Regulate Kratom Access to Protect Virginia Communities

Petition to the Virginia General Assembly

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) and its psychoactive compounds, including mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, are currently sold without regulation in gas stations, convenience stores, and smoke shops throughout Virginia. These substances can cause physical dependence requiring medical intervention to discontinue safely.

Some Virginia addiction medicine specialists report that over half of their detox patients now seek help for kratom withdrawal. Online support communities like Kratom Quitters document over 11,000 members struggling with severe withdrawal symptoms including anxiety, depression, insomnia, and physical pain lasting weeks without proper medical care. Tens of thousands are now in recovery from kratom addiction, exposing the lie that this "natural plant" is harmless.

Medical detox clinics across Virginia now offer specialized kratom withdrawal programs because the symptoms can be dangerous without professional supervision. Yet these opioid-acting substances remain easily available next to candy and energy drinks in convenience stores, deceptively marketed as harmless "natural herbal supplements" despite acting on the same brain receptors as opioids.

The undersigned Virginia residents demand:

1. Immediate regulation of kratom and its derivatives under the Virginia Controlled Substances Act or similar regulatory framework requiring medical oversight for access.
2. Prohibition of kratom sales in gas stations, convenience stores, smoke shops, and other retail establishments where proper medical supervision and consumer education cannot be provided.
3. Mandatory labeling requirements for any kratom products, including clear warnings about addiction potential, withdrawal symptoms, and the need for medical supervision when discontinuing use.
4. Preservation of legitimate access through licensed pharmacies, medical facilities, or other appropriate channels with proper oversight to ensure consumer safety.
5. Protection for current users by focusing enforcement on commercial sales rather than individual possession, while ensuring access to medical support for those seeking to discontinue use.
6. If proper safety measures cannot be immediately achieved, please ban kratom completely until that time.

In light of these concerns, we urge lawmakers to support House Bill 442, which directs the Virginia State Crime Commission to analyze kratom enforcement and regulation in the United States, ensuring a thorough examination of the issues surrounding this substance.

Reasons for this petition:

Public Health Crisis: Richmond addiction specialists report severe kratom withdrawal requiring medical supervision, yet Virginia allows unlimited sales without any consumer protection or medical oversight.

Consumer Deception: Kratom is marketed as a safe "herbal supplement" while causing physical dependence documented in massive online support communities of people unable to quit without medical help. The industry dismisses addiction stories by calling users "abusive" or claiming products were "adulterated," while tens of thousands in recovery prove the dangers of even basic kratom leaf powder.

Youth Protection: Current sales practices expose Virginia's young people to addictive substances sold alongside everyday consumer goods, undermining community recovery efforts.

Medical Evidence: Healthcare providers across Virginia witness firsthand the destructive effects of unregulated kratom access, including addiction, family breakdown, and in some cases, tragic loss of life.

Regulatory Gap: Virginia has an obligation to protect its citizens from substances requiring medical / health consultation and supervision.

The undersigned do not seek to eliminate kratom entirely, but demand proper regulation ensuring medical oversight while preventing easy abuse through convenience store sales to unsuspecting consumers.

Virginia families deserve protection from substances that cause addiction requiring professional medical intervention, while preserving legitimate access under appropriate medical supervision.