Concerning: Kratom

Whereas, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings to consumers not to use Mitragyna speciosa, commonly known as kratom, a plant which grows naturally in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Papua, New Guinea because the plant affects the same opioid brain receptors as morphine, and it appears to have properties that expose users to the risks of addiction, abuse, and dependence, and

Whereas, the leaves of kratom are consumed either by chewing, or by drying and smoking, putting into capsules, tablets or extract, or by boiling into a tea, and

Whereas, the effects from kratom are unique in that stimulation occurs at low doses and opioid-like depressant and euphoric effects occur at higher doses, and

Whereas, FDA has issued reports about deaths associated with kratom, though supporters of keeping the drug legal for research purposes note that the death certificates often mention the possible involvement of other drugs, and

Whereas, federal and state officials investigating a 2018 Salmonella infection outbreak found that half of the 66 kratom products they tested were contaminated with salmonella, and

Whereas, as a result, they believe that multiple retailers were selling kratom that was contaminated with Salmonella that resulted in several recalls from distributors, and

Whereas, FDA is actively evaluating all available scientific information to better understand kratom’s safety profile, including the use of kratom combined with other drugs, and

Whereas, while FDA evaluates the available safety information about the effects of kratom, the agency encourages health care professionals and consumers to report any adverse reactions to the FDA’s MedWatch program, and

Whereas, there are currently no FDA-approved uses for kratom, and

Whereas, Kratom is now considered a Schedule 1 drug in Alabama, (the same classification as heroin and ecstasy), and Wisconsin, Vermont, Tennessee, Indiana, Rhode Island and Arkansas have also banned the botanical supplement with additional states considering the same course, therefore be it

Resolved, that AFDO advise FDA of the state’s concern with the safety of kratom, and the current distribution and sale of kratom as a drug replacement, supplement, or food, and Be it further Resolved, that AFDO request FDA to provide its best guidance to state food and/or drug safety programs on approaches for dealing with kratom.