Minnesota is the Next State to Target Kratom

Minnesota State Legislators introduced SF 2578 on February 22, 2018, adding mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine to the list of Schedule 1 Drugs. Yet another state jumping on the bandwagon after the recent smear campaign by the FDA.

The FDA still claims kratom can be linked to 44 deaths and is warning people not to use it for any medical purpose, even after the 8-Factor Analysis released November 30, 2016 concluding that there is “insufficient evidence” for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to ban or otherwise restrict kratom under the Controlled Substances Act.  According to the comprehensive Henningfield analysis, kratom’s potential for abuse and dependence is no greater than such widely used and unscheduled substances as “nutmeg, hops, St. John’s Wort, chamomile, guarana, and kola nut.

This 8-factor analysis, along with numerous studies dating back to 2008, have consistently shown that:

• Kratom is not a drug.
• Kratom is not an opiate.
• Kratom is not a synthetic substance.
• Naturally occurring Kratom is a safe herbal supplement that’s more akin to tea and coffee than any other substances.

Kratom is used to aid with overall health and well-being (along with hundreds of other herbal substances that you can easily buy at almost any store) – yet kratom continues to be demonized and criminalized. Kratom contains no opiates, but along with chocolate, coffee, exercise and even human breast milk, it does bind to some of the same receptor sites in the brain.

What Minnesota residents can do:

• Contact your House Member
• Contact your Senator

A simple email or phone call to your representatives CAN make a difference.Don’t be scared to talk to them on the phone. They are there for YOU, and will be respectful and will listen without judgment. Please be respectful to the staffer, as these are the people that will get your voice in the right hands.It’s important that you do not claim that you are using kratom to treat or cure serious symptoms or diseases. Kratom should be positioned as an Herbal substance. Herbal substances cannot treat or cure, only drugs can do so. 

Some guidelines when voicing your concerns:

First, state your name and say that your call concerns SF2578,  and explain how you will be negatively impacted if kratom is added to the list of Schedule 1 drugs.
Second, tell them your story and how Kratom has positively impacted your life.Next, inform them of the safety of the plant. Use scientific studies to back this, you can refer to the 8-Factor Analysis by Dr. Jack Henningfield, Ph.D., vice president of Research, Health Policy, and Abuse Liability at PinneyAssociates, concluding that there is “insufficient evidence” to prove that kratom is a dangerous drug.
Lastly, end the call thanking them for the time and to follow up if they have any questions or have an update on their progress.