AKA

How To Know If Your Kratom Is Authentic?

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Are you looking to buy high-quality, authentic Kratom but don’t know where to go?

This herbal supplement from Southeast Asia is gaining in popularity, with users consuming it to alleviate their depression, pain, and even anxiety symptoms.

In fact, research suggests that up to 16 million Americans regularly enjoy Kratom’s benefits. And as Kratom’s usage prevalence is increasing across the country, so is the number of vendors. 

Now, while some vendors are legit and sell high-quality, unadulterated Kratom, there are also many scammers who will trick you out of your money. And what’s maybe worse is that some vendors sell fake Kratom, which can have serious health consequences.

Unfortunately, you can’t distinguish authentic Kratom from bad quality Kratom by just looking at it. The only way to avoid bad surprises and ensure you buy top-notch supplies is to buy from a trustworthy vendor.

And to help you find the right Kratom vendor, we’ve highlighted below the key things you should look for when buying Kratom.

Look For AKA GMP Qualified Vendors

Vendors import the Kratom leaves, blend them, package them, store them, and are responsible for testing them in a lab for purity and potency.

So, if you want to know if a vendor is selling high-quality Kratom products, you need to check whether they’re listed as a GMP Qualified vendor on the American Kratom Association’s website. GMP stands for good manufacturing practices. 

In 2019, The American Kratom Association created the AKA GMP Standards program to set high standards in terms of the manufacturing process and ensure Kratom lovers could access authentic and high-quality products. After a strict and diligent third-party audit conducted annually, vendors that meet the program’s standards can obtain their AKA GMP qualified status.

Left Coast Kratom is proud to achieve AKA GMP compliance certification every year. Our facility is frequently audited and routinely passes inspections.

Avoid purchasing your Kratom from people on Craigslist or eBay, as this is a surefire way to receive counterfeit products. 

Customer Reviews

Did you know that in 2018, 199 people across the country got infected with Salmonella?

The FDA later discovered that the outbreak was due to the consumption of Kratom contaminated with the bacteria!

Today, customer reviews are a fantastic way for new customers to assess whether a vendor is trustworthy and avoid buying contaminated Kratom. But it’s also a good way to find the best strain for you based on the feedback of other customers.

Some of the other benefits of reading online reviews include assessing real shipping times and customer service as well as understanding the company’s refund policy.

Also, as a word of advice, don’t read the first couple of reviews you see and assume that they are legit. Unfortunately, depending on the medium they’re published on, they could be fabricated. For instance, if the reviews are on Facebook, make sure to check the Facebook users’ accounts to ensure they’re real. 

If the reviews are only listed on the website, and nowhere else, it could be a red flag.

Health Claims

Kratom is not yet fully FDA-approved. This means there are restrictions regarding what Kratom vendors can say about their products. For instance, they are prohibited from making any health claims such as telling customers their product can treat specific diseases or positioning their product as a medicine. 

If a vendor sells Kratom claiming benefits such as ‘’stops depression or addictions, improves sexual performance or treats diabetes’’, you should look for another vendor as this is illegal, calling into question the vendor’s legitimacy.

Even though Kratom has many health benefits, more research is needed for the botanical product to be fully endorsed by the FDA. Reliable and high-quality Kratom vendors will follow the guidelines and comply with the regulations, and any vendor doing otherwise should raise a red flag.

Be Wary Of Alluring Deals

Sure, buying a Kratom product for a 75% discount is appealing.

But the reality is that when a deal is too good to be true, it’s probably a scam. Always compare pricing for the same strains and never go for extremely discounted products. If someone is offering huge discounts and selling at very low prices, they’re likely cutting corners, and the quality of your Kratom might be impacted.

And that’s a wrap!

We hope this blog post will help you source the finest quality Kratom and enjoy the many benefits of this botanical product. If you have any more questions about finding authentic Kratom, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’d love to help!

How The Future of Kratom Relies On The GMP Program

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The kratom industry in America has always been a bit shaky, especially from the outside looking in. Due to strict rules, importation problems, and changing laws, the status of kratom is not always clear or consistent. This can lead to some fear and discomfort among both kratom vendors and kratom consumers.

