FDA, DEA Launch Massive Assault On Kratom – Drug War For Miracle Plant Ramping Up

Brandon Turbeville
Natural Blaze
November 16, 2017

To no one's surprise, the U.S. government, after hysterically declaring a "national emergency" over America's opioid crisis, is once again setting its sights on Kratom, the non-addictive natural plant that has helped thousands of Americans wean themselves off opioids.

In 2015, the DEA announced its plans to place Kratom on the list of Controlled Substances (in the same scheduling level as heroin to be exact) but, amid public outcry, the agency backed off, deferring to FDA "review" and "advice." Many optimistic  Kratom activists were tempted to rest on their laurels, trusting that the FDA would prove to be more reasonable in relation to Kratom and hoping the testimonials, overwhelming public support for Kratom, and the science itself would win the day.

As is typically the case in life, the optimists were sorely disappointed.

The FDA, long known to be essentially run by Big Pharma, has now joined the ranks of the DEA (which also placed CBD oil on the list of controlled substances on the same level as heroin) in a scathing attack on Kratom, signalling that the end may be nigh for the miracle plant if activists do not succeed in fighting back both behemoth agencies who act as the enforcement arms of Big Pharma, the private prison industry, and the police state.

As the Washington Post reported,

The Food and Drug Administration issued a strong warning Tuesday to consumers to stay away from the herbal supplement kratom, saying regulators are aware of 36 deaths linked to products containing the substance.

Congress Goes After Kratom, Attempts To Expand Drug War

Brandon Turbeville

Natural Blaze

July 5, 2017

With the 4th of July holiday having just passed, there’s nothing to remind Americans of their freedom more than the staggering speed at which their government has taken and continues to take it away.

After having come under attack by one of the most useless organizations in the federal government – the DEA – kratom survived only to be attacked by state governments all over the country. But because more and more Americans have realized that decades of propaganda coming from the DEA and other government organs regarding drugs is utter bullshit, many more Americans have tried kratom, which only entrenched their view that the DEA is more concerned in mission creep than anything resembling public health.

This is clearly the case since the DEA recently labeled CBD oil as a Schedule 1 drug. While the DEA may feel proud of itself for being able to reclassify a non-psychoactive substance in the same schedule as heroin, it simply reaffirmed its belligerence to individual rights and its obvious connection to Big Pharma and Big Prison in the eyes of many Americans.

While the DEA was forced to back down last year, the federal government is once again creating a platform for a War on Drugs renewed. This is likely coming as a result of drug war relic Jeff Sessions’ fanatical desire to increase the police state and throw more Americans in cages.

Action Alert!!! 1-24-17 Help Stop Florida's Attempt To Ban Kratom!

Brandon Turbeville
BrandonTurbeville.com
January 24, 2017

ACTION ALERT!!!!!!!!

Members of both the Florida House and Senate are moving forward in an attempt to ban Kratom at the state level. The House version is known as House Bill 183 and the Senate version is S.B. 424.

What You Can And Need To Do:

1.) Contact your Congressmen and Senators in the Florida House and Senate and demand that they oppose the new legislation. 

2.) Support the American Kratom Association in their upcoming legal battle for civil liberties and health freedom. www.AmericanKratom.org

3.) Do whatever possible to expose and denounce Rep. Kristin Jacobs and Senator Darryl Rouson publicly for their treachery against the people of Florida. We call on all of those who who are able to write letters to the editors of their in-state newspapers, news outlets, and express your opposition to this bill.

4.) Organize demonstrations - preferably outside the State Capitol and the public offices of both members of Congress. 

5.) Begin organizing for an electoral challenge to both candidates. The time is now!

Visit the American Kratom Association's website at www.AmericanKratom.org.

Visit the Florida chapter on facebook at : https://www.facebook.com/FloridaAKAforKratom/?fref=ts 

Truth on the Tracks with Brandon Turbeville - December 19, 2016

Brandon Turbeville
BrandonTurbeville.com
UCY.TV
December 23, 2016

Truth on the Tracks with Brandon Turbeville - December 19, 2016

Brandon is interviewed by Cassius Kamarampi of Era of Wisdom for the first Era of Wisdom radio episode. The two go into Brandon’
s experience in Lebanon, the crimes of the US and its coalition in Syria, even chemtrails and biological warfare that is apparently being conducted on us, as people report illness after spraying in the US, and thousands were recently hospitalized in Australia due to what they call “thunderstorm athsma.”

