Do you want to learn all about the latest DEA Kratom Ban updates in 2024? Want to know more about why the DEA is fighting tooth and nail to ban a herbal supplement that is all the rage now?
If you are someone who has been using Kratom for a long time now, you would know about the on-going battle of wills regarding Kratom legality between the federal authorities and the Kratom advocates. Ever since the DEA proposed banning Kratum in 2016, it has become the talk of the town. Fortunately, the DEA revoked its decision due to an intense public backlash. Quite frankly, all this did was fuel the herb’s popularity.
But it didn’t stop there. Ever so often, the news keeps popping up about Kratom ban in one place or the other. While there is no federal Kratom ban now, a few states have made it illegal to buy, sell or use Kratom. For another, many states are still going through legal processes for Kratom Ban.
Here we will have an in-depth look at the DEA kratom ban update in 2024 and what the future holds.
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The Evolution of DEA’s Continued Efforts to Ban Kratom
While All-natural Kratom has always had an interesting history in the U.S, things got serious when the DEA proposed to ban it in 2016. Hence there was a temporary ban on August 31, 2016. This ban made it illegal to sell, buy or use Mitragynine Speciosa anywhere in the U.S.
What’s more; it also meant that no clinical trials or research could be conducted on the herb’s distinctive properties and medicinal values.
Most importantly, the federal authorities decided to ignore the herb’s value in treating a plethora of conditions, including chronic diseases like fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, lupus, arthritis, to name a few. And moved ahead to put Kratom in the Schedule 1 drugs. You should know that all Schedule 1 drugs are considered extremely dangerous, with little or no medicinal values whatsoever.
Fortunately, the DEA faces intense backlash from Kratom users. What’s more, several U.S. lawmakers expressed their displeasure with the decision by writing a letter to the DEA. As a result, the DEA changed its mind and lifted the ban on Kratom. Now, this was a huge win because the DEA is not known for second-guessing their decisions.
Initially, the DEA pushed the date for a nationwide Kratom ban to December 1 of 2016 and kept the public comment period open. But, in the light of the huge backlash that followed, the DEA further delayed Kratom ban indefinitely.
Nevertheless, it allowed researchers and scientists to further explore the herb’s medicinal properties. Not to mention that Kratom tree leaves gained even more popularity and became a household name nationwide.
While the DEA’s efforts to ban Kratom were largely unsuccessful, it doesn’t mean that Kratom ban can’t be successfull. Both the DEA and FDA are going the extra mile to ensure strict limitations or a federal ban on all Kratom products. But set against, Kratom advocates like the American Kratom Association are working equally hard to keep Kratom legal and spread awareness about its healing powers. The good news is that as long as this battle of wills continues, the possibility of a Kratom ban 2022 is very slim.
Why is the DEA so Adamant About Banning Kratom?
I’m sure most of you wonder why the DEA is putting so much effort into banning an All-natural herbal supplement that has proven its healing powers ever so often. Well, here’s why: As All-natural Kratom gained popularity in the U.S, it caught the attention of lawmakers and legislators alike, particularly the DEA and the FDA. Unfortunately, this herb’s increased popularity came at a price- Negative reports of Kratom drug abuse.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S Poison Control Centre received several calls regarding Kratom exposure. What’s more, the calls increased tenfold from 26 in 2010 to 263 in 2015.
In addition to this, the DEA recorded 15 deaths linked somehow to Kratom consumption between 2014 to 2016. However, there was no concrete evidence that the deaths were solely due to Mitragynine abuse, as users frequently consume it with other medications.
Beyond that, the DEA asked the FDA for a formal Kratom review, but it didn’t establish any satisfactory uses. All this prompted the DEA to ban the herb to ”avoid an imminent hazard to public safety’’. So it led them to classify Kratom as Schedule 1- A drug with no approved medical uses but high potential for abuse, thereby banning its sale and production.
Good news: Right now, Kratom is on the DEA’s list of ‘Drugs of Concern’ only- There is no federal ban on the herb, but the agency is closely tracking it.
But the biggest reason that the DEA provides for its continued efforts for Kratom ban is that there is not enough information regarding its safety. Large scale clinical trials are needed – the type that FDA conducts on traditional pills – to prove that Kratom can be safely used for many medical problems. But the question remains – How does the DEA expect more studies on Kratom’s safety and medicinal value when a ban will only make it harder to conduct research?
What is the FDA’s Stand on Kratom Ban?
While Kratom is clinically proven to be a safe and effective alternative to major pharmaceutical drugs with an estimated 16 million users in the U.S alone, the FDA doesn’t see it that way. From cracking down on Kratom vendors, disregarding its uses to claiming that dozens of deaths are linked to Kratom consumption, the FDA is hell-bent on outlawing the herb.
In truth: As pointed out in the Huffington Post, the Kratom overdose deaths claimed by the FDA haven’t all been medically investigated, and the victim’s toxicology reports showed nine different substances.
Following the DEA’s request to conduct a formal scientific evaluation of Kratom, the previous FDA’s commissioner Scott Gottlieb labeled it a narcotic and pushed its plan to further criminalize the plant. In reality, Kratom acts on certain brain receptors and acts differently to narcotics like marijuana and heroin.
Scientists claim that this comparison of Kratom to dangerous narcotics is misleading and attempts to bolster pharmaceutical industries and their drug treatments. What’s more, criminalizing the botanical will only make it harder to conduct large-scale studies on its efficacy.
Unfortunately, the recent salmonella outbreak was also believed to be due to Kratom consumption. Again, users have questioned if it’s just another Anti-Kratomism attempt by the FDA.
