Scientists Blast FDA, Warning a Ban on Kratom Would Cause More Opioid Deaths
The United States Food and Drug Administration ramped up its “War on Kratom” this week by labeling the natural herb as an opioid, and a group of scientists is stepping up to vouch for kratom's safety, and to argue that banning it would only lead to more opioid-related deaths.
In a statement, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb warned that there is “even stronger evidence of kratom compounds’ opioid properties.” He claimed that there is evidence of 36 deaths related to kratom, but that “many of the cases received could not be fully assessed because of limited information provided.”
In response, a group of scientists came together to send a letter to the acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Robert Patterson; and the counselor to the president who is overseeing the administration's response to the opioid crisis, Kellyanne Conway.
The letter strongly criticized the FDA’s recommendation to label kratom as a Schedule I drug, which would mean that the government will claim that it has no medicinal value.
“We believe strongly that the current body of credible research on the actual effects of kratom demonstrates that it is not dangerously addictive, nor is it similar to ‘narcotics like opioids’ with respect to ‘addiction’ and ‘death’ as stated by the FDA in its November 14th Kratom Advisory. Equally important, four surveys indicate that kratom is presently serving as a lifeline away from strong, often dangerous opioids for many of the several million Americans who use kratom. A ban on kratom that would be imposed by CSA Scheduling would put them at risk of relapse to opioid use with the potential consequence of overdose death. Similar unintended consequences are to be expected in some who would be forced to use opioids to manage acute or chronic pain.”The scientists noted that when kratom is consumed in raw plant form, “it does not appear to produce the highly addictive euphoria or lethal respiratory depressing effects of classical opioids.” In fact, they argued that labeling kratom as a Schedule I drug would actually increase the number of opioid-related deaths in the United States.
“It is our collective judgment that placing kratom into Schedule I will potentially increase the number of deaths of Americans caused by opioids because many people who have found kratom to be their lifeline away from strong opioids will be vulnerable to resumption of that opioid use, whether their prior opioid use was for relief of pain or due to opioid addiction,” the scientists wrote.
The letter cited several national surveys and a wealth of studies from both the U.S. and Asia, which found that “kratom has been used as a safer alternative to opioids for more than a century,” and if the government truly cared about the safety of the consumer, they would refrain from making kratom a Schedule I drug.
Although the FDA is claiming that kratom is responsible for at least 44 deaths, that is nothing when compared to the number of deaths that have occurred from opioid overdoses in recent years. As President Trump noted at his first State of the Union address, “In 2016, we lost 64,000 Americans to drug overdoses: 174 deaths per day. Seven per hour.”
However, the scientists questioned whether the FDA could actually prove that the deaths it cited were related to kratom overdoses. They noted that while opioid overdose deaths result from respiratory depression and death at high doses, the deaths the FDA claims are from kratom overdoses include “a wide variety of apparent causes in people suffering from various diseases and/or taking other substances that also likely contributed to their deaths.”
Why is the FDA pushing to ban kratom when research has shown that not only is it a safer alternative to opioids, but that it actually helps to prevent opioid-overdose deaths?
As The Free Thought Project has reported, by pushing for a ban on kratom, the FDA is ensuring that Big Pharma will have a lifetime of profit, and the commissioner of the FDA is directly responsible:
Before taking over the FDA and using his position to enrich his fellow legal drug dealers, Gottlieb was a member of GlaxoSmithKline’s product investment board. And, as TFTP has previously reported GlaxoSmithKline owns a patent on a kratom alkaloid designed for the very purpose of treating pain, thereby alleviating dependency on opioids. One of Kratom’s alkaloids—Speciofoline—was researched decades ago by Gottlieb’s former employer and its effects have been widely studied and reported on.It just so happens that a patent was filed for Speciofoline on August 10, 1964. The patent claims the “alkaloid has useful pharmacodynamic activity, particularly analgetic and antitussive activity.” But that’s not all. Other studies—which the FDA says do not exist—have been conducted for the specific task of treating opioid dependency.
There is a lot of confusion with this... The FDA does have a valid point with regard to protecting those who would become addictive and seek other "mu-related" family of alkaloids... Its a tricky situation because some patient reaction is very different an there may be a case of tolerance and genetics playing a hand... would like to see how this case plays out
FDA has a valid point, really? What is the confusion here, people might get addicted to kratom? Most people use kratom when they try to quit their opioid addiction. What does FDA offer instead? Rehabs that cost 20-30 grand? More opioids like methadon, suboxone? You know how much those cost or how addictive they are? you probably do not. Kratom is cheap and it does help. addictive qualities of kratom is not very well studied, however it is a known fact that other so called medicines approved by the FDA are definitely addictive and much much harder to quit than even heroin. Even if you get addicted to kratom, trust me its much better to be addicted to kratom than to fda approved methadon or suboxone.
Opioid in general are very addictive... Everyone experience is different.... Its not that simple for the FDA to just jump on the Kratom train, America is going through an opioid crisis, these decisions have to be taken with many studies not just some recommendation... The opioid family is very addictive, they have been with us for hundred of years once we discovered it had pain relieving properties, it was widely use... On the biochemical side, these alkaloids affect the "mu" receptors which makes them 1000 times more addictive, then you have to take into account idiosyncratic reaction of the drug like Kratom which is not well document.... For now our main method of opioid withdrawal treatment is methodone, as it is well document, not the best but what we have available... These things take time, the subject now is very much political which makes it even more difficult, probably a better approach is removing all the opioid family of drugs but even that would leave many people suffering, so we need to take time... The cheaper drug isn't necessarily the better drug... I certainly get your point and big pharm and their profiting characteristics but we should be more calculated about jumping to a conclusion in this case... It interesting point to make a note here, probably we can now explore the pain relieving properties of drugs like Marijuana, not to best but probably a better alternative, in islands like Jamaica, these options are actively being explored
It is funny how you say we should explore marijuana as an alternative when it is been scheduled as class I drug! So I guess we have to fight for years for kratom to be legalised again too ha? Oh by the way, you are treating kratom (mitragynine ) as an opioid, if you do a little bit more research (as long as you dont only read what the fda says), you will see that it actually is not, as it acts completely different than opioids when they bind to mu receptors.
