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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 19, 2022 11:34 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Christopher B. Quinn |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Scheduling substances found in Kratom as Schedule I controlled substances |
| Soon, I will be introducing legislation to place two substances found in Kratom, Mitragynine and 7-Hydroxymitragynine, on the list of Schedule I controlled substances under the Commonwealth’s Controlled Substance, Drug, Device & Cosmetic Act. Mitragynine is an indole-based alkaloid that is found in the leaves of the Kratom tree. 7-Hydroxymitragynine is the active metabolite of Mitragynine. For background, Kratom is derived from a tropical tree (Mitragyna speciosa) from Southeast Asia. The leaves of this tree contain compounds that could cause hallucinatory effects. Currently, Kratom is a legal substance that is readily available and commonly sold as a pill, capsule, or extract. Kratom can be addictive since the effects are like that of opioids and stimulants. At the present time, Kratom is not a controlled substance under Federal or State law. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to approve Kratom for medical use. Of note, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has listed Kratom as a “Drug and Chemical of Concern.” Kratom is believed to act on opioid receptors. At low doses, Kratom acts as a stimulant, making users feel more energetic. At higher doses, it reduces pain and may bring on euphoria. At very high doses, it acts as a sedative, making users quiet and sleepy. According to the Mayo Clinic, poison control centers in the United States received about 1,800 reports involving the use of Kratom from 2011 through 2017, including reports of death. About half of these exposures resulted in serious negative outcomes such as seizures and high blood pressure. Five of the seven infants who were reported to have been exposed to Kratom went through withdrawal. As a Commonwealth, we do not need to wait for the Federal government to control a substance before acting. As Kratom is currently unregulated, products containing Kratom can be purchased over the counter without age restriction. I believe it is important to protect the health and safety of the citizens of this Commonwealth by placing these two substances on the Commonwealth’s list of Schedule I controlled substances. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation. |
Introduced as HB2711