lab testing

State-by-State: Kratom Consumer Protection 2020 Predictions

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2019 was a year of many changes in the way that kratom is classified, treated, and regulated in America. Through the efforts of advocacy agencies like the American Kratom Association and their supporters, four states passed Kratom Consumer Protection Acts, which protect consumers in those regions.

In 2020, they want to do even more.

By the end of the year, the American Kratom Association hopes to have protection acts passed in 25 states, meaning that 21 states would need to pass acts this year to accomplish the goal.

Is it possible? What states are being targeted? Find out all of this, and more, in today’s looks at what AKA will be focusing on for the coming year.

What Is The KCPA?

The kratom industry does not have a lot of regulation, control, or guidelines. Most industries have a set of good manufacturing practices that all reliable vendors and producers follow. The kratom industry did not have any such practices until recently.

Now, the American Kratom Association, AKA, runs the Good Compliance Standards Program. This voluntary program helps to ensure that:

  • vendors are properly testing their products
  • labeling their items
  • ensuring that their products are as safe and high-quality as possible

With the KCPA, the American Kratom Association hopes to continue beyond that voluntary program to set up some official, state-backed guidelines.

The Kratom Consumer Protection Act is a sample set of guidelines and rules that were created as an example for state governments. Each state that AKA works with can adapt these guidelines to suit their state, but the general outline of what it should include is as follows:

  • Defines kratom
  • Registers products and vendors operating in the state
  • Restricts and requires specific labeling practices
  • Requires testing to reduce adulterated or contaminated product presence
  • Sets up a state regulatory system

There are many different things that could be added to this as well. Ultimately, it is up to the legislators and lawmakers in each state to determine what they believe will be most effective in their state.

Amount & Synthetic Restrictions

Ideally, the KCPA legislation will also touch on the amount and types of alkaloids that can be in a kratom product.

As you might know, kratom’s benefits come from the alkaloids found in the plant. Alkaloids can, however, be created synthetically.

The KCPA suggests banning synthetic alkaloids and also putting a limit on the total amount of 7-OH that can be in the product. 7-OH, aka 7-hydroxymitragynine, is a metabolite of the primary alkaloids found in kratom.

States Where KCPA Exists

The AKA has already been working with states to implement the KCPA for some time now. Through their efforts, some form of this protection act exists in:

Each of these states created their own version of the act, but the major components that will help to ensure that Americans can find safe, properly vetted kratom sources are underway in those areas.

States Where Kratom is Banned

Despite the best efforts of kratom advocacy groups, there are a few states where kratom bans have been passed.

Kratom is currently banned in these states:

  • Indiana
  • Vermont
  • Wisconsin
  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Rhode Island

Though these outright bans are very real, AKA is planning to target four of these states during the 2020 goal stretch to reach 25 states with KCPA laws. The advocacy group believes that the bans in these areas are, at best, shaky with a lot of dissension. With some effort, the bans can be reversed.

Unfortunately, both Wisconsin and Arkansas do not have legislative sessions this year, but AKA plans to work with legislators and get things ready to be implemented in early 2021, if possible.

In Rhode Island, AKA has already had the opportunity to meet with a number of officials and scientists, so the process of attempting to overturn the kratom ban is already underway.

2020 Target States

These are the states that AKA will be targeting in 2020:

  • Tennessee
  • Mississippi
  • Florida
  • South Carolina
  • North Carolina
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • Oregon
  • Idaho
  • New York
  • Rhode Island
  • Wisconsin
  • Colorado
  • Kansas
  • Oklahoma
  • Missouri
  • Louisiana
  • Illinois
  • Michigan
  • Alabama
  • Arkansas

These states are the states where the AKA has already been working to lay the groundwork for the Kratom Consumer Protection Act to be implemented. The organization also took into account the amount of funding that they currently have available to put into the project.

The situation for all of these states is different, so AKA is handling a lot of moving parts. In some states, lobbyists are already working hard. In other states, funding and lobbyist efforts are needed to move forward with the goal.

Ultimately, it’s hard to say for certain if this goal will be completely achievable or not. When it comes to politics, a number of other issues could stand in the way and prevent a law from being passed until next year, but we firmly believe that a lot of progress in a positive direction will be made.

Want To Get Involved?

