Big Pharma sets its sites on North Carolina.

The lawmakers in North Carolina are considering whether or not they should ban Kratom in the whole state. This decision of pushing for the bill that would ban this substance and make it a class 1 controlled substance like heroin or other dangerous drugs is politically driven, as five more other states recently banned Kratom. Even though there are people both in the law and in the political world of North Carolina that support this bill for banning Kratom, there are many skeptical ones who aren’t convinced that this should be done so hastily, as there are no solid reasons for these actions.

The main leader for this action is Senator Tom McInnis as he was the one who brought this issue up for discussion to the Senate Committee for Health Care. He stated that the main reason why he decided to go against Kratom is because he had seen many news reports involving Kratom, and this caused him to check up with the medical examiner of the state who found out about two dozen deaths that were investigated in North Carolina in the past four years. Among some other substances, Kratom was found in the blood of at least one person.

Businesses will lose money

In case the ban goes through, there are a lot of North Carolina businesses that will be forced to move out of the state or shut down entirely. Since the expansion of Kratom on the American market a year ago, many people saw all the good that this Asian plant did for people, and this is why a lot of individuals opened businesses that focus on selling Kratom.

Given the fact that North Carolina has many heroin addicts it is a great market for selling Kratom, since a lot of people claim that Kratom can help addicts with their problem and even reduce their addiction. If the bill passes, a lot of jobs, money and businesses will be lost in North Carolina. Some unofficial estimates claim that around 100 people will directly lose their jobs, and that many others will be affected by this bill if it passes.

Not everyone is for the ban

There are a lot of lawyers, politicians and other government officials who are not so sure about the ban. Most of them agree that the issue should be explored slowly before any decision has been made. The fact that there is no proof that could back up claims of either side is what bothers most people. On the other hand, a lot of officials have stated that they received countless emails from people who said they used Kratom to get off heroin.

Most people drink Kratom with tea and don’t see the plant as anything harmful. Other have called to let the lawmakers know that Kratom helps them push through every day, as it relives chronic pain and allows them to function on a regular basis. This has made Terry Van Duyn, and many others very skeptical about the ban. They want to hear more valuable data that can help them make a sensible and logical decision.

If not, there are small chances that anything will be done. A lot of the local residents who say they use Kratom on regular basis are shocked and confused, and they say that if this passes it’s simply insulting that they will be considered criminals or even drug addicts.

Follow the money trail

Some people from other political factions are saying that this whole action against Kratom is because there is no way for the government to take money from Kratom transactions. The DEA and FDA alike have no information that can back the claims is good or bad. This is why McInnis was asked to deliver more information at the next committee meeting, so that a decision can be made. However, both the public will be allowed to speak and give its arguments on the plant and the bill itself before it even goes to a vote.

Many Kratom users say that this whole thing is a conspiracy aimed at banning Kratom because it does a better job of treating certain issues than conventional drugs that are expensive, and that the pharmaceutical lobby is working hard on pushing these bills.

Only time will tell what will happen, but it seems like the North Carolina legislators are looking for ways of grabbing the attention of the public and that they are avoiding their main issues, which are inefficiency and wasteful spending.