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Dea Going To Put Kratom On Schedule One


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After the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced an "emergency" ban on kratom at the end of August, a spokesman for the agency said "our goal is to make sure this is available." The spokesman, Melvin Patterson, also toldThe Washington Post kratom does not belong in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, the law's most restrictive category, even though that is where the DEA had just put it.



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Patterson added that kratom, which the DEA says has "no currently accepted medical use," is "at a point where it needs to be recognized as medicine." Confused? You're not alone. The DEA's ban on kratom, a pain-relieving leaf from Southeast Asia, shows how blithely and arbitrarily the government interferes with our freedom to control our own brains and bloodstreams.


Kratom, which acts as a stimulant or a sedative, depending on the dose, has been usedfor centuries in countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia to ease pain, boost work performance, and wean people from opiate addiction. In recent years the drug has gained a following in the United States, sold by online merchants and head shops as an herbal medicine, dietary supplement, or legal high.


 

That situation offended the DEA, which noted in the explanation of its ban that kratom had never been approved by the government for any use. If a psychoactive substance is not explicitly permitted, the DEA figures, it should be prohibited.


The agency apparently was surprised by the backlash against its kratom ban, which included angry phone calls to Capitol Hill, a demonstration near the White House, and letters from members of Congress. The DEA still intends to finalize the ban, although it did not take effect last Friday as expected.


Patterson, the DEA spokesman, said the reaction to the ban "was eye-opening for me personally." He added that "I want the kratom community to know that the DEA does hear them."


That attitude is quite a contrast to the deaf arrogance the DEA displayed when itannounced that it was temporarily placing kratom in Schedule I, a classification that lasts at least two years and could become permanent. Declaring that a ban was necessary "to avoid an imminent hazard to public safety," the DEA summarily dismissed kratom's benefits while exaggerating its dangers.


The DEA describes all kratom use as "abuse." It was therefore easy for the agency to conclude that the plant has "a high potential for abuse," one of the criteria for Schedule I.


Since the DEA assumed there was no rational, morally acceptable reason to use kratom, it did not need to muster much evidence that the drug is intolerably dangerous. It claimed there have been "numerous deaths associated with kratom," by which it meant 30. In the whole world. Ever.


According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol causes about 88,000 deaths a year in this country, while 28,000 deaths were attributed to heroin and opioid painkillers in 2014. Kratom looks pretty benign by comparison.


Another point to keep in mind: "Deaths associated with kratom" are not necessarily caused by kratom. "Kratom is considered minimally toxic," noted a 2015 literature review in the International Journal of Legal Medicine. "Although death has been attributed to kratom use, there is no solid evidence that kratom was the sole contributor to an individual's death."


As further proof of kratom's dangers, the DEA noted that "U.S. poison centers received 660 calls related to kratom exposure" from 2010 through 2015, an average of 110 a year. By comparison, exposures involving analgesics accounted for nearly 300,000 calls in 2014, while antidepressants and antihistamines each accounted for more than 100,000.


As the DEA's contrived kratom crisis shows, there is little rhyme or reason to the government's pharmacological taboos, which are driven by unreasoning prejudice rather than science. The one overriding theme is that people cannot be trusted to weigh the risks and benefits of drugs for themselves.


© Copyright 2016 by Creators Syndicate Inc.


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If you register for an account you can read all the articles on the Medscape website, not to mention see the reactions and comments of real healthcare practitioners.

 

 

DEA Delays Kratom Ban

 


Alicia Ault

October 06, 2016

 

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has not taken action to make the herbal supplement kratom as schedule I drug, despite previously announcing its intention to do so by September 30.

The delay comes as some members of Congress, as well as kratom users and researchers, have grown increasingly vociferous over the notion that the DEA would make kratom a schedule I substance, in the same class as heroin and marijuana, without allowing any public input.

In late August, the agency said it would place kratom's active ingredients ― the opioids mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine ― on schedule I within 30 days, but did not invite public comment, as is typically done with federal regulation notices.

The scheduling has not occurred yet but is still on track, DEA spokesman Russ Baer told Medscape Medical News.

"We've consistently said to anyone that has asked that it could be September 30 or sometime thereafter," said Baer. "We're in that 'sometime thereafter' stage."

Baer would not say whether the agency is going to allow any public input. But Susan Ash, founder and director of the American Kratom Association (AKA), told Medscape Medical News that a congressional ally, Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisc), has indicated that the DEA will now seek public comment.

