TN poised to fully ban kratom

Tennessee lawmakers have passed a full ban on kratom. Tennessee legislators siding with caution, voted for those who argue kratom in any form can ultimately lead to addiction and potentially deadly overdoses. Tennessee joins eight other states in banning kratom entirely. The plant has been used as an alternative to opioids, sometimes as people wean off heroin, and as a natural pain reliever. In recent years, kratom has been modified into a stronger form known as “7-OH,” often sold as a supplement or extract. A petition circulating online includes testimonials from some of the estimated hundreds of thousands of kratom users in Tennessee, who say they use it to help with issues like arthritis, back pain and Sciatica. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have maintained a generally negative stance on kratom and have not approved it for any medical use. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for signature. It is set to take effect July 1.