It is important to understand the difference between kratom and the alkaloids that it contains. The main alkaloids focused on below will be MG and 7-OH-MG. These compounds are contained within kratom and would therefor lead to banning the actual plant if they were to be banned by the DEA. It should be stated that to the best of my knowledge, the public is unable to buy the isolated compounds. The only time those isolated compounds have been tested was in high doses by government or research laboratories – and usually at a very high rate of ingestion compared to the traditional kratom use that as been going on for centuries.

Accordinmg to the FDCA (Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act), a “drug” is defined most often by its intended use and not its structural or chemical makeup. It should also be noted that the DSHEA (Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994) specifically says that individuals should be able to make their own choices regarding their health and what supplements they choose to take, based on their own research. It even goes on to say that dietary supplements may have pharmacological and physiological effects on the user!

According to the FDCA, abuse is defined as one of the following three things:

2. Use of alcohol or tobacco or related products when prohibited by law
3. Illegal use or abuse of drugs as listed in the DEA schedule I-V
4. Abuse of inhalants

Fortunately the DEA seemed to have been influenced by the uproar the purported ban created. Over 140,000 signatures piled up on a petition to the White House, and over 50 members of congress also endorsed reversing the ban through letters to the DEA. According the the Office of the Federal Register the official action taken was “Withdrawal of Notice of Intent; Solicitation of Comments.”