Due to this uncertainty, the GMP program was established by the American Kratom Association in an attempt to organize and plan for the future of the kratom industry. Varying laws and disorganization were putting the industry’s future at risk. The GMP program has, in many ways, smoothed out many of those risks.

In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into understanding the GMP program and what it is all about. How can a single program change the future of the industry forever? Find out today!

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All About The GMP Program

If you aren’t familiar with the GMP program run by the American Kratom Association, don’t worry! We’ll cover it (and why it matters for consumers like you) today.

The GMP Program, also known as the Good Manufacturing Practices Program, is a standards program that was set up to help kratom vendors establish a high level of manufacturing. The program sets up certain industry standards that help to ensure every batch of kratom sold is safe and reliable for consumers.

What Guidelines Are Established?

The specific guidelines established by the GMP program are very detailed. If you want to read the full guidelines, you can check them out on the AKA website here.

Generally, these guidelines set up provisions to ensure the following:

  1. Kratom is being tested regularly
  2. Kratom is being tested in batches that are tracked with proper documentation.
  3. The facilities are being managed in safe, secure ways.
  4. The workers are in safe conditions and are also being encouraged to follow safety procedures properly.
  5. The labeling on kratom is not misleading for consumers.
  6. The business is being properly audited by a 3rd party every year.
  7. There are systems in place to track the complete kratom supply chain being used.

Each of these areas, as well as all of the others covered in the complete guidelines, are important to ensure that the kratom sold to customers is being monitored for safety. Before these guidelines existed, there were discrepancies within the community about what level of testing was necessary.

With industry standards like the GMP rules in place, it makes it easier to share and apply all new research about what is best for kratom processing as well.

How Are Vendors Added?

If a vendor wants to join the GMP program, they have to make sure that they are compliant with all of the guidelines. That, however, is just one step of the complete process. Joining the GMP isn’t necessarily simple, but it is a worthwhile time investment for vendors.

Here is what vendors have to do to join the program:

  1. Enroll on AKA’s website.
  2. Complete the initial 3rd party audit within 90 days.
  3. If the 90-day audit window is missed, AKA will work with the vendor to find out if this was a reasonable mistake or if their practices are out of the GMP requirements. The AKA will update their participant list accordingly.
  4. Every year, the vendor must complete another 3rd party audit.

As long as a vendor remains in line with the guidelines laid out by the AKA’s program, they will be able to stay in the program for many years to come.

Why Does GMP Matter?

Has it become clear to you why the GMP is so important yet?

If not, that’s okay!

It can be confusing to pay attention to the behind-the-scenes workings of an industry when you are just a consumer in that area. Let’s focus on why the GMP program should matter to you.

There are a few major reasons why having this program in place is so important for kratom consumers:

  • Gives you an easy way to check if your preferred vendors take safety seriously
  • Ensures that only safe and tested kratom is being sold
  • Helps track any contaminated batches and who bought them if that should happen
  • Builds up the community into a respected, safe place

Kratom’s status in the United States can be scary and confusing when the laws are different depending on where you live. A program like GMP helps to ensure that regardless of limited state laws and actions, the industry as a whole is being held to a level of high-quality.

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Left Coast Kratom and GMP

Left Coast Kratom is a proud member of the GMP program. In addition to passing the initial screenings after we made sure that our business was in line with the guidelines, we continue to update our processes to follow the best practices as they are updated by the GMP program.

As time goes on, we believe that having such high standards in the industry is going to make it a better place for consumers and vendors alike.

Support The GMP Program

The best way that you, as a consumer, can support the GMP program is to make sure that you are only buying from vendors that are actively working towards accreditation or are, even better, already participants.

The complete list of qualified vendors is updated on AKA’s website regularly.

Buying from vendors on this list rather than those that do not take these protections seriously helps to ensure the future of safe kratom in America. When low-quality products make it to the market, they put the entire industry at risk.

