Regulation is the right way forward to ensure safety. A ban just sends recovered addicts back into the arms of dealers. Everyone needs to do their own research. Kratom is nothing like it's made out to be by the media. It's a plant and it's been safely used for centuries. I've used it for years for an extreme case of restless legs syndrome. Nothing else works and I won't be made to take a synthetic pharmaceutical with side effects when there's a simple natural plant that allows me to get a decent night's sleep.

When I discovered Kratom in 2016, I had been struggling with opioid addiction for ten years, beginning with dental surgery and ending with the loss of my home, family, jobs and homelessness. Nine years later, I have been blessed to have my family, be a homeowner, I’ve worked as a substance abuse and mental health counselor, and I’m now a social worker for people with disabilities. Kratom gave me a foundation to get my life and sobriety back, it gave me a foundation to help myself and my family and now I am able to help others and contribute to society. I urge anyone to research Kratom well, its pharmacological effects means it has a “ceiling” - higher dosages have a cap and do not lead increased effects. Kratom is only a partial agonist and does not cause respiratory depression like traditional opiates. Fatalities where Kratom has been detected? Kratom was determined to have have contributed to the cause of death, but instead the polydrug interactions and CNS depressants were responsible. This is because kratom is so often used by people looking for solutions to help manage chronic pain, PTSD, or substance dependence - people who want to do better, like I did. If we take away kratom as a tool for adults to use responsibly, we risk seeing more fentanyl deaths in our neighborhoods as people find themselves without a safe alternative to suppress their opioid cravings in early recovery. Consider watching the excellent documentary “A Leaf of Faith”, available for free online and on YouTube, which provides a fair assessment of the risks and benefits of Kratom. We must also remember who overwhelmingly benefits from a ban of kratom — irresponsible big pharma companies, and black market narcotics distributors. Prohibition is not the answer.

I put my 27 year old son's ashes into the Atlantic Ocean two months ago after he died of kratom side effects. He did not have a single other drug in his system, not even a glass of wine. He was a smart, college-educated man with his whole life ahead of him. My son believed the lies that kratom is a "Natural health and energy enhancer." He had insomnia and wanted to use herbal remedies to protect his health. That decision led to his death. Within a short period of time, kratom, which is as highly addictive as heroin and opiates, had wrapped its lethal arms around him and the cravings and side effects set in. He went to his primary doctor who HADN'T EVEN HEARD of kratom. He suffered in silence from insomnia. vomiting, tremors and headaches. The only way to control the side effects was to take more. A smoke shop sold it to him in large volumes without any warnings. I watched in horror as my happy, healthy son turned into an emaciated, depressed, exhausted stranger. He NEVER took ANY other drugs, so don't tell me it is a "safe alternative." My son died choking on his own vomit (a common side effect) while in catatonic sleep (another common side effect). Imagine for a moment how his brother felt finding his cold body. Kratom, unregulated, uninspected, tainted, absolutely needs to be wiped off the face of the earth. For now, it needs to be classified Schedule C to save hundreds of thousands of unknowing lives. CBS news called kratom "Gas Station Heroin" for a reason. It is sold as candy-flavored seltzers, gummies, honey sticks, fruit-flavored energy drinks, powder, tea and gel capsules. Who do you think they are targeting with candy seltzers? Kratom is also affordable. Any kid can grab a kratom seltzer at a gas station in NY for $7. I have spoken to large groups at school board meetings, boards of supervisors, hospitals and schools all across Saratoga County and virtually none of the adults even knew what kratom was. But their kids know!!!! I had 11 parents contact me to say after they heard my speech about lethal kratom, they found it in their kids' backpacks. Two of the children were 12 years old. There is a kratom shop/gas station in Ballston Spa less than a mile away from the high school. Kids can stroll in and buy kratom products, no questions asked.
Kratom killed my son, shattered my family, broke my heart, and stymied my belief that that Saratoga County is generally safe. Two weeks after my son died, before Christmas, I began lobbying for bills to control the stream of deaths. I will continue to indefinitely. Every single day, I hear from more families who lost a young adult to kratom. We could fill an ocean with our tears.
Still don't believe kratom killed my son? I will send you a copy of the tox and autopsy reports. Kratom was THE ONLY SUBSTANCE IN HIS SYSTEM besides Stewart's ice cream. As far as I know, Philly Vanilla isn't toxic. KRATOM KILLS. Do the right thing and save lives. Get this drug away from us. There are plenty of adults who are also addicted, many struggling to detox. How many more people need to suffer?

I urge lawmakers and the public to do their own research on Kratom before supporting Bill A4034. The recent tragic local event has generated a lot of misinformation about this natural plant, and it's critical we respond with facts, not fear.

Kratom is a plant supplement, not an opiate. The FDA attempted to schedule Kratom as a controlled substance, but failed because scientific research did not support it. In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued an opinion stating that banning Kratom would pose a significant risk to public health.

A 2024 FDA-commissioned dose-finding study found Kratom to be well tolerated even at high doses, with generally mild side effects. Like many substances, it carries some risk — the addiction profile is low, on par with coffee, chocolate, and nutmeg.

Kratom is not a fringe substance. It's estimated that 13–15 million Americans use Kratom, many of them for chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD (especially veterans), and to ease opioid withdrawal.

I’ve personally been using Kratom for nearly 8 years. After battling debilitating anxiety and being prescribed several medications — including Xanax, a highly addictive controlled substance — I found that Kratom worked better. It gave me my life back and made me feel like me again.

The Kratom community has actively asked for sensible regulation, including age restrictions and proper labeling requirements to ensure consumer safety. Bills like A5852 and A2340 already address these concerns. Please pass those bills, not prohibition.

As with anything — even substances we consume daily like water — excess can be dangerous. That’s why responsible use is critical, and proper education, not fear, should guide our approach.

Do not base policy on fear or misinformation. Let’s focus on science, facts, and public health, not stigma.