What is the American Kratom Association? | Kratom Monkey

The AKA is the most prominent kratom advocacy group in the United States. The organization fights to ensure legal access to kratom for all Americans while supporting sensible regulations to protect consumers.

This article will cover everything you ever wanted to know about the AKA! Curious about how the group started? Want to know more about its advocacy efforts and vision for the future? Then keep reading to learn more about the work of the AKA.

The AKA was established in 2014, a year when several U.S. states banned kratom. The organization is registered in Virginia as a non-profit corporation and seeks to restore full consumer access to kratom.

The early 2010s were a concerning time for the kratom industry. The herb was growing in popularity but becoming more controversial. And since kratom was mostly unknown and misunderstood, many state lawmakers had no hesitations about making it a Schedule I drug.

As a non-profit organization, all donations to the AKA go into supporting efforts and activities to keep kratom legal. Since 2014, the AKA has proven to be an effective advocate of the kratom industry. The group can take credit for several impressive achievements.

You may remember the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) efforts to make kratom a Schedule I drug at the federal level in 2016. This was a worrying time, and the worst would likely have come to pass without the persistent efforts of activists.

A few weeks after announcing its emergency plans to classify kratom as a Schedule I drug, the DEA changed course in a remarkable reversal. But the kratom community would likely have failed if it was not so well organized.

Passionate kratom users contacted their local representatives. These politicians then urged the DEA not to follow through with plans to ban the herb. The AKA wrote to the DEA, describing the agency as being overly aggressive in its categorization of kratom.

"But if the AKA is so effective, why is kratom still illegal in six states?" I hear you ask. It is a fair question, and I am sure the current lack of success in overturning a ban frustrates the AKA. However, getting lawmakers to legalize a Schedule I drug with no approved medical use is a tricky task.

Many of the AKA's achievements go under the radar. Ultimately, a story about the AKA's lobbyists working to keep kratom legal somewhere through committee meetings isn't going to hit the headlines.

But every example of this is essential work that helps protect kratom access for Americans. And without the AKA to stop legislators in their tracks and force rethinks, we probably would have seen many more anti-kratom bills written into law.

The AKA condenses its kratom advocacy efforts down to five main goals. These revolve around protecting the kratom industry and consumers while educating and raising awareness about the herb. Let’s take a closer look at each ambition.

The AKA is critical of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approach toward kratom. The group argues that the FDA spreads disinformation about kratom, which confuses policymakers and consumers.

This disinformation could lead to uninformed legislation being passed and people shying away from kratom. The AKA wants to change the culture, ending the FDA’s interference and disinfo tactics while supporting consumers. 

Ultimately, kratom is a natural substance that people have used for centuries - if not longer! But kratom is often portrayed as dangerous and unknown. And while we need more research into kratom’s effects, experts still have a good idea of what the plant does.

The AKA aims to educate Americans on kratom, from the little guy shopping for products to regulators and policymakers. 

Millions of Americans have seen their lives change for the better thanks to kratom. And the AKA wants to give a voice to these people and ensure their stories are heard.

The FDA might want to suppress these incredible tales about kratom’s benefits. But with the AKA’s support, those stories are getting attention everywhere from Washington to Wyoming. 

They may be the American Kratom Association, but the AKA isn’t blind to pervasive anti-kratom forces abroad. Hence, the world’s leading kratom advocacy group feels added responsibility to promote kratom’s benefits and responsible product usage.

The AKA hopes these efforts will persuade countries considering kratom bans to pursue regulation instead. I imagine that will be easier in some places than others! 

Kratom trees are an integral part of the ecosystem they grow in, which is why sustainable and ethical farming practices are so important.

The AKA endorses and pushes for sustainable harvesting, reforestation, and other techniques that protect the environment. Looking after existing kratom forests is another vital part of the process.

The Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA) promotes a safer kratom industry by bringing regulations to the market. KCPA legislation covers kratom quality and purity, product labeling and directions for use, minimum age requirements, and more.

