Survey Of ER/Trauma Health Care Professionals Finds No Evidence Of Either Kratom Deaths Or Epidemic Of Abuse

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- If the DEA is correct in suggesting that there is a kratom epidemic going on in America, then it is somehow happening without our nation's front-line medical professionals knowing a thing about it. A random online survey of 115 emergency room (ER) and trauma health care professionals across the U.S. found zero reported cases of deaths related to kratom. The new poll also uncovered precisely 0 percent support among those surveyed for a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) ban on the coffee-like herb kratom.

Available online at http://bit.ly/kratomdocpoll and conducted via SurveyMonkey, the American Kratom Association (AKA) poll was carried out between November 23-28. 

AKA is submitting the survey findings as a formal response to the request for kratom-related comments from the DEA, a process that closes at 11:59 p.m. on December 1st.

American Kratom Association Founder Susan Ash said: "We conducted this survey after ER doctors and other medical professionals told us the notion there is some kind of kratom epidemic going on in America is a hoax. In fact, our totally random online survey found no evidence of kratom-related deaths and zero support among America's front-line medical professionals for a ban on kratom. We are not going to stand idly by and let the DEA or anyone else whip up a phony panic about a nonexistent epidemic to try and ban a legal product that's being consumed responsibly, with no major problems, by three-five million Americans."

Key survey findings include the following:

• 93 percent of those surveyed are aware of kratom.
• 89 percent of those surveyed have a favorable impression of kratom, including 81 percent with a "very favorable" impression.
• 87 percent said they would "not classify [kratom] as a problem compared to heroin and prescription painkillers." Another 5 percent said it was a "somewhat smaller" or "much smaller" problem. 0 percent said it was a "somewhat bigger" or "much bigger" problem.
• 90 percent say kratom is not a "major issue or concern" in their work experience. More than nine out of 10 ER/EMT professionals say they have never dealt with any major case involving kratom.
• 0 percent said "a ban on the herb kratom is justified based on your professional experience." About 9 percent said they did not have enough experiences with kratom to form an opinion and another 2 percent said they did not know.
• 0 percent reported deaths due to kratom and only 1 percent related any kind of health-related issues associated with the herb. According to the poll, the vast majority of times (86 percent) that kratom arises in an ER or EMT situation is when someone asks for information about kratom or reports that they consume it.

The random online survey conducted via SurveyMonkey focused on panel of ER/trauma doctors, surgeons, nurses, related health care professionals, and EMTs/paramedics. Invitations to participate in the survey were extended directly through LinkedIn groups (including EMS Leadership and Administration, Emergency Room RNs and Management, Emergency Medicine and EMS World) and Facebook groups (including Paramedics on Facebook, FRCS Trauma & Orthopedic Surgery, First Responders, Trauma, Critical Care, and Acute Care Surgery, and Emergency Medical Technician). The full results and the complete text of the survey instrument are available online at http://bit.ly/kratomdocpoll.

ABOUT AKA

The America Kratom Association, a consumer-based non-profit organization, is here to set the record straight, giving voice to those suffering and protecting our rights to possess and consume kratom. AKA represents tens of thousands of Americans, each of whom have a unique story to tell about the virtues of kratom and its positive effects on their lives. www.americankratom.org

SOURCE American Kratom Association, Washington, D.C.

Related Links

http://www.americankratom.org