Speaking About Kratom: Understanding The Restrictions

Jemi Fischbach

• December 17, 2020

Through your hunt for Kratom products, you may notice that accurate and detailed information on the substance can be hard to locate. Kratom suppliers are limited by harsh restrictions imposed by the Food and Drug Administration. As the FDA has not yet classified Kratom as a food or a drug for human consumption, any vendor who speaks about the effects of using Kratom can land themselves in a great deal of trouble.

While you may find it frustrating that it’s so difficult to track down authoritative and conclusive data on Kratom and its effects, the best way to move forward is to research independently. When you purchase Kratom, you can conduct research using a scientific plan to find out more about the product.

As consumers and researchers play a critical role in Kratom advocacy, you can help contribute to the cause by sharing your research with organizations like the American Kratom Association.

The FDA’s Role

Within the United States, the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, is responsible for regulating all food and drug products. Their primary goal is to ensure Americans’ safety by imposing restrictions on products or ingredients that could be hazardous to consume.

Additionally, they regulate pharmaceuticals so that only those with valid prescriptions can have access to specific medicines. While they have good intentions, their motives are often unclear as their operations are rarely transparent or made public.

Kratom’s Relationship With The FDA

In the early years of the Kratom and FDA relationship, Scott Gottlieb, a former commissioner, stood firmly against the product. He made moves to push Kratom into the Controlled Substances Act, classifying it as a Schedule I substance. False rumors about Kratom were spread through his efforts, which drove Kratom’s reputation into the ground.

Thankfully, Kratom was never classified as a Schedule I substance, but various restrictions were inflicted, which has limited Kratom suppliers from speaking about its potential effects. Within the United States, Kratom is only legal for research purposes. Any claims about its use for human consumption could be refuted by the FDA, resulting in serious legal trouble.

The FDA has analyzed Kratom using technology that creates a 3D model of its chemical structure. Through these efforts, they believe it has no therapeutic potential. Despite this, individuals are free to express their own experiences with Kratom on the Internet. Still, vendors and dealers who have the most information are not allowed to share most of what they know.

Unfortunately, the FDA has also been behind several smear campaigns that have labeled Kratom dangerous and responsible for multiple deaths and hospitalizations. These accounts often surround patients already suffering from other conditions. Rather than looking at the patient on the whole, all the blame is put on Kratom.

Independent Research Is Vital

As suppliers are limited on what they can and can not say, independent research is strongly encouraged. You can look through the internet to find as much information as you want, but if you purchase Kratom and conduct a careful, thought-out scientific method, you are bound to get the most accurate info with a clear goal.

To get your research started on the right foot, try the following:

Contact Advocacy Groups: While dealers can’t provide detailed information, advocacy groups can. The American Kratom Association is one of these organizations, and they are a valuable resource for those looking to learn more about Kratom and its effects.

Locate Studies: While the FDA’s stance against Kratom is inhibiting research efforts, universities still have various studies available for investigating. Contact these researchers to speak about their findings.

Sift Through Individual Claims: Throughout your internet hunt, you will come across various independent accounts of experiences with Kratom. You can sift through these to determine which ones are the most reliable and look for patterns. This method could help you to discover some new information.

Conduct Experiments: As Kratom is for sale in the USA in some states, for researching, you can purchase some products and conduct experiments. Always create a hypothesis and a procedure, and document any repeatable findings. Repeated results often render more reliable conclusions.

Purchase From A Reputable Source

The supplier you purchase your Kratom from will significantly affect the authenticity of your research. As there are some Kratom sellers out there who sell old and contaminated products, you don’t want to sacrifice your research’s integrity by accidentally purchasing from one of them.

By doing your due diligence and investigating Kratom dealers and their practices, you can get your hands on high-quality Kratom. These vendors will be practicing fair trade business and ensuring that their farmers in Southeast Asia are generously compensated.

Not only will purchasing from a reputable source enhance your research, but it will support a healthy Kratom production cycle supporting all parties involved, from the planters and harvesters to the processors and sellers.

With more accurate information circulating, it’s more likely that Kratom will be reevaluated for human consumption.