Politics

Russia’s harm reductionists are once again under attack

Finding common ground with Russia’s Soviet-era understanding of addiction—known as “narcology”—they promote abstinence, and abstinence only, from all illegal substances … Russia is about as bad as it gets. The country also has one of the highest populations of injecting drug users in the world. Once Crimea went under Russian control, the territory’s “registered drug addicts” found themselves cut off…

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Politics

…ban kratom[?]

The abusive concern for kratom centers on two organic compounds called alkaloids contained within the leaves: mitragynine (MG) and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-HMG). These two drugs show activity at μ-opioid receptors, which are related to pain relief. While these chemicals are not true opioids, they have demonstrated effective pain relief in human and animal studies. “In the…

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Politics

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’

Hemby worries that the government’s ruling could make studying the plant and its key ingredients even harder than it already is, and he’s not alone [especially after the following research emerged]. In October 2017, the FDA broke out kratom’s two main components and studied them separately, ultimately recommending a ban on both of them, Stat News reported…

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Politics

$800 million wine, beer… tax

Oregon Flower : Small-flowered Lupine The governor said that [at this time] increasing taxes on beer, wine and cider faces… many political hurdles.  Lawmakers will take up the governor’s budget after their session begins in January [2019].​ “I know the beer and wine tax hasn’t been increased in 30-plus years,” Brown said during a conference call with…

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Politics

Health and human services (HHS) recommended that the DEA make kratom a Schedule I drug, like LSD or heroin

The Department of Health and Human Services has recommended a ban on the chemicals in [the whole botanical plant] kratom …  Several scientists expressed concerns that such a ban would stifle research on chemicals that could be developed into alternatives to the addictive prescription opioids that kill tens of thousands of Americans each year. They said…

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