An attempt to legalize and regulate the sale of kratom products in Arkansas fell short after a House committee meeting on Thursday. The bill sponsored by Sen. Greg Leding aimed to lift the state’s ban on kratom, which has been in place since 2015, and remove the plant-based painkiller from Arkansas’s list of Schedule I drugs. However, Rep. Zack Gramlich successfully motioned for the bill to not pass, citing concerns about the accessibility of kratom to schoolchildren.
On the other hand, Rep. Aaron Pilkington argued that keeping kratom illegal was placing an unnecessary burden on law enforcement and highlighted the potential medical benefits of the substance for treating chronic conditions. Kratom is derived from a tree found in Southeast Asia and has been used in traditional medicine. While it has not been approved by the FDA for medical use, some report that it can help alleviate withdrawals from drugs like opiates.
Despite being legal in neighboring states, possessing any amount of kratom in Arkansas is currently considered a felony. The Arkansas Department of Health and the Arkansas Coroners Association spoke out against the bill, citing concerns about kratom’s potential link to deaths. The debate over kratom’s legalization in Arkansas reflects larger discussions about drug policy and public health concerns.
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