It can be argued that the Salmonella outbreak investigation ought to trace it to particular Kratom vendors that don’t exercise care with their products, rather than Kratom generally.
But let’s make one thing clear. Scientists aren’t asking for uncontrolled Mitragynine use and for it to run wild in the markets. They ask for Kratom tree leaves to be investigated properly to explore all its healing properties and, hopefully, regulate it as a health supplement.
Considering that the FDA is working tirelessly to clean up the Lab-tested Kratom market rather than keeping up with their claim of regulating it, the FDA Kratom ban in 2022 is an unfortunate possibility.
Current Legality of Kratom
You’ll be glad to know that although the DEA and FDA are doing everything in its power to make Kratom classified, there is no federal ban as of yet. There are some state and city-wide bans in the U.S. where Kratom is illegal.
Users new to Kratom often wonder If Kratom is illegal in their state or any laws about its sale and possession. Let’s have a look at where you stand regarding Kratom legality status.
Kratom is illegal to use, buy or sell in the following states;
- Wisconsin
- Vermont
- Indiana
- Arkansas
- Rhode Island
- Alabama
Kratom is legal to sell and possess in the following states;
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California- Legal in all cities except San Diego
- Colorado- Legal, but Denver prohibits its sale for human consumption.
- Delaware
- Idaho
- Wyoming
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Connecticut
- Florida- Legal except in Sarasota Country
- Georgia
- Illinois – Legal with an age limit of 18 except in Jerseyville City
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- Montana
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Wisconsin
- Washington
- Utah
- Tennessee- Legal with an age limit of 21.
- Oregon
- Oklahoma
- North Carolina- Legal for users over age 18.
- New Mexico
- New Hampshire- Legal with an age limit of 18 except in Franklin City
- Massachusetts
- Maine
- Maryland
- Hawaii
- New York
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Missouri
Why is Banning Kratom Not the Answer?
Legislation bodies like the DEA and the FDA should understand that classifying All-natural Kratom as a Schedule 1 substance will make it harder to explore its potential in the medicinal world. Here’s why: When a drug is classified as Schedule 1, researchers are required to gain special permission from the DEA to conduct clinical trials. It involves a ton of paperwork, politics and cost. This is why most schedule 1 drugs like marijuana are very poorly studied, and no major effort is spent on studying its medicinal properties.
Another reason why Kratom Ban is not the answer is that this will only flood the market with altered and contaminated products. Because let’s face it. Banning it will not stop people from using Kratom, especially now that it has helped many people with their health dilemmas.
People will resort to buying it off the black market where the quality isn’t regulated, and there is a high risk of added dangerous chemicals. Or worse, the quality decline means people who use Kratom as an alternative treatment will go back to taking dangerous narcotics- Meaning the illegal substance abuse situation will get worse indefinitely.
Click Here To Read Complete Details About Where Kratom Is Legal In 2024
How can Buyers Help Stop The DEA’s War on Kratom?
I can’t stress this enough. As a Kratom user, the future of this extraordinary herb rests on your shoulders. You can either make a conscious decision and help support the Kratom legality movement. Or you can do nothing about it, which will indefinitely lead to its ban.
For one thing, the bans and restrictions make it immensely difficult for people in need to access Kratom; for another, Kratom is being subjected to constant scrutiny and is often mislabelled as a narcotic and a synthetic drug- Meaning more stigma around the use of this herb and leading the way to its complete ban.
So what’s it going to be?
Because the fact remains that only users like you and the American Kratom Association can help eliminate the doubts and misinformation surrounding Kratom’s safety and medicinal values. Only persistence and truth can help us win this battle.
Here is what you can do to help ensure Kratom remains legal where you live;
- Always buy Mitragynine from reputable vendors who lab test their products and offer only the best sales quality.
- Sign up with the AKA and submit your testimonials, preferably videos and monetary support.
- Let the local authorities in your state know your stand on the issue either directly or via the AKA’S advocacy platform.
- Take the Kratom Consumer Protection Act seriously. Not only will it help fight a DEA Kratom ban, but it also ensures only unadulterated and safe Mitragynine Speciosa products are available for sale.
The Future of Kratom
All in all, the temporary DEA kratom ban was largely due to the lack of information on its safety and unique medicinal properties, which is why the decision was quickly reversed following intense backlash from users and lawmakers alike.
Although the DEA, FDA, and other major Pharmaceutical bodies are still trying to classify Lab-tested Kratom as illegal, a nationwide ban is not likely. As long as we keep making our voices heard, this beneficial botanical will remain available for those who truly need it. Instead of banning the herb outright, DEA should focus its efforts on regulating Kratom.
If you or a loved one are amongst the millions of people who benefit from safe, unadulterated Kratom tea powder and capsules, keep striving hard to keep Kratom legal in your state. Because believe it or not, the future of All- Natural Kratom largely depends on us users.
Kate Freeman is the wellpreneur behind Ayuni Organic, a brand focused on spreading the goodness of Mitragyna Speciosa. Kate supports scientific research on this natural tree “Kratom” and believes that this herb can help millions of people to live a healthier life. She works with many kratom vendors to help extend their brand influence online. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, cooking, trying new recipes, and locating reliable stores selling kratom on sale.
Content Reviewed By Charles White
Charles White is a kratom enthusiast with over 12 years of experience in the Kratom industry. All blogs published on the Supernatural Botanicals website are reviewed by Charles White, who runs them through industry experts, including editorial team. Only then are these blogs given a green light. Learn more about our editorial process over here.