Crucially, the KCPA has the AKA's backing, and the group has been key to developing policy. While kratom users sometimes get hesitant about regulations, there are good reasons for the AKA getting involved.

We know that lawmakers in several states have worries about kratom. Indeed, six states have even made the substance illegal. But politicians often have little knowledge of kratom. Many have no qualms about passing knee-jerk reaction bans under the guise of "preventing the next opioid epidemic."

Lawmakers will keep debating what to do about the kratom industry. So, it makes sense for the herb's supporters to engage in the policy discussion. This way, kratom's supporters and concerned lawmakers can work to find common ground.

As of April 2023, five states (Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Utah) have signed the KCPA into law. The KCPAs are broadly similar, with minor differences. For instance, every state except Oklahoma has set a minimum age requirement of 18 for purchasing kratom products.

Regardless of how a state approaches kratom regulation, the AKA stands by seven principles. Let’s learn more about them.

1. Regulation: The AKA wants to ensure kratom products are safe and pure through regulation. The group is prepared to work with the FDA, sharing information to help develop appropriate regulations for products.
2. Age Requirement: As of 2023, there is no evidence of problematic kratom usage among children. However, the AKA is still keen to prevent youth kratom use. Setting a minimum age requirement for buying kratom products could be one way of achieving this.
3. Child-Resistant Packaging: While there are no reported incidents of kratom poisoning in children, the AKA is understandably concerned about it. That's why the organization supports child-resistant packaging for kratom products.
4. Product Purity: The AKA wants consumers to have access to the purest kratom possible. And the organization believes that most product manufacturers want the same. Hence, the AKA supports standards on kratom product purity, much like we see in the food industry.
5. Preventing Adulteration: The AKA notes that the FDA has concerns about adulterants in kratom products. Responsible manufacturers do not engage in such tactics. The AKA would support regulations that explicitly prohibit dangerous adulteration. Ideally, such regulations would also stop vendors from selling contaminated kratom.
6. DSHEA Consistent Claims: The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) sets standards for the claims that can be made about dietary supplements. The AKA supports limiting claims about kratom products to those consistent with the DSHEA.
7. Product Labeling: Responsible kratom usage is vital. Therefore, helpful product labeling is a must. Imagine buying a kratom tincture product that came with no information about how potent it is or how much to take. This would be a recipe for trouble!

That is why the AKA backs labeling requirements for kratom products. The group hopes that the FDA will engage with manufacturers and marketers to develop informative product labeling for kratom users. 

With hundreds of retailers selling kratom in a mostly unregulated market, it is no surprise that many customers struggle to find genuine products. But the AKA is making life easier for kratom users across the U.S. with its list of GMP-qualified vendors https://www.americankratom.org/gmp-qualified-vendors

The AKA developed its GMP Standards Program to improve manufacturing processes among kratom vendors. The FDA is not involved with kratom product regulation. Therefore, manufacturers operate with a glaring lack of oversight.

The AKA requires that kratom vendors conform to strict manufacturing and processing standards to achieve GMP-qualified status. Vendors must also agree to an annual third-party audit to confirm they are still compliant if they want to remain GMP-qualified.

Being GMP-qualified is not an alternative to publishing third-party lab results for products. However, many GMP-qualified kratom brands provide customers with these reports, too. Both are signs of transparency, so it is no surprise to see the two go together.

The AKA hopes that all American adults will eventually have access to legal and regulated kratom. That may seem a way off, and there are many challenges ahead. But it is achievable and would be the best solution to America's kratom conundrum.

Hopefully, kratom will become better understood by everyone from scientists to policymakers to consumers. Education is vital in ensuring that legislators make sensible decisions and that people use kratom responsibly. And the AKA has roles to play in both departments.

The U.S. kratom industry benefits from the AKA’s presence. Whether it’s by persuading lawmakers to keep kratom legal or promoting brand transparency with its list of GMP-qualified vendors, the AKA is doing great work.

With more legal battles inevitably on the horizon, the AKA’s job is far from over. But kratom users have reason to be confident for the future with such an effective advocacy group in its corner!