mitragyna speciosa

Get To Know Yellow Vein Kratom (And How It’s Unique)

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What do you know about the different color types of Kratom strains? Did you know that beyond the more common red, white, and green strains there is also yellow vein Kratom? Unlike the others, however, the color name does not always reflect the appearance of the leaves.

Learning about Kratom colors and where each strain type originates from is a great way to be more knowledgeable as you shop around. Many Kratom users like to mix up the strains that they use from week to week but don’t know enough about different types to do so easily.

By learning more about yellow vein Kratom today, you will be ready to make more informed choices going forward. Let’s get into it!

The Origins Different Kratom Colors

Kratom users may be familiar with where Kratom itself comes from: deciduous trees that grow in some areas of Southeast Asia. The tree prefers warm climates where there is a lot of rainfall, and it can grow to incredible heights of 70 feet or more.

Though those trees are where Kratom leaves, powders, and products come from, that simple description doesn’t tell people where the base colors of Kratom come from. Most people that have experienced Kratom know about red, white, and green Kratom. Where do the colored strains come from?

The colors of kratom strains are largely determined by when the leaves are harvested and how they are dried. Leaves that see more sunlight as they dry get darker, while less mature leaves that dry in the dark remain lighter. The actual color of the leaves’ veins does contribute slightly to the final product, but much of the color is determined through drying.

The Kratom Harvesting Process

To understand why drying is such a big part of the process, we need to talk about the overall harvesting process.

Kratom leaves are picked at different times throughout their lifespan, and leaves grown in different areas have different amounts of alkaloids. Once picked, the leaves are then dried. Leaves can be dried in the sun or they can be dried in the shade. Some leaves are dried in combination areas.

The way that leaves are dried leads to different alkaloid content as the plant matter changes in the drying process. Already varied leaves begin to vary even more once they are dried in different ways, and this contributes to the large number of Kratom strain types on the market today.

Yellow Vein Kratom: It’s Unique Story

Yellow Kratom has a unique story in that many people disagree about where the color comes from. Why is some Kratom powder yellow if the leaves on the trees are not yellow and do not have yellow veins?

A few ideas have circulated over the years about where the color of yellow Kratom comes from:

  • The leaves get yellow once they grow for longer, leading to yellow Kratom.
  • A blend of multiple colored Kratom powders is fermented to make it yellow.
  • The leaves are dried in a specific way to make the color yellow.

Which of these ideas do you think is the most accurate?

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Generally speaking, most yellow vein Kratom is processed with the third idea in mind. Specific types of leaves are dried in specific ways to lead to the color yellow. Much like white, green, and red Kratom, the drying process is a big part of the final color.

However, different yellow Kratom strains may have a different story. The best way to find out how a specific yellow strain came to be is to check with the vendor about its creation. It might be a proprietary blend, but they will still have some information about its derivation.

There are some blends that come out to be yellow that are made from a mixture of other Kratom strains, and there are a few strains that have been dried in a way that is closer to fermentation. Yellow Kratom is very unique in that way. Every strain has a unique story of how it came to be!

Reported Yellow Vein Kratom Properties

Those that haven’t tried yellow Kratom strains before might want to know more about what to expect. Is it similar to a red vein Kratom, or is it more like a white vein Kratom?

Most yellow Kratom is a blend that leads to moderate properties, often similar to a green strain. The alkaloid content is different depending on the exact drying process, however, so it is not possible to say for sure what a yellow Kratom strain will be like for users.

Experienced Kratom users have reported that yellow Kratom is typically a soothing variety that is less stimulating than other color strains. Still, it’s important to remember that every strain is different. Always make sure to start with a limited amount to ensure that you are prepared for any potential effects until you get to know a new strain.

Our Top Yellow Vein Kratom Products

If you’re interested in checking out the top yellow vein Kratom products from Left Coast Kratom, look no further! We’ve gathered together a quick list of our favorite yellow Kratom items so that you can easily browse them today.