Shopping Locally

Kratom lovers that love to shop for kratom locally can still follow this rule by checking out the list of vendors before they hit up their local shop. In the shop, you should be able to find more than one brand option for kratom. And if your local shop doesn’t carry any qualified vendors, you can strike up a conversation and find out why not!

In some cases, they may not be able to source from those vendors, or they may not be aware of the program’s importance. Either way, getting involved with kratom advocation at the local level is a great thing to do.

Kratom Legislation: Where and How Laws Are Changing

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The status of kratom in America is changing.

In 2019, four states passed Kratom Consumer Protection Acts. In 2020, the similar bills might be passed in twenty states or more!

For many years, kratom users here in the states have had to take kratom on the edges of legality. Not specifically illegal, not legally regulated, Kratom’s status is not always clear. In recent months, more states are making their positions about the botanical clear, but there is still a way’s to go.

The American Kratom Association, also known as the AKA, is at the forefront of this movement. They want to end this 2020 with protection laws for kratom users passed in 25 states. Currently, these laws only exist in four states.

Curious about why we support this goal and find it important not just for vendors but for consumers around the United States? Here’s why:

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The Fear of Kratom in the United States

Many politicians in the U.S. are afraid of kratom and its legality because they don’t understand it. Many non-kratom users in America fear kratom because they see it as another potentially harmful drug. With the status of the addiction crisis in America, we can completely understand these fears.

Our fears for kratom, however, are different.

Scientific and anecdotal proof has already been enough for us to believe that kratom is a safe and beneficial substance for many people. What hasn’t been shown yet, however, is that the supply chain of kratom in America is safe for its users.

In many states, there is absolutely no regulation on kratom sales. This means that vendors could choose the lowest quality product that they want and put it for sale without any repercussions or laws to guide them.

The one that gets hurt most in this situation is the consumer!

Even if you don’t come in direct contact with contaminated kratom, instances of bad kratom making it to another consumer hurts you. Each case causes kratom to be viewed more negatively, and the risk of a complete ban increases.

How The Kratom Consumer Protection Act Can Help

The Kratom Consumer Protection Act is a set of guidelines that the American Kratom Association is working with each state to enact. 

The act would cover the following tenets in some way:

  • • Age restriction: what will be the state’s legal age be for kratom products?
  • • Labeling: what type of information will be required or forbidden on kratom labeling?
  • • Warnings: what type of warnings and safety information must be given to consumers on the labeling?
  • • Registration: how will kratom testing compliance and product registration be handled?
  • • Quality: how will the quality be tested, and what will the quality requirements be?

The KCPA, Kratom Consumer Protection Act, will not be exactly the same in every state. Just as cannabis laws differ in each state, kratom laws may, too. AKA works with each state that they discuss kratom with to develop the laws so that kratom can be regulated in a safe, effective way that is satisfactory to the state.

Not all components listed above will make it through the state’s legislative system, but AKA does its part to make sure that the most important factors are addressed.

2020: The Goal of 21 States

For 2020, the American Kratom Association has set a goal to have some type of kratom protection laws passed in 21 more states. They have already been setting the groundwork in many states to get the KCPA into lawmaker’s hands so that the change can begin.

AKA is targeting these states in 2020:

  • • Oregon
  • • Idaho
  • • Colorado
  • • Kansas
  • • Oklahoma
  • • Missouri
  • • Louisiana
  • • Illinois
  • • Michigan
  • • Tennessee
  • • Mississippi
  • • Florida
  • • South Carolina
  • • North Carolina
  • • Virginia
  • • West Virginia
  • • Ohio
  • • Pennsylvania
  • • New York
  • • Rhode Island
  • • Wisconsin
  • • Alabama
  • • Arkansas

Most of these states don’t yet have any laws about kratom in place, but four of them have actually already enacted a ban on kratom. The American Kratom Association, however, believes that the bans in these four states can be changed in 2020:

  • • Rhode Island
  • • Alabama
  • • Arkansas
  • • Wisconsin

The goal to have half of the states in the USA to have kratom consumer protections in place by the end of the year is a big one, but the American Kratom Association and its supporters have been advocating for the same, regulated use of kratom for a long time. This year, the culmination of those efforts should result in this kind of big change!