If you have any interest in getting involved in the advocacy efforts at your state or local level, you can do that! Ask around at your local kratom shop if there are any such groups working in the area or contact the AKA to find out where you could step in to lend a helping hand.

If you aren’t ready to get involved in a group but still want to support the efforts that are being made, you can do a few simple things:

  • Share your kratom stories on AKA’s website
  • Buy from vendors that support the GMP compliance program run by AKA
  • Send an email to your local or state officials letting them know of your opinion on any kratom-related legislation proposals

If we are to succeed in passing KCPA in all of these states in 2020, help is going to be necessary! Share your story; share your passion. With your help, the kratom industry can become safer than ever before.

Cheap Kratom: The Scary Risks of Saving Money

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Saving money when you find a great deal is always fun. Whether you have a coupon code or you simply found the same item for a cheaper price, the savings always feel like a big win.

When it comes to Kratom, however, saving with cheap Kratom may actually be more risk than you realize!

Many consumers find themselves comparing different Kratom websites without being sure of what they should look for when they’re choosing Kratom. For many, the lowest price that they can find becomes the Kratom that they invest in. But is this the smartest options?

Honestly speaking? No; it’s not.

While we do our best to make our Kratom available at a price point that works for our customers, we don’t agree with Kratom vendors cutting corners to sell for a lower price or turn a bigger profit. Doing that is downright dangerous, and we believe that you have the right to know why!

The Dangers of Cheap Kratom

Why is that taking cheap Kratom can be dangerous?

Cheap Kratom is usually untested or mixed Kratom which means that you may not know what is going into your body at all. Even though these Kratom products are never advertised as anything but pure, the vendors are not being completely honest with you when they market their products.

Untested Kratom can contain many different substances, all of which have their own unique effects on the body:

  • Dried powder products: mixed into Kratom to add bulk weight
  • Added chemicals: use to fake the chemical composition of the Kratom
  • Pathogens: unsanitary processing can spread disease

These are just a few of the many ways that Kratom can become infected or contaminated with something that you certainly wouldn’t put into your body knowingly! And since these companies lie or disclose the truth about their products, you would never know the difference without additional research.

Buy Kratom online at Phytoextractum

How Kratom Vendors Cut Corners

Today, we’ll go into a little bit of detail about the different ways that we suspect companies are saving money by skipping essential safety routines.

Now that you know how low quality Kratom can be dangerous, you might be wondering where along the supply chain these contaminations occur. Where exactly do Kratom sellers and suppliers cut corners in a way that leads to these risks?

While we cannot say exactly who does what, our experiences have shown us that these safety precautions are some of the most expensive to implement -and that is a good indicator that they are things that might get skipped!

Lab Testing

Lab testing is one of the most important steps of selling Kratom, and many suppliers fake their lab tests or lie about it altogether. Testing, when done properly, will reveal the exact composition of the Kratom and warn the company about any potential contamination. Regular testing can help ensure that contaminated products never reach the customer.

But Kratom vendors that want to sell at incredibly low prices do not always follow through on testing due to the costs, and that can be very dangerous to you.

Here at Phytoextractum, we know that lab testing is one of the most important things that Kratom companies must keep doing.

Always make sure that a site gives you information about their testing produces before you buy anything from them. If that information is not clearly available, send an email to find out how their testing works and to let them know that you care about seeing the testing results before buying.

Quality Checks & Staffing

Some vendors do not do enough random quality checks or have the proper quality assurance staffing availability to be able to sort, package, and sell their products without increasing the risks that are passed on to customers like you.

If a company is not willing to talk about their QA practices or how they ensure that every order is checked for quality and packed safely, you should keep looking for a different vendor.

Doing The Bare Minimum

The biggest way that Kratom vendors save money is simply by doing the bare minimum.

Because there aren’t many official regulations in place about how vendors must source, store, test, or sell Kratom products, there is no reason for vendors to do more than that if their main priority is their profit margin.

Until regulation and rules become required, however, there are ways that the Kratom industry is working to self regulate.

Buy Kratom online at Phytoextractum

AKA’s GMP Standards

AKA, also known as the American Kratom Association, is leading the pack to ensure that Kratom consumers aren’t left in the dark about what goes into their products and whether or not it is safe. After all, customers have a right to know exactly what they are taking and how it moved through the supply chain.

AKA has a program called GMP Standards. These standards represent the manufacturing practices that specialists at AKA have determined should be followed to ensure that a truly uncontaminated product is sold every single time.

