Category: Legal News

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Senate passes bill removing kratom from narcotics list

The Senate on Tuesday approved an amendment bill removing kratom from the narcotics list in its third reading, a step closer to households being allowed to grow up to three kratom trees each for daily use, Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin said on Tuesday.

Mr Somsak said the next step is for the Senate speaker to forward the bill to the House speaker, who would submit it to the cabinet. The cabinet send the legislation to His Majesty the King for final approval. He did not give details of how the Senate voted in approving it. 

The bill will become law 90 days after it is published in the Royal Gazette.

Mr Somsak said supplementary laws would regulate the cultivation, possession, use and sale of kratom. The draft regulations were being considered by the Council of State, the government’s legal advisory body.

Keep reading at Bangkok Post.

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California to consider decriminalising LSD, ketamine and magic mushrooms

Psychedelic drugs such as LSD, ketamine and magic mushrooms could be decriminalised in California amid a wave of drug liberalisation that is sweeping across the US.

A proposed law put forth in the California senate last week would make it legal for anyone over 21 to carry small amounts of eight substances including DMT and MDMA, as well as expunging many criminal convictions.

The bill, introduced by San Francisco Democrat Scott Wiener, says America’s war on drugs has inflicted “overwhelming financial and social costs” while ignoring the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelics.

It is only the latest example of US states turning against decades of harsh drug enforcement, chiming with momentum to federally decriminalise cannabis in Washington DC.

Continue at The Telegraph.

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Kratom could soon be illegal for those under 21 in SD

South Dakota is one step closer to restricting the availability of kratom in the state to people over the age of 21. Our KELOLAND News Investigation last fall looked into the dangers of kratom, which comes from Southeast Asia and has mild altering effects.

According to a CDC report, the substance has been linked to overdose deaths across the country. Kratom is banned in at least six states and several cities.

Last year, Aberdeen Representative Carl Perry, introduced a bill to ban kratom in South Dakota, but that attempted failed.

This year, Perry came back with a bill to restrict its use to 21 and older, which has now passed the state House.

Continue reading at Keloland.

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The legal and illegal ways people are turning to psychedelics as the drug regulator rejects reclassification bid

In Melbourne’s St Vincent’s Hospital, down the hall from the cancer day unit, there’s an unassuming room known simply as “The Retreat”.

This is where a select few volunteers are offered a unique opportunity: to confront their deepest fears under a heavy dose of a psychedelic.

Terminally ill patients spend three to four hours here under the influence of psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in “magic mushrooms”.

The participants are supported by therapy before, during and after their psychedelic experience.

“We go to a lot of trouble to make sure that it doesn’t look like a hospital room, but it looks more like a really chilled, really comfortable and inviting atmosphere,” clinical psychologist Marg Ross said as she walked around the room.

Keep reading at ABC News.

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American Kratom Association: HHS Rescinds Scheduling Recommendation For Kratom But FDA Failed To Notify The Public For 2 ½ Years

Congressman Mark Pocan (WI) and Congressman Morgan Griffith, in exercising their oversight responsibilities over the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), discovered that on August 16, 2018 HHS had rescinded the request for the kratom to be classified as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

In the HHS letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) HHS recommended that “mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine not be controlled at this time, either temporarily or permanently, until scientific research can sufficiently support such an action.” The FDA had made a recommendation for scheduling of kratom on August 31, 2016 that was subsequently withdrawn by the DEA on October 13, 2016 for insufficiency of evidence to support the scheduling under the CSA, and FDA submitted its second recommendation on October 17, 2017 that has been withdrawn by HHS because the scientific research did not justify the scheduling.

More at PRNewswire.

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Thailand to remove Kratom from narcotics list after recent unlocking of marijuana and hemp

Following the unlocking of marijuana and hemp for medical and commercial purposes, preparations are being made to remove Kratom from the narcotics list.

Minister of Justice Somsak Thepsutin, as chairman of the committee considering amendment to legislation criminalizing narcotics, declared this week that a report is being compiled for the House of Representatives that will call for the decriminalization of Kratom to be placed on the government’s agenda. The move will be made at the end of this month and appropriate use of the plant could be decriminalized in 90 days after a decision is made in Parliament. The committee will review relevant drafts during the proceedings.

Democrat Party MP Thepthai Senpong, who is a member of the body, indicated a positive decision would allow Thais to utilize the plant legally for any purpose except as a narcotic.

Continue at Pattaya Mail.

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Kratom Legality 2020: What Is The Legal Status of Kratom In The US?

The issue of Kratom legality is still a debate in few of the states of the US. The picture has become a bit clear from 2016 till today.

Most of the US states have legalized the usage of Kratom due to its medicinal properties, but there are still few states which are barring the people to either sell or buy it.

What Is Kratom?

What is KratomMitragyna Speciosa also known as Kratomis a natural plant that grows in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Papua New Guinea. It is a tropical evergreen which belongs to the coffee family and mostly found in Southeast Asia.

Primarily it’s grown in the southern or central regions of Thailand and it has been historically used as an opium substitute. Various American folks are interested in developing their own plants from the seeds, to save the cost as well as to control their supply.