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Accountability Matters Most

As mentioned above, shady vendors can sell anything that they want to their customers right now, and there is no way for the customer to find out about this. There is no quality control testing that is checked by any third-party unless the vendor themselves makes the effort to have their product tested.

Here at Left Coast Kratom, we wanted to show that we take our product safety and quality control seriously, so we joined the GMP Standards Program run by the American Kratom Association. In short, this program lays out specific guidelines and standards to ensure that we do our part in keeping the kratom industry safe.

We want our customers – including you – to know that we want to make sure that we are constantly evolving and keeping up with the best practices in the industry. As members of the GMP compliance program, we get the information about safety that we need quickly and are able to put it into action.

Do You Want To Help?

Are you interested in seeing a Kratom Consumer Protect Act go into effect in your state? Do you live in one of the states that the AKA is targeting this year?

If so, this is your chance to get involved with advocacy. It is possible that simply showing up to support change would be enough. And if you want to do more than just show up, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved.

The best way to get involved with local or state advocacy is to contact the American Kratom Association and ask how to get in contact with your area’s advocacy team. From there, you’ll start being a more active part of the change.

Kratom Status: Is Kratom Legal in My State?

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A note to our customers: This post is not legal advice. All information and content contained here are for general informational and entertainment purposes only. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge, but it may not reflect the most up-to-date legal or other information. We suggest that you always do your own research to ensure the validity of information on our blog.

Here in the United States, kratom is sold as a tea product or a dietary ingredient that many people enjoy and find to be beneficial for their lifestyle. There are dozens of kratom vendors and a large community of consumers who feel their lives have changed for the better thanks to kratom.

Unfortunately, these things don’t necessarily mean that kratom is protected by laws and regulations across the country. Due to bad publicity, adulterated products from irresponsible vendors, and misinformation campaigns that have gained traction over the past few years, some counties and states have made moves to ban kratom. 

As avid supporters of safe, lab tested products and responsible kratom consumption, we don’t want to see this happen. Many consumers worry about whether or not they are allowed to try kratom where they live, and the legal status of kratom is often changing in many areas.

Today, we’ll help you learn how to find out if kratom is legal where you live as well as other important legal information that consumers should be aware of. You’ll also learn what you can do to ensure that this botanical stays legal in the US.

Federal Laws

At this time, there are no federal laws or regulations in place about kratom and its use in the US. Kratom vendors sell kratom to their customers as a dietary ingredient and must make it clear that the FDA has not reviewed the product or any claims made about it.

Despite the fact that there are no laws currently in place on the federal level, the FDA and other organizations have put a lot of pressure on law-making bodies to ban kratom. The FDA’s arguments have been widely debunked; in reality, this conversation is dominated by misinformation and a lack of current research about kratom.

For now, kratom is safe from further legal restrictions on a national scale, but there are also no federal regulations in place to help protect consumers or vendors.

State Laws

Like many issues, kratom needs to be regulated on the local and state. Currently, marijuana and CBD regulations are handled on a state-by-state basis, and we expect that any kratom-related rules will initially be done in the same way.

The American Kratom Association is the leading advocacy group for kratom regulations and protections at this time. This nonprofit organization has done wonders to ensure the safety of kratom users across America, and their work continues to be impressive.

Your State’s Rules

Kratom is legal in most states across the continental United States. However, Kratom is currently banned in the following six states:

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Indiana
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
  • Wisconsin

In more positive news, several states have now adopted the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, legislation that both protects consumers from adulterated and misbranded products and protects kratom from being banned. This bill passed in 2019 in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and Utah. The AKA is working hard with vendors across the country to introduce the KCPA in many more states, including here in Oregon where we’re located.

The Kratom Consumer Protection Act mandates that kratom vendors comply with Good Manufacturing Practices including testing their products with an accredited lab. With reasonable regulations in place to keep consumers safe, legitimate and responsible kratom vendors will be able to continue to market their products, and consumers will have the peace of mind of knowing that their kratom is safe.

