Cohen’s Statement on the DEA’s Decision to Delay Putting Kratom on the List of Schedule I Drugs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today released the following statement regarding the announcement of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to delay a final decision on placing kratom on the list of Schedule I drugs and begin a period of public comment:

“I’m pleased to hear that the DEA delayed placing kratom on their list of Schedule I drugs,” said Congressman Cohen. “It’s important to have an open process to hear from consumers, researchers and stakeholders who would be impacted by this decision. A public comment period gives citizens a voice in this discussion. We only have to look at the current status of marijuana to see how the DEA’s drug scheduling can be misguided. When marijuana was placed on Schedule I, it was supposed to be temporary until the science was in, that was 1970. The science has been in for a long time, and keeping marijuana on Schedule I—with heroin and LSD—is ludicrous. Accurate scientific findings, in addition to public comment, need to guide the DEA’s decision-making process.”

A letter to Acting Administrator Charles Rosenberg of the DEA sent by Congressman Cohen with fellow Members of Congress asking for a delay in their decision to place kratom as a Schedule I drug can be found here.