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Truth on the Tracks with Brandon Turbeville - December 5, 2016

Brandon Turbeville
BrandonTurbeville.com
UCY.TV
December 5, 2016

Truth on the Tracks with Brandon Turbeville - December 5, 2016

Brandon discusses Syria, Kratom, Fake News, and Propaganda.

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Time Is Running Out To Stop Kratom Ban – Need Comments To DEA

Brandon Turbeville

Natural Blaze

November 15, 2016

When the DEA announced that it was backing off of its decision to go through emergency procedures to place kratom on the Schedule 1 list of controlled substances, kratom proponents all over the country rejoiced. This meant that the announcement of the DEA’s intentions only 30 days prior would not take effect at the beginning of October.

Unfortunately, it appears that most kratom activists completely misinterpreted the DEA’s decision. Pulling away from listing kratom as Schedule 1 was not a decision against banning kratom. It was only a decision to stop pursuing the ban in an emergency fashion.

Basically, the DEA is marching forward with its plan to ban the herb but it wants to give the illusion of democracy and freedom before it does so.

The DEA announcement essentially postpones the ban as the agency takes comments from the public regarding their opinions and experiences with the plant. Unfortunately, however, the jubilation of many kratom activists seems to have overtaken pragmatism and strategy since the turnout of posting comments is drastically lower than the turnout in the month of September when users thought the substance was going to be banned.

In order to keep kratom legal it is imperative that all people of goodwill immediately mobilize and begin to take the simplest of actions such as posting public comments in the appropriate place on the DEA website. The comment period has a small window of opportunity only lasting until December 1st, 2016.

Truth on the Tracks with Brandon Turbeville - November 7, 2016

Brandon Turbeville
BrandonTubeville.com
UCY.TV
November 9, 2016

Truth on the Tracks with Brandon Turbeville - November 7, 2016

Brandon discusses the elections, voting strategy, 43 points, the way forward after the elections, kratom, factory farms, and the multi polar world...

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Denver Backs Off Kratom Ban, But DEA Still Poised To Ban

Brandon Turbeville

Natural Blaze

October 22, 2016

In another small victory for kratom and kratom freedom, Denver, Colorado’s Department of Environmental Health has announced its plan to lift the ban on kratom in the city. The announcement comes only weeks after the DEH ordered stores all across the city to stop selling kratom and kratom products.

The DEH order came as a result of an announcement by the DEA of the latter’s intention to place kratom on schedule one of the Controlled Substances List. The DEA ridiculously labeled kratom as an imminent threat and produced hyped nonsensical evidence to only half-way prove its case.

This police state measure resulted in a massive backlash from kratom users, kratom proponents and supporters of individual freedom. As a result of the massive pressure applied to the DEA and the members of Congress, the DEA backed off its original plan to ban kratom at the end of August and instead is waiting for a public comment period to take place as well as input from the FDA.

Danica Lee, the Director on Inspections at the Denver Department of Environmental Health stated that, “The DEA’s recent actions suggest that they may not think these products pose an imminent health hazard as they initially indicated. If new information comes to our attention about the hazards posed by these products, DEH will evaluate it and make adjustments, if need be, to remain protective of public health.”

Despite these minor victories, kratom is by no means out of the woods. The DEA has merely kicked the can down the road for a few months, conveniently during the holidays when most Americans are concerned with shopping and family matters.

Truth on the Tracks with Brandon Turbeville - October 17, 2016

Brandon Turbeville
BrandonTurbeville.com
UCY.TV
October 18, 2016

Truth on the Tracks with Brandon Turbeville - October 17, 2016

Brandon discusses his recent Mid East trip, Kratom, Syria, the Red Cross scam, and the hurricane disaster relief.

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Truth on the Tracks with Brandon Turbeville - October 3, 2016

Brandon Turbeville
BrandonTurbeville.com
UCY.TV
October 3, 2016

Truth on the Tracks with Brandon Turbeville - October 3, 2016

Brandon discusses the Kratom Ban (Action Alert!!), Syria, and Farm Aid 2016.