Keep reading at Kratom Guides.

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Board of Supervisors approve ordinance banning Kratom, synthetic opioids in Lafayette County

After the City of Oxford banned the sale of Kratom and other synthetic opioids 16 months ago, those products are also banned in Lafayette County.

During their first regular meeting of 2021 on Monday, the Board of Supervisors approved a new ordinance, prohibiting the use, purchase, possession, distribution, sale or offering for sale of synthetic opioids or other synthetic products.

The ordinance was proposed by Lafayette County Sheriff Joey East and Alex Fauver, commander of the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit.

In August 2019, Oxford’s Board of Aldermen approved a similar ordinance proposed by Oxford police chief Jeff McCutchen.

Since the City prohibited the selling of Kratom and similar synthetic products, East said stores in the county have begun selling those products in the last few months.

Read more at oxfordeagle.com

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A ruling is imminent on the legality of a controversial drug that’s used to treat addiction — but some have called it a ‘dangerous opioid’

A final decision on the legality of a controversial drug is expected imminently from the US government.

The drug, called Kratom, has pitted government regulators against scientists and advocates. The Food and Drug Administration has called it a dangerous opioid and sought to ban it by making it a Schedule 1 drug like heroin or ecstasy. Some advocates say it’s helped them end their addiction to opioids, and scientists want to keep exploring its potential as a medical treatment.

Right now, researchers at the DEA are evaluating the two main components in kratom. They will either rule the same for both ingredients, effectively banning all forms of kratom nationwide, or they will ban one and make the other potentially available as a medicine at a later date. That’s according to Melvin Patterson, a spokesperson with the Drug Enforcement Administration who described the ruling as forthcoming.

Keep reading at Business Insider.

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Feds Want Help Finding Evidence On Marijuana And Kratom’s Role In Treating Pain

A federal health agency is conducting a review of studies to learn if marijuana and kratom could potentially treat chronic pain with fewer side effects than opioids.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is asking the public to help identify research that specifically looks at the risks and benefits of cannabinoids and kratom, a type of plant known for its analgesic effects. The agency said the rise in opioid prescriptions and overdoses necessitates exploring plant-based alternatives.

The public is invited to submit studies on how these substances impact chronic pain until the January 4 deadline.

“Some data suggest that cannabinoids may have analgesic properties, though research in this area is mixed,” AHRQ, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, said in a notice, adding that THC “has demonstrated analgesic properties, though its psychoactive effects and abuse potential increase its risk and suitability as an analgesic.”

Keep reading at marijuanamoment.net

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What is Kratom and Why is it Illegal?

Kratom isn’t presently an unlawful substance and has been anything but difficult to arrange on the web. It is at times sold as a green powder in bundles named “not for human utilization.” Here the details about what is kratom and “is kratom illegal”

It is additionally some of the time sold as a concentrate or gum. A great many people take kratom as a pill, container, or concentrate. A few people bite kratom leaves or mix the dried or powdered leaves as a tea.

In some cases, the leaves are smoked or eaten in nourishment. Kratom can cause impacts like both narcotics and energizers.

Is Kratom Illegal?

Two mixes in kratom leaves, mitragynine and 7-α-hydroxymitragynine, collaborate with narcotic receptors in the cerebrum, delivering sedation, delight, and diminished torment, particularly when clients devour a lot of the plant.

Continue at Halt.org

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FDA warns of using kratom as alternative treatment for pain and mood disorders

In our modern age people often look for something that gives them comfort.

An herbal (tropical plant) alternative “treatment” called kratom has been being used by some people for pain, mood disorders, and even opioid withdrawal without any supervision from a licensed physician who knows about kratom.

That is why the FDA is warning consumers not to use kratom, or mitragyna species, which grows naturally in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

At least until a lot more is known about how it affects humans.

The main things the FDA is warning people about is trifold.

“FDA is concerned that kratom, which affects the same opioid brain receptors as morphine, appears to have properties that expose users to the risks of addiction, abuse, and dependence,” the FDA information page on the plant states at fda.gov.

Keep reading at wmicentral.com.

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Kratom Legality in the U.S. By State (2020 Updated)

Centuries back when the farmers in Indonesia first discovered Kratom, they were quite happy.

They found something which cured their fatigue and lethargy and alleviated their stress. Those were the good days when Kratom was only used for medical conditions.

However, gradually the world got to know about this supplement. Many were curious to find out the effects of Kratom.

Once they discovered that it causes euphoria and stimulation at low doses, they were enthralled.

This was when Kratom’s use increased in parties and clubs. The FDA and DEA noticed the use of this drug and immediately took action to regulate it and to reduce its recreational use.

However, they failed to produce a scientific basis for the rumors attached to the drug. Many states in America were alarmed at the rumors and started banning it.

Keep reading

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Legal kratom edges closer

Proposed legislation that would remove kratom from the list of narcotics has taken a step closer to being tabled before parliament, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) said on Tuesday.