Our top offerings of Yellow Vein Kratom include:

Each of these products is carefully selected, processed, tested, and packaged for your convenience. We are proud to offer a variety of high-quality Kratom products; these are just a few of the wonderful items that you can find in stock on our website today.

Use Your Discerning Eye

When you’re shopping around for a new type of Kratom that you haven’t experienced before, you might be too quick to make a purchase. You always want to be sure that you are shopping with reliable vendors when buying kratom.

Everything from the labeling to the testing of Kratom must be handled properly for your Kratom supply to be safe. Shopping from reliable vendors is a great way to ensure that you can take Kratom as safely as possible.

Click here to browse our selection of Yellow Vein Kratom products today!

What’s The Difference Between Kratom Powder & Kratom Extract?

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Once Kratom is grown and harvested, the leaves go through a cycle to become the powder that most enthusiasts are familiar with. Kratom vendors process their products in multiple ways to create the unique and varied lineup available for sale today.

For example, it can be hard to see how Kratom powder and extract are not the same product types because they can both be powdered substances.

Here at Left Coast Kratom, we sell both Kratom powder and Kratom extract. Each of these products offers a unique experience to consumers, but not all customers are familiar with what the differences are.

Find out how both of these substances come to be and when you might prefer to try one over the other in today’s article.

Kratom: The Common Denominator

Kratom powder and Kratom extract share a common denominator: the Kratom plant itself!

Common kratom products all originate from the same type of tree. This evergreen tree, scientifically known as Mitragyna speciosa, grows in tropical regions of southeast Asia. People in Malaysia, Thailand, Borneo, and other places in the area have used Kratom for hundreds of years. These traditional practices have revived today, and Kratom has become a natural choice for many enthusiasts worldwide.

Powder vs. Extract: Where Things Diverge

Though Kratom powder and Kratom extract share the same roots, the two products have important differences and are taken in different situations. Where exactly do things diverge, and what makes this divergence so interesting?

Let’s learn more about each of these substances!

Kratom Powders

While Kratom powder is not the most basic form of the plant, it is very close. The most basic form belongs to Kratom leaves which are often used to brew tea. But, we’ll leave that for another blog post!

When Kratom is processed, the leaves are harvested and then dried. People then brew the leaves into a tea or grind them into a powder that can be mixed into drinks, taken in capsules, or brewed. This is the substance we know as Kratom powder.

Large kratom leaves easily grind down into a fine powder once thoroughly dried. When the plant is processed into Kratom powder, it contains a similar level of alkaloids to the plant itself.

Kratom Extracts

In a way, Kratom extract is a further extension of Kratom powder. Without whole leaves or powder, Kratom extracts would not exist.

Kratom extract is a higher-concentrate version of Kratom made through an extraction process. Compared to other Kratom products, extracts have the highest alkaloid concentration levels. As alkaloids are largely responsible for Kratom’s effects, extracts often have the most potent effects.

To create this high concentration product, plant matter is reduced so that the alkaloids in  the extraction are in a higher concentration than the Kratom leaf had in its original form.

There are different extraction methods with varying cost associations and degrees of success. The most common extraction methods rely on water, solvents, and evaporation, as this method is time- and cost-effective.

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Why People Choose One Or The Other

Concentration

The most significant difference between Kratom powder and extract is that extracts are more concentrated. This means there is a greater percentage of alkaloids in the same amount of powder. Alkaloids are the component most responsible for Kratom’s effects.

Kratom extracts are sometimes advertised with a ratio number, such as 2x, to show the level of concentration. You might also see extracts labeled with a percentage, such as 10% Mitragynine. Trying out different ratios or percentages until you find one that generates the desired effects is one way that enthusiasts explore what Kratom offers. 

Side Effects

Some Kratom users face frustrating side effects, such as nausea, when using standard powders alone. For these individuals, an extract might be the better choice. Ingesting less plant matter when taking Kratom extract can reduce side effects and improve efficiency for some people.

