Support the State Kratom Consumer Protection Act!

This year, the American Kratom Association is considerably helping out on the Kratom legalization front.

Quoting the article from the American Kratom Association

The goal set by the AKA for the upcoming 2020 legislative sessions in the states is to secure passage in 21 additional states for the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA), bringing the total to 25 states who have enacted consumer protections for kratom consumers.

Giving us an update on this goal, and the details pertaining to the efforts made on both the federal and state level funded by kratom advocates. They continue to say, there may be adjustments made after Jan. 1st, depending on the funds available for the project in 2020.

The current information we have:

STATES WHERE LOBBYISTS HAVE BEEN RETAINED:

STATES WHERE LOBBYIST FUNDING IS NEEDED:

STATES WHERE AKA IS HANDLING CONTACTS WITH STATE OFFICIALS:

1. Arkansas (no legislative session in 2020)
2. Rhode Island
3. Texas (no legislative session in 2020)

States such as Texas and Arkansas, do not currently have any legislative sessions scheduled for this upcoming year, however there are “interim meetings” where legislators are going to meet and review the proposed legislation and current policies for their states. 

AKA continues to say, “In those states we will aggressively educate and prepare for the introduction and passage of the KCPA as soon as their sessions convene in 2021.”(1)

In Rhode Island, the Director of the Department of Health has held meetings with the AKA team, Utah State Senator Curt Bramble, and leading science expert on kratom, Jack Henningfield, Ph.D.

As previously reported, the Director has formally opened a review of the current ban on kratom and has pledged to review the regulatory scheme in the Kratom Consumer Protection Act to determine if they might fit the needs of Rhode Island.

The states that are currently highlighted in red on their chart, are priority states where kratom is currently banned. However real opportunity exists to overturn their bans in most of the states. AKA believes, “Wisconsin, Alabama, Arkansas, and Rhode Island are prime targets in 2020 to overturn existing bans.”

States in orange are the targeted states for passage of the KCPA in 2020. It is an ambitious effort that can only occur with the help of the kratom advocacy community.

Now, what does the KCPA do for us and the kratom community?

The core elements of the KCPA include:

(1) Product Registration: All vendors have to register with the designated state agency and provide independent lab certifications their product complies with the requirements of the KCPA in that state;

(2) Age Restriction: No sale of any kratom product to anyone under the age of 18 ? (some states require a ban on sales to anyone under the age of 21;

(3) Labeling Requirements: Clear labeling on the contents of any kratom product;

(4) No Adulteration: A ban on adding any dangerous non-kratom substance, or a substance that affects the quality or strength of a kratom product to the degree it renders the product injurious to a consumer, including adding any controlled substance(s);

(5) No Synthetic Alkaloids: A ban on adding any synthetic kratom alkaloids (mitragynine or 7- hydroxymitragynine) or compounds of the plant;

(6) Limit on 7-OH: A ban on any kratom product that contains a level of 7-hydroxymitragynine in the alkaloid fraction that is greater than 2% of the of the overall alkaloid composition of the product; and

(7) Appropriate warning labels: Include warnings that consumers should consult their doctors for any possible drug interactions with current medications prescribed to them; and warnings that pregnant women should not consume kratom because there is no safety data that has been published.

What the KCPA does not do is limit the product formulations, i.e., powder, capsules, liquids, or extracts as long as they are in compliance with the KCPA in that state.

In the course of the legislative process, all legislation is subject to amendment and AKA works to ensure the core elements of the KCPA are accepted.

Please, take your time to contact your local officials, to express your opinion on this life saving plant.

Visit https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials for information on contacting them!

Kratom Guides

Drug Testing – Alkaloids In Kratom – Kratom Tolerance – Kratom Extracts – Growing Kratom – Low & High Quality Kratom – Before You Buy – Myths and Facts – Types of Kratom – Storing Kratom
Full Spectrum Kratom – Gold Vein Kratom – Kratom Consumer Protection Act