Please reconsider this and do not allow this ban to go through! Virginia should not ban kratom because it has been proven to be a safe and beneficial plant for many individuals, including myself. I empathize for the grieving families but in 99% of cases of deaths related to kratom there was poly-substance abuse, whether the families want to admit it or not, show me the toxicology report and prove me wrong. Kratom does NOT kill people, drugs do. Unlike the stigma often associated with it through brief and targeted google searches, kratom is a natural herb that has helped countless people manage chronic pain, anxiety, and opioid withdrawal symptoms! Research shows and proves that, when used responsibly, kratom poses minimal risk and has a low potential for abuse, especially in it's natural form. The raw, natural botanical itself is literally impossible to overdose on, this has also been proven through scientific studies! I started using kratom over a decade ago and my life has never been better. I've never abused this plant and it allowed me to heal and recover from serious PTSD and trauma. I have seen firsthand how many people this amazing botanical helps, if you would like more stories from actual users of the plant, you are free to message me anytime. It literally saves lives. Tylenol kills more people every year than kratom "allegedly" does. Again, show me the detailed toxicology reports that cover ALL narcotics and other bases on these alleged deaths where the sole contributing factor was "kratom". It doesn't happen people, please. Banning this plant would deprive many Virginians of a valuable, natural alternative for managing their health conditions and you will in turn see a spike in overdoses and deaths related to actual dangerous drugs. By banning a natural alternative that most people use responsibly, you are putting the lives of your citizens and voters at serious risk. I beg you to reconsider!