To this may concern,

I am an occasional kratom user since 2015. It has greatly improved my day to day life. But I’m far from the only one that making kratom a Schedule 1 substance would greatly affect. It’s one of those things that is not even in the realm of other schedule 1 drugs. Any type of ban would have extreme consequences for elderly, middle aged, and younger adults.  Kratom is undoubtedly a major deterrent from using opiates and a ban could send the opiate epidemic to catastrophic numbers. I’m not one to live in fear, but in the land of the free, we should be able to make tea from leaves native to Indonesia. Ultimately, I certainly Understand age restrictions, and overall restrictions on advertising and such, but a kratom ban is at the consequence for the citizens of the Commonwealth. I really Hope it doesn’t ever come to making kratom a schedule 1 drug. Thanks for you time, Jason Rowland