WMS | Medigram 

The Wisconsin Medical Society (Society) and the Wisconsin Society of Addiction Medicine (WISAM) joined forces on December 8 to warn state policymakers about the potential harmful effects of kratom – a tree native to southeast Asia whose leaves can contain compounds causing psychotropic effects. The two organizations provided testimony to the State Assembly Committee on State Affairs, asking legislators not to support Assembly Bill 599 – legislation that would legalize two of the substances found in kratom products and create a regulatory scheme that would allow for kratom sales.

The testimony included a literature review published in the April 2021 edition of the Wisconsin Medical Journal (WMJ) about ongoing experiences with patients suffering from Kratom Use Disorder (KUD), and a case report from a 2016 WMJ on kratom addiction and withdrawal. The testimony also highlighted various U.S. Food and Drug Administration warnings about the drug and how U.S. Marshals have seized numerous shipments of dietary supplements containing kratom over the past several years due to false claims about the product’s safety and efficacy.

The bill is now eligible for a committee vote. The Society and WISAM will continue to monitor AB 599 and offer to meet with any policymaker who has additional questions. Contact Society Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer Mark Grapentine, JD for more information; he will also discuss the bill as one of the topics during the WisMed Friday Report tomorrow, December 10, at 12:15 p.m. Register here for this members-only event.