We are on the precipice of yet another new era of prohibition, but we are armed with the hard-won knowledge from decades of the failed drug war to inform our actions. Kratom users and advocates for self-ownership must act quickly and decisively to stop the U.S government from killing people for their own protection. Help organize and actually show up for rallies (there's one in DC on 9/13/16). Submit public comments against its scheduling. Testify at hearings about the harmful impact this move will have. Sign the White House Petition, if you are so inclined.

Whatever you do, don't stand idly by as lives hang in the balance.

I've written previously about kratom (Mitragyna speciosa), a plant in the same family as the coffee plant, which has long been used in Southeast Asia as an herbal medicine for hundreds of years. It has become increasingly popular in the United States over the past several years due to its ability to both treat chronic pain and help people addicted to heroin and prescription painkiller addicts get and stay clean.