To find out what the status or ongoing bills about kratom in your state look like, you can check out AKA’s interactive map. This map gives detailed information about the state’s rules, and you can follow through on the page to read more details about the status.

What You Can Do

As you can see from the map on AKA’s website, kratom’s legal status is very different depending on where you live. While AKA would love to meet with the FDA to discuss the future of kratom in this country, the FDA has ignored their meeting request for more than 400 days.

It might seem overwhelming, but there are a number of things that you can do to improve the outlook for kratom in the United States. None of these things will put you at risk, and they are all quite easy!

Buy From Qualified Vendors

One of the most important things that you can do is to only buy your kratom from qualified vendors that care about safety. To find these vendors, we recommend looking into the Good Manufacturing Practices Compliance Program run by the AKA. In response to the lack of clear guidelines around kratom, these companies have decided to comply with Good Manufacturing Practices in order to keep their customers safe and satisfied.

The AKA’s GMP Program is that vendors can apply to join. The program outlines good practices that all kratom vendors should follow to ensure that the products they sell are as safe as possible for the consumer. To remain part of the program, they must have an annual 3r-party audit.

By buying from qualified vendors, you are supporting safe and high-quality kratom in the US.

Join Local Advocacy Groups

If you are living in a state that is considering a kratom ban, or the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, it would be worthwhile to get involved at the local level. Using the information available on the AKA website or from your local kratom shop, find out what you can do to prevent a ban from happening, or support reasonable regulations to keep yourself safe!

In many cases, this may be as simple as sending a letter to your local senator or making a short phone call. These actions are very small, but they can make a big difference in the long run!

Remember: Many People Use Kratom

Despite the complications in kratom’s legal status, it is important to remember that kratom is gaining mainstream acceptance and credibility. Many states have even passed regulations that help to ensure that consumers are able to purchase safe kratom without fear of legal action.

Many people use kratom. There isn’t a specific profile that can be used to describe who uses kratom or why. The simple fact is that there are many Americans that find that taking a serving of kratom helps them get through their day-to-day activities, and that is the important part.

AKA, the American Kratom Association, estimates that there are more than 15 million kratom consumers in the United States. That number is constantly growing, so there is no reason to feel like you are alone in your position.

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What Is The AKA? How The American Kratom Association Is Changing Everything

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The world is full of companies and organizations that are working hard to change things for the better. Some of these organizations have bigger impacts on our lives than others, and many have work that goes unknown to a huge majority of the population.

Even as a kratom consumer, you might not be familiar with AKA. What is the AKA? AKA, which stands for American Kratom Association, is an organization that is working to ensure the legality and safety of kratom products for kratom users in America.

While that sentence gives you a brief idea of what AKA is doing in the world of kratom, there is a lot more to learn about if you want to get a full grasp on how they might have an effect on your own life and experiences. Let’s deep dive into the details of this fascinating organization and why we are supporting their efforts in the interesting world of kratom!

AKA Basics

First, let’s cover the most important basics of AKA so that you can find out what the American Kratom Association was founded on as well as what their goals are today.

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What Is The AKA?

The American Kratom Association, often abbreviated as AKA, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the standards, processes, safety, and legal status of kratom in America. 

In order to protect consumers of kratom, AKA is taking a leading position to ensure that the industry is better regulated to ensure safety for customers from both dangerous products and unfair laws.

The Mission

According to its website, AKA’s mission is divided into five main categories. Here’s what AKA themselves have to say about their goals:

  1. 1. Support Consumers. We believe many political and private entities don’t make the needs of the consumer and constituents a priority. Our goal is to change that.
  2. 2. Educate. Kratom has many beneficial purposes and is an all-natural alternative. Our goal is to educate all Americans—from potential consumers to regulators and everyone in between.
  3. 3. Amplify. We represent thousands of Americans that each have a story to tell. We believe the current environment in the United States often does not listen to individual voices and together we will make our voice heard.
  4. 4. Global Awareness. We hope to demonstrate responsible use and practical knowledge other countries may study when considering Kratom legislation.
  5. 5. Protect Natural Resources. Kratom is a precious natural resource. We support and advocate for sustainable harvesting techniques and reforestation efforts.

