Why the Pharmacy Board Has Power
State boards of pharmacy don't just license pharmacists – they enforce drug laws, investigate illegal sales, and can recommend or directly schedule substances as controlled dangerous substances. When they act, retailers and distributors pay attention.
The industry's fear: that a state board will look at the same FDA warnings, poison control data, and death reports you've seen – and decide that kratom has no place on retail shelves.
What to Demand From Your Board
- Initiate rulemaking to classify kratom as a controlled substance. Many state boards have the authority to schedule drugs not yet scheduled federally. Use the evidence: FDA denial, CDC death data, poison center reports.
- Support or introduce a retail ban on kratom products. Ask them to publicly endorse legislation that removes kratom from gas stations, vape shops, and convenience stores.
- Enforce existing adulteration laws. Remind them that the FDA has declared kratom products adulterated under the FD&C Act. Demand they use their inspection and enforcement powers to seize products and fine retailers.
- Issue a public health advisory. Request that the board publish a warning to consumers and healthcare providers about the risks of kratom – addiction, withdrawal, and contamination.
- Hold a public hearing. Ask them to invite testimony from affected families, medical experts, and law enforcement. Public hearings generate media coverage and political pressure.
⛔ The industry's worst nightmare
Pharmacy boards are composed of pharmacists, regulators, and sometimes public members. They are not lobbyists – they are licensed professionals who took an oath to protect the public. Remind them of that oath.
Sample Message to Your Board
Use this as a starting point – adapt it with your local details and personal story.
To: [State Board of Pharmacy contact email]
Subject: URGENT: Request to schedule/ban kratom (mitragynine)
Dear Members of the [State] Board of Pharmacy,
My name is [Your Name], and I am a resident of [City, State]. I am writing to demand that the Board take immediate action against the unregulated sale of kratom in our state.
Kratom (mitragynine) is a psychoactive substance with opioid-like effects. The FDA has repeatedly warned that it is not approved for any medical use, has been linked to liver failure, seizures, and addiction, and is associated with hundreds of overdose deaths nationwide. The FDA has also declared kratom products adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
In our state, kratom is sold openly in gas stations, vape shops, and convenience stores – often near candy and energy drinks. Poison control centers report thousands of exposures, including young children. Yet there are no warnings, no age restrictions that are enforced, and no oversight.
I ask the Board to use its full authority to:
- Initiate rulemaking to classify kratom as a controlled dangerous substance.
- Publicly support legislation to ban retail sales of kratom.
- Enforce state adulteration laws against retailers selling these products.
- Issue a public health advisory warning consumers of the risks.
The industry that profits from this crisis has spent millions on lobbyists and biased research. They count on you doing nothing. Please prove them wrong.
Thank you for your service to the public.
[Your Name]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email]
⏳ The Industry Is Counting on Inaction
They know that pharmacy boards are overworked and understaffed. They hope your email will be buried. But a steady stream of calls and messages from concerned citizens – from parents, from grandparents, from people who've lost loved ones – cannot be ignored.