Change It Up

Trying extracts doesn’t always have to be about revolutionizing the way that you experience Kratom. Instead, it can simply be about changing up your routine! Extracts offer new blends and experiences that you haven’t had before. Check out different options to see what might work well with your body’s routine.

Remember Reliability

Whether you’re new to Kratom or experienced in this world, make sure that you continue to check that you are shopping from reliable brands!

It can be hard to tell the difference between Kratom powder and Kratom extract just by comparing the two. Buying from honest vendors that clearly label their products will make it easier (and safer!) to enjoy Kratom on your own terms.

The best way to be sure that you are doing this is to buy Kratom from vendors that are part of the American Kratom Associations GMP program. This program ensures that vendors properly test and label their products to prevent customer confusion.

Experience More With Our Top Sellers

Are you interested in finding the best Kratom powders or extracts?

Our catalog includes a variety of high-quality options. Whether you are looking for Kratom powders as a beginner’s start or Kratom extracts to change up how you experience Kratom, we have various great offerings.
Hopefully, you’ve learned something new about the world of Kratom today. Our goals include providing valuable and exciting information to our customers so that you can make more informed selections. Check out the rest of our resources to learn more!

What We Say: How and Why Kratom Advertising Is Restricted

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Kratom is classified as a food in many parts of the United States. This classification puts limitations on what we as kratom vendors can and cannot say about our products. The FDA limits what is permitted, and we must follow those guidelines if we want to be able to continue to market and sell our products legally.

How exactly do these restrictions come into play, and why aren’t we fighting against them?

Let’s talk about kratom, kratom labeling, and how advocacy organizations are working to improve the misinformation surrounding kratom.

What Can And Cannot Be Said

Ultimately, the FDA has made it clear that they are willing and able to send cease-and-desist letters to any kratom vendor that is publishing what they deem to be unsubstantiated claims.

Even in the articles that we publish, we have to be careful about our language and how we talk about kratom.

In the past, companies selling kratom have made huge claims about what kratom can do, and the FDA pushed back against these. But it wasn’t only bold claims that the FDA warned about; simple, seemingly common knowledge statements have also attracted their attention. 

Risky Statements

What type of statements do we have to be careful about when using on our site? There are many, and it is also difficult for us to follow these limitations. We want to be as open, clear, and helpful as possible for our customers, but FDA rules make this difficult at times.

These are just a few examples of statements that have got kratom vendors into trouble with the FDA in the past:

  • Claiming that people use kratom as an alternative to some medications.
  • Claiming that people prefer kratom over their other medication options.
  • Claiming that people use kratom to help them stop using other things.
  • Claiming that kratom has specific benefits.

We know that these examples are vague, and that is intentional as not to catch ourselves in this trap. As you can see from the breadth of those examples, however, it becomes difficult for honest vendors like ourselves to share any information or evidence with our customers without risking trouble.

What Are Unsubstantiated Claims?

Let’s talk a little more specifically about what the FDA considers “unsubstantiated claims,” which is the most common reason they send out warning letters. We’ve given a few vague examples above, but let’s look at direct news from the FDA to see how they frame their approach.

Specifically, a press report from the FDA states the following:

  • Vendors are selling kratom “with deceptive medical claims for which there’s no reliable scientific proof to support their use.”
  • Vendors “ take advantage of consumers by selling products with unsubstantiated claims that they can treat opioid addiction.”

If the FDA is truly against products that are not backed by science and willing to support kratom research, that would be an understandable position. However, the statement goes on to say that Kratom is an “opioid analog that may actually contribute to the opioid epidemic,” which may be an unsubstantiated claim by the FDA’s own rules.

Additionally, the FDA report states that the FDA is willing to look into how kratom may or may not relieve pain or opioid addiction symptoms if people believe that kratom’s active ingredients show that potential. However, the AKA states that FDA has refused to support that type of research for years.

