Bad Science: FDA Claims Kratom is an Opiod

According to the FDA, kratom should be banned for its opioid-like qualities, its potential deadliness, and its link to 23 salmonella poisonings across the country.

Let’s break down all of these falsehoods.

First, regulation is the better approach than banning. Kratom users won’t go away if it’s made illegal; the plant has been imported for years because of its popularity and safe use in Asia.

Second, as noted by nine scientists who signed a letter to Opioid Crisis Team Leader Kellyanne Conway and Acting Drug Enforcement Agency Administrator Robert Patterson, the FDA is using “bad science” by claiming kratom is an opioid.

In fact, according to these diverse and respected scientists, “We believe strongly that the current body of credible research on the actual effects of kratom demonstrates that it is not dangerously addictive, nor is it similar to ‘narcotics like opioids’ with respect to ‘addiction’ and ‘death,’” they wrote. “Equally important, four surveys indicate that kratom is presently serving as a lifeline away from strong, often dangerous opioids for many of the several million Americans who use kratom.”

Third, the supposed link between kratom and 44 deaths is totally false. As detailed in a groundbreaking new study by molecular biologist and attorney Dr. Jane Babin, 43 of those deaths have so many other factors — such as hard drugs like heroin, suicidal ideations, and more — that zeroing in on kratom is irresponsible.

Lastly, the FDA has been joined in its attacks on kratom by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Read the complete article at The Hill