State of Addiction: Government considers Kratom classification

WEBVTT IS CONSIDERING WHETHER KRATOM SHOULD BE REGULATED EVERYWHERE. THIS IS ABOUT THE EXTENT OF DAWN CIPRIANO’S ACTIVITY LEVEL. ON DISABILITY FOR PAIN, SHE HAS RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS OSTEO-ARTHRITIS, DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE, AND A HOST OF OTHER AILMENTS. SHE ALSO HAS TEN PRESCRIPTIONS TO DEAL WITH THEM. >> I HAVE THEM IF I NEED THEM. I HARDLY EVER USE THEM ANYMORE. ROB: THAT’S BECAUSE SHE FOUND SOMETHING TO TAKE THEIR PLACE. IT’S CALLED KRATOM. FROM A SOUTHEAST ASIAN TREE, KRATOM’S BEEN USED FOR CENTURIES AS A NATURAL WAY TO FIGHT PAIN, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION. IT COMES IN A VARIETY OF PRODUCTS, LIKE POWDER, PILLS, AND LIQUIDS. BASICALLY BED-RIDDEN, DAWN GAVE IT A TRY. >> THE FIRST DAY I TOOK IT, I WOKE UP, HAD NO PAIN. I HADN’T FELT THAT IN ALMOST MY WHOLE LIFE. ROB: PROPONENTS SAY IT’S AN ALTERNATIVE TO OPIOIDS, BUT THE GOVERNMENT THINKS IT’S TOO MUCH LIKE OPIOIDS. SO, THE DEA’S TRYING TO DECIDE IF IT SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS SCHEDULE 1 CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. EIGHT STATES HAVE BANNED IT, BUT IT’S STILL LEGAL IN NEBRASKA AND IOWA. >> IN A WAY, IT’S KIND OF A RUSSIAN ROULETTE. ROB: DR. RON KIRSCHNER, HEAD OF THE NEBRASKA REGIONAL POISON CENTER IS KEEPING AN EYE ON KRATOM. HE SAYS SINCE IT’S NOT A PHARMACEUTICAL, BUT A DIETARY SUPPLEMENT. IT HAS TO MEET DIFFERENT STANDARDS. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO PROVE PURITY. >> THEY MAY HAVE ACTUA PHARMACEUTICALS. THEY MAY HAVE UNRELATED PLANT MATERIALS. NO-ONE’S REALLY POLICING THAT ROB: WHICH IS WHY KIRSCHNER THINKS FDA REGULATION IS REASONABLE. >> IT IS A DRUG, AND PEOPLE HA HAD SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS FROM IT. ROB: AND DAWN SAYS THOSE EFFECTS HAVE BEEN GREAT. WE WERE THERE AS SHE MIXED UP A PORTION, ONE OF HER DOSES OF RED THAI KRATOM. >> SMELLS LIKE GREEN TEA. ROB: SMELLS EXACTLY LIKE GREEN TEA. >> YEAH, BUT IT TASTES AWFUL I USUALLY START WITH A HALF A TEASPOON. I WOULD RATHER TAKE TOO LITTLE AND GO BACK AND DO IT AGAIN THEN TAKE TOO MUCH. I USUALLY DO ABOUT HALF. IT IS KIND OF GRITTY. RO DAWN, AND OTHER KRATOM USERS DON’T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT DOSING, SAYING IF YOU TAKE TOO MUCH, YOU JUST THROW UP. >> MY PAIN MEDS, IF I TAKE TOO MANY OF THOSE, I STOP BREATHING. I’D RATHER VOMIT ROB: AND SHE SAYS RESTRICTING KRATOM WOULD BE TOUGH TO SWALLOW. IF THAT HAPPENS, SHE’S AFRAID HER FUTURE WILL LOOK LIKE HER PAST. >> I BARELY GOT OUT OF BED. MY KIDS WOULD HAVE TO HELP ME CLEAN, COOK DO GROCERY SHOPPING. , I COULDN’T DO ANY OF THAT STUFF. I DON’T WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT. ROB: DOCTORS AND SCIENTISTS ARE SPLIT ON THE ISSUE. SOME THINK KRATOM IS DANGEROUS AND HAS CONTRIBUTED TO DOZENS OF DEATHS. OTHERS SAY THERE’S NO PROOF KRATOM WAS TO BLAME. NO TIMELINE HAS BEEN SET FOR THE DEA TO MAKE ITS DECISION ON WHETHER TO RECLASSIFY KR