American Kratom Association: Definition, Vendors, Ceritification, Standards, Advocacy

The American Kratom Association (AKA), established in 2014, serves as a fervent advocate for kratom users across the United States. This organization's primary goal is comprehensive legalization and regulation of domestically produced kratom, a tree native to Southeast Asia. Much of the association's work centers on dispelling myths about kratom and advocating for user rights, focusing largely on ensuring the safety and purity of kratom products through mandatory and rigorous third-party testing.

AKA works ardently to generate a list of approved kratom vendors, these vendors have all gone through its strict vetting process. The process includes testing the vendors' kratom supplies to ensure they meet the pharmacopoeia standards set by AKA, limiting the potential health risks. However, the kratom market is not devoid of controversy. At times, vendors make claims about the health benefits of kratom that are unsubstantiated scientifically. In instances like this, AKA acts as a watchdog, assuring products on the market are not only safe but also ethically sold. The association aims to keep the market transparent and ensures the usage of kratom remains positive and beneficial.

[toc]

What is the American Kratom Association (AKA)?

The American Kratom Association, commonly known as AKA, is a non-profit agency dedicated to advocating for the rights and welfare of kratom consumers. Under the guidance of its Senior Fellow on Public Policy, Mac Haddow, the organization fights to protect the legal status of kratom across the United States and improve public perception about it. Through education, AKA aims to correct the misconceptions surrounding kratom and highlight its potential benefits.

A key component of the agency’s mission is to ensure the safe use of kratom. Engaging with policy makers, vendors, and kratom users, AKA actively supports research initiatives and partners with esteemed scientists to study the benefits and drawbacks of using kratom. Striving for a future where kratom users can freely and responsibly enjoy its benefits, the American Kratom Association stands as a beacon of advocacy for kratom consumers.

When was the American Kratom Association established?

The American Kratom Association (AKA) traces its origins back to 2014, amid a growing concern over the safety and regulation of Kratom, a dietary supplement used by many as an alternative treatment for opioid withdrawal. The rise of Kratom's popularity, often linked with its potential benefits and risks, made it pivotal to establish an organization like the AKA. It was designed to champion rights for safe Kratom practices, to ensure both producers and consumers were well informed, and create standardized guidelines for Kratom labeling and usage.

In the pursuit of accountability within the Kratom industry, the AKA taken notable steps to develop a vendor certification process, ensuring the safety and correct labeling on the packaging of Kratom products. Under the watch of the AKA's chief lobbyist, Mac Haddow, AKA has striven to work in conjunction with medical examiners, dietary supplement experts, and food scientists to ruminate over the constituent factors affecting the safety of Kratom. This rigorous process has ensured that anyone using Kratom for various purposes, such as opioid withdrawal, does so with the right information and proper safety measures.

What are American Kratom Association approved vendors?

The American Kratom Association (AKA) approved vendors are those who have committed to upholding the highest quality and safety standards in the kratom industry. This includes accurately representing their products and ensuring that no adulterated or contaminated products are sold. These vendors are predominantly trusted manufacturers and suppliers of various kratom products. One of the notable offerings is the concentrated kratom extract. These extracts are derived from kratom leaves, which are processed to increase potency, allowing users to consume a lesser quantity.

Concerning the matter of kratom availability, AKA approved vendors ensure a regular supply of products without compromising their high standards. This ready availability aids in minimizing incidences related to the use of low-quality or adulterated kratom products that can lead to adverse effects or in extreme cases, kratom death. Whereas concentrated extracts are popular products, they must be handled with care both during production and consumption due to their high potency. Therefore, the AKA encourages vendors to provide clear instructions for use and proper dosages, thus, making a significant positive impact on the kratom industry as a whole.

What is the American Kratom Association vendor certification process?

The American Kratom Association has established a rigorous vendor certification program to ensure safety and standardization in the sales and distribution of kratom products. This process involves the rigorous testing of kratom products to verify their contents and to ensure they are free from harmful substances. Vendors are required to adhere to strict kratom regulations, which necessitate that all products meet the standards outlined in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) before they are permitted for sale.

On top of keeping their products DSHEA compliant, vendors are additionally required to continuously monitor and update their websites to provide accurate and up-to-date information about their products. The objective is to help consumers make informed decisions. As part of the certification process, vendors must also demonstrate their willingness and ability to regularly answer any questions and provide clarity regarding the regulation of kratom. This process serves to foster a trustworthy and transparent relationship between vendors and consumers.

What standards does the American Kratom Association set?

The American Kratom Association (AKA) sets a rigorous standard for vendors, urging their commitment to the highest level of product quality, safety, and customer care. Central to these standards is the classification of the Kratom products as a conventional food. This means that the product cannot have any ingredients intended to be used as a new drug, new dietary ingredient, or certified color additive. Further, a vendor must not make any explicit or implicit medical claims, which includes suggesting that consumption of Kratom can prevent, cure, mitigate, treat or affect the structure or function of the body.

