The legality of Kratom in Alabama is often questioned. For years now, Kratom has been a stalwart citizen of the commercial grey market. Moreover, the legal issue regarding Kratom has been challenged at a different level. As per the report of December 2021, the World Health Organization has officially withdrawn its legal challenges for insufficient evidence. In fact, consumers across the world have supported the legal commercialization of Kratom. Even though it is widely available in Southeast Asia, there are still many legal implications in the United States.
Moreover, kratom may help people but still, it is widely designated as an addictive drug and its legality hasn’t got a green signal at every place. In this article, you will get a comprehensive view of Kratom, and its legal status in Alabama. So, let’s get into the details.
An Overview on the history of Kratom legalization
Just like coffee, kratom is traditionally consumed as an energizing drink. In different parts of Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand, laborers and farmers used to have this drink to work longer under the beating sun. In fact, in Thailand, this was often consumed straight from the tree.
However, when Kratom was first recognized as an energy booster, many manufacturers and vendors started to commercialize the drink. Unfortunately, the impact of the drink is not the same for all individuals. In fact, some side-effects started to incur after regular consumption of the products. Since then, local govt. started to aware consumers of its addictive components and potential health risks.
On the other hand, there is no clear evidence or scientific research against the ills of Kratom products. Today, the legal status of Kratom in Alabama is completely fractured. Since its introduction as a food product in the US market, it has drawn the ire of governing bodies. Eventually, a prominent increase in Kratom abuse has occurred in the US. Furthermore, its undulating legal status has barred commercial use in some states including Alabama.
Present Legal status of Kratom in Alabama
The Drug Enforcement Agency of America recognized Kratom as a ‘drug concern’ category. In fact, they stated Kratom is likely to pose many potential health hazards. The use of Kratom has prompted seizures, liver disease, psychosis, insomnia, and so on. They also categorized Kratom as a Schedule I drug and made it illegal for Federal Level. However, the Federal Controlled Substances has completely denied the opinion of the former. Their undeniable approach and testimonials of the users encourage the DEA to revise their decision.
It was back in 2016 when consumers started to raise their voices and started filing their petitions. By the spring of the year, the State Law Authority recognized the substance as a Scheduled I drug, posing restrictions on sales, distributions, and possession. It is especially restricted for medical use. In fact, the authority has announced to impose the same charge for possessing or distributing Kratom, as they declared for illicit drugs like LSD or heroin. In other words, as per the recent guidelines, Kratom is not legal in Alabama. In addition, it is illegal to manufacture, sell, distribute, and possess.
It also suggests any online vendor cannot ship Kratom to Alabama. Apart from Alabama, other countries like Vermont, Indiana, and Rhode Island also declared a regulation against the ancient herb. On the other hand, some states have chosen regulations for a specific area. For example, one can buy and sell Kratom legally in Florida except in the areas of Sarasota County.
Classification of Kratom in Alabama
As you already know Kratom is substantially illegal throughout Alabama including cities like Huntsville, Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery, and Auburn. On any chance, if anyone is caught with this illegal possession, they would be sentenced to a criminal offense. In fact, serious criminal charges would be implied for possessing illegal Schedule I drugs. Hence, it is essential to be aware of the legal implications before purchasing it.
However, surprisingly, Kratom is not itself on the restricted substance list. Then, one might question, on what basis, these regulations have been implied? The primary reason to categorize Kratom into the illicit drug list is the concentration of the high alkaloid. The two predominant alkaloids: Mitragynine and hydroxy mitragynine are separately listed in the Schedule I drug rundown.
Hence, it has a good amount of addictive substances which can pose several health hazards. So, it is often confusing for the consumers to understand the direct stand of the govt. concerning the legalities of Kratom. The diplomatic regulatory body has outlawed the herb itself.
The contribution of the American Kratom Association
The American Kratom Association is a well-known organization that has been fighting against the legal implications of Kratom. They are the primary support system to legalize the commercial practice of Kratom throughout the United States. Moreover, they also collaborated with the local vendors to put in place the GMP regulations. This initiation is likely to bring about the highest quality kratom in the market.
In 2016, a petition was submitted to urge lawmakers to vote against the ban. After a year, another leag application was issued. However, all these efforts fail to influence lawmakers. Hence, Kratom is continued to remain illegal in Alabama.
In fact, they are dedicatedly working with all states to adopt the Kratom Consumer Protection Act. This Act aims to specify the problems within the industry forum at a different level:
- Age Restriction
- Labeling
- Manufacturing
- Selling
- Possessing
- Balancing the ratio
- Compliance
The KCPA has successfully addressed a multitude of areas to make all the kratom products safer for consumers across the nation. On the other hand, the AKA hopes to convince the lawmakers to withdraw the unreasonable regulations and come into agreement with the Act for a safer product.
Final Thought
The landscape of Kratom legalization changes over time. There are many advocates pushing for greater access in different states. On the other hand, consumers are grouping together for an impactful campaign to eliminate the restrictions. Multiple states like Oregon, Utah, and Mississippi have recently received their revised regulation.
While Utah continues to enjoy its freedom regarding Kratom legalization, the other received revised regulations. If you are an avid user of Kratom, it is wise to know your state legalities before falling into the shackles of criminal offenses.
