I just wanted to address a comment made by one of the doctors about them claiming kratom is a gateway drug. This is exactly the opposite. Kratom is an exit ramp. Everyone I know that uses it, including myself, have used it as a tool to come off of more dangerous drugs including alcohol and opiates. Many have also used it to come off of anxiety and depression medication. I'm not sure where these "doctors" are getting their information

 We just passed the Kratom Consumer Protection Act last year here in Virginia, so there's already an age restriction.

For 23 years, I was nothing but an alcoholic and drug addict. I was in and out of jail, rehabs, homeless. I couldn't keep a job without being fired. I lost 3 marriages and couldn't keep a drivers license.

If you would ban anything, ban alcohol, the drug that kills 500,000 people a year, and ruins lives like it did mine.

Kratom gave me life. I literally don't know what I would do without kratom. I've been taking it for 12 years. All my blood tests come back great. My blood pressure is normal. I'm 46 years old, and work circles around people half my age.

Please don't take this leaf away from us.