Kratom Science Podcast

Brian Gallagher will be moving on from Kratom Science after this final episode.

I started as a writer and social media manager at Kratom Science in 2018, and developed the podcast in 2019. I have had the privilege of interviewing world renowned kratom experts, pharmacologists, psychologists, social scientists, chemists, addiction psychiatrists, veteran journalists, activists, and regular people who use kratom.

I am moving on to build my own independent platform. I'm calling it the Drug War Post. I will be doing much of the same work as I've done here, but covering other topics as well as kratom. You can follow me on Twitter @DrugWarPost

I would like to thank all my podcast guests, listeners, commenters, and especially the folks at Kratom Science who gave me this great opportunity. This work will continue elsewhere. Take care!

Kratom Science is on Facebook.com/kratomscience, Twitter @kratomscience

Town officials linked to law enforcement interests want to criminalize kratom consumers in Zachary Louisiana. A hearing may be anywhere form September 5 - 12. Please contact [email protected] and [email protected] and please ask them to allow you to roam free with kratom tea in that part of OUR country. The kratom law in Louisiana passed this summer still allowed for municipalities to ban kratom. These laws don't come from a vaccuum - moneyed interests are always involved. They don't care about whether or not it benefits people. Organize with Louisiana kratom advocates by emailing [email protected]

Kratom Science is on Facebook.com/kratomscience, Twitter @kratomscience, TikTok @kr80mscience

Jakub Zientala is co-founder and Government Relations Manager of the European Kratom Alliance. He has appeared on KSP episodes #82 and #96. In this episode we have an update about regulation of kratom as a "psychomodular" substance in Czech Republic. We also talk about the legal status of kratom in the Netherlands and other European countries. Stick around for the whole episode, as Jakub unveils some exciting news about kratom in Southeast Asia.

European Kratom Alliance eka.eu/

Kratom Science is on Facebook.com/kratomscience, Twitter @kratomscience, TikTok @kr80mscience

Call in 412-353-9770 and leave a message with your kratom questions, testimonies, experiences, news, and anything else kratom related. We don't give medical advice, we just direct you toward the latest science.

We love you,

Kratom Science

My guests this week are Adam Peak and Leann Pierson from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They co-own Bella Sunrise Smokeshop in Baton Rouge. Recently Adam and Leann gave emotional and informative testimony before Louisiana's Senate and House, as well as in Livingston Parish, to oppose the prohibition of kratom, and in support of regulation bills. Will their help, both proposed kratom ban bills were defeated, as was an ordinance proposal that would have criminalized kratom consumers in Livingston Parish. We talk about Louisiana politics, Adam and Leann's personal experience with kratom, and the issues around running a shop selling items that seem to be threatened regularly by potential bans.

Bella Sunrise Insta https://www.instagram.com/bella_sunrisebr Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054435341943

Kratom Science is on Facebook.com/kratomscience, Twitter @kratomscience, TikTok @kr80mscience

Brian covers his trip to Athens, Ohio in April for a visit to the Cannabis Museum. The museum, founded and curated by Don Wirtshafter with the help of many including Kratom Science Journal Club co-host Dr. Jon Cachat, displayed its first exhibit "Hemp, Hackles, and History". While Brian was there, the museum parking lot was grounds for "Community Hemp Fair" featuring hemp farmers, vendors, music, and speakers.

Do yourself a favor and visit Athens, Ohio to see the Cannabis Museum https://www.cannabismuseum.com

Speakers in this episode:

Kratom Science is on Facebook.com/kratomscience, Twitter @kratomscience, TikTok @kr80mscience

Dr. Peter Grinspoon is an instructor at Harvard Medical School, primary care physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a 25-year cannabis specialist. His new book, released on 4/20/23 is called Seeing Through the Smoke: A Cannabis Specialist Untangles the Truth About Marijuana. We speak about how the science of cannabis, as well as kratom, is often skewed by the War on Drugs on one side that downplays benefits and exaggerates risks, and "Cannatopians" on the other side, who do the opposite.

Buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/Seeing-Through-Smoke-Untangles-Cannabis/dp/1633888460

https://linktr.ee/drpetergrinspoon

https://twitter.com/Peter_Grinspoon/

Kratom Science is on Facebook.com/kratomscience, Twitter @kratomscience, TikTok @kr80mscience

Brian looks at a news report from Bedford, Texas where a diabetic man ended up in the ICU after long term, heavy kratom use including 8-10 "bottles" per day (presumably extract shots) as well as vaping kratom. Yes kratom vaping is actually a thing, and it apparently damaged his lungs. In comparison to the majority of kratom consumers who use plain leaf kratom, cases like this illustrate the toxicology maxim "The dose makes the poison." Green tea extract causes the majority of herb-induced liver injuries, yet headlines don't speak of overdoses on "green tea" as though it's the same thing, nor coffee when someone dies of an extracted caffeine overdose. But could the kratom community communicate this important distinction more effectively?

Plus, Claudia Merandi testifies in Rhode Island in favor of the kratom legalization bill there, and the Louisiana Sheriff's Association lobbies to criminalize kratom consumers in the state.

Kratom Science is on Facebook.com/kratomscience, Twitter @kratomscience, TikTok @kr80mscience

Brian talks about his new article "Kratom and Hallucinations: Examining the Evidence Behind the Claims". It boils down to one case report of a man who hadn't slept for a week, 45 poison control center calls, and 6 mild symptoms unrelated to kratom use out of a 150 user sample. Yet with such sparse evidence, 5.7 million Google search results and even a handful of peer-reviewed papers claim kratom causes hallucinations or psychosis. Plus, a short update on state kratom bills.

Kratom and Hallucinations: The Evidence Behind the Claims https://www.kratomscience.com/2023/03/29/kratom-and-hallucinations-examining-the-evidence-behind-the-claims/

Kratom Science is on Facebook.com/kratomscience, Twitter @kratomscience, TikTok @kr80mscience

Bethany Hallam is Councilperson-at-Large for Allegheny County. At age 29 she defeated a long-term incumbent after running openly as a formerly incarcerated person in Allegheny County Jail in recovery from opioid use disorder. She now sits on the jail's oversight board. We talk about harm reduction, drug decriminalization, the exploitation of incarcerated people, and why inmates are dying in county jails across the United States.

Kratom Science is on Facebook.com/kratomscience, Twitter @kratomscience, TikTok @kr80mscience

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