A US Kratom Ban Will Lead To An Enormous Public Health Crisis
Nothing in recent memory measures up to the current opiate epidemic that is sweeping the United States and erasing an entire generation. If the US Kratom Ban that is being threatened takes effect, the current epidemic will reach catastrophic proportions.
We are reaching a turning point in history. As I write this article just outside of Worcester, Massachusetts, we Massachusettsans are just one day away from legalized marijuana. 29 states and the District of Columbia have now legalized marijuana in at least some form. Just as this news comes as a celebration to some, another plant may go from legal to illegal. The DEA is set to move forward on a Kratom Ban.
While some see the legalization of marijuana as progress or a step towards freedom, others (such as myself) remain wary about one simple fact. The Federal government and the DEA still has marijuana listed as a Schedule 1 drug.
A Schedule 1 drug is based on the classification or “Scheduling” which comes under the DEA. According to the DEA, a Schedule 1 drug is a drug that “currently has no known medical benefits.” — I know, crazy right?
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Can you guess what else is listed under Schedule 1 right next to marijuana? How about drugs like Ecstasy, Heroin, Peyote, and Acid?
Americans overwhelmingly agree on one simple fact. There are well known, clear and present health benefits to marijuana. In fact, numerous peer-reviewed studies from all over the world have substantiated what has been known for a long time.
With a dangerous and scary opiate epidemic plaguing the nation and nearly erasing an entire generation, one may ask how it is possible that so many opiates are prescribed every day. Not only that, but the number of people abusing legal, prescription drugs such as opiates is growing at an alarming rate.
In 2009, more than 2.2 million people reported to have used opiates non-medically. When it comes to opiates and the pharmaceutical companies, the numbers are truly staggering. (See below)
The Attack on Kratom
Kratom is not a drug. That very statement is about as important as this entire article. Kratom is nothing more than a tropical evergreen tree in the coffee family. It’s scientific name is Mitragyna speciosa.
According to millions of people, with rapidly increasing numbers at a rapidly increasing rate, Kratom is nothing short of a miracle leaf. And that may be an understatement.
With an opiate epidemic reaching Biblical proportions and an out-of-control pharmaceutical industry behind it, why is a plant like Kratom under attack? The truth is scary, but it is simply the truth. The truth I am referring to is Big Pharma has a vested interest in having your family members addicted to opiates.
Meanwhile, it is almost unanimous when it comes to Kratom. That is to say, the health benefits of Kratom so greatly outweigh the risks — they’re almost unnoticeable. However, as with anything else on the planet, moderation is the only safe bet.
So, what is it that people are raving about when it comes to Kratom? How about its opiate addiction healing qualities? How about the nearly unnoticeable withdrawal symptoms when taking Kratom to detox from heroin or other opiates? Thousands upon thousands (if not millions) of people have increasingly reported a safe and easy detox from opiates like heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, as well as management drugs like methadone and suboxone.
The effects of Kratom when used responsibly could be described as a miracle drug, and an answer to the opiate epidemic. A Kratom Ban threatens the very real wave of success stories flooding the Internet. Success stories and testimonials given from people who used Kratom to end their addiction to deadly opiates and have a second chance at life.
So, why does the DEA want to follow through with a Kratom Ban?
The answer may lie with an old adage. Follow the money.
The illegal drug market for opiates generates profits of $65 billion a year globally. Of course, this is a number that has been rapidly increasing over the last 20 years. When it comes to tracking the profits of Big Pharma, it isn’t an easy case to crack.
What I did find is some numbers from the infamous Sackler family. The Sackler family, which owns Purdue Pharma, is infamous for its paralyzing and reckless drug pushing agenda, which, as statistics and facts show, was the catalyzing factor in America’s opiate epidemic.
This family stands alone as the Big Pharma drug kingpins. They created what has become one of the largest epidemics in recent history, all with the blessing of the FDA and the Federal government. Studies show that 4 out of 5 heroin addicts started using prescription opioids, and out of all the painkillers that kill, nothing compares the OxyContin.
OxyContin is the pill that was created, patented, pushed, and sold to any American with an ounce of pain and health insurance. The Sackler family amassed much of its $14 billion fortune through its legal drug dealing of OxyContin, as it hired reps to sling their drug and encourage doctors to prescribe it to their patients. Coupons, vacations, and lavish gifts were given to the hardest working doctors, of course, while people of all ages fell victim to the grip of this powerful and deadly drug that was marketed as safe and sound.
I am 27 years of age. I feel my generation has been hit the hardest, and I can honestly say that at least 8 out of 10 people I grew up with are either addicts themselves or they are directly affected by opioid addiction.
Now, with an entire generation literally on the brink of extermination, we have a glimmering beacon of hope. Just off in the distance, a ray of light briefly shimmers on the waters of hope, as Kratom becomes more and more known to the public.
More and more addicts are discovering the magic of Kratom. Addicts who have tried the more mainstream alternatives such as suboxone and methadone were sometimes given a rude awakening.
For example, a MAT (medically assisted treatment) patient who goes to a methadone clinic daily could experience a high level of recovery for a long period of time. This is great and I personally do not deny that methadone (or suboxone) definitely saves lives. However, if there is an insurance lapse, or some other tragic event, the patient would be quickly detoxed from their dose, only to be left in extreme withdrawal which can be at least as intense than a heroin withdrawal.
Although it has been reported that Kratom users who use Kratom long term and at a high dosage can experience withdrawals, they are much less intense. After all, Kratom is not an opioid and does not have the same chemical reactions in terms of withdrawals.
The time for Kratom awareness is not now — it was yesterday. If the Kratom Ban takes effect, we may look back on this period in time 10 years from now and wonder, how did we let this happen?
No one drug, herb, or plant is the be all and end all of medicine. No plant can cure or fix everything, and we do not claim that Kratom is pure magic and will save every opiate addict on the planet. However, given user testimony and research it is very clear that Kratom is having an extremely positive effect on a very large scale. To think, something that is causing such a massive wave of positivity could be criminalized or banned is an absolute outrage.
Whether you are in recovery and clean from opioids, or you have chronic pain problems (among many other ailments) looking into Kratom is more than worth it. Right now, we stand on the brink of disaster as an entire generation of people are being completely erased and killed off. We stand on the edge of an even larger public health crisis, as the [at least] hundreds of thousands of people who have had their pain or their addiction disappear thanks to Kratom could lose it all.
Please, search the Internet and support any legitimate cause you can find to prevent a Kratom Ban.
This article does not seek to promote any one organization or cause, but instead it aims to open eyes and asks you to ponder one question: Why would the Federal government ban a substance that has demonstrated such powerful and positive qualities?
Thank you for reading.
HANDS OFF KRATOM!!!
Note: This article should NOT be considered medical advice of any kind! If you have any questions about Kratom use, please refer to a professional or expert on the use of Kratom and any other medications.
You can read more from Andrew Pontbriand at his site Distract101.com, where this article first appeared.