The DEA is under pressure from Congress to reconsider making kratom a schedule I substance. Fifty-one members of the House sent letters to the DEA's acting administrator and to the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget on September 26 stating that the action may be illegal and that it could stop much-needed research.

Where's the Proof?

Two separate groups of senators have also urged the agency to put a hold on the scheduling decision.

One letter, issued by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and signed by eight other senators, questioned why the DEA considered it an emergency to restrict kratom and asked for evidence that it is a public health threat.

Sen. Hatch has been a frequent advocate for the dietary supplement industry and was the lead developer of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. That law created the regulatory framework for supplements.

Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ron Wyden (D-Ore), and Kirstin Gillbrand (D-NY), also wrote to the DEA, saying that "an increasing body of research has shown kratom's potential value as a treatment for a number of conditions." They asked the agency to solicit more public input.

Eleven academic researchers, led by Andrew C. Kruegel, PhD, a pharmacologist at Columbia University, wrote to Congress in early September expressing their concern about the DEA action.

Kratom is being studied at Columbia University, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the University of California, San Francisco, and elsewhere, they wrote. The drug may have potential as a painkiller that could be less dangerous than opioids, given the fact that it appears to cause less respiratory depression, they wrote.

Kratom users have made their dissatisfaction known as well. Some 141,000 people signed a petition urging the White House to keep the DEA from scheduling the supplement. "If the DEA gets its way, more people who struggle with addiction will be criminalized," according to a statement by Jag Davies, director of communications strategy at the Drug Policy Alliance, a New York–based nonprofit that is also arguing against scheduling.

Opioid Alternative

Derived from a tree (Mitragyna speciosa korth) grown in Southeast Asia, kratom has become increasingly popular as an alternative to opioids both to treat pain and to ease opioid withdrawal. It is also used recreationally for both its stimulant and its relaxation properties.

The DEA says that kratom has a high potential for abuse, that it has no currently accepted medicinal use, and that there is a lack of evidence of safety when used under medical supervision.

The American Medical Association (AMA) passed a resolution at its annual House of Delegates meeting in June 2016 noting that kratom was being marketed in many cases as a legal high and that its use could lead to addiction. The AMA was directed to "support legislative or regulatory efforts to prohibit the sale or distribution of kratom in the United States which do not inhibit proper scientific research."

Several states, including New York, are considering bans on kratom, and a few states have made the supplement illegal, including Arkansas, Indiana, Tennessee, and Vermont, according to Speciosa.org, a website that appears to be maintained by the Botanical Education Alliance (BEA) and the American Kratom Association.

Those two groups were formed in part to keep kratom legal. The AKA's members include people who have disabilities and others who use kratom, said Ash, the director. The BEA has not responded to requests from Medscape Medical News about its funding. Both the AKA and the BEA are members of the American Herbal Products Association, which describes itself as the "voice of the herbal industry."

Ash said that the AKA does "get donations from some people in the business," adding, "but we are consumers, and do not profit off kratom in any way."

 

Medscape Medical News © 2016  WebMD, LLC

Send comments and news tips to news@medscape.net.

Cite this article: DEA Delays Kratom Ban. Medscape. Oct 06, 2016.

