I've been noticing a strange quiet in the Kratom community of the United States. It's like everyone is waiting for the "other shoe to drop". This is a time to keep the pressure on the DEA and our elected representatives in the Senate, in particular, to let them hear our stories so they know that kratom -- and our right to consume it -- are still daily concerns for us.
The FDA continues to busily spread their lies about deaths "associated" with kratom and the rising number of calls to Poison Control Centers concerning kratom. What they aren't telling our elected leaders is that "associated with" does not mean "caused by". A deeper look into the facts of each death always has told a very different story, so the FDA is simply misinforming our legislators by innuendo. They know better, but the FDA has no shame apparently -- and Members of the House & Senate are very busy and may not think to ask pertinent questions to put these deaths and relatively tiny number of calls to Poison Control into a reasonable perspective. This is why we must educate our legislators, usually through their staff, about what kratom really is and how important it is for us, as voters.
Even though there is an apparent lull in activity related to kratom, we must not become complacent. We live in a world where there are so many urgent things demanding our attention -- and this is especially true for Members of Congress. We need to keep reminding them of our real, legitimate reasons for consuming kratom -- and that kratom is nothing like the FDA has been portraying it, i.e.: as an addictive substance of abuse.
It is shocking and dismaying that the FDA would so consistently lie about something they claim to know something about. They should know better, but it is up to us to help our legislators see beyond the FDA's pro-Pharma bias, so that our right to this simple, natural, and very helpful botanical can be protected.
I would argue that most of the abuse of kratom has been caused by the misleading way the FDA and DEA have portrayed it, making it appealing to those seeking substances to abuse. One of the many good things about kratom is that it resists and punishes those who try to abuse it. (Unfortunately, the FDA deceptively holds this against kratom when those whom the FDA has misled call Poison Centers or show up in the ER!)
The bottom line is: We need to use this time to keep reminding our lawmakers at the federal level that kratom is a God-send for many reasons; the FDA is misinforming the public and legislators about it; and it is a great benefit to your quality of life.
We have an enormous job ahead of us. We need to stay focused on the goal and take action to raise awareness of the truth about kratom.
For more info on how you can help: Visit American Kratom Association.