American Kratom Association

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The American Kratom Association (AKA), founded in 2014, is a non-profit organization in the U.S. whose self-described mission is "protecting the rights of all Americans to legally consume safe kratom to better manage their overall health and well-being".[1][2] In 2016 and 2017, the organization drew public attention when it opposed efforts by the DEA to place kratom on the list of Schedule I drugs.[3][4][5] As of 2021, it is chaired by former Republican congressman Matt Salmon.[6]

Background[edit]

Kratom consumption in the U.S. has increased in recent decades,[7] and in 2014 the FDA began seizing shipments of kratom into the U.S.[8] In 2016, the DEA announced its intent to classify kratom as a Schedule I drug.[9] This move sparked controversy, leading more than 60 members of the U.S. Congress to urge the DEA to delay the ban in order to allow public comment.[4][10] During this time, the American Kratom Association organized a protest at the White House and gathered signatures on a petition opposing the scheduling of kratom.[9][10][11] In 2018, the American Kratom Association released a report disputing the evidence that the FDA and DEA had used to propose the scheduling of kratom.[12][13]

Philosophy[edit]

The American Kratom Association states that its purposes are to "represent a community of responsible consumers, provide the general public with clarification surrounding matters of health and wellness where Kratom could play an important role, educate lawmakers and regulators, and support scientific research efforts."[1]

Research[edit]

In 2017, the American Kratom Association worked with researchers to gather online survey responses from 8,049 people in the U.S. who use kratom.[14] The organization also facilitated a 2020 survey study conducted on 2,798 people who use kratom.[15]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Mission". American Kratom Association. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  2. ^ "About AKA". American Kratom Association. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  3. ^ Connecticut, Gerald Gianutsos, PhD, JD Associate Professor of Pharmacology University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy Storrs. "The DEA Changes Its Mind on Kratom". www.uspharmacist.com. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  4. ^ a b Grover, Natalie (2016-10-13). "DEA delays decision on kratom ban after public backlash". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  5. ^ "The science behind kratom's strange leaves". www.asbmb.org. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  6. ^ AKAadmin. "AKA Announcement on Leadership Change". www.americankratom.org. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  7. ^ Eastlack, Steven C.; Cornett, Elyse M.; Kaye, Alan D. (2020). "Kratom—Pharmacology, Clinical Implications, and Outlook: A Comprehensive Review". Pain and Therapy. 9 (1): 55–69. doi:10.1007/s40122-020-00151-x. ISSN 2193-8237. PMC 7203303. PMID 31994019.
  8. ^ Commissioner, Office of the (2019-09-11). "FDA and Kratom". FDA.
  9. ^ a b "Kratom Gets Reprieve From Drug Enforcement Administration". NPR.org. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  10. ^ a b Caldwell,STAT, Alicia A. "DEA Drops Ban on Herbal Supplement Kratom". Scientific American. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  11. ^ Press, Matthew Perrone | The Associated (2017-11-14). "FDA warns of injury, death with herbal supplement kratom". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  12. ^ "Kratom Association Calls FDA Review of Drug 'Junk Science' in Scathing Report". www.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  13. ^ "The U.S. May Ban Kratom. But Are its Effects Deadly or Lifesaving?". Discover Magazine. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  14. ^ "Patterns of Kratom use and health impact in the US—Results from an online survey". Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 176: 63–70. 2017-07-01. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.03.007. ISSN 0376-8716.
  15. ^ Garcia-Romeu, Albert; Cox, David J.; Smith, Kirsten E.; Dunn, Kelly E.; Griffiths, Roland R. (2020-03-01). "Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa): User demographics, use patterns, and implications for the opioid epidemic". Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 208: 107849. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.107849. ISSN 1879-0046. PMC 7423016. PMID 32029298.

External links[edit]

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