Simultaneously, the National Institute on Drug Abuse has refused to support scheduling kratom as a drug because NIDA’s own research has not borne out that claim according to NIDA’s standards.

As you can see, it is a very confusing field for kratom vendors like ourselves to navigate. Our goal is always to provide safe, high-quality products to our customers. We want to support those products with information, but it isn’t always an easy thing to do.

The Standards We Follow

How do we handle the labeling and advertising of our products when faced with limitations and concerns about what we can and cannot say?

As members of the American Kratom Association’s GMP Compliance Program, we ensure that our labeling fits these things’ standards. AKA is up-to-date with the FDA’s latest requirements, and they are also at the forefront of helping to implement Kratom Consumer Protection Acts in states across the country.

In short, they know what they’re talking about when it comes to labeling, advertising, and more.

As of June 2020, the compliance program has laid out the following guidelines for vendors and marketing:

  • Labels may not include:
    • Any disease-related or unauthorized health claims
    • Any reference to a “high”
    • Any reference to clinical or research data
  • Labels must:
    • Be fully compliant with FDA claim rules
    • Include a batch or lot number
    • Affirm that mitragynine and 7-OH alkaloids haven’t been altered from their original allocation
    • Advise consumers to talk to a physician about dosing
    • Include a statement that pregnant women should not use kratom
    • Include this exact statement:  “This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition.”

These same rules apply to the descriptions, websites, and advertisements used when marketing kratom products.

New: The Truth in Labeling Program

Recently, the American Kratom Association has started a reporting program known as the Truth in Labeling Program.

Due to the rise in vendors directly going against the guidelines expected by the FDA, the American Kratom Association and other advocates have seen a need for a program to keep track of and improve improper labeling practices.

Through this program, the AKA hopes to educate vendors that are putting the industry at risk through dishonest practices. If the vendors refuse to change their ways, the industry will start to self-regulate by reporting offenders to the FDA. To read more about how or why the Truth in Labeling Program is meant to work, you can check out AKA’s statement.

Understanding Kratom: Kratom Alkaloids Explained

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Natural substances like kratom have an effect on the body because of their chemical composition. Kratom itself is made up of many chemical components. When those components are released in the body, they bind and interact with human physiology in different ways.

While only a few kratom alkaloids are well known even among veteran consumers, kratom is actually made up of more than 40 alkaloids – and counting! What are these kratom alkaloids, and what types of effects are they being studied for?

Learning more about these alkaloids can help you better understand the myriad of ways kratom may be further developed and used. Let’s take a closer look!

What Are Kratom Alkaloids?

Alkaloids are a type of naturally-occurring compounds found in many plants. These compounds contain at least one nitrogen atom. These compounds bind readily with receptors in the human body; they cause physiological effects because of this binding. Common alkaloids include caffeine and morphine. The impacts of alkaloids vary widely.

Kratom is a natural plant, and kratom leaves have a variety of alkaloids in them. In fact, more than forty different alkaloids have been found in kratom. Many of these alkaloids have specific physiological effects on the body. Those alkaloids are being studied in more detail to find out what types of benefits might be found.

The specific alkaloid concentration in kratom leaves can vary from tree to tree, strain to strain.  For that reason, additional research of the individual components is even more critical. Once the individual alkaloids are better understood, the potential effects of various alkaloid combinations can be studied in more detail as well.

Kratom Alkaloids Explained

Now that you know what alkaloids are, let’s cover kratom’s alkaloids and alkaloid composition of this plant in more detail.

What We Know

The alkaloid content of kratom leaves varies from plant to plant, tree to tree, and location to location. There is no guarantee of the exact breakdown of alkaloids in any kratom leaf because many things affect the alkaloid composition:

  • Harvesting time and frequency
  • Weather patterns
  • Soil composition
  • When leaves are harvested
  • Dry season length
  • Strain
  • Geographic location
  • Age of leaves

As teams studied kratom leaves in the 1970s and 1980s, they found that the alkaloid concentration varied in many ways. They began to compare samples and found that the above factors, as well as many others, changed what alkaloids were most prevalent in the leaves.

