Dear Legislative Body,

You have absolutely ZERO grounds, nor right, to criminalize the herbal supplement (kratom), or any of its primary active chemicals (i.e., mitragynine). I mean, do you TRULY believe that it belongs in the same class as EXTREMELY DEADLY drugs like heroin and methamphetamine? Have you taken leave of your senses? Are you simply ignorant of the facts, and getting swept away by the disinformation and hysteria being manufactured and stirred up by the FDA and police organizations all over the country? Are you really in the pocket of big pharma, as everyone already believes? Or, are you just on yet ANOTHER power trip?

The truth is that myself and COUNTLESS others have been SAFELY and RESPONSIBLY taking kratom for YEARS on end, and guess what? We are still just average, normal, ordinary, run of the mill, productive members of society. We do NOT deserve to be made criminals for medicating ourselves (for pain, depression, anxiety, all of the above) with a LIFESAVING herbal supplement that is the ONLY thing keeping so many of us off of actual, REAL drugs and alcohol.

It's PAINFULLY obvious that the right thing to do here would be for all of you up at the capital to help pass legislation that regulates kratom and protects consumers from mislabeled and/or adulterated products. THAT would be an example of you doing your ACTUAL job instead of overstepping your legal mandate to protect the people that you SERVE. PLEASE do that right thing—or do nothing at all—but do NOT criminalize your constituents for trying to make their lives better.

Thank you very much for your time.