Florida Law Enforcement Recognizes Kratom’s Positive Safety Profile
MARCH 14, 2016 COMMENTS OFF FEATURED, ISSUES, MAIN FEATURE 2
Botanical Legal Defense Applauds the Defeat of Florida’s Misguided Legislation to Ban Kratom
ATLANTA (March 14, 2016) – The Botanical Legal Defense (BLD) congratulates the members of the Florida State Legislature that voted against the ill-advised legislation that would have classified Mitragyna speciosa or Kratom as a Schedule I narcotic. Despite overwhelming research demonstrating the lack of danger and medical benefits of Kratom, several members of the legislature attempted to advance HB73 and SB1182, which failed for the second consecutive year.
In December 2015, The Florida Department of Law Enforcement published an in-depth report examining Kratom and its effects on consumer health and the state of Florida. The report concluded, “a review of information currently available through identified law enforcement and laboratory sources in Florida indicates that Kratom does not constitute a significant risk to the safety or welfare of Florida residents. The Florida Department of Health (DOH) reports no pervasive health issues attributed to the ingestion of Kratom products in Florida.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement report follows countless medical and education professionals who have supported Kratom, including Alan Bloom, a member of Wisconsin’s Controlled Substances Board and a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the Medical College of Wisconsin, who said, “There’s no scientific basis for classifying Kratom as a dangerous drug.” Or, Jack Henningfield, Ph.D., Professor of Behavioral Biology, The John Hopkins University, who testified, “[Kratom] consumption does not interfere with work or social activities and commitments, and in fact are widely reported in the U.S., as in Southeast Asia, to contribute to work productivity, quality of life, and social relationships.”
Travis Lowin, Executive Director of the Botanical Legal Defense said, “There is a small number of individuals that are working to spread false claims about Kratom. These individuals are now faced with overpowering evidence that Kratom is a safe and medicinal remedy for a range of ailments and conditions. We hope that lawmakers and members of the media will take note of what has happened in Florida.”
Kratom is a natural supplement from the coffee family, which has been used safely for over 500 years. When taken in appropriate amounts, Kratom can provide increased energy, minor pain relief aswell as relief from a variety of mental ailments. Today, tens of thousands of Americans consume Kratom to help them live a full and meaningful life.
The Botanical Legal Defense is dedicated to fighting over-reaching government criminalization of nature’s most significant gifts. Chief among these is Mitragyna speciosa (aka Kratom), a natural analgesic, muscle relaxer, anti-inflammatory, andantioxidant. Our mission is to educate and enlighten lawmakers, law enforcement, consumers, medical personnel and the media to the plant’s benefits. BLD strives to direct effective policy change, and protect the rights of adults to have access to safe and effective herbal products.
For more information, visit: botanicallegaldefense.org
MARCH 14, 2016 COMMENTS OFF FEATURED, ISSUES, MAIN FEATURE 2
Botanical Legal Defense Applauds the Defeat of Florida’s Misguided Legislation to Ban Kratom
ATLANTA (March 14, 2016) – The Botanical Legal Defense (BLD) congratulates the members of the Florida State Legislature that voted against the ill-advised legislation that would have classified Mitragyna speciosa or Kratom as a Schedule I narcotic. Despite overwhelming research demonstrating the lack of danger and medical benefits of Kratom, several members of the legislature attempted to advance HB73 and SB1182, which failed for the second consecutive year.
In December 2015, The Florida Department of Law Enforcement published an in-depth report examining Kratom and its effects on consumer health and the state of Florida. The report concluded, “a review of information currently available through identified law enforcement and laboratory sources in Florida indicates that Kratom does not constitute a significant risk to the safety or welfare of Florida residents. The Florida Department of Health (DOH) reports no pervasive health issues attributed to the ingestion of Kratom products in Florida.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement report follows countless medical and education professionals who have supported Kratom, including Alan Bloom, a member of Wisconsin’s Controlled Substances Board and a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the Medical College of Wisconsin, who said, “There’s no scientific basis for classifying Kratom as a dangerous drug.” Or, Jack Henningfield, Ph.D., Professor of Behavioral Biology, The John Hopkins University, who testified, “[Kratom] consumption does not interfere with work or social activities and commitments, and in fact are widely reported in the U.S., as in Southeast Asia, to contribute to work productivity, quality of life, and social relationships.”
Travis Lowin, Executive Director of the Botanical Legal Defense said, “There is a small number of individuals that are working to spread false claims about Kratom. These individuals are now faced with overpowering evidence that Kratom is a safe and medicinal remedy for a range of ailments and conditions. We hope that lawmakers and members of the media will take note of what has happened in Florida.”
Kratom is a natural supplement from the coffee family, which has been used safely for over 500 years. When taken in appropriate amounts, Kratom can provide increased energy, minor pain relief aswell as relief from a variety of mental ailments. Today, tens of thousands of Americans consume Kratom to help them live a full and meaningful life.
The Botanical Legal Defense is dedicated to fighting over-reaching government criminalization of nature’s most significant gifts. Chief among these is Mitragyna speciosa (aka Kratom), a natural analgesic, muscle relaxer, anti-inflammatory, andantioxidant. Our mission is to educate and enlighten lawmakers, law enforcement, consumers, medical personnel and the media to the plant’s benefits. BLD strives to direct effective policy change, and protect the rights of adults to have access to safe and effective herbal products.
For more information, visit: botanicallegaldefense.org
BLD Florida