Joining this program is voluntary and costs the company a bit of money. We happily signed up and are now proud to be one of the certified Kratom sellers through AKA!

Companies that care more about making more money and less about fixing their cheap Kratom problem, however, will not have joined this program. Keep this program in mind as a factor to consider when you choose which company to buy from next time.

You Deserve Safety

Here at Phytoextractum, we understand the power of Kratom, and we also understand the power that we have when it comes to your Kratom experience. We want every single experience to be perfect, and for that reason, we’ve put the time and resources necessary into creating a safe and secure supply chain.

The next time you’re trying to buy the cheapest Kratom that you can possibly find, remember that not all Kratom companies are created equal, and not all companies will treat you equally, either. Do you want to be treated like nothing more than a way to make some extra money? We didn’t think so.

Leave the cheap Kratom in the past, and find the company that cares about you!

Lab Testing: Why Buying Lab Tested Kratom Is Important

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Researching Kratom strains, powders, and vendors will often bring you to these words: lab tested Kratom. Often, sites (ours included!) will talk about why buying Kratom from a vendor that does lab testing for quality on their Kratom is important.

But what exactly does that mean, and why does it matter so much?

We think it’s important for Kratom consumers to be able to make informed decisions about the products that they buy and the vendors that they buy from. To be able to do this, you’ll need to know a bit more about what lab testing Kratom involves, how companies do it, and why it matters so much. Let’s get into it!

What Is Kratom Lab Testing?

Like with all botanicals, it is possible to run Kratom through a series of tests at an accredited testing laboratory to ensure that the powder is what the supplier says that it is.

In the case of Kratom lab testing, the testing is usually done to ensure all of the following:

  • • Identity, i.e. that the plant material is actually Kratom
  • • No pathogens or other contaminants present
  • • Sample does not contain high levels of heavy metals
  • • Kratom isn’t mixed with an undisclosed substance
  • • Amount of common alkaloids, mitragynine, and 7-hydroxymitragynine
  • • Alkaloids are real

For most commercially available Kratom, the amount of mitragynine present is not typically more than 2%. There is usually even less 7-hydroxymitragynine in any given substance unless it has been processed further into a tincture or extract.

As far as pathogens, it is possible that Kratom that is not processed safely by the supplier could contain the following:

  • • Coliforms
  • • Salmonella
  • • Mold or yeast

Finally, the following heavy metals should be tested for in Kratom supplies:

  • • Arsenic
  • • Lead
  • • Mercury
  • • Cadmium
  • • Nickel

When a Kratom seller tests their supply in a lab, they are typically testing for pathogens, metals, and alkaloid content to ensure that their customers will only be sold high-quality Kratom that is not dangerous to use.

Why Is Kratom Lab Testing Important?

The biggest reason that Kratom lab testing is important is to ensure both the safety and the quality of the product that is being sold to Kratom consumers.

Contaminated Kratom can cause illnesses such as a Staph or Salmonella infection, and both of these conditions can be dangerous if not treated properly. If a Kratom user gets sick from their Kratom, they might not even know that either of these infections is a risk to them!

For that reason, it’s very important that vendors do their due diligence and have their supplies regularly tested for quality and safety purposes. Without testing, they could be accidentally giving their customers an adulterated or contaminated product.

Testing is always important when consumables are being sold, and that truth is no different when it comes to Kratom.

Advocating For Safety Testing

Another reason that it is very important to test Kratom for safety is to help dispel many of the misunderstandings and misconceptions about Kratom consumption that are commonly spread.

Kratom consumption is currently a grey zone in terms of its legality. While it has not been banned in most places, it is also not regulated in most places. Instead, Kratom waits somewhere in the middle. And all it takes is one bad batch of Kratom for it to be ruled illegal and dangerous.

As a Kratom vendor, it is part of our responsibility to the community to help prove that Kratom can be safe when used and vetted properly. Like anything that you eat, it can be dangerous if the supplier was not honest about its source. For that reason, it is incredibly important to test Kratom.

Having solid testing proof about the composition and safety of Kratom – in the form of Certificates of Analysis from accredited labs – will help to advocate for its regulation as a safe and beneficial supplement. Any vendor that sells a product without testing is putting both their customers and the entire Kratom community at risk due to bad products.