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Truth on the Tracks with Brandon Turbeville - September 26, 2016

Brandon Turbeville
BrandonTurbeville.com
UCY.TV
September 27, 2016

Truth on the Tracks with Brandon Turbeville - September 26, 2016

Brandon discusses the Kratom ban, action alerts, Syria, geopolitics, and the Charlotte shooting. Brandon also discusses Farm Aid.

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Action Alert!!! 9-21-2016 - Help Stop The DEA's War On Kratom!

Brandon Turbeville
BrandonTurbeville.com
September 20, 2016

ACTION ALERT!!!!!

The DEA has recently made an emergency decision to place Kratom on the Schedule I list of controlled substances.

Find more information about the issue here:

DEA Adds Kratom To Schedule I List Alongside Heroin

Kratom Now Schedule 1: Cartel Sex Scandal Shamed DEA Suppresses Herb Imports

Kratom Movement Draws Attention From Congress And More On The DEA's Plan To Schedule 1 - Forbes

What You Can And Need To Do:

1.) Contact your Congressmen and Senators (locate them by using this link) and ask them to sign on to the Pocan/Salmon Dear Colleague Letter.”

Instructions as posted from the Botanical Education Alliance are as follows:

1. MOST IMPORTANT - Call your Congressmen TODAY! 

1) Find your representative with your zip code - http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ 

Regulatory Watchdog Calls On DEA To Halt Kratom Ban, Calls On OMB Intervention

Brandon Turbeville

Natural Blaze

September 16, 2016

On September 12, the Center for Regulatory Effectiveness, an independent think tank and regulatory watchdog organization, wrote an open letter to the DEAregarding the notoriously corrupt and rights-crushing agency’s recent ban onkratom. In this letter, the CRE has made a number of recommendations to the DEA that would at least put an element of logic to the agency’s actions.

The CRE points out that the DEA’s policy on kratom is in conflict with the policy of a number of other federal agencies and, thus, the legality of kratom falls under the jurisdiction of the Office of Management and Budget whose job it is to settle inter-agency conflicts of policy.

The letter reads:

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) has been described as the cockpit of the regulatory state. It is an organization that has a statutory mandate to manage and oversee the flow of regulatory actions taken by federal agencies. In the discharge of these duties OIRA is often involved in one-on-one discussions with agency personnel to resolve potential conflicts with OMB personnel.

However, in this instance, the DEA action to ban kratom, the conflict is considerably wider in scope. In this instance there is a sharp disagreement among a number of federal agencies. Consequently if there were ever a time for an OMB intervention this is it.

The CRE’s letter also calls into question the shaky “science” used by the DEA in order to push its ban when it states:

DEA War On Drugs, Kratom Once Again Puts America On The Wrong Side Of History

Jennifer Aldridge

Brandon Turbeville.com

September 16, 2016

Yes, let us, as a nation, be on the wrong side of history yet again. Let us imprison generations of working, law-abiding citizens for their use of a harmless ancient medicine. Let us take their possessions when the users are arrested. (To be clear, the wealthy will continue to have access to any medicine they choose, natural or synthesized.) The black market criminals love a new source of profit and power.

Yet-to-be-born Americans will judge this generation of American lawmakers and law enforcement harshly, if M. Speciosa is scheduled as a "controlled substance."  This scheduling will be viewed much as the American and European witch trials, viewed like the racist and classist prohibition of cannabis. It will be viewed as ignorant, xenophobic farce, and class warfare in addition. It will be viewed as greed and will be upheld tragi-comically, obvious to future gradeschoolers as corruption, obvious to future historians as a grim list of the evils of power imbalance.

The postponement of scheduling kratom would allow for public and private institutions to at least begin, if not complete, the studies necessary for a more complete picture of this plant medicine.

This medicine will be vindicated.

Kratom has not killed a single person. Ever.

