Success: Proposal to Ban Life-Saving Herb is Withdrawn

Target: Chuck Rosenberg, head of the DEA

Goal: Keep kratom off the controlled substances list.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has withdrawn their proposal to schedule kratom as a controlled substance, allowing dependents on opioid pain killers and alcohol to continue to battle their addictions. The decision to delay scheduling was made amid outcry from both prominent lawmakers and the public, including those who signed this ForceChange petition. Now, the DEA wants your opinion about what they should do with this supplement.

Letters were sent to the DEA by many prominent and bipartisan members of Congress who opposed the decision. These lawmakers argued that banning the herb would inflate the opioid epidemic in America. They also criticized the DEA for their use of emergency scheduling when these matters are supposed to be brought to the public and scientific community first.

The public has until December 1 to go to www.regulations.gov and send the DEA a comment with their views about kratom. The next decision will be made based on these comments as well as input from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has been asked to expedite their research and recommendation. Kratom is crucial for those battling alcohol and prescription painkiller addictions and should never be placed on the controlled substances list. Sign this petition and send the DEA a comment telling them why kratom should remain unregulated.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Mr. Rosenberg,

Public outcry against scheduling kratom has and will continue to be strong. Lawmakers such as Orrin Hatch, Cory Booker, and Bernie Sanders have also strongly opposed your previous decision to ban this important supplement. Removing the notice of intent from the Federal Register is just and helps reinstill people’s trust in your department.

Kratom is naturally occurring and its medical properties have been utilized for centuries to treat a myriad of conditions. Keeping it off the controlled substances list could be the answer to the opioid epidemic that continues to grow in this country. We trust that the FDA’s findings will align with those of other researchers, and we hope that you will truly listen to them and the public to make your future decision.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Psychonaught