AKA Announces GMP Standards Program for Vendors

[bubbles]

The AKA sent out this email earlier today. I don't know any more about the details of the program than the information they included. The registration page says that the "Initial Registration Fee of $500... will go toward covering administrative expenses of the program. I don't know what specifically that means.

I post this stuff because I think it's important to be aware of what's being put out there. I try to give the information as it has been presented, to the best of my understanding at the time. I don't necessarily agree with all of it but I think that's what discussion is for. No one person has all the info or all the answers and I think that the community discussing and dissecting this stuff is the best way to analyze and assess the bigger picture. I am not asking or expecting anyone to take any of the emails or articles or word of any one person on blind faith. I think that skepticism and multiple perspectives are important. Emails, articles, everything being put out there is designed to drive someone's agenda. Some of it has consumer interest in mind, some of it represents other interests. I think that discussing things within the community it in the context of what is means to us and for us is the way we sort through this stuff, together, to figure things out.

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AKA Announces Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Standards Program for Vendors
AKA Moves to Enhance Consumer Protections in the Kratom Industry

(Washington, DC) November 20, 2018—American Kratom Association (AKA) chairman Dave Herman announced today the official launch of the AKA GMP Standards Program that looks to enhance the safety of kratom products offered to consumers, including a confirmed and current list of kratom manufacturers who have committed to follow strict manufacturing and processing standards, as verified by a third-party auditor. This move, according to Herman, will allow consumers to make informed choices on kratom products they purchase.

"We are undertaking this effort with the intention of making a safe industry even safer," Herman said. "We want kratom consumers to feel comfortable and assured in purchasing from qualified vendors who agree to participate in the AKA GMP Standards Program." According to Herman, the process will provide kratom consumers with the confidence they need that they are purchasing kratom that has been processed safely and according to enhanced guidelines.

"The AKA GMP Standards Program will help reassure the public and demonstrate to the FDA, DEA, lawmakers, and others that the kratom industry is acting responsibly," Herman said. "Those who pass muster will be acknowledged as being 'AKA GMP Qualified'."

Herman stressed that "the AKA GMP Standards Program will also protect kratom consumers from unscrupulous vendors who produce kratom products using sloppy manufacturing procedures that allow for contamination, and equally important the standards program will exclude vendors who deliberately adulterate kratom products to boost their effect by adding dangerous and sometimes deadly substances like fentanyl or morphine."

Once a company has affirmed it will follow these manufacturing standards and commits to the independent audit schedules to verify that it has adopted the AKA GMP Standards, the American Kratom Association will add that vendor to its list of qualified vendors on its website.

Herman said: "Vendors will also agree to annual independent audits of their facility and manufacturing processes to ensure that they remain compliant with these standards."

Kratom leaves have been used safely for centuries by people throughout Asia. Over the past four decades, US kratom suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors have turned those ingredients into teas, powders and capsules, helping Americans throughout the country enjoy the natural benefits kratom provides.

The AKA GMP Standards Program is the next step in a maturing industry that looks to protect the kratom consumer and provide enhanced industry standards.

Vendors that would like to participate in the AKA GMP Certification Program should visit the dedicated webpage. For more information about the American Kratom Association and its mission, visit http://www.americankratom.org.

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The dedicated webpage says:

AKA Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Standards Program

The American Kratom Association developed AKA GMP Standards Program in an effort to enhance the safety of kratom products offered to consumers. As manufactures are approved as AKA GMP Qualified, they will be included in a list on this page.

To qualify, manufacturers must commit to following strict manufacturing and processing standards as outlined in this document, which will then need to be verified by a pre-approved, independent auditor. To maintain AKA GMP Qualified status, each manufacturer must continue to pass annual independent audits. To help with this approval process, AKA has developed a checklist that walks through the various steps.

AKA established this program to protect kratom consumers from vendors who produce kratom products using sloppy manufacturing procedures that allows for contamination, and will exclude vendors who deliberately adulterate kratom products to boost their effect by adding dangerous and sometimes deadly substances like fentanyl or morphine.

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The registration page says:

Thank you for your interest in registering for the AKA GMP Standards Program

Your initial registration fee will go toward covering administrative costs

The American Kratom Association (AKA) has established this program to ensure the safety and integrity of kratom products through voluntary compliance with the AKA GMP Standards Program.

This program establishes exacting manufacturing, labeling, and verification standards for kratom products that will help in protecting consumers.

STEP ONE:
- Select the Initial Registration Fee of $500 and click NEXT (this fee will go toward covering administrative expenses of the program)

STEP TWO:
- Complete and submit Registration Form along with payment

STEP THREE:
- An email will be sent to you with information regarding the program

[beathappening]

How much of that $500 goes in their pockets, I wonder?

I trust the vendors I buy from. I don't think third party verification is needed if the vendors already have their products tested by their own third party. I'm skeptical of this. I think they need to explain more on WHY this is necessary. First impression anyway

[whiffypants]

I think that skepticism and multiple perspectives are important. Emails, articles, everything being put out there is designed to drive someone's agenda. Some of it has consumer interest in mind, some of it represents other interests. I think that discussing things within the community it in the context of what is means to us and for us is the way we sort through this stuff, together, to figure things out.

Emphasis mine, but 100% agreed on all of this. Thanks for bringing it our way, Bubbles!