If kratom is to be scheduled, postponement would hopefully allow for patients with chronic conditions to find a replacement. I pray the replacements will not be the toxic and ineffective opioids and dirty black market substances but, be assured, American government officials that have our best interests in mind, the replacements will be none other than those listed. People use kratom because conventional medications and the institution of conventional medicine itself, has already failed them. Humans cannot be flattened and sedated into productive and worthwhile living. The pharmaceutical and therapeutic offerings simply do not work for many suffering people.

Kratom, A Personal Story

Jennifer Aldridge

BrandonTurbeville.com

September 14, 2016

The "emergency" scheduling of M. Speciosa is a gross abuse of power.

M. Speciosa is a mild herbal medicine, with fewer side effects than many prescribed medications, and greater effectiveness than those same chemicals. The tea may compete with the pharmaceutical makers of opiates, ssri's, and narcotics prescribed for anxiety, but with less harm than those dangerous pills. 

I have personal experience with the danger of the psychiatric drugs, having lost years - over half my life - to the physical and mental adverse reactions of such accepted interventions. I was a diligent patient, committed to following the instructions and to using the best modern medicine could allow. Modern medicine failed me and my family. M. Speciosa helped me become a positive, contributing member of my daughter's school community where I tutored children struggling with reading. M. Speciosa also helped me maintain the calm demeanor to maintain a volunteer position in the Girl Scouts. I was able to begin to take post-university classes again, all by stabilizing my PTSD symptoms with a consistent dose of M. Speciosa.

So, why is there a rush to schedule? 

This decision reeks of corruption, with the acting the institution protecting only itself. Consumers should have a choice, beyond harsh and ineffective prescriptions from the physician's office. 

I do not think America needs to be, yet again, on the wrong side of history concerning the War on Drugs, which has decimated generations of families and communities across all socioeconomic and professional backgrounds. The cost in terms of human suffering and lost civic productivity has been enormous, its origins and perpetuation unethical.

DEA Adds Kratom To Its War On Drugs Even As Health Researchers Cite Benefits

Brandon Turbeville
Activist Post
September 12, 2016

In the so-called freest country in the world, it is an unfortunate reality when human beings are thrown into cages simply for possessing or ingesting a plant. It is even more a tragedy when those individuals locked away are sick or ill and when the plant they are being locked away for possessing could have aided, controlled or even cured their infliction.

More and more Americans, despite the panic of organizations like the FDA and Big Pharma, have been turning to natural supplements or natural substances such as cannabis to provide them with the treatment and assistance they need to get by from day to day. While those seeking help from cannabis run the risk of imprisonment, the destruction of their lives and even death - not from the plant but from law enforcement personnel and the legal system - there are some alternative natural substances and plants which have grown in popularity. One of these substances is known as Mitragyna Speciosa or Kratom.

Mitragyna Speciosa aka kratom is a tropical evergreen tree in the coffee family which is native to Southeast Asia. Although not an opiate itself, kratom can be used to manage pain and anxiety as well as alcohol dependence. It is possible to use kratom recreationally but the effects are generally too mild to classify it as anything resembling a drug.

Kratom, although not an opiate, does function in a similar manner to opiates i.e., attaching to activating opioid receptors. Studies in mice have actually demonstrated impressive results in overcoming addiction to cocaine. Many kratom users have also sung the plant's praises in regards to heroin addiction. Kratom users also claim that the substance is an excellent substitute for prescription pain medication as well as the addiction that comes with prescribed opiates.

Truth on the Tracks with Brandon Turbeville - September 12, 2016

Brandon Turbeville
BrandonTurbeville.com
UCY.TV
September 12, 2016

Truth on the Tracks with Brandon Turbeville - September 12, 2016

Brandon discusses the Kratom ban, action plan, marching orders, strategy, also Monsanto's battle in India, SC's war on bees, psilocybin, the Syrian ceasefire, and 9/11.