Despite the fact that more than 40 alkaloids have been identified in kratom leaves, only two of those alkaloids (mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine) are given credit for the effects of kratom. That’s because they occur in the greatest concentrations. Mitragynine usually makes up around 60% of the alkaloid content of kratom leaves on average.

As kratom is studied in more detail in upcoming years, we can expect to find out more about the variances in alkaloids in terms of effects and growth patterns for the kratom plants.

Meet The Alkaloids

Though more research still needs to be done about these substances, there are some alkaloids that have been studied after being found in kratom.

Mitragynine

The most prevalent alkaloid in most kratom leaves, mitragynine, is partially responsible for many of kratom’s active effects. It has been studied for many common uses, which can be fairly easily researched. As the primary kratom alkaloid, it is one of the two alkaloids that has its content percentage detailed on kratom packaging. 

7-hydroxymitragynine

The other kratom alkaloid that is typically acknowledged by kratom vendors is 7-hydroxymitragynine. While the amount of this alkaloid is substantially smaller than that of mitragynine, it is also a significant player in kratom’s active effects. It has been studied for its unique effects and receptor binding in particular.

The Phyllines

The naming of alkaloids is typically based on the original plant family that those alkaloids come from. A number of alkaloids found in kratom are named with the -phylline base. Mitraphylline, isomitraphylline, speciophylline, rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, and ciliaphylline are all found in kratom.

These alkaloids are likely to be studied for their potential beneficial actions, and we hope to learn more soon about how they interact with functions of the human body.

Paynantheine and Speciogynine

After mitragynine, paynantheine and speciogynine make up for the largest percentage of alkaloids in kratom leaves. These two alkaloids have been compared to similar alkaloids with and it may be assumed that their qualities are similar. It is possible that these alkaloids contribute to some benefits of kratom, but more research is needed.

Corynoxine A and B

Found in other natural plant products as well, these alkaloids interact with important receptors in the human body. This means that they may affect the binding of body chemicals in some way. These alkaloids, like many others, are found in concentrations of far less than 1% in most leaves.

Why Is It Important To Know About These Alkaloids?

Simply put: we need to put more resources into studying them!

Kratom research has been progressing at a very slow pace for the last few years. Among other reasons, that is because of the complicated laws surrounding the possession, use, and classification of kratom. Funding kratom research is difficult whenever there are no laws clearly protecting its status.

As laws become clearer and kratom earns a more protected status in the US, we can expect to see more research about kratom and how it can affect the body. In particular, a lot of that research is likely to focus on the individual alkaloids found in kratom and their effects.

Scientists, in particular, are very interested in kratom’s potential effects. However, more research needs to be done on kratom’s alkaloids.

The Future Of Kratom

Kratom as a whole plant and food product will continue to be studied, but we can also expect to see more and more branch-off studies of individual components. Often, it is easier to understand the effects of the broad plant if we studied individual chemical components first.

Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine are being studied more than other alkaloids at this time, but that is going to change as kratom becomes more heavily researched. We’re excited to find out what is discovered about every facet of kratom!

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.

US Kratom Research: Congress Funds New Kratom Research

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In December 2019, Congress passed the Appropriations Bill to help adjust and set the budget for the 2020 fiscal year. Each year, this bill can help to set up where money within the government will go and what types of output we can expect.

This year, the appropriations bill included specific distinctions for funding additional research on substances like marijuana, kratom, and cannabinol. Depending on how that research funding is divided and spent in the academic world, there is a good chance that we will see some new studies and results about kratom this year.

Kratom research is very important for the future of safe kratom usage in America. While kratom is a safe substance, proper monitoring and safety requirements for kratom companies could be improved if there was more solid research about this unique substance.

Additionally, there is a good chance that kratom could be developed into an opioid alternative, so more research into kratom could do wonders for the current opioid crisis in America.

