Kristen Scheblein

Hello, I am writing to share my story on why kratom is important and why I oppose Bill SB557 and why a county ban is redundant and harmful. Utah has learned this lesson the hard way. In 2019 the state sharply restricted kratom, capping 7-OH at 2% of kratom alkaloids and outlawed synthetic 7-OH. Within a year Utah’s opioid death toll exploded. The state health department reports that from 2019 to 2020, fentanyl-involved overdose deaths jumped 128% in Utah, and by 2022 fatalities involving illicit fentanyl had outnumbered all prescription-opioid deaths. To whom it may concern,  I am writing to ask that you please choose regulation and research over a kratom ban. Do not support SB557. Many Americans, myself included, have found kratom and its many alkaloids to be a godsend to my life as a young woman with chronic pain and autoimmune issues. Science has already shown us that the emergency ban that went in effect overnight impacted thousands and overdose deaths from street substances, namely fentanyl INCREASED. Why would you, how could you, in good conscience put out a bill that will harm your state and make the fentanyl trend explode. Help us stop that from happening! The only way kratom could lead to the next actual opioid crisis is if it's banned and taken away. People would turn back to the street... Utah has learned this lesson the hard way. In 2019 the state sharply restricted kratom, capping 7-OH at 2% of kratom alkaloids and outlawed 7-OH. Within a year Utah’s opioid death toll exploded. The state health department reports that from 2019 to 2020, fentanyl-involved overdose deaths jumped 128% in Utah, and by 2022 fatalities involving illicit fentanyl had outnumbered all prescription-opioid deaths. I do not want our state to become a statistic... to be the next Utah. Regulations need to be placed and it should not be sold in gas stations, but it should not be prohibited. Please help. Thank you.