DEA Reverses Ban On Kratom After Feedback From Supporters

With only 9- days until October 1st, 2016, representatives from the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) have announced their intentions to temporarily reverse the scheduled ban of kratom.

The DEA had previously announced that the little known drug would be banned as of October 1st, 2016, and would be classified as a Schedule 1 drug – meaning that it has absolutely no medical value and has a high potential for abuse. Additional drugs currently under the Schedule 1 umbrella include, heroin, LSD, marijuana, mescaline, and ecstasy.

According to previous statements made by the DEA, kratom was widely viewed by the DEA, FDA, and CDC as an imminent hazard to public safety. The DEA provided a notice of intent to temporarily ban kratom on August 25th, 2016, giving kratom users and vendors a 1-month notice.

Kratom, scientifically referred to as mitragyna speciose, is derived from a tropical evergreen tree in the coffee family and is native to Southeast Asia. The drug is often marketed as an herbal supplement and can be regularly found for purchase in the form of powder or capsule online, at health stores, and smoke shops.

According to kratom users, when taken at low doses, the drug can produce a mild stimulant effect, while when taken at a high dose can produce similar effects as narcotic pain relievers. The drug is regularly utilized by opiate addicts to minimize the effects of heroin or prescription narcotic withdraw symptoms. Many others use kratom as a substitute for prescription anxiety medications or to treat chronic pain.

Upon news of the kratom ban, users and advocates of the drug assembled at the White House to protest the ban and gathered over 134,000 signatures on a We the People petition.

According to DEA spokesperson Marcus Langley, the Drug Enforcement Administration made the decision to temporarily remove the scheduled ban of kratom upon the overwhelming feedback and outrage from those using the herbal drug to treat legitimate medical conditions. Langley told reporters at a press-conference that the DEA has requested the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) thoroughly investigate the drug prior to a decision being reached regarding the drug’s future legality within the United States.

The DEA has announced a January 3rd, 2018, deadline for the FDA to provide the necessary insights into the benefits and risks of kratom use. If the FDA fails to provide conclusive results by the 2018 deadline, the DEA intends to permanently ban the drug and classify it at a Schedule 1 substance.

The reversal of the scheduled kratom ban has many users excited and hopeful for the future of the drug’s mainstream use. Daniel McCarthy, a 54-year old kratom user in Dallas, Texas, told a CBS affiliate reporter, “As someone who attended the White House protest and signed the online petition, it feels amazing to have made a difference for hundreds of thousands of people -being an American is awesome!”