All of the work that AKA has been doing proves just how committed they are to these goals. Through changes in laws spearheaded by their efforts and changes to the way that kratom sellers are doing business in this country, their effect in the larger American kratom community is apparent. It’s hard to imagine what the kratom industry would look like without their efforts.

We Love The GMP Compliance Program!

One of our favorite things that AKA has worked on in recent years is the GMP compliance program. GMP, which stands for Good Manufacturing Practices, is an acronym used in many different industries. Most industries have a standard level of safety and performance that is expected from manufacturers, but the kratom industry was missing this.

AKA set out to change that.

Through their efforts, the GMP Compliance Program was established, and we are very happy to be members of the program here at Left Coast Kratom.

What Does The GMP Compliance Program Do?

The GMP Program run by AKA sets up a series of standards that must be followed when processing, making, or selling Kratom. The rules require specific types of packaging, testing, labeling, marketing, and educational efforts be made by the vendor. If they do not pass their yearly audit by a third-party, they can no longer be part of the program.

Vendors that commit to following the best practices laid out by the GMP program are more likely to sell quality products to their customers, and this improves the safety for their customers.

Additionally, there are some great secondary effects of ensuring product safety beyond just ensuring that customers are safe. As you might know, many states are considering banning kratom because of outdated and inaccurate data; dangerous kratom supplies can further motivate these types of laws.

By helping to ensure that additional safety checks are in place, it is less likely that any kratom-related incidents will occur in America.

What Is LCK Doing?

To join the GMP compliance program, we took the practices suggested by AKA and improved the way that we were working with our kratom products. While we have always had the safety of our customers in mind, the research done by AKA for the program is incredibly thorough. This meant that we were able to further refine our safety practices to ensure the best for our customers.

Moving forward, we are always sure to follow the examples and guidelines laid out by AKA for the GMP program. The program is hugely important to how we do business, and we hope that our customers are able to feel just how much we care.

Why You Should Love AKA, Too

We’re not the only ones who should love AKA for all the amazing work that they have done in the Kratom industry. You should, too!

As a consumer and member of the kratom community, AKA has already had a huge impact on your life even if you haven’t realized it before. Most vendors in America are following AKA’s lead in safety practices. And if it wasn’t for AKA’s efforts, kratom might already be completely banned in America!

The American Kratom Association is working tirelessly to protect consumers like you, and we think that’s pretty cool. If you want to continue to support their efforts, there are a few things that you can do:

  • • Donate to their work and research directly
  • • Only purchase kratom via GMP-compliant vendors to ensure quality and safety
  • • Join AKA’s local advocacy efforts
  • • Support kratom regulation laws and protections at the local level

AKA is doing everything it can to ensure that you can continue to enjoy kratom safely and legally. Here at LCK, we’re doing our best to follow that same mentality. What will you do to help the community thrive?

Good Manufacturing Practices Matter: Why We Take GMP Seriously

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In every industry, there is an expected standard for safety, manufacturing, and consumer knowledge. For food products, for example, manufacturers must meet health codes and label all products properly before the consumer ever sees them.

In the kratom industry, however, such standards are still being established. Without strict regulation or rules due to the precarious legal status of kratom in some states, some vendors and producers are not being monitored in any way. This leaves consumers at risk, and that’s not okay.

The American Kratom Association has stepped up to the plate to create the GMP Compliance Program, also known as Good Manufacturing Practices. These industry standards are meant to protect kratom consumers, and we can’t wait to see them take effect on a larger scale.

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Introducing The American Kratom Association

Before we get into the specifics of how good manufacturing practices make a difference, let’s introduce some information that you should know about the American Kratom Association. Also known as AKA, this association has committed itself to ensure that kratom consumers and vendors are legally protected.

