Current Events

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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Interview with Dr. Fabian Pitter Steinmetz on Toxicology and Advocacy by Scientists for Better Drug Policy

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Dr. Fabian Pitter Steinmetz is a toxicologist from Germany who in 2021 testified for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 44th Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD). There, Dr. Steinmetz gave the case for why kratom should be kept legal. As a member for the European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies (ENCOD), he is …

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Kratom Companies Involved in Civil Forfeiture

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Pittsburgh, PA A civil forfeiture action filed in Pittsburgh’s U.S. District Court spells bad news for several kratom companies across the country.  The companies in question: Coastline Kratom, Kratom Crazy, and Best Kratom, are all ceasing operations, effective immediately. Two of the companies, Coastline Kratom and Kratom Crazy, are sister companies, previously owned by a …

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House Appropriations Committee bill HR4502 could direct HHS to Keep Kratom Legal

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On July 20, the House Committee on Appropriations released summaries of seven appropriations bills for fiscal year 2022, which runs from October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022. One of the bills, HR4502 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill, includes a report, 117-96, that includes language that would direct the …

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