Help Keep Kratom Legal – Submit Your Comments to the DEA
Thanks to the tremendous public outcry, amongst other factors, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has backed off its plan to list kratom as a Schedule 1 controlled substance.
However, Kratom is not out of the woods yet, but you can take action to help keep kratom legal because the DEA is accepting public comment on kratom for a period of six weeks. This public comment period will be used to determine how the DEA will proceed concerning kratom. So now is your opportunity to take action and save kratom!
Please take the time to do this. This is the single most important thing you can do to influence how the governement will treat Kratom going forward. Don’t assume others will do it and all is good.
How Do I Share My Comments on Kratom?
The American Kratom Association has led the charge in an attempt to keep kratom legal in the United States.
This organization has launched a website at www.KratomComments.org where users can complete a simple form that will be submitted directly to the DEA. The site was created to ensure that all comments are being counted and that a independent count
In addition to your comments, the form asks for some basic information, such as your name, address, email and phone.
Please note that you can submit the form anonymously by entering the word “ANONYMOUS” in each of the fields for name, address, phone and email.
The comment section is where you can share your experiences with kratom and your thoughts on why it’s so important to keep this natural plant legal and unrestricted in the United States.
Just visit www.KratomComments.org to get started!
What Should I Write in the Kratom Comments Section?
We encourage you to share your personal experiences as a kratom user. Just keep the 5,000 character limit in mind when writing your comments. (You can use the “preview” button on the bottom of the form to check the length before sending.)
If you’re unsure of how or where to start, consider these points as you prepare to write your comments to the DEA:
• What first attracted you to kratom? Were you seeking a natural pain or anxiety reliever? Were you addicted to prescription painkillers or heroin and seeking something to ease the withdrawal symptoms? Do you suffer from chronic pain, but cannot afford prescription drugs? Paint a picture of what your life was like before kratom and what motivated you to try kratom.
• What has kratom done for you and your life? Explore the benefits of having kratom in your life. Has kratom relieved your pain or anxiety? Has kratom allowed you to become a more productive person? Has kratom allowed you to overcome an illness or condition that you were unable to overcome previously? Does kratom make you a happier, more well-adjusted member of society? Explain precisely WHY kratom is important to you!
• What would you lose if kratom was banned tomorrow? Would you be unable to work due to pain or anxiety? Would your social anxiety prevent you from pursuing college classes? Would you be unable to care for your children effectively without kratom? Would your overall quality of life suffer? Paint a picture of what your life would look like without kratom. What losses you would you suffer if kratom was made illegal?
• Have you ever experienced serious problems in terms of a kratom overdose, addiction or side effects? Do you feel kratom is safe? Have you experienced serious side effects? Do you feel you’re addicted to kratom? These are primary areas of concern for the DEA, so any thoughts on safety and addictiveness are important to discuss.
Why is All This Happening?
On August 31, the DEA announced its plan to make kratom’s two main alkaloids a Schedule 1 controlled substance – a category reserved for dangerous drugs with no recognized medicinal usage, including heroin, LSD and methamphetamine. September 30 was the earliest this new classification could go into effect, making kratom illegal to possess or sell.
The DEA attempted to justify the emergency scheduling measure by calling kratom an “imminent” health threat. The DEA cited kratom’s connection to 15 deaths (although 14 of those incidents involved other drugs in addition to kratom.)
The agency also cited the 660 kratom-related calls to poison control centers between 2010 and 2015, although just 428 of those calls involved kratom only. For perspective, over the same six-year timeframe, the CDC has received 23,203 calls concerning caffeine and a total of 66,300 calls concerning essential oils.
The DEA’s plan to list kratom as a Schedule 1 substance drew significant objection from kratom proponents, many of whom use kratom to self-wean off dangerous opiates or to self-manage pain that would otherwise require opiate painkillers.
In fact, a DEA spokesperson named Melvin Patterson told the media that “I have been with the DEA for 20 years and have never seen this level of public response.” A number of lawmakers also spoke out, as did attorneys for The American Kratom Association, amongst others.
So in a rare move, the DEA has backed off its plans to list kratom as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, but now, your action is more important than ever! This public comment period is extremely important, as the feedback that the authorities receive from members of the public – people like YOU – will help paint a more accurate picture of kratom’s real characteristics and benefits.
We encourage you to take action now and complete the American Kratom Association’s public comment form, which will be sent directly to the DEA once you submit the form.
Take action today and share this link with your kratom-loving friends!
Want to learn more about kratom quality and value? Start here:
Why Buying Cheap Kratom Can Be Dangerous
