Advocacy: KTA Says We Need Less Doomsday, More Unity

[bubbles]

The Kratom Trade Association (KTA) put out this press release approx one hour before the AKA's webinar.

Kratom Trade Association: Kratom Community Needs Less "Doomsday Rhetoric," More Unified Approach in Order to Survive

“Time to Turn Down the Rhetoric and Step Up the Cooperation”: KTA Outlines
Major Progress on Opposing Federal Scheduling of Kratom, State Bans, Import Restrictions,
and Inferior/Adulterated Product."

Washington, D.C. — WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 12, 2018 – Kratom, the natural, coffee-like herb associated
with better health and well-being, faces many challenges today and it has its best shot at survival if the
community tones down the “doomsday rhetoric” and starts working in a more coordinated way to ensure the
survival of the botanical, according to the Kratom Trade Association (KTA), which is the only registered trade
group representing kratom manufacturers, distributors and retailers.

Today, KTA outlined several steps that it is taking to help ensure that calmer heads prevail, thereby ensuring the
continued legality and availability of kratom. As the voice of the kratom business community, KTA is uniquely
positioned to play a role with regulators and elected officials that a consumer group typically does not. KTA
presents itself in a level-headed professional manner so that it is taken seriously and can get things done. KTA is
currently working with other kratom groups to boost cooperative efforts and acknowledges the importance of
their efforts.

But KTA is concerned that cooperation is only part of what needs to improve.
KTA organizer Eduardo Brambila said: “Keeping people whipped up into a constant state of hysteria about
kratom is short-sighted when it comes to dealing productively with state regulatory bodies, federal agencies,
Capitol Hill offices, and the news media. You can only tell people the sky is falling and that everyone is out to get
you so many times before they tune you out and stop taking you seriously. Working with other organizations
out there, KTA wants to bring together the kratom community so that we can elevate the kratom discussion and
get the job done. We are 100 percent committed to cooperation and will take the lead anywhere we can in the
process to get the needed results.”

Brambila added: “The notion that kratom could be made illegal in the short term is such a remote possibility that
it is irresponsible to terrorize consumers and industry players. KTA will not engage in tactics of this sort and we
call on kratom advocates to tone down the rhetoric and turn up the cooperation. We need to focus on working
together to support kratom. That is where our time, efforts and resources should be concentrated.
The-end-is-nigh messages are dangerous because they can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. At some point, all
they do is embolden anti-kratom forces to act because they think we actually do believe that we are doomed,
and the fight is over. In fact, just the reverse is true and that needs to be our message!”
Brambila outlined the following areas where KTA can help advance kratom cooperation:

● FEDERAL LEGISLATION/DEA RELATIONS. The Kratom Trade Association has engaged the services of the
respected Washington, D.C., law firm Holland and Knight, which is expert in food and drug issues,
including import restrictions (see below) and also has former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
staffers in its ranks. Holland and Knight allows KTA to navigate the kratom waters on Capitol Hill and to
reach out to the DEA, which has the ultimate responsibility for the decision about scheduling kratom.
KTA wants to be taken seriously by the DEA so that the community can work with federal agency, rather
than being shut out of the process there.

● STATE/LOCAL RELATIONS. KTA also works with National Strategies, a state and local government
relations firm that tracks kratom related legislation and rulemaking outside of Washington, D.C.
Through National Strategies and other channels, the Kratom Trade Association is taking the lead in
handling ban reversal efforts in two key states. KTA is also the group out front for the kratom
community in another key major state and in two markets that either have kratom bans or considering
them.

● IMPORT ALERTS/SEIZURES. As the chief voice for the kratom industry, KTA is now formulating a strategy
to roll back the abuse of import alert and seizures by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). KTA
recently held an expert-facilitated webinar for the industry that outlined the current import
alert/seizure practices that the FDA is using in a bid to impose a “back door ban” on kratom by cutting
off much of the current supply.

● GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES. As the only registered trade association for the kratom industry,
KTA is the logical organization to impose and police Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.
Brambila said that it is the duty of KTA, as the official trade association for the kratom industry, to unite
the business community behind a successful GMP program. This makes sense because the KTA program
is (1) focused only on boosting GMP adoption and (2) KTA is devoting the necessary resources (i.e., legal
assistance) to ensure that its members understand and comply with GMP. Brambila noted that GMP
adherence is a condition for KTA membership and is not something that members can “buy” separately.
Brambila predicted that the KTA GMP program will be seen as a bona fide certification process by
regulators, lawmakers and the news media since it is more focused on regulatory compliance than
marketing.

In addition to the above, Brambila noted that KTA is an active participant and financial supporter of
kratom community efforts, including periodic industry coordination calls, a recent Capitol Hill briefing
event, and professional legal support available to members.

###

The Kratom Trade Association (KTA) is dedicated to the safe and responsible use of Kratom botanical products in the U.S.
KTA is committed to regulatory compliance and will develop and promote use of best practices and quality standards for
the industry. KTA will support Kratom research initiatives and conduct advocacy efforts to educate policy makers and the
public about the benefits of Kratom, as well as dispelling common misconceptions. Visit http://www.kratomtrade.org for more
information.

[herbalhippie]

Thank you for posting this, db.

"“Keeping people whipped up into a constant state of hysteria about
kratom is short-sighted..."

but it does keep the donations coming in.