As a Kratom user, you might have heard about the American Kratom Association (AKA). However, even if you are unaware of what it is and what it does, this article will help you know all about it.
American Kratom Association (AKA) is an organization that “advocates for Kratom and its users,” this summarizes the overall motive of AKA. There are multiple federations that are working on banning the use of Kratom in the community, and AKA stands against all.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is one of the leading agencies that have been trying its best to ban Kratom in the United States. It has been making efforts since 2012 but has bravely been fought back by the AKA.
KRATOM – Rising to the Top
Kratom herb is a drug that has been in use for the longest time known. Previously, only the local people of the regions in which it was grown in, used Kratom. This includes Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Papua New Guinea. However, as eventually everyone got to know of its potential benefits, the use increased around the globe within years.
Currently, an average of 10–16 million Americans is using Kratom, botanically known as Mitragyna speciosa. It has been a well-known part of traditional medicine due to the presence of alkaloids concentrated in its leaves, barks, and trunk.
The bitter-tasting Kratom plant is either sold in the form of raw leaves or crushed into a powder form that is further processed into capsules and Kratom pills. In addition, Kratom is also sold in the form of tinctures, shots, extracts, and vape liquids.
AMERICAN KRATOM ASSOCIATION
The American Kratom Association (AKA) was set up in 2014 to provide freedom to Kratom users so that they can choose for themselves. It emphasizes the fact that Kratom users are responsible for using the herb and the effects it has on their bodies.
AKA is a Virginia-registered non-profitable organization that basically wants to protect the right of a community to purchase Kratom without any fear. The impeccable services of the Executive Director, along with a 3rd-party CPA, have ensured that the company maintains its dignity.
The corporation acts according to the rules and regulations of both, State and Federal governments so that the donors feel secure and know that their hard-earned money is spent at the right place.
To date, AKA has been standing and fighting against all anti-Kratom federations in the entire United States. Indeed, this has been made possible through the hard work of the volunteers and the generosity of the donors.
The Primary Goals
Like every other organization, the American Kratom Association also has a few goals they have envisioned since 2014 and have been trying hard to fulfill them.
These include;
âś” Support Kratom users
âś” Make people aware of Kratom and its potential benefits
âś” Educate others about Kratom herb
âś” Protect the natural habitat of Kratom
âś” Promote sustainable harvest of Kratom plant
âś” Boost people who were benefited from Kratom use
Approval for Kratom Vendors
The American Kratom Association (AKA) not only wants to prevent the banning of Kratom but also promotes the selling of only high-quality Kratom. All the Kratom companies and sellers have to have a seal from AKA, which confirms that their products are top-notch.
It also verifies that a company is selling only pure Kratom strains that are highly potent and free of all types of contaminants. In addition, the vendor’s list by AKA helps the consumer know about the Kratom brands that can be trusted because they stick to the quality standards set by the American Kratom Association.
Some of the regulations set by AKA for the Kratom vendors are;
- Adhering to FDA regulations
- Advertising products as per the standards of DSHEA
- Producing high-quality product
- Setting a minimum age for purchase
- Childproofing the packaging
- Providing accurate labeling on the package
- Third-party lab testing of the products
The On-Going Battle
The American Kratom Association (AKA) promotes safe access to Kratom. Thus, it works along with multiple Kratom consumers, vendors, producers, and organizations that also support the same cause.
It has been observed how different agencies such as FDA, NIDA, DEA’s, etc., have been attempting to criminalize Kratom so that its use is made a criminal offense. Nevertheless, the primary objective of AKA is not to argue with them but to encourage them to play a role in making the use of Kratom safe instead of completely banning it.
Certainly, it is through the support of all those legislations which promote the use of Kratom and know its effects. This helped in establishing a strong and fruitful advocacy program.
BUSTING THE MYTHS ABOUT KRATOM
As Kratom rose to fame, multiple myths got associated with it. These generated misconceptions about it and led to doubts regarding Kratom’s use. The two of them are;
MYTH NO. 1: Kratom is a Synthetic Drug
FACT: Kratom is a natural plant belonging to the coffee family that is grown in the outskirts of areas previously stated. In addition, the process of Kratom product manufacturing is also completely safe and organic. The leaves are handpicked, dried, crushed, and then packaged to whatever form the company desires. Sometimes the Kratom juice is also extracted to make tinctures and shots. The end product is free of all chemicals, and thus “Kratom is not at all synthetic.”
MYTH NO. 2: Kratom Use is Harmful and can be DeadlyÂ
FACT: Kratom is by far considered to be the safest drug in comparison to drugs that are legal and sold over the counter. This was further proved in 2016 – 2017 when 27,000 cases of drug overdose were reported, and out of them, less than 1% reported the use of Kratom. Furthermore, this 1% was also using other stronger drugs, and thus, the role of Kratom in the causality is yet not confirmed.
CONCLUSION
American Kratom Association (AKA) has maintained the transparency of its cause and has been working hard to keep the use of Kratom legal. Indeed, those who use Kratom and are advocates should consider supporting and donating to AKA to further help them achieve their vision.
