The Drug Enforcement Administration is withdrawing its proposal to ban the use of kratom, a plant that researchers say could help alleviate the effects of the opioid epidemic, reports The Washington Post.
In its decision, the DEA cited the public outcry and a need to obtain more research, according to the article, which cites a preliminary document that will be posted to the Federal Register Thursday.
The DEA announced in August that it planned to place kratom in schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act, alongside heroin and other highly addictive opioids , as soon as Sept. 30, reports The Washington Post. But since the announcement was made, the "DEA has received numerous comments from members of the public challenging the scheduling action," acting administrator Chuck Rosenberg wrote in the notice, "and requesting that the agency consider those comments and accompanying information before taking further action."
A spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration did not immediately respond to requests from The Washington Post for comment.
Kratom, a plant from Southeast Asia that's related to coffee, is thought to be less addictive than opioids. However, the plant contains a number of chemical compounds that produce effects similar to opiates when ingested, according to the report.
A number of U.S. Representatives have expressed displeasure with the DEA's intent to ban Kratom, saying that the DEA's move "threatens the transparency of the scheduling process and its responsiveness to the input of both citizens and the scientific community," according to the report.
The DEA will now host a public comment period until Dec. 1. The agency is also asking the FDA to expedite a "scientific and medical evaluation and scheduling recommendation" for the active chemical compounds in kratom, according to the report.
Ultimately, the report notes, the DEA could decide to permanently place the plant in a schedule of the Controlled Substances Act, requiring an additional period for lawmakers and the public to provide input. It could also temporarily schedule kratom, which would not require any additional comment.
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