National expert: no cases show deaths solely from coffee-like herb kratom, which should be handled no differently than other substances

“…kratom… has not been linked to any known deaths, and the plant has little potential for abuse and dependence – as low or lower than such widely used (and federally unscheduled substances) as “nutmeg, hops, St. John’s Wort, chamomile, guarana, and kola nut.” -Dr. Henningfield* Dr. Henningfield previously served as chief of the Clinical Pharmacology…

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Politics

Feds prepare for a new war on Kratom, an herbal … many swear by

Although the FDA’s statement does nothing to officially change kratom’s legal status, it suggests that the federal government could once again be thinking about prohibition … At least one pharmaceutical company is currently working to develop a medication that targets pain with a semi-synthetic compound derived from kratom. Last year, researchers at Columbia University published…

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Politics

Can Kratom be patented?

Prior to their expiration, the two patents gave Smith Kline & French during the 1960’s [U.S. Patents 3,256,149 (“Compositions Compromising an Alkaloid of Mitragyna Speciosa and Methods of Using Same”) and 3,324,111 (“Speciofoline, an Alkaloid from Mitragyna Speciosa”) the right to prevent others from making, using, selling, and importing certain alkaloids isolated from kratom, but…

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Politics

What to do about Kratom?

Kratom offers something that other drugs to treat addiction do not – the ability to treat oneself in anonymity and to receive treatment without involving the health care system or law enforcement.​ In the U.S., kratom’s safety profile – at least compared to other opioids – led people as far back as 1836 to recommend…

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Biography/Memoir

Lane County health officials issue warning on kratom

email  here: Karen Gaffney Director of Lane County Health and Human Services “Future steps by the county could include asking local businesses to voluntarily stop selling the substance, he said. The county also could approve a local ban”.  –Jason Davis, a spokesman for Lane County Public Health LINK But kratom enthusiasts have resisted previous attempts to crack down…

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Science

Posttreatment brain effects of psilocybin in patients with treatment-resistant depression

Changes in resting-state brain blood flow and functional connectivity following the use of psilocybin in patients with treatment-resistant depression have been documented for the first time, according to the results of a recent open-label UK study published in Scientific Reports. Investigators collected functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from patients with treatment-resistant depression in order…

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Biography/Memoir

Local kratom users question official warnings about related deaths

Kratom is not (technically) an opioid or a synthetic substance. It’s a natural botanical native to tropical Southeast Asia that is part of the coffee family, according to the American Kratom Association. Many users believe pharmaceutical companies and lobbyists want to prevent alternative remedies from cutting into their drug profits. Scott Sutton, who plays drums…

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