Congressional Briefing on Kratom Held in Washington

On September 20, 2024, a Congressional Briefing on kratom was held at the Cannon House Office Building, bringing together top scientists and legislators to discuss the current state and future of kratom regulation in the United States.

The event featured notable speakers including:

• Congressman Jack Bergman, who spoke about the importance of working together with agencies like FDA to craft good kratom policy.
• Dr. Christopher McCurdy, a University of Florida medicinal chemist on kratom pharmacology and the possibility of kratom to be developed into a beneficial pharmaceutical in the future.
• Dr. Kirsten Smith, a Johns Hopkins University scientist on who consumes kratom and their motivations.
• Dr. Ed Boyer, of Ohio State University and Harvard Medical, who spoke about kratom toxicology.
• Dr. Jack Henningfield, Senior Vice President at Pinney Associates and former NIDA scientist. Dr. Henningfield provided a historical perspective, outlining kratom’s traditional uses and its modern-day applications. He underscored the necessity for regulatory frameworks that are informed by scientific evidence rather than anecdotal reports.
• Kelley and Peter Guidry, founders of Forgotten Not Gone, an organization that helps veterans who are struggling with PTSD. They spoke about how kratom has helped them and other veterans.
• Michael Krawitz, of Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access. Mr. Krawitz spoke about his organization's victory in passing a national bill for veteran access to cannabis in 2010, and about plant based therapies.
• Melody Woolf and Heidi Sykora, kratom consumers who spoke about how kratom helped them and improved their family life.

The event was well-received, marking a significant step towards a more informed and balanced approach to kratom regulation. It highlighted the need for continued collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and the public to ensure that any regulations are based on robust scientific evidence.

The American Kratom Association (AKA), which organized the briefing, expressed optimism that the discussions would lead to more informed decisions regarding the future of kratom in the United States.

The AKA has been pushing for a national bill in Congress that would regulated kratom federally. The Federal Kratom Consumer Protection Act was introduced in 2023 in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

In the Senate, the bill was sponsored by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ). In the House, the bill was sponsored by Representative Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Representative Jack Bergman (R-MI). The legislation aims to prevent the FDA from regulating kratom more stringently than other dietary supplements or food additives, ensuring that kratom remains accessible to consumers.
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This bipartisan effort reflects the ongoing debate over kratom's potential benefits and risks, and the need for a balanced approach to its regulation.