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Kratom Helped Me Turn My Life Around, Now The DEA Has Banned It

Morgan Joylighter

BrandonTurbeville.com

September 8, 2016

My fundamental issue has always been that I was raised by physically and emotionally abusive parents in near-cult-like isolation. That compromised my social skills, ability to feel relaxed or safe in normal human circumstances, and baseline neurochemistry in regards to contentment, happiness, and pleasure . I have spent most of my life bouncing around between one addiction or compulsive destructive behavior and another, trying to find ways to temporarily fill the void I felt by being unable to see myself as a good person, feel loved, enjoy normal social activities without anxiety and self-loathing, or even keep my neurochemistry at a high enough level to avoid feeling suicidally depressed for much more than half of the time. I was bipolar, manic depressive, had multiple anxiety disorders and probably ADHD besides, and between all of those I was on a constant roller coaster of either hating being alive or madly trying to distract myself from that fact with various pleasures. I accumulated a number of different vices over the years and cycled through countless attempts to quit them, only to see myself forced to swap one for another as the underlying issues went unaddressed and seemed increasingly unaddressable.

Unlike some kratom users I never actually delved into illegal drugs, but that was more a function of lack of opportunity caused by my sheltered upbringing than anything else. Even so, I found just about every other possible way to further screw up my health, and just about the best thing I can say for myself is that being a highly empathetic person, I kept my issues to myself and for the most part suffered in my own private hell, for fear of dragging anyone else down with me. But despite various attempts at trying psychology, psychiatry, and both mainstream and alternative health advice, I did not find any relief for my issues, and eventually began to despair that I would ever become the person I felt like I was born to be, a creative and cheerful novelist with a healthy social life who makes better the lives of everyone I come in contact with.

My Kratom Story

Adrian Smith-Madden
BrandonTurbeville.com
September 6, 2016

I have joined the fight to save Kratom. I was addicted to Narcotic pain medications for almost 30 years. During that time I lost so much, including my beloved husband. I became a totally different person. I used to be happy, carefree and outgoing. As my arthritis pain, heel spurs, migraine pain, Pseudo gout. and Fibromyalgia got worse I was given higher and higher doses of different drugs to combat the pain and depression that went with it. At one point I was on 80 mg. Morphine 3 times a day along with 10 mg Percocet 8 times a day. I lost interest in almost every aspect of living. Let me say this right now, I never ever abused those drugs. I only took them as prescribed. But I was still addicted and they took over my life. I would fall asleep at wrong moments including while driving my car. I am a smoker and I almost burned my home down several times when I fell asleep while smoking. My floors had/ and have cigarette burns all over them. I burned holes in almost every piece of clothing I owned. I stopped wanting to go places and be around people because I just didn't have the energy to mingle and think. The sad and typical part of these drugs is that they stopped fighting my pain. The pain got worse and worse making my need for higher and higher doses due to the rebound effect. In the early 2000's I had to have both of my knees replaced. The surgeons worried that they would not be able to control my added pain, as I was already on maximum doses of pain meds. It soon became impossible for me to work any longer as I could not stand on my feet for more than 5 to 10 minutes at a time. I used to walk 10 to 15 miles a day, now I can barely walk around a store without pain.

“Pharmaceutical Kratom” Real Reason for Kratom Ban? New Opioid “MGM-15” Derived from Mitragynine

Cassius Kamarampi

Era Of Wisdom

September 6, 2016

What is the true motivation behind the DEA’s decision to ban kratom? Could it be the fact that enormous swathes of researchers are trying to develop synthetic opioids, patentable, profitable drugs to replace such things as kratom or pharmaceutical painkillers?

Three synthetic opioids in particular were synthesized from the alkaloids in kratom from 2008- 2016: MGM-9, MGM-15, and MGM-16.

They were synthesized from kratom’s alkaloids Mitragynine and 7-Hydroxymitragynine: to make what is essentially patentable, pharmaceutical kratom.

The first study, published in 2008, took Mitragynine and used it to synthesize “MGM-9”. The study says:

“Mitragynine is a major indole alkaloid isolated from the Thai medicinal plant Mitragyna speciosa that has opium-like properties, although its chemical structure is quite different from that of morphine. We attempted to develop novel analgesics derived from mitragynine, and thus synthesized the ethylene glycol-bridged and C10-fluorinated derivative of mitragynine, MGM-9 [(E)-methyl 2-(3-ethyl-7a,12a-(epoxyethanoxy)-9-fluoro-1,2,3,4,6,7,12,12b-octahydro-8-methoxyindolo[2,3-a]quinolizin-2-yl)-3-methoxyacrylate].”