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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Drug Enforcement Administration 21 CFR Part 1308 [Docket No. DEA-442W] Withdrawal of Notice of Intent to Temporarily Place Mitragynine and 7- Hydroxymitragynine into Schedule I AGENCY: Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice ACTION: Withdrawal of Notice of Intent; Solicitation of Comments. SUMMARY: On August 31, 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published in the Federal Register a notice of intent to temporarily place mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, which are the main psychoactive constituents of the plant Mitragyna speciosa, also referred to as kratom, into schedule I pursuant to the temporary scheduling provisions of the Controlled Substances Act. Since publishing that notice, DEA has received numerous comments from members of the public challenging the scheduling action and requesting that the agency consider those comments and accompanying information before taking further action. In addition, DEA will receive from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a scientific and medical evaluation and scheduling recommendation for these substances, which DEA previously requested. 2 DEA is therefore taking the following actions: DEA is withdrawing the August 31, 2016 notice of intent; and soliciting comments from the public regarding the scheduling of mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine under the Controlled Substances Act. DATES: The notice of intent that was published on August 31, 2016 (81 FR 59929) is withdrawn as of [iNSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION]. The comment period will be open until December 1, 2016. All comments for the public record must be submitted electronically or in writing in accordance with the procedures outlined below. Electronic comments must be submitted, and written comments must be postmarked, on or before December 1, 2016. Commenters should be aware that the electronic Federal Docket Management System will not accept comments after 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the last day of the comment period. Please note that if you previously submitted a comment via email or regular mail following the August 31, 2016 notice, that comment is being considered by DEA – it is not necessary to resubmit the same comment unless you wish to provide additional information, or you wish to have your comment posted for public view in accordance with the instructions provided below. ADDRESSES: To ensure proper handling of comments, please reference “Docket No. DEA-442W” on all correspondence, including any attachments.  Electronic comments: The Drug Enforcement Administration encourages that all comments be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal, which provides the ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on the Web page or attach a file for lengthier comments. Please go to http://www.regulations.govand follow the online instructions at that site for submitting comments. Upon completion of your submission, you will receive a Comment Tracking 3 Number for your comment. Please be aware that submitted comments are not instantaneously available for public view on Regulations.gov. If you have received a Comment Tracking Number, your comment has been successfully submitted and there is no need to resubmit the same comment.  Paper comments: Paper comments that duplicate the electronic submission are not necessary and are discouraged. Should you wish to mail a paper comment in lieu of an electronic comment, it should be sent via regular or express mail to: Drug Enforcement Administration, Attn: DEA Federal Register Representative/ODW, 8701 Morrissette Drive, Springfield, Virginia 22152. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael J. Lewis, Diversion Control Division, Drug Enforcement Administration; Mailing Address: 8701 Morrissette Drive, Springfield, Virginia 22152; Telephone: (202) 598–6812. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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Withdrawal of Notice of Intent to Temporarily Place Mitragynine and 7- Hydroxymitragynine into Schedule I    Good words to here

 

Now back to work 

https://americankratomassociation.nationbuilder.com/donate  

 

https://www.botanical-education.org/donate/

 

It tis' OFFICIAL! We, the people, researchers, scientists, advocacy groups, etc. WILL have the adequate chance to let our voices be heard!...this time, within the judicial process!

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This unprecedented DEA comment period withdraws the previous notice altogether, and allows us until Dec. 1st, to show (and as we all know, PROVE), the multitudes of justifications, the mis-information, dis-information, and finally; the TRUTH!

-

All being thoroughly backed up with the scientific/research community (and its unbiased and well-executed rigor).

-

(Federal Updated Docket)

https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.f…/2016-24659.pdf

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Let's get started today! As of, right now, continue your phone calls (and letters/emails) to the Senate, Congress, DEA Headquarters, White House, Share on Facebook, Tweet (or ReTweet) on Twitter, and contact any individuals of your personal interest whom might aid in this uphill battle!

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If anyone needs the contact information for Senate, Congress, White House; this info. can be found on our Home page of our website. (See Comments)

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If anyone has any additional questions (that we are capable in answering), please let us know!

-

Any updates will be published/updated as soon as physically possible. 2764.png<3

#IAmKratom #Kratom #SaveKratom #KeepKratomLegal#AmericanKratomAssociation #KratomSavesLives #WeAreKratom#WeAreLegion

Edited by cristinew
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TO DEA - (202) 307-1000. 

Suggested (or similar) message:

"I completely oppose any emergency scheduling of Kratom, as it will do more harm than good. I ask/demand that Kratom be treated like all other herbal dietary supplements, and be put through a proper dietary supplement review and process."

 

TO CONGRESS - (202) 224-3121 

Suggested (or similar) message:

"I completely oppose any emergency scheduling of Kratom, as it will do more harm than good. I ask/demand that Kratom be treated like all other herbal dietary supplements, and be put through a proper dietary supplement review and process."

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I would be amazed if they were able to save kratom.

 

dea doesn't budge.

Withdrawal of Notice of Intent to Temporarily Place Mitragynine and 7- Hydroxymitragynine into Schedule I 

 

It is amazing what the power of the people can do.  We will NEVER GIVE UP ..

Not Today DEA Not Any Day.

 

ENDLESS PRESSSURE! ENDLESSLY APPLIED!

 

"Evil triumphs when good men do nothing"

 

First, the DEA blinked. Now they are running back to their mommy... the FDA! flower 'em both!