The AKA also mandates an independent audit for all vendors once every two years. These audits are designed to verify and certify the compliance of vendors with the AKA’S established procedures and specifications, ensuring that the vendors provide Kratom products in the safest and highest quality possible. Moreover, while the use of Kratom for medical treatment has seen a surge in recent years, it is a foremost standard set by the association that no vendor should make claims related to its therapeutic benefit without scientific evidence. This stance helps to protect consumers from unproven treatments and ensure the credibility of the association.

What are the American Kratom Association safety guidelines?

The American Kratom Association (AKA) has put in place stringent safety guidelines to ensure that the wellness benefits of Kratom are prioritized while minimizing potential risks and negative impacts. A fundamental aspect of these guidelines involves ensuring that Kratom is sustainably and responsibly sourced, tested for any contaminants, and properly packaged and labeled before distribution for human consumption. The guidelines also stress on the importance of companies being transparent about their sourcing and manufacturing process, and rigorously upholding to the integrity of Kratom products.

Professor Christopher McCurdy, a respected medicinal chemist has lauded AKA's efforts, asserting its safety guidelines as an essential for the industry. He acknowledges that the vast majority of conditions linked to Kratom use are mainly due to impure or contaminated products which the AKA safety guidelines are aimed at preventing. This reinforces the AKA’s role as consumer champions, paving the way for a safe and quality-assured Kratom industry. The safety guidelines by AKA are therefore considered not only a measure of assurance for consumers but also a significant step towards the legitimization and standardization of the Kratom industry.

How to become a member of the American Kratom Association?

Joining the American Kratom Association (AKA) may prove beneficial for individuals and businesses, regardless of whether they are experienced online vendors or novices in the field. By becoming a member of the AKA, individuals gain access to a wealth of resources, including comprehensive education on Kratom, opportunities for networking with other businesses and professionals in the field, and advocacy programs. This membership might even help reduce the occurrence of wrongful death lawsuits by ensuring that members have access to the latest safety information and best practices for the responsible selling and usage of Kratom.

For businesses, such as energy drink manufacturers, gas stations selling wellness products, or kava bars offering Kratom, AKA membership is a way to demonstrate commitment to high standards. AKA sets the guidelines for the responsible sale and usage of Kratom, helping to ensure customer safety and industry integrity. Exemplifying their dedication to this mission, the AKA has collaborated with Jack Henningfield, a senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins University, to develop a set of stringent, scientifically backed Kratom standards. These standards represent a critical step in unifying practices across different sectors and building customer trust.

What advocacy work does the American Kratom Association do?

The American Kratom Association plays a crucial role in advocating for appropriate federal regulations that recognizes Kratom as a natural product with significant benefits. This means tirelessly pushing against the often harmful narrative that touts Kratom as a dangerous product. Their advocacy work spans creating a more balanced understanding among federal agencies and lawmakers as well as general public, to keeping a close watch on policy developments that could impact the Kratom landscape. Moreover, the AKA continually strives to bring forth the health benefits of Kratom which can serve as an alternative to opioid medications, further helping in the reduction of fatal overdoses.

Additionally, another remarkable facet of their advocacy revolves around sourcing authentic Kratom. It is a well-known fact that the potency and purity of Kratom heavily depends on the manner its fresh leaves are harvested and processed. Acknowledging the same, the American Kratom Association puts forth great efforts to ensure vendors comply with strict guidelines to prevent the contamination and adulteration of this botanical powerhouse. They constantly fight to ensure consumer safety and meaningful usage are prioritized over profiteering motives, pushing for strict regulations at both manufacturing and distribution levels.

What scientific research has the American Kratom Association supported?

The American Kratom Association (AKA) has been a prominent supporter and financier of numerous scientific research studies that aim to explore the potential therapeutic advantages of kratom. These research initiatives are primarily focused on understanding the unique properties of kratom and its potential use as an alternative to opioids for pain management. Not only this, but the AKA also supports studies that explore the effect of kratom use on individuals suffering from various mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

One particular study that the AKA heavily backed examined the potential of kratom as an analgesic and its possible role in fighting the growing opioid crisis in the United States. Meanwhile, another AKA-supported study aimed to delve deeper into the biological effects of kratom, concentrating particularly on its impacts on the human liver. Such support stretches further to include investigations into the plant's cultural and historical relevance in traditional medicine practices of Southeast Asian societies. Through these research efforts, the AKA continues to bolster its advocacy for kratom and its potential health benefits, while rigorously prioritizing user safety and stringent quality standards.

Sources

American Kratom Association. (2023). "American Kratom Association." https://www.americankratom.org

Brown, L. et al. (2023). "Evaluating health information provided to kratom consumers by good manufacturing practice-qualified vendors." Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy https://substanceabusepolicy.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13011-023-00531-4

Garcia, R. et al. (2022). "Social, psychological, and substance use characteristics of U.S. adults who use kratom: Initial findings from an online, crowdsourced study." Journal of Substance Abuse https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-00103-001

White, S. et al. (2022). "Health Effects Associated With Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) and..." Journal of Health Psychology  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/11782218221095873

Arnold, T. (2021). "Truth and Labeling vs. deceit and deception/misinformation wars." Journal of Public Health Policy https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/truth-labeling-vs-deceit-deceptionmisinformation-wars-arnold