Alright lets get some background information so we understand the points, opioid basically describes drug related to morphine. We know that morphine one of the basic application is the treatment of pain and the side effect is addiction. Opiates are natural compounds obtained from opium poppy. Now there are three main receptors where these family of drugs act, they are known as mu, delta and kappa. In cases where all three are acted upon it is known as a full agonist. Now our point here need to zero in on the "mu" receptors because it is these receptors that make these 1000 times more addictive compared to other anesthetic agents. We can also explore other classification of agonist + antagonist and also full antagonist where act against all three receptors. The problem that the FDA and America is having are all these drugs are widely use morphine, codeine, meperidine, fenatnyl, alfentanyl, methadone, oxycodone and others are widely used and has been mainstream for years. Naturally after people would overcome the health problems requiring these medication, they become addicts, because of these biochemical processes associted it. Adding Kratom further adds to the list, while it is worthy of attention, we need more research to understand fully how our young people are behaving. If I had the power, I would put the hammer on the pharm groups because they push these drugs in the first place....We can't afford to have young people sitting in the middle of the night thinking like they are on Mars or whatever weird euphoria they get...Its not just people who have pain taking this drugs, regular professional, quite a few in the medical profession are rushing for these high...Big pharm would continue to sell them because at the end of the day, they are about bringing value to their shareholders...Kratom probably has a future but we need more research, there is alot more I could digest here but I hope you understand where I am coming from
I only had a problem with you saying "The FDA does have a valid point with regard to protecting those who would become addictive". On one hand you are saying you would put the hammer on big pharma for all those opioids they make available for people but you have no problem with FDA approving all of them?? how is this even possible? If FDA really cared about people they would be doing something about all those drugs first, not banning kratom! Also you say probably kratom has a future but more research should be done. Are you aware that this is not even possible if FDA bans it? I can now understand you are confused but writing looooooong comments trying to explain what opioids are has nothing to do with this issue of trying to ban kratom!
Trying to present a balance case, neither for and against Kratom, what I am saying, time is needed to way the advantage or disadvantage... I sense you are against big pharm and their profiting characteristics and we probably on the same page but more research needs to be done now, lets at least get the Opioid crisis under control before you add further fuel to the problem... We are still learning about all these drug interaction, nothing is efficient... I could be dead wrong but I am just sharing my views....
banning some drug and creating a huge underground economy around it always adds a lot of cost to the government regulators, this should not be taken lightly unless there clear evidence proving the danger of the drug.
The opioid crisis has been created by greed from doctors and big pharmaceutical. If a physician prescribes a drug and has investment interests in this company that should be criminal. I have seen pharmaceutical reps wine and dine physicians and other decision makers over the last twenty years. People are ultimately responsible for their actions, sometimes the doctor needs to tell the patient no when they are seeking pain meds. Opioids are over prescribed without a doubt. FDA does some great things also has done numerous head scratchers.
This sickens me that prescription meds will continue to be prescribed by the millions, but using a natural alternative is frowned upon. Disgusting how money is more important then a persons wellbeing. I know dozens of lives that have benefited from kratom, even my 70+ year old great aunt has experienced life changing results from this plant. Keep kratom legal!
The incompetency of the FDA is remarkable. Every day thousands of perscriptions are handed out for chemicals that are literally killing people. Yet they choose to spend the time and energy to bana plant that has thousands of years experience with humans and is completely safe.
At the end if the day you have to wonder whether there are other interests involved that aren't related to Public health. Maybe a rear that Kratom will make a different in the opiod market share.
thanks for sharing with a in depth look at the situation. This is something that not many people know about but has huge implications for our country.
while your point are genuine i think its a bit harsh to slam FDA with the incompetency tag. could argue while it never happened sooner but the move to weaponize opioid label against kratom consumers is commendable. And of course everyone would feel they should have acted more.
Resteem .... yup follow the money want to make it illegal greed
Nice post thanks for sharing....
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Not buying this. Kratom is nasty stuff. it put my friend in the hospital several years back. He was having convulsions and seizures from it. Its a pointless, worthless herb anyway, and there's zero use for it.
I do agree with the scientists statement that Kratom is not addictive, nor is it similar to opioids. But it will make you sick as heck, and only a moron would use it. It should be banned for the simple fact its a risk to public health, which I've witnessed myself.
So let me get it straight, you say just because you had to put your friend to a hospital for reasons you claim to be kratom related (guess you are a doctor as you did not say anything else as to what other substances or medications your friend was on) it should be banned! So what is your advice to millions who find relief with kratom? How do you know its worthless and theres zero use for it when millions say just the opposite and there are scientific studies proving that it helps those dealing with opioid addiction?
Kratom is a miracle plant, helps you do chores, lose weight, do laboring jobs, work out, get off of drugs, elevate mood, increase focus, lets guarded people open up, reduces pain, improves sports performance, improves sexual performance, and is nutritious. It does all of this little to no side effects. It slightly reduces magnesium absorption so someone who takes it every day should supplement magnesium, it is a diuretic (like its cousin coffee) so you must drink lots of water and it can make bowel moments difficult. That is it for negatives of Kratom. And if a person takes Kratom daily for months and tries to get off, the withdraw is similar to that of caffeine withdraw.