40 lbs in 4 months; loss of appetite; insomnia; stomach pain and of course racing thoughts and more anxiety. I had to use benzos to shut off the anxiety but even those stopped helping. So then it was take this pill for that symptom. I got tired of the long ride on the merrygoround. I ask that the DEA reconsiders and drop this foolishness. It will harm more people than it will help.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/groups-dea-ban-of-natural-herb-kratom-could-cause-billions-in-industry-losses-harm-more-than-three-million-americans-300336610.html
Billions in losses guys… that is a lot more than $100 million. This therefore has become “significant regulatory action”.
It is clear that a “DEA” ban has not been enacted. There is a two year trial period where by we study this kratom leaf’s benefits. Personally, this is the best news as I can continue my use of kratom to end most of my pain (chronic back pain) legally. I can now exist as a productive member of society again. I have been on Social Security Disability for over ten years and now it is possible for me to attempt to work again. The pain I have experienced is second to none. It teaches me that feeling good is possible in this world. What a miracle kratom is becoming among other plants. I can see a future for me again. I can live and be happy again. My mental illness can subside and I can fulfill my destiny in the world. I plan on reentering society as a full fledged member and help others like me live happily. Thank you to kratom and everyone who has made this possible.
Kratom has been a great blessing to my life as well as to others in my life that I know personally. It has helped with pain and stress management. The plain unmodified tea has a very low potential for abuse. Using too much is not a desirable experience and dependence is closely related to coffee. This tea has helped me when all other pharmaceuticals were not able to help and caused other health problems. Due to my health problems there are many drugs I cannot take. I am a sole provider for a family of 4 children and my wife. Making this necessary medication illegal will do us great harm and put our livelihood and my health at risk. I use kratom under my doctor’s direction and supervision.
DEA Overreach:
The DEA is claiming this herb has no known medical use and a high potential for abuse in spite of the conflicting NIH[dot]gov published study that highlights the medicinal benefits AND low potential for dependence. The study is here:
www[dot]ncbi[dot]nlm[dot]nih[dot]gov/pubmed/21594658
Congress should make laws; not unelected federal agencies who reject academic research and all public comment. The DEA is seeking a ban, which would make the medicinal herb, Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) and/or its constituents Mitragynine and 7-hydroxy-mitragynine, illegal. I ask you to make an informed decision by educating yourself on the safety of this plant compared to coffee, alcohol, tobacco, and prescription drugs, and I urge you to research the medicinal potential that this plant has ALREADY displayed. Consider reasonable legislation that would restrict its use to 18+ like other states.
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