It’s no secret that the FDA wants Kratom banned, and they’re back at it, again. This time, the FDA is formulating comments to influence a WHO Kratom ban. Keep reading to learn about the FDA’s continuously shady tactics, what the AKA is doing to stop them, and how you can help.
WHO Notifies the FDA; FDA Plays Dirty
On June 10, 2021 the World Health Organization officially notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration through the Department of State that Kratom, among other substances, was the subject of a pre-review with the WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence. Unsurprisingly, the FDA kept this information hidden from the public for 42 days. Now, the FDA is bound to accept comments from the public and consider them before presenting their opinion to the WHO. So why in the world does it make any sense for the FDA to wait so long to accept comments? If they were at all interested in hearing the opinions of the public, whom they claim to serve, surely they would have opened comments immediately!
But it doesn’t seem like the FDA much cares about the public’s comments on Kratom. Finally, on July 22, 2021 the FDA officially published notice of collecting comments. And the kicker: comment collection closes on August 9, 2021. This is an absurdly short window to collect these comments in; most comment collection time periods are at least 60 days! It’s plain to see that the FDA doesn’t care about your comments and they’ve already made up their minds.
Further proof of this is evident in the FDA’s comments on why the deadline was so tight. They made no comment about why they waited the 42 days to begin with, but they did have an explanation for the August 9th end time: the FDA’s presentation to the WHO was due on August 10th. But, wait.. if the FDA is actually supposed to consider these comments for their proposal, one day doesn’t seem to be enough time to consider the over 8,000 comments published to the federal register alone. Not to mention the over 45,000 comments collected by the American Kratom Association that were also to be delivered to the FDA. It seems like the FDA is simply doing it’s duty to collect comments with absolutely no intention of reviewing them before recommending a WHO Kratom ban.
The AKA Fights Back
The AKA Takes Comments Directly
The American Kratom Association has been a constant supporter of consumer access to safe, unadulterated Kratom. This fight is no different, and the AKA has been hard at work trying to stop this possible WHO Kratom ban. First, they have urged the public to submit their comments not the the FDA’s federal register, but to their own site. This has a lot to do with what was stated above, that we can’t really be sure that the comments submitted directly to the FDA are even getting looked at. Further, it’s questionable if the FDA is even considering these comments like they’re bound to do by the Controlled Substances Act. This act does not require the FDA to give any of these comments to the WHO. So, the FDA can just collect these comments, ignore them, and then present to the WHO whatever twisted story they want to induce a WHO Kratom ban.
This is why the AKA has pushed to have comments submitted to them directly. So far, they have collected over 45,000! The AKA is going to make sure every single one of these comments ends up in the hands of not only the FDA, but also directly to the WHO themselves. The AKA wants to ensure that the WHO can read specific testimonials from Kratom users, can read about how “Kratom saved my life” for 45,000 comments and maybe it will sway their consideration.
The AKA Files Suit to Extend Comment Deadline
The AKA, with their team of Kratom heroes and information finders, received word that the WHO had extended the deadline for the FDA to present their findings from August 10th to August 27th. With this information, the AKA filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); HHS Secretary Becerra; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); and Acting FDA Commissioner Woodcock. The complaint sought to extend the deadline for the comment period to a later date in August in order to give citizens a reasonable amount of time to comment.
The AKA was able to present a case for a clear Kratom bias in the comment process, and the comment period is currently under consideration of an August 24th extension. The AKA is still taking comments regardless, however, so submit yours now!
The WHO Kratom Ban Future Possibilities
Hopefully, all will go well with the comment extension, and the FDA will be collecting comments until sometime through the end of August. The FDA will then provide their own presentation the WHO. However, they will not be alone in this. The AKA is working with many other organizations and politicians across the world who are in favor of keeping Kratom, and will make their voices heard at the WHO. The AKA themselves will also be presenting to the WHO all of the comments they have collected.
Once the WHO has heard all of these presentations, the Forty-Fourth Expert Committee on Drug Dependence will take place on October 11-15, 2021. This committee will decide if Kratom should then move to a full critical review. This critical review process could last up to a year. If during this process it is decided that Kratom meets the criteria for scheduling the WHO will then make a recommendation to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
AKA Press Conference
The entirety of the AKA’s most recent press briefing has been included below, should you be interested in hearing more details.
The WHO Kratom Ban Conclusion
There is still a lot of time to go with all of these processes, and a lot of possibilities! The AKA is actively working with Kratom advocates from around the globe to show the WHO how large Kratom’s influence is, and the impact it has in people’s lives. We will be sure to keep you updated with all the latest news as this situation unfolds.
As always, if you have any comments, questions, or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us. To learn more about Kratom head on over to our blog. And when you’re ready to purchase some top quality Kratom products, visit our shop!
One Response
Kratom has helped with with my overall health and well being for just over a year now. Those achy and stiff joints feel much better now! I have passed on my relief using Kratom to several people now with good feedback. Definitely recommend it. We use the super white and super red.