Subject Stop attempts to ban kratom

Dear Member of Congress,

Message Body I am writing to urge you to stop any attempts to criminalize or ban kratom, a tropical plant in the coffee family from Southeast Asia that has been used to help those suffering from opioid withdrawal for centuries. On November 14, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb issued an ominous statement on kratom which is currently used by many in the U.S. to overcome addiction, chronic pain and other difficult-to-treat conditions. The FDA advisory is concerning and could be a forebearer that the Drug Enforcement Administration will try to ban kratom again. Last year, the DEA announced it was going to irresponsibly place the active compounds in kratom, Mitragynine and 7-Hydroxymitragynine, into Schedule I. But after enormous public outcry from advocates and Members of Congress, the DEA solicited public comments and delayed the ban. Many people struggling with addiction to opioids and other drugs have turned to kratom as a safer alternative. With our country suffering from an overdose crisis linked to opioids, it would be absurd to prohibit a medicinal plant that many people use to help manage the debilitating effects of opioid withdrawal. Criminalizing more people struggling with addiction is not the answer. Commissioner Gottlieb said the FDA remains open to the potential medicinal uses of kratom and is encouraging scientific research. But it seems like the FDA is following in the footsteps of the DEA – using inaccurate information to justify prohibition and punishment instead of prioritizing serious scientific investigation and safe, well-regulated access. As someone who cares about this issue, I urge you to resist any attempts to criminalize or ban kratom. Thank you.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

[Your Address]