SHOULD KRATOM BE BANNED?

We all know that Kratom is not something new but a natural herb that has been used centuries back by farmers to boost their energy as they work in their fields. 

The use of Kratom has resurfaced with several people using it in the USA and other parts of the world as well. As the number of Kratom users keeps swelling, the government keeps holding several debates on whether Kratom should be banned. Read on to find whether Kratom should be banned. You can buy Kratom by clicking 

Kratom and Drug Scheduling Debate

In August 2016, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), after conducting research, decided to temporarily classify two psychoactive chemicals found in Kratom as Schedule I drugs. This was triggered by a few deaths that were associated with the use of Kratom.

All you need to know about Schedule I Drugs

Schedule I Drugs are prohibited substances that can be readily abused and not currently accepted for medicinal benefits or use. All drugs that are seen as a threat to society are always listed under Schedule I Drugs. Popular drugs that are listed under Schedule I include:

• Heroin
• Ecstasy
• LSD

This move by the DEA sparked mixed reactions as tons of Kratom users were against it. Some of the famous politicians also joined Kratom users in condemning the move that DEA made. It’s estimated that more than 120,000 consumers signed a White House petition to leave Kratom legalized in the USA. Later, a bipartisan group constituting more than 60 members of Congress signed letters to the DEA, conflicting with the proposal to list Kratom under Schedule I Drugs.

Many Kratom users and Kratom advocates argue that Kratom’s use is safe as it has thousands of users, and it also serves as an alternative to prescription opioids. They also mentioned that the misuse of prescription opioids led to more than 42,000 deaths. They see Kratom as a godsend alternative to the deadly opioids.

What’s the truth behind the use of Kratom?

Everybody has been asking, is Kratom safe to use? Are there side effects when one uses Kratom? What are the benefits of using Kratom? Well, as at the moment, very little is known about Kratom! There is no verified information about the safety of using Kratom or even the dangers of using Kratom.

This is why criminalizing the use of Kratom is a complicated move because there are no confirmed scientific dangers of using Kratom. For instance, many Kratom advocates argue that when Kratom is criminalized, there will be no scientific research on the advantages of using Kratom, such as being able to treat opioid withdrawal symptoms.

Since there are no particular tests that reveal that Kratom is not safe to use, most states in the US have legalized Kratom’s use. Kratom is sold online and even in local stalls where users buy.

The Kratom Ban

Some states in the USA have banned Kratom’s use and have considered it an unknown pharmaceutical substance. Some of these States that initiated the Kratom ban from 2016 are:

• Indiana
• Vermont
• Wisconsin
• Arkansas
• Tennessee

Many of the U.S. States have Kratom legislation pending and may have new regulations touching on the use of Kratom. The problem at hand is that nobody knows much about Kratom. Its dangers and its benefits are not yet scientifically confirmed.

Deaths surrounding the use of Kratom in the United States

Well, the FDA announced about 44 deaths that they say are associated with the use of Kratom. However, there are no confirmations of whether it’s the Kratom that caused the death in these cases. Among all these deaths, the users had other substances in their bodies that may have led to their death instead of Kratom being the primary suspect. Some of the substances that were found are prescription narcotics such as fentanyl and benzodiazepines.

Can Kratom be the treatment of Opioid Addiction?

One of the significant unconfirmed allegations is that Kratom can be the treatment of opioid addiction. Many Kratom users have testified that Kratom has helped them walk freely out of the dangerous prescription opioids. These claims have been turned down by the FDA, who says that there is no reliable evidence to confirm that Kratom can act as the treatment for opioid use disorder.

Oregon rehabilitation in Poland became the first rehabilitation facility to start using Kratom as the treatment of opioid addiction in March 2018.

Kratom Contamination

There is only one thing that both parties do accept Kratom contamination. Some forms of Kratom are contaminated. These forms of Kratom are usually packaged as dietary supplements and, at some point, may be contaminated with other different compounds that include synthetic opioids that have caused deaths.

In 2018, the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researched a given disease that affected several states in the USA. The salmonella infections were suspected to have originated from Kratom-containing products.

To avoid another outbreak touching on the use of Kratom, Kratom advocates suggested that the FDA should think of creating requirements and other several quality control measures in place to ensure the safety of Kratom containing products.

Bottom Line

After carefully reading this article, you will agree that this is the best win-win situation you have ever seen! Nobody knows much about the dangers of using Kratom, and the same applies to the other side, that nobody knows the benefits of using Kratom. Whether Kratom should be banned is a discussion that can only be continued after scientific tests have been conducted and confirmed on the dangers and benefits of Using Kratom!