 

Obama appointed a Big Pharma executive to head the FDA! A chief scientist at the FDA just resigned in protest, after his recommendation NOT to approve a new cancer drug was overruled by this FDA donkey rectum. The company stock went up by about 200%. Democracy lost... again!

Edited by cristinew
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Withdrawal of Notice of Intent to Temporarily Place Mitragynine and 7- Hydroxymitragynine into Schedule I 

 

It is amazing what the power of the people can do.  We will NEVER GIVE UP ..

Not Today DEA Not Any Day.

 

ENDLESS PRESSSURE! ENDLESSLY APPLIED!

 

"Evil triumphs when good men do nothing"

 

First, the DEA blinked. Now they are running back to their mommy... the FDA! flower 'em both!

 

Obama appointed a Big Pharma executive to head the FDA! A chief scientist at the FDA just resigned in protest, after his recommendation NOT to approve a new cancer drug was overruled by this FDA donkey rectum. The company stock went up by about 200%. Democracy lost... again!

Thanks for bringing this issue up. I know nothing about kratom but I sent a letter to my state senator. You should give yourself a pat on the back for your tenacity.

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We worked very hard at this and it is not over yet, More work to do.

 

ENDLESS PRESSSURE! ENDLESSLY APPLIED!

 

PS ABOUT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE DEA

Be honest. Stick to what you know. Be courteous.

Your comment is an opportunity to oppose to the DEA’s proposal to make the alkaloids mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, two constituents of the kratom plant, schedule 1 controlled substances. This would put kratom -- a plant consumed safely in the U.S for decades and world-wide for millennia, and one that helps millions of people -- on the same level as illegal drugs like heroin. The DEA scheduling would also prevent further research which, to date, has shown the primary alkaloids in kratom to be beneficial without causing respiratory depression; the main cause of death from opiate overdose.

Kratom is a regulated dietary ingredient. Kratom is not a drug. Kratom is not addictive.

Your comments should address the following:

  • Your name, age, and profession.
  • A clear statement of your view about opposing the DEA putting kratom on the list of schedule 1 controlled substances.
  • When you started using kratom.
  • How you came to start using kratom.
  • How kratom has helped you … and why you think it should remain available. Unless you are a doctor or other health expert, avoid making any medical-related claims.
  • Any links to research or news articles that support your thoughts.
  • A concluding point.

Your comments are your own and should reflect your experience and views. Nothing about this page is meant to provide anything more than general background information and guidance. Please use your own words and express your ideas!

Edited by cristinew
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  • 2 weeks later...

It is time for the public to speak.

 

KRATOMCOMMENTS.ORG LAUNCHED

 

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. October 20, 2016  The American Kratom Association (AKA) and Botanical Education Alliance (BEA) joined forces today to launch www.KratomComments.org to make it as easy as possible for the maximum number of consumers to submit to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) by December 1st comments opposing the classification of the coffee-like herb kratom as a schedule I drug.

 

The huge public backlash against the DEA’s attempt to effectively ban kratom lead to the federal agency withdrawing an emergency proceeding on October 12th and opening up a comment period running through December 1st.  Prior to the first-ever reversal by the DEA, AKA and BEA were instrumental in:

 

    Launching a “We The People” petition l targeting the White House that has accumulated more than 142,000 signatures to date.

 

    Promoting a successful and widely publicized March for Kratom in September at the White House.

 

    Facilitating letters to the DEA and Office of Management and Budget sent on September 26th by a bipartisan group of 51 US House Members urging a halt to the DEA’s push to ban kratom.

 

    Encouraging a set of two letters sent on October 1st by a politically diverse group of 11 Senators, including Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), calling on the DEA to halt the proposed scheduling and allow for a regular rulemaking process permitting the public, scientific experts, and the Congress to provide input.

 

The new KratomComments.org web site simplifies the process of submitted comments to the DEA through the Federal Register and also provides kratom community members with an assurance that there will be an independent record of their submissions – one that is not subject to federal computer problems (as were experienced shortly after the comment period opened) or any concerns about “missing” or otherwise “lost” comment submission to the DEA

 

American Kratom Association Director Susan Ash said: “As this step today shows, kratom consumers and the industry are working together to step up the pressure on the DEA to act responsibly.  The victory last week for consumers was the first step to ending the DEA push to classify kratom as a schedule 1 drug.  While we applaud the agency for opening up a public comment period running through December 1st, everyone needs to understand that this is just the beginning of the fight and much more work remains to be done.  We cannot and will not rest until the cloud created by the DEA is completely removed over the heads of our legal industry and three-five million kratom consumers we represent.”

