Current Events

Interview with International Drug Policy and Harm Reduction Expert Pascal Tanguay

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This interview is the text version of the audio episode #66 of the Kratom Science Podcast, posted December 2, 2021. It’s been lightly edited for clarity in reading. Pascal Tanguay is originally from Montreal, Canada and has been living in Thailand for 20 years studying issues around people who use drugs, international and Southeast Asian …

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Bill introduced to Federally Legalize Cannabis in the USA

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On July 21, 2022, Senator Cory Booker, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden introduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act which will “decriminalize and deschedule cannabis, to provide for reinvestment in certain persons adversely impacted by the War on Drugs, to provide for expungement of certain cannabis offenses”. Cannabis has been …

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NIDA is rolling out a massive nationwide study of regular kratom consumers

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QR Code link https://enroll.drugabuse.gov/kratom-nida/ From the research team: About The KEMA Study We are conducting a new study on kratom entitled “Real-world momentary assessment of kratom use accompanied by product assays: A natural history study toward an interdisciplinary characterization of kratom use and pharmacology”! That is a long name, so we typically refer to it …

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Language Regulating Processors Stripped in Pennsylvania Kratom Consumer Protection Bill; Only Prevents Sales to Minors

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6/21/2022 Pennsylvania’s “Kratom Consumer Protection Act”, HB2357, now only prohibits retailers from selling kratom to individuals under the age of 18. The bill, referred to Pennsylvania’s House Health Committee on March 8, 2022, previously contained language that would place regulations on kratom processors. The committee submitted the bill as amended on June 13, crossing out …

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Pennsylvania House Democrats Compare Kratom to Heroin in Pseudoscientific Tweet

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On May 2nd, the Pennsylvania House Democratic Policy Committee @PADemPolicy posted on Twitter that it was “in Allentown with @RepSchlossberg for a roundtable on the Evolving Epidemic: Opioids and Treatment Options.” Then in a reply to this tweet, wrote “Kratom is widely available but suppresses breathing much the same way as heroin.” As anyone who …

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February 2022 Update on State Kratom Bills: Who’s Regulating? Who’s Banning?

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*Information below Current as of February 8, 2022. Please see our Kratom Legality page, last updated 2/25/22 Here is a summary of recent and current actions being taken on kratom legislation on the state level. You can click on the bill number to be directed to the state’s webpage for that specific bill where you …

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Kratom Prohibition Bills Introduced in States of Washington, Kentucky

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January 18, 2022 Bills have been introduced in Washington and Kentucky that would place kratom on the list of Schedule 1 substances in those states. In Kentucky, Representative Josh Calloway introduced HB142 into the state’s House of Representatives. If passed into law, kratom would be included on the list of controlled substances that are unlawful …

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Pearl River County, Mississippi Board Wants to Ban Kratom

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Mississippi has a long history with kratom. Dr. Christopher McCurdy co-authored several groundbreaking kratom studies from 2008-2016 working out of The University of Mississippi. Due in part to a law enforcement task force touring around the state to lobby for prohibition, kratom is now illegal in several towns and counties, including Oxford, the home town …

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European Kratom Alliance Announces its Formation

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Kratom advocates in Europe have announced the formation of the European Kratom Alliance (EKA). The group made this announcement last week on r/kratom: It’s been five months since we have started working on this project in secrecy. It started with the WHO debacle, but we have finally made it. As of yesterday, we have formally …

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The World Health Organization will NOT Recommend a Kratom Ban!

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The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Expert Committee On Drug Dependence announced that it does NOT recommend a critical review of kratom or its alkaloids. This effectively ends the process of recommending a so-called “international ban” at this time. In a document released in early December 2021, the ECDD announced: The Committee considered information regarding the …

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