This means that the nonprofit organization wears a lot of different hats while working, but the main goals that they have set out to accomplish are as follows:

  • • Support customers
  • • Educate politicians, vendors, and consumers
  • • Amplify the voices of kratom lovers everywhere
  • • Raise global awareness of safe and practical kratom information
  • • Protect natural kratom resources

The work that we have seen American Kratom Association do is absolutely amazing. They make a real difference in the way that people can use and access Kratom. For example, they’ve spent a lot of time in the last three years helping to pass legal regulations and protections for kratom consumption in various states.

Our Involvement With AKA

We find that the work the American Kratom Association is doing is essential. Inspired by their mission and messages, we’ve taken a lot of time to ensure that we are doing our part to educate our consumers.

These blog posts, for example, are just one way that we are trying to make information about kratom, how it is used, and what is going on behind-the-scenes in the industry more accessible to anyone who is curious. We hope that consumers like you find these pieces to be useful for your own educational purposes.

Another way that we are keeping up with AKA’s practices is by joining their GMP program. GMP, which stands for Good Manufacturing Practices, are generally standard practices used in specific industries to ensure that all products that make it to consumers are safe and legal. 

These standards did not officially exist in the kratom industry, so AKA has set out to change that. Since AKA created its GMP program, many vendors have taken the time to improve their practices and follow the new industry standard. Some states have even adopted a variation of the GMP rules as official legal regulatory guidelines for kratom in that state.

GMP: Good Manufacturing Practices

What exactly are the Good Manufacturing Practices that the American Kratom Association asks of any vendors who want to be recognized as GMP-compliant? By understanding what these measures are, you’ll gain a better idea of the industry.

The GMP Program

Kratom products are sold as food products, so the only legal requirements placed on them by the federal government are the basic rules set by the FDA. The American Kratom Associate researched what needed to be done for manufacturing, labeling, and verification requirements that go above and beyond what the FDA has in place.

Specifically, the vendors that want to be GMP-compliant must pay attention to the following:

  • • Annual 3rd party audit to ensure all procedures are being followed
  • • Proper personnel training
  • • Clean, sanitary, and functioning equipment
  • • Random sampling for pathogens or contamination
  • • Proper procedures for all aspects of receiving and monitoring supplies
  • • Proper recordkeeping
  • • Manufacturing records according to the AKA’s outline
  • • Keeping thorough batch records
  • • Appropriate quality control standards
  • • Establish and follow a reporting system for any discovered problems
  • • Proper labeling and advertising

The complete guidelines laid out by AKA are thorough, and the yearly audit completed by a third-party carefully ensures that the vendor is following them. If a vendor misses their audit period, they will have to improve their standards and reapply in the future for AKA to consider their reinitiation into the program.

What We’re Doing

We’ve posted before about our efforts to follow these standards. While we are officially recognized by AKA as a GMP-qualified vendor, we are still constantly striving to improve our manufacturing practices.

A few things that we are always doing include:

  • • Finding new ways to test for potential pathogens
  • • Revamping our sanitation controls and procedures
  • • Screening our supplier and products
  • • Testing more accurately
  • • Testing more comprehensively

Everything that AKA suggests that we do, we do our best to implement as quickly and effectively as possible. AKA has done a lot of work to figure out what needs to be done to maintain the safety of kratom, and we appreciate that. The very least that we can do is make sure that we follow their great example!

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Why You Should Care About Quality Control

You might be wondering why we think you care about quality control, and the answer is pretty simple. You should care!

When you use kratom, the product can have some very real effects on your life and body. If you were to be sold contaminated kratom or something that isn’t what it says it is, wouldn’t you be upset? By supporting companies that have good manufacturing practices in place or only buying from those that are AKA GMP compliant, you are protecting yourself.

That’s not the only reason to care about GMP-compliance, either. There have been a few instances of contaminated kratom causing problems for users in the past, and we want to avoid repeating those situations at all costs.

Vendor-focused programs like the GMP programs help to ensure that consumers are protected at the legal level as well. If there are no contamination incidents, such incidents cannot be used to change the laws about kratom. And that is key to protecting the future of the kratom industry!