PA House resolution seeking regulatory guidance from the FDA contains language explaining why it shouldn’t

A proposed resolution introduced to the Pennsylvania House on Tuesday, September 3rd would officially request guidelines for kratom regulation in the state from none other than the FDA.

HR460’s primary sponsor is Rep. Jim Struzzi. It is co-sponsored by other representatives from rural PA counties (contact info below).

Many kratom consumers have been commenting on Struzzi’s Facebook post about HR460, sharing their stories and asking him to reconsider following the FDA’s advice. The FDA has been shown to mislead the public on the science of kratom through either incompetent work or deliberate obfuscation of scientific facts.

If HR460 should pass, kratom laws in Pennsylvania would not change. But this is an indication that representatives and laying the groundwork for a ban, in spite of the will of the people.

One of HR460’s co-sponsors, Rep. Scott Conklin, previously announced his intention to “Ban kratom!” in a press release. He subsequently met with American Kratom Association’s Mac Haddow and Rep. Vernon Jones of Georgia, who were instrumental in passing the Kratom Consumer Protection Act in that state. During this meeting Conklin promised to review the KCPA model for Pennsylvania.

The full text of HR460 is littered with inaccuracies. It suggested kratom is ingested, among other methods, by “smoking the leaves”. According to HR460, “opioid-like depressant and euphoric effects occur at higher doses”. And “The FDA rescinded the FDA’s intention to designate kratom as a Schedule 1 drug after public outcry from supporters of kratom.” I think you mean DEA, HR460.

Contradicting its own purpose for existing, HR460 acknowledges that “The FDA has issued reports about deaths associated with kratom with little or no research performed on the safety of kratom” and that “Supporters of kratom assert that illicit substances combined with kratom caused the deaths associated kratom and that those deaths wrongly served as the basis for the FDA’s proposed criminalization of kratom.” However, these acknowledgements don’t amount to much when the entire motion is to ask the organization, even with accusations of bias mentioned in the resolution, for regulation guidance.

If you live in Pennsylvania, contact your state house reps and ask them to vote against this resolution. To find your state Senate and state House reps, go to openstates.org and enter your street address under “Find Your Legislators”.

Everyone else should contact the sponsors of this bill…