Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
On September 20, 2024, a Congressional Briefing on kratom was held at the Cannon House Office Building, bringing together top scientists, legislators, and advocates to discuss the current state and future of kratom regulation in the United States. The event was organized by the American Kratom Association (AKA) and marked a significant step toward a more informed and balanced approach to kratom regulation.
The briefing featured notable speakers, including:
- Congressman Jack Bergman: Emphasized the importance of collaboration between lawmakers and agencies like the FDA to develop effective kratom policy.
- Dr. Christopher McCurdy (University of Florida): Provided insights into kratom pharmacology and its potential development into a beneficial pharmaceutical.
- Dr. Kirsten Smith (Johns Hopkins University): Discussed who consumes kratom and their motivations.
- Dr. Ed Boyer (Ohio State University and Harvard Medical): Spoke about kratom toxicology.
- Dr. Jack Henningfield (Pinney Associates and former NIDA scientist): Provided a historical perspective on kratom, highlighting its traditional uses and modern-day applications. He stressed the need for regulatory frameworks based on scientific evidence rather than anecdotal reports.
Additionally, the event included personal testimonies from:
- Kelley and Peter Guidry (Forgotten Not Gone): Shared how kratom has helped them and other veterans struggling with PTSD.
- Michael Krawitz (Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access): Spoke about their success in passing a national bill for veteran access to cannabis in 2010, and advocated for plant-based therapies like kratom.
- Melody Woolf and Heidi Sykora (Kratom Consumers): Detailed how kratom improved their lives and family well-being.
The event was well-received, emphasizing the need for continued collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and the public to ensure that any regulations are based on robust scientific evidence. The AKA expressed optimism that the discussions would lead to more informed decisions regarding the future of kratom in the United States.
The AKA has been actively pushing for a national bill in Congress to regulate kratom federally. The Federal Kratom Consumer Protection Act, introduced in 2023 in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, aims to ensure that kratom remains accessible to consumers while preventing the FDA from imposing overly stringent regulations. In the Senate, the bill is sponsored by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ).
In the House, it is sponsored by Representative Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Representative Jack Bergman (R-MI). This bipartisan effort reflects the ongoing debate over kratom’s potential benefits and risks, and underscores the need for a balanced approach to its regulation.