In 2007, a bill was proposed in Massachusetts that would have outlawed salvia divinorum along with kratom and khat.
The Amherst Student News gives an update on this issue. The bill to ban salvia is still moving forward, however, kratom and khat were removed from the bill. According to Rep. Vinny deMacedo, R-Plymouth, "There was not a lot of support for it.. They were removed so we could move the salvia piece forward. Albeit, Chief of Police Hayes felt strongly about keeping them on."
It is fortunate that the representatives proposing the bill decided it wasn't worth criminalizing kratom. It is widely recognized as a legitimate herbal remedy so it would be a shame to outlaw it.
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4 comments:
I like your blog a lot, lots of good info. I have a couple questions:
When do you think Kratom will be illegalized in the US, if ever?
When I buy Kratom, am I supporting a black/criminal market in SE Asia? For example, some Kratom is labeled "Thai". Is it smuggled out or something?
Just curious. Nice blog!
I think this Massachusetts failure to criminalize sets a precedent that will carry at least through two terms of the Obama administration. There's no real pressure to criminalize. It can't happen unless retail kratom extracts get to be about 25% of the current price. The leaf is too unappealing to the average user to ever be overly popular.
Kratom is not a black market product in SE Asia. The vast majority of the kratom labeled Thai is a Thai strain that is actually grown in Indonesia. Some of the Malaysian is really from Malaysia, due to lax enforcement of laws by the Malaysian authorities. You're not supporting organized crime though, just some guy that knows the right island to boat to to start picking leaves. Most of the kratom comes from an international legal drug syndicate and supply chain monster called Wholesale Shamanic Herbs. If you aren't getting wildcrafted kratom, you're probably supporting them.
I had no idea WSH was such a large operation!
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