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FDA Warns Against Kratom Use Will US Ban the Drug?

Will the United States ban kratom, a tropical plant that grows naturally in some southeast Asian countries, owing to its addictive properties? While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been issuing advisories against using the natural remedy for pain of late, there have been reports anticipating a ban on the opioid-type drug.

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FDA Warns Against Kratom Use Will US Ban the Drug?

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  1. FDA Warns Against Kratom Use; Will US Ban the Drug? FDA Warns Against Kratom Use; Will US Ban the Drug? Will the United States ban kratom, a tropical plant that grows naturally in some southeast Asian countries, owing to its addictive properties? While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been issuing advisories against using the natural remedy for pain of late, there have been reports anticipating a ban on the opioid-type drug. Mitragyna speciosa, the scientific name of kratom, has been getting popular among Americans due to its analgesic and antidepressant properties. Many people claim that the drug helps them deal with opioid withdrawal symptoms. It is normally dispensed as a powder that can be mixed with tea or can be taken as a diet supplement pill. Its use is still not illegal in the country and it remains unregulated. Issuing a fresh warning against the use of kratom, the FDA had made public its intention of cracking down on its misuse in the wake of the already burgeoning opioid epidemic. In a Feb.6, 2018 statement, the FDA had said that so far 44 deaths have been reported kratom. It said that kratom neither be used for the management of any medical ailment nor as an alternative to opioids for the lack of regarding the drug’s therapeutic use. The agency busted the myth that being “just a plant” doesn’t mean it’s safe. In 2012 and 2014, the FDA had issued import alerts for kratom to stop it right at the border. Since 2014, the law enforcement officials have seized kratom worth nearly $5.5 million. due to should evidence Kratom belongs to the evergreen coffee family. Its active compounds are mitragynine and 7- hydroxymitragynine, which act like morphine on the brain receptors. Analysis of drug’s side effects www.sovaddictionrehab.com

  2. In 2016, the FDA wanted to list kratom as a Schedule I substance with high potential for abuse. However, the Congress stalled the move. The recent move by FDA is again signaling towards its intention of putting the drug under the Controlled Substances Act to restrict its access. Since 2016, the agency scientists have been studying the computational model of the drug and how the components of the molecule behave inside the human body. According to FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, after a thorough research, scientists discovered that out of the 25 compounds present in kratom, 22 act like opioids on the brain. This indicates the potential side effects of the drug on its users. Some bodies, like the American Kratom Association (AKA) from Colorado, are unhappy with the FDA move and want consumers be allowed to make their choices. In a statement it said that kratom is being used as a lifeline for the millions of Americans replacing strong and potentially harmful opioids. “A ban on kratom… would put them at risk of relapse to opioid use with the potential consequence of overdose death.” It cited a recent research published in the journal Neuropharmacology emphasizing that additional research is warranted to substantiate that deaths, cited by the FDA, have occurred because of kratom alone. On Feb.8, 2018, AKA sent a letter to White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, who recently took control of the Trump administration’s opioids agenda, and Robert Patterson, the acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), requesting them to intervene. The AKA letter claimed that “it is not dangerously addictive,” nor is it similar to “narcotics like opioids” with respect to addiction and death as stated by the FDA in its November 14 kratom advisory. Larger issue of addiction Any drug used over a long period can lead to tolerance, dependence and addiction. If someone has been prescribed a drug by a practitioner, it should be used strictly as per the doctor’s advice. Once addicted, it can lead to drug-seeking behavior and a host of health problems. For those addicted to any drug, timely treatment can help gain sobriety and live a happy, productive and addiction-free life. Sovereign Addiction Services is a leading substance abuse treatment provider in the U.S. with some state-of-the-art drug rehab centers in California and other states. If you have a loved one struggling with an addiction, you can call our 24/7 helpline (866) 327-0971 to get connected to one of the drug rehabilitation centers inCalifornia. www.sovaddictionrehab.com

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