Let’s review the Appropriations Bill and see what exactly is covered in the agreement.

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What’s New In These Bills?

On December 17, 2019, the House passed through some legislation that would finalize the twelve fiscal funding bills needed for 2020. The bills they passed went through some further changes in the Senate before being passed. Now, H.R. 1865 and H.R. 1158 are in place and ready to set up the budgets for most government-funded organizations in the 2020 fiscal year.

These bills are the result of bipartisan negotiations, so they cover a wide variety of areas in a very balanced way.

While the various areas covered in this fiscal planning is very interesting, we are more interested in some research-focused funding that has been set aside in these government plans.

Kratom, Cannabis, and Other Natural Substances

Research allocated in these bills is set up to allow for more research on kratom, cannabis, and other natural substances. While it has become more and more common for these types of allocations to be made, it’s always great to see that there is a continued interest in finding out more about these substances that we are still working to fully understand.

Kratom Allocations

The opioid crisis an ongoing problem in America, and some politicians and activists have been trying to find ways to improve the situation for years. One popular opinion is that we need to find opioid alternatives that are less dangerous and addictive, so ongoing studies are focused on doing just that.

In the FY2020 Appropriations decisions, Congress set aside a minimum of $1 million dollars to be used in the search for an opioid alternative. In particular, the bills mentioned that kratom and CBD should be researched as potential opioid alternatives.

Kratom has been studied to limited degrees in America because the laws about kratom are not clear in every state and are very unclear on a national scale. For that reason, it is hard for kratom to be properly studied. With this new allocation that specifically includes kratom as a potential alternative to opioids for pain relief and other medical uses.

Research like this could be a major turning point for the future of kratom in America, so we will be keeping an eye on any potential studies that will come out of this funding.

Cannabis Inclusions

Another interesting inclusion in these appropriations was CBD. In addition to requestion that kratom is studied as an alternative for opioids, the National Institute for Health was also tasked with doing more research about whether or not CBD-based medications could be used as an alternative to opioids as well.

Congress also tasked the National Institute on Drug Abuse to analyze why cannabis is still being listed as a scheduled drug and what can be done to change this status. As of now, it is difficult to do research about cannabis as a federally-funded scientist because of this scheduled status. Should that status change, research will be able to happen more frequently.

Hemp Farming Specifics

Another area that was allocated some extra money was the hemp farming industry. The hemp industry has been struggling to come as strongly as it could despite the support provided by the Farming Act of 2018. This could be because the tenants of that act have not yet been fully enforced, so Congress set aside $16.5 million to ensure that the hemp industry can grow.

Hemp, as you might know, is an industrial crop that is used for industrial and manufacturing purposes. While hemp was banned as a crop many years ago, it is now being encouraged as a cash crop for many farmers in America.

Additional Points of Interest

The points made about kratom and CBD are great to hear, but these aren’t the only things that were decided in these appropriations. As mentioned, these appropriations are setting up the budget for the 2020 fiscal year, and that budget includes much more than research and provisions about natural substances.

Here are just a few of the interesting allocations made throughout these bills:

  • $10 million to research and prevent antibiotic-resistance
  • Funding money to promote health literacy
  • Increase in funding for the Bureau of Labor Statistics 
  • Over $7 billion for the decennial 2020 Census
  • Additional money to include Puerto Rico and U.S. territories in the Census
  • 8% increase in funding for the CDC
  • Dedicated CDC funding on gun research for the first time in 20 years

As you can see, there are a lot of considerations made throughout these appropriations that cover a wide variety of areas. It’s great to see kratom being included as an important topic worthy of additional funding alongside such important issues.

Going forward, it will be interesting to see how frequently more unique and inventive studies about natural substances like kratom and CBD will be included in federally funded research opportunities. These substances have been studied in a limited fashion, so additional studies could revolutionize various aspects of the medical world.

Only time will tell what these studies will find!