How To Know If Lab Testing Was Done

Now we’ve come to another difficult part of understanding what goes into lab testing Kratom: how do you know that the testing was completed?

First, you’ll need to check the website of the vendor in question. Because there are not yet any widespread systems of proving whether a vendor tests their product or not, you will need to a little bit of research on your own.

Some vendors have worked with the AKA – American Kratom Association – to show that they regularly test their product and have other Good Manufacturing Practices in place, and this may be noted on their website by a seal that they are GMP Qualified.

If you do not see evidence of lab testing on a company’s website or marketing materials, ask for Certificates of Analysis. Any reputable vendor should be willing to provide you with this document that guarantees lab testing and quality assurance.

Without the legitimate proof demonstrated by Certificates of Analysis, it will be up to you to do the investigative legwork and decide whether or not you believe vendor claims that they tested a product.

Our Testing Policy

Here at Phytoextractum, we are very proud of our commitment to only selling high quality products that pass lab testing and meet all of our other rigorous standards.

In fact, we were one of the first companies to be recognized by AKA as a GMP Qualified Kratom Vendor!

This means that we have proven to AKA, through an independent third-party audit, that we follow all of the standards for both processing and manufacturing Kratom to ensure our customers’ safety. You can read our final audit report which confirmed our status as GMP qualified here.

We hope that today’s article has helped you to get a more complete understanding of what it is that we mean when we say that we are dedicated to lab testing our products to ensure that you are getting the highest quality Kratom that we can possibly offer to you at this time.

Response to FDA Statement on Heavy Metals

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April 5, 2019

Dear Valued Phytoextractum Customers,

We know many of you have seen the FDA’s most recent statement on kratom, regarding what they’re calling high levels of heavy metals found in kratom products. At Phyto, we hold the health and safety of our customers as our highest priority, and we take our responsibility to provide pure, safe products seriously. Because of this commitment to our customers, we are constantly working to stay current with Good Manufacturing Practices, and we recently underwent a third-party audit to validate our GMP compliance.

We’d like to address a few things in the FDA’s statement:

First, it’s troubling that we have never been contacted by the FDA about high levels of metals in our products. We are registered as a dry food facility with the FDA, which led us to believe that it was incumbent upon them to alert us to any concerns regarding the safety of our products.

Phytoextractum has no information regarding the samples the FDA used in their tests, including when or how the FDA acquired our products or when they tested the samples they obtained.

We can only assume that they were part of samples taken and tested as part of an FDA investigation of an unrelated food safety issue in March of 2018. FDA representatives were at our facility for several days, inspecting, taking samples, and meeting with our company. They never mentioned an issue with metals at that time.

If these samples are from that investigation, their product lots were pulled from the market over 12 months ago as part of the extensive recall we did in cooperation with the FDA. Further, it would indicate that the FDA was rehashing old information, not in an attempt to protect the public, but as a way to target and further stigmatize kratom. 

Additionally, the numbers the FDA is publicizing are misleading. While their recommendations for the presence of heavy metals use the ‘micrograms per kilogram’ format, their recently publicized metal levels are represented in the ‘nanograms per gram’ format.

The FDA is not changing the numbers, i.e. the analytical data, but they are changing how the numbers are presented and therefore interpreted in order to draw more attention to this issue than it actually warrants. If this were an actual threat to public health, we expect the FDA would have moved more quickly to alert vendors and consumers about specific affected products.

While Phyto has always prioritized customer safety, in the year since our product recall we have fine-tuned our policies and procedures to achieve compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices as defined by the FDA and to become an American Kratom Association GMP Qualified vendor. This includes comprehensive lab testing for identity, purity, and contaminants such as high levels of heavy metals for all products.

After learning of the FDA’s statement on heavy metals in kratom products, we consulted our testing laboratory. They reviewed our test results and provided the following information: “all metals analyzed in here are at less than limits concentrations assuming that daily [serving] is 10 g. For example, Lead result is 0.450 mg/Kg with the limit of 0.5 mg/Kg. So, it is a PASS result based on USP limits [see chart below].“

We never introduce products to the market that do not pass rigorous quality assurance tests and meet our own high standards. Our company keeps Certificates of Analysis on file for all products, we and are happy to share those with our customers at their request.

Please feel free to contact our customer support team with any questions you may have about our products or practices.