To those in VA interested in keeping people safe and able to live productive lives, please do not allow criminalization of this plant that benefits a large segment of the population.

I have friends who have successfully survived serious addiction to opioids that are truly dangerous by taking kratom - people who were brought into that world through prescriptions for pain medication. Their lives were falling apart until they discovered kratom - change was still not easy for them, but they were able to turn their lives around. In addition to that, I take it for anxiety that was crippling for me. This has allowed me to excel in my life and career, enabling me to reach places I never believed possible. While this is not every person's story, and everyone has different needs- this is a tool that works very well for many. 

If we truly believe we are a free nation of citizens able to pursue happiness without undue interference, then we need to stand against laws like what is being proposed here.