The Kratom Consumer Protection Act has been passed in four states, and is being considered in several others. But, what is it? And why is it necessary?
Kratom, a natural substance made from the leaf of a tree in the coffee family, has been under public scrutiny due to warnings from the federal Food and Drug Administration. Even though these warnings were rescinded, the FDA kept that information hidden from the public. As a result, many states imposed Kratom bans, leaving thousands without a natural substance that greatly benefits their lives.
As a response to these bans, legislators in those states are proposing the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA). This is a way to take a step back from a full Kratom ban, and appeal to safety and caution. Read on to learn more about how this legislation is helping to keep Kratom legal and safe.
What is the Kratom Consumer Protection Act?
The Kratom Consumer Protection Act is a template started by the American Kratom Association (AKA). Basically, it is a document for making into state law that all Kratom sold should be tested for adulteration and contaminants, properly labeled, and not sold to any persons under the age of 18. The KCPA also carries stipulations of penalties for violations of these rules. This is a huge step to ensure that the public has access to safe, clean, unadulterated Kratom. The specific text of these bills varies from state to state; you can read Utah’s full version here, and Arizona’s full version here.
Why the KCPA is Important
The Kratom Consumer Protection Act ensures that Kratom sold has only levels of Kratom alkaloids present at natural levels. This is an important aspect because sales of dangerous products, such as ‘Kratom shots,’ containing extremely artificially elevated levels of Kratom alkaloids have been known to have unfortunate side effects and make people sick.
While Kratom can be a wonderful addition to so many people’s lives, it is still a substance that needs to be used responsibly. Over-consumption of Kratom can lead to undesirable side effects. With the KCPA in effect, Kratom users could be confident in knowing exactly what product they are working with, and be able to take doses accordingly. This goes a long way in making states feel safer and more confident in Kratom being legal.
Reversing Kratom Bans
The Kratom Consumer Protection Act is a breakthrough for states that had initiated Kratom bans. These were unfortunate, due to bans being created based on the FDA hiding crucial information from the public and legislators. Basically, the FDA proposed to list Kratom as a schedule one drug, and then backed down from that decision. However, states still took this as information proving Kratom was a bad substance, and several states imposed Kratom bans based on this information.
In reality, the FDA backed down on Kratom scheduling due to new information given to them that banning Kratom could actually be harmful for many people and that it did not meet the requirements for scheduling. The FDA kept this information hidden from the public and legislators for over two years. If you’d like to read more about that whole dilemma, head over to our blog with more details.
How the Kratom Consumer Protection Act Helped
In the wake of Kratom bans, the American Kratom Association answered by writing up the KCPA. Once drafted, they went to work talking to representatives in the states that had banned Kratom, and started making some headway. The KCPA gave states some peace of mind that Kratom could be safe and regulated, and that their residents could take Kratom with peace of mind. So far, four states (Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Georgia) have passed the Kratom Consumer Protection Act to reverse Kratom bans, and several states are somewhere in the middle of the legislative process to do so.
Conclusion
States passing the Kratom Consumer Protection Act are ultimately helping their residents. This act ensures the safety and purity of Kratom on the market. Further, it will halt the sales of artificially enhanced Kratom products that can be dangerous. The American Kratom Association is currently still continuing to spread the KCPA throughout the U.S. to ensure safe Kratom access for everyone.