 

Botanical Education Alliance Director Travis Lowin said: “The comment period is an opportunity to make it clear that kratom is an all-natural product. Kratom is not an opiate.  It is not addictive.  It has been used safely and without deaths for hundreds of years.  There is simply no basis whatsoever for the DEA to criminalize or regulate the responsible use by consumers of this product at a time when every federal effort targeting drugs should be focused on the ongoing opioid epidemic. Our bottom line is clear: Kratom should not be scheduled by the DEA and our industry and the consumers who patronize it should be allowed to continue to do so unhindered by federal regulatory overreach.”

 

Visitors making comments at the KratomComments.org site receive a confirmation and tracking number from the federal logging system.  KratomComments.org operates under a strict privacy policy and only submits to the DEA the personally identifiable information that (1) the individual commenter elects to provide and (2) the DEA requires.  No comments are being screened or otherwise reviewed by the organizers of KratomComments.org, which does not supply a standardized comment for submitters.

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Drs. Jack Henningfield and Reginald Fant of Pinney Associates have agreed to put an 8-factor analysis of their own together for the AKA to challenge the FDA's. This is the same Jack Henningfield from the John Hopkins School of Medicine who submitted testimony to the Wisconsin Controlled Substances Board that got many of them to admit kratom didn't belong on their list, the testimony we all use so frequently.

 

I've actually met Jack in person and after reading his bio (please read it!) you will see that there is probably NO ONE better, or more qualified to help us with this effort in the whole country, if not the world.http://www.pinneyass...com/our-people/

Eight Factor Analysis

(Required Under CSA)
• Actual and potential for abuse

• Pharmacology
• Other current scientific knowledge
• History and current pattern of abuse
• Scope, duration, and significance of abuse
• Public health risk
• Psychic or physiological dependence liability
• If an immediate precursor of a controlled substance
21 USC 811©

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http://globalfreedommovement.org/the-biggest-medical-whistleblower-event-in-history-just-happened/ 

 

We are a group of scientists at CDC that are very concerned about the current state of ethics at our agency.  It appears that our mission is being influenced and shaped by outside parties and rogue interests. It seems that our mission and Congressional intent for our agency is being circumvented by some of our leaders.  What concerns us most, is that it is becoming the norm and not the rare exception.  Some senior management officials at CDC are clearly aware and even condone these behaviors.  Others see it and turn the other way.  Some staff are intimidated and pressed to do things they know are not right.  We have representatives from across the agency that witness this unacceptable behavior.  It occurs at all levels and in all of our respective units…We are asking that you do your part to help clean up this house!

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

An update for your petition on the scheduling of kratom:

Thank you for taking the time to sign this petition on the We the People platform.

While the White House does not have a role in decisions on how to schedule controlled substances, we can point you to a relevant announcement made by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on October 13, 2016:

On August 31, 2016, the DEA published in the Federal Register a notice of intent to temporarily place mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, which are the main psychoactive constituents of the plant Mitragyna speciosa, also referred to as kratom, into schedule I pursuant to the temporary scheduling provisions of the Controlled Substances Act. Since publishing that notice, DEA has received numerous comments from members of the public challenging the scheduling action and requesting that the agency consider those comments and accompanying information before taking further action…

DEA is therefore taking the following actions: DEA is withdrawing the August 31, 2016 notice of intent; and soliciting comments from the public regarding the scheduling of mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine under the Controlled Substances Act…

The comment period will be open until December 1, 2016. DEA’s full announcement and information on how to submit comments can be found here.

Thank you again for using the We the People platform to make your voices heard on the issues you care about.

-- The We the People Team

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A new one to sign https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/do-not-place-kratom-on-the-schedule-substance-list  

 

President Obama, Members of the US House of Representatives , Members of the US Senate

 

With the Opioid Addiction Epidemic growing at ever increasing speed, taking a natural herb away that is used responsibly by 3-5 million Americans is wrong.  Kratom has been shown to help people overcome opioid addiction without side effects like respiratory depression.
Americans Kratom consumers are generally more concerned with their overall health after starting Kratom.  They eat healthier, exercise more, and make better Lifestyle choices.
 
The United States was founded to be The Land Of the Free.  Taking away our most basic Human Right, the Right to Choose our own Health Care is un-American
Edited by cristinew
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