The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s renewed push to classify kratom as a Schedule I drug may be doing more harm than good, argues legal scholar Dustin Marlan in A Sensible, Evidence-Based Proposal for Kratom Reform, published by Harvard Law’s Petrie-Flom Center. Though millions of Americans use the Southeast Asian herb Mitragyna speciosa for pain relief or to manage opioid withdrawal, the FDA maintains that it poses serious public health risks. Marlan contends that outright prohibition would only push users toward unsafe, adulterated alternatives. Instead, he proposes federal regulation to ensure quality control, accurate labeling, and age restrictions—reforms he says could protect consumers while avoiding the pitfalls of another misguided drug war.
Why the FDA’s Crackdown on Kratom Could Backfire