The Council of State, the government’s legal arm, finished examining the amendment to the Narcotics Act last Wednesday, and will send back to the cabinet for endorsement before it is forwarded to parliament, ONCB secretary-general, Niyom Termsrisuk, said.

The cabinet approved in principle to remove kratom from the drugs list in March.

Mr Niyom warned the public that the plant is still considered a narcotic at present, which means possessing it is illegal.

The warning came in response to a recent surge in drug cases involving kratom.

The number of cases logged by the ONCB’s operations centre rose sharply by 46% between April and June, which suggested many people believe the plant had already been delisted, Mr Niyom said.

Bangkok Post

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Marijuana legalization successes pave way for national conversation on drug laws: Experts

A majority of voters in five states, both red and blue, passed ballot measures that legalized marijuana on Election Day.

This show of support at the polls will put more pressure on other states and the federal government to update its drug policies, according to advocates and experts.

“This indicates that people are frustrated with the outdated drug policies from the 1970s,” Mason Marks, a law professor at Gonzaga University and a fellow in residence at Harvard Law School’s Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, told ABC News.

In some cases, like New York, elected officials are publicly sounding the call for major policy changes.

In ballot measures passed in New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana and Arizona, residents over 21 will be able to purchase and consume marijuana for recreational purposes.

Continue reading at ABC News

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Kratom Legality Case in Indiana: What Residents Need To Know

Despite being dubbed as the “drug of concern” by FDA, Metragyna Speciosa, or in other words, Kratom has been the miraculous lifesaving drug for many. As a herbal tea used by Asian farmers in the 19th century, it is intriguing that the Americans have gotten fond of Kratom so quickly. There are 16 million Kratom users in the USA at the moment, who are using this beneficial botanical for pain relief, anti-depressant, and as a remedy for drug addiction.

However, the legality concerns surrounding Kratom has dampened moods of everyone around, as they never know when and where it can be made illegal. At the moment, Kratom is illegal in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Tennessee, Vermont, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Columbia, and Washington DC. For the rest of the USA, it is entirely legal to use, sell, and buy.

Keep reading

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Drug legalization makes big gains with voters

Voters in six states and the District of Columbia approved measures that will broaden the availability of previously illicit drugs for recreational or medical use on Tuesday in an across-the-board win for legalization advocates.

In Arizona, almost 60 percent of voters approved Proposition 207 to legalize the use of recreational marijuana, and to allow adults over the age of 21 to possess up to six marijuana plants in their homes.

In Montana, a legalization measure passed with more than 56 percent of the vote. More than two-thirds of New Jersey voters approved Question 1, which will amend the state constitution to allow recreational marijuana use. South Dakota voters approved measures seeking both medical and recreational use of marijuana; the medical measure passed by a wide margin, while legalization passed by a slimmer 53 percent to 47 percent margin.

Keep reading

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How you can help 6 state legalization campaigns right now

In the final two-week run-up to Election Day on Nov. 3, legalization efforts in six states are looking for a final push to win over undecided voters.

Here’s how you can help.

Arizona

Prop. 207, adult-use legalization, is gaining support among Arizona voters as Election Day nears. In a mid-October poll, 56% of contacted voters approved of Prop. 207, while 36% opposed and 7% were undecided.

To move those undecideds into the approval category, the Smart and Safe Arizona campaign can use your help.

Mississippi

Mississippi’s Medical Marijuana 2020 campaign has a tough challenge: Convince residents to vote for Initiative 65 (the real legalization measure) and not Initiative 65A (the fake measure).

Every dime makes a difference! Donate here.

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Series of Illinois Cities Ban Kratom

Sound the alarm. At least four communities in southwest Illinois recently banned the sale of kratom—an herb used for its painkiller-like properties—in an effort to crack down on the herb’s growing popularity.

The cities and communities of Jerseyville, Alton, Glen Carbon and most recently, Edwardsville City banned the sale of kratom. In Edwardsville, people who violate the new ordinance banning the herb are subject to a $750 fine.

“We were presented with quite a bit of health-related data, and members of the community spoke out against it because of its potentially harmful side effects,” Ward 1 Alderman S.J. Morrison stated. “There’s just not a lot known about it.”

Other communities in the area are exploring options for cracking down on kratom sales. CBD Kratom in Belleville sells both CBD supplements and kratom supplements, among other similar products.

Keep reading at Dope Magazine

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New Arizona Polls Show Narrow Support for Legalization

Arizona voters will likely support cannabis legalization during November’s General Election as a new Suffolk University/USA TODAY Network poll found 45.6 percent back the reforms with 34.2 percent opposed, AZ Central reports.

The poll comes about one month out from the election.

The poll did find 19.2 percent of respondents were still undecided – a large enough cohort to defeat the initiative. In 2016, Arizona voters narrowly rejected the reforms 52-48 percent.

The poll found 59 percent of Democrats support Proposition 207, with 20 percent opposed and 21 percent undecided. Just 30 percent of Republicans said they supported the reforms, with 50 percent opposed and 20 percent undecided.

A separate poll by Smart and Safe Arizona – the campaign behind the initiative – released last week found 50 percent support and 34 percent opposed, according to the report.

Keep reading