[BallzDeep9]

I try to give the information as it has been presented, to the best of my understanding at the time. I don't necessarily agree with all of it but I think that's what discussion is for. No one person has all the info or all the answers and I think that the community discussing and dissecting this stuff is the best way to analyze and assess the bigger picture.

Hear Here. Thanks bubbles for taking your time 2 post this here.. MM is growing as a major Un-censored, non affiliated, Independent Forum and for sure many lurkers are reading, not always posting.

As usual in the world of kratom: Fear mongering, conflicts of interest, and mis-information driven by pursuit of the Almighty Dollar. Lately it's been a shit-storm of events, and reactions to cllick-bait Fake News.. which is expected I guess, since nobody really knows the TRUTH behind all the various issues for sure. Nobody knows the real back-story to Pos Indonesia shipping problem. Nobody knows when -OR IF- the DEA will submit a decision to the Federal Register.

In the AKA "Kratom Warriors" Email last week 11/14 - Dave Herman laid out details of how AKA may respond to action by DEA. I got the feeling from reading that, the AKA has got it covered.. AKA has obviously been working on both a Federal and State level, for a long long time. NO other organization has accomplished, even a fraction of what AKA has done.

FDA's Shadow Ban on kratom imports is another issue, separate from DEA. Here is where cGMP comes in, but also that gets very complicated .. Sure, everyone agrees that cGMP is a good set of guidelines. Best Practices. Most of cGMP addresses drug manufacturing. Right? What about importers who don't manufacture anything? There are still GMP guidelines, mostly paperwork issues, documentation etc. There IS computer software available, to automate and handle all cGMP requirements.

To complicate things further - Now we have "yet another" organization, that popped up a few months ago: Kratom Trade Association. KTA. Did anyone see on Facebook last week ? A bunch of fund raising with - Susan Ash as their spokesman! Anyone who's been around for a few years, will recall the history of AKA and Susan and the various problems.. Again the usual office politics and divisions. DO WE really need 4 different org's competing for limited funds? AKA.. BEA.. Kratom United.. KTA?

FOUR different groups.. Sounds to me like KTA represents ONLY the interests of Retail, head-shop drug makers.. Companies who are into manufacturing kratom For Human Consumption. Bottles full of caps, fancy packaging, brand names like O.P.M.S. all of that Legal High bullshit. OK fine.. maybe retailers need their own lobbying group. Big problem however, retailers make the most profit. And are some of the biggest supporters of AKA. I think AKA needs $ now more than ever.

[WotAnAtti2d]

Seriously, how does the AKA get off, making themselves the "designated" overseer of "safe kratom"? You know, it would be one thing to champion the process of making kratom safer for everyone, but why does it ALWAYS have to be about money for them? I'm sorry, but I don't think the Susan Ash fiasco was all about her. I think the AKA got busted pilfering funds and Susan Ash was the agreed-upon scapegoat. Now, around the holidays, when everyone is spending their cash on their loved ones for the holidays, the AKA releases another panic email (which, coincidentally happened around this same time, last year). I mean really, the nerve of you, spending money on your loved ones when the AKA cash cow is getting low!

This is how I will be looking at it, although my situation could be a little different. Whenever I sell crushed leaf, it's primarily for tea. The heating process kills Salmonella and a bunch of other nasties. I've provided information and I answer any questions that are given to me about it. If people choose not to purchase from me because I am not "cGMP compliant", that's their choice. No one should be blackmailed into paying $500 to get the AKA's self-proclaimed "seal of approval". In the years past, I had never seen anything about the Salmonella problem. Has anyone here contracted Salmonella from kratom? Does anyone here know anyone that contracted Salmonella from kratom? Does anyone here know anyone that knows anyone that contracted Salmonella from kratom? Do you see where I'm going with this?

Then, after all of this Salmonella hype, the AKA wants to collude with the US government to set rules "to keep you safe" and charge you for them? The same government that is trying to make it illegal at any turn. The same government that is trying to ban it so Big Pharma can use the same alkaloids to.... make money. I haven't seen anything from the US government saying ANYTHING about working with the AKA. All of the most recent releases I've seen, have been about the AKA championing AGAINST the US government. AKA, can you pick a stance, please? Just because Dave Herman made a press release from Washington DC, means nothing. I could see how people could misconstrue it as being from the government. Is it a coincidence that it has Wash DC on the press release? I seriously doubt it. Right on the front page, https://www.americankratom.org , it says, "DAYS THE FDA HAS IGNORED AKA’S MEETING REQUEST" and then gives a ticker. If the FDA isn't speaking to the AKA, how are they going ahead with a cGMP process?

Five hundred fucking dollars, indeed... How is the AKA going to show their cost sheet this time, showing this "administrative cost"? Are they going to put it out on another Word document? We have yet to see a financial sheet from the AKA that is issued from an authentic firm, that is signed and audited. The AKA doesn't do everything. They put out a notice that the government is up to something, and ALL OF YOU wonderful people spring into action, too. NEVER let anyone infer that the AKA does everything. Without the many people that comment, make calls, send emails, correct FUD, and everything else, we would be nowhere. When the government tried to shadow ban kratom, the multitude of people that reacted, stopped it from happening. Sure, money helps buy lobbyists, but without all of you helping, kratom would be federally banned by now, count on it. I'm done ranting... there's so many instances of AKA fuckery going on here, it's ridiculous.