Kratom Research Funding Approved!

Hello, Kratom lovers! Club13 is happy to report some positive news from Congress concerning our favorite plant. Appropriations Bill FY2020 was approved this December, which means, at long last, Congress has recognized the need to research Kratom. Congress has directed the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to head the scientific study of Kratom.  For many years, Kratom consumers have feared the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will force the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to instill a total ban on Kratom. Due to misinformation and misconceptions about Kratom and how it is used, some people are under the impression that this organic plant is a dangerous intoxicant.  This is false, of course. Some institutions, like the American Kratom Association (AKA), have taken it upon themselves to clear up this misinformation. Through AKA’s website, outreach, and other research studies, they are continually working to clarify what Kratom is. AKA mainly focuses on sponsoring scientific studies concerning Kratom and the impact these findings have on the industry.  Despite AKA’s best efforts to educate the public, there is no better co-sign than a co-sign from “the powers that be,” i.e., Congress. Congress recognizing the need for government-funded research is a massive step towards Kratom’s eventual legitimacy by the FDA.  Here at Club13 we believe in the importance of accurate and factual information. When society develops a curiosity for a specific product, especially one that is consumed, like Kratom, it becomes our responsibility to nourish that curiosity safely.  Those interested in Kratom must have true and factual information to digest before they decide whether or not Kratom is the right choice for them.
January 10, 2020informative, Kratom, , 0 Comments
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Growing Kratom.

The plant Mitragyna Speciosa, more commonly referred to as Kratom, is a cousin to the plant Coffea Arabica, or more commonly referred to as coffee. Kratom is native to Southeast Asia and thrives in Thailand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and surrounding countries in the Pacific Rim.  Kratom needs heat, humidity, and the right soil pH to thrive. As such, Kratom trees thrive in their home regions where it’s hot and humid, and the soil is perfect. “Perfect” for Kratom means a pH range between 5.5 and 6.5, high humus levels, and exceptional fertility. Kratom’s strict growing requirements also demand that the consistency of the soil must be porous enough to drain but sturdy enough to retain moisture. Consistently wet soil wet is not recommended because it increases the chance of insects and fungi.  In the U.S, it is nearly impossible to find the right conditions to plant Kratom outdoors. To grow this botanical stateside, an indoor growing light, proper humidity, and a temperature-controlled environment are recommended. For reference, the average humidity in Medan, the capital city found on the western island of Sumatra in Indonesia, is between 72 and 74 percent. Humidity is one of the factors that change the alkaloid content of the Kratom leaves. If the humidity isn’t right, the whole chemical makeup of the plant can be disturbed.  
December 5, 2019informative, Kratom, , , , , 0 Comments
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Can Kratom Make a Comeback in Wisconsin?

With regard to the law, Kratom has had some highs and lows over the last decade. Although the Mitragyna Speciosa plant remains unregulated in most states, state and federal politicians consistently try to ban it. One state has already succeeded in criminalizing the plant - Wisconsin. 

In 2014, the Wisconsin Senate passed legislation that classified Kratom’s two main alkaloids--mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine--as controlled substances. It was a brash decision that has garnered ethical, constitutional, and political criticisms.

Controversial Senate Bill 325 managed to pass with bipartisan support and was signed into law by Governor Scott Walker just seven months after it was first introduced. The bill was introduced by Republican Senator Sheila Harsdorf and her colleagues, whom were a mix of republicans and democrats.

The bill in question lumped Kratom in with both hallucinogens and dangerous “synthetic cannabinoids,” neither of which Kratom is. Kratom is an indigenous plant to Southeast Asia that has been traditionally ingested by locals for millenia. Today, Kratom is used across the globe for its calming and mood enhancing effects. 

Unlike synthetic cannabinoids, whose devastating effects have been felt across the nation,  there have been no recorded deaths or hospitalizations attributable to the use of Kratom.

On October 30th, five years after the Kratom ban, the Wisconsin State Health Committee held a two-hour informational hearing dedicated to Kratom. The American Kratom Association was joined by Dr. Jack Henningfield, the face of Kratom 8-Factor Analysis and Utah Senator Curt Bramble, who was the first to pass the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA). Over the course of two-hours, politicians, scientists, and business owners engaged in healthy discourse. Everyone who partook in the hearing certainly increased their Kratom knowledge. If you want to watch the hearing and boost your Kratom knowledge, click here: Informational Hearing on Kratom 

After the hearing, the feedback from the senators was overwhelmingly positive. We should expect a bill introducing the KCPA in Wisconsin soon. If that passes, Kratom will once again be legal in Wisconsin. 

https://www.americankratom.org/mediak/news/wisconsin-senate-health-committee-information-hearing-on-kratom.html

 

November 13, 2019informative, Kratom, Uncategorized, , , , 0 Comments
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picture of hand touching green kratom leaf with club13 logo

Just What is Kratom? – The Hive Podcast

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with Kratom. In this podcast brought to you by In the Hive, Roger McDonough tells you what Kratom is and why people use it. Listen along as McDonough explores the world of this natural plant through personal testimonials of advocates to business owners, scientists to senators.

One guest, Utah State Senator Curtis Brambles, sponsored the Utah Kratom Consumer Protection Act, which protects the purity of distribution. Senator Brambles explains how he was inspired to sponsor this legislation after the death of his son-in-law, who passed away last year from opioid addiction. Senator Brambles is not only a user and advocate of Kratom but, apparently, is known to keep a bottle of Kratom on his desk.

The podcast then introduces Dr. Jack Henningfield, one of the world's leading experts on addiction and the behavioral, cognitive, and central nervous system (CNS) effects of drugs.  Dr. Henningfield takes us on a journey from it's indigenous roots in Southeast Asia to its newfound popularity in the United States. 

The podcast also gives the perspective of a Salt Lake City business owner who discusses with McDonough what enticed him to get in the industry. Inspired by public support, this business owner has grown his local business into a success story. 

New users, old users, or people curious about Kratom will find this podcast enlightening. Click the link provided and explore the culture surrounding this traditional Southeast Asian plant. But don't take it from me, listen for yourself.

 

Written by,
Madi Furlong 

The Hive - Just What is Kratom?

S.B. 58 Kratom Consumer Protection Act

October 24, 2019informative, Kratom, podcasts, , , 0 Comments
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