WASHINGTON, D.C. — On July 29, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its recommendation that 7-OH, a component of the plant kratom, be moved to Schedule I. The agency also released a report on kratom and its harm profile to justify the decision.
Kevin Sabet, president & CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions (FDPS) released the following statement:
“While we applaud the FDA for recommending a ban on 7-OH, the report and recent televised interviews by its officials are only telling part of the story. The FDA should not separate 7-OH from kratom by referring to it as a synthetic derivative. 7-OH is in fact, a natural constituent of kratom. The agency also should not allow the public to think that mitragynine, the other psychoactive constituent of kratom, is benign. Cocaine isn’t safe because crack is more dangerous.
“While the FDA’s recommendation is certainly welcome, we ask that they take the necessary additional step to recommend the complete scheduling of kratom as Schedule I until more is known.
“The FDA’s report downplays kratom’s harms as a whole, by singling out 7-OH. That mirrors the talking points used by the American Kratom Association, the nation’s leading kratom industry lobby group. Their efforts have sought to mislead the public into thinking kratom is benign and 7-OH is its only harmful constituent. The evidence simply does not support this approach, and we hope the FDA will not follow their lead.
“According to the scientific literature, both 7-OH and mitragynine are addictive and harmful to mental and cardiovascular health. The evidence shows regular use of kratom can lead to death, tremor, anorexia, and psychosis. While 7-OH may be more potent and harmful than mitragynine, both compounds are lethal. There is still more research to be done on their neurological, liver, and other health harms.”
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