Hi fellow Ohioan, with same concerns!

@shelly-atkinson Hi Shelly. Thank you for your post to a 'fellow Ohioan'. It is comforting to know that there are people in Ohio in the same situation (of course I knew as much, but do not KNOW any of the individuals). I am not sure what I am going to do if they schedule it. I cannot afford to go to prison, obviously. I am in my mid-60's, so I would be dead in hours if not days. I have quit kratom before and it is not difficult for me physically, but psychologically it is irritating because I know I do not have to be in pain. When I quit my arthritis and neck/back pain comes back with a vengeance. So, I am praying for the best and planning for the worst, I suppose. I have not found any good alternatives. Doctors just tell me to take OTC analgesics that ruin liver and kidneys. When I bring that up, they say that is about all they have nowadays. Hmmm....what did Hippocrates say and what do all new physicians repeat, 'Do no harm'. Well, I suppose that is only now a saying with no substance, huh? Well, I went to your profile and 'followed' you. I am not sure what all that entails, but if you would prefer me not doing that, I will 'unfollow' you. I am not trying to be a creepy old man, just trying to connect with people with whom I share a common passion. I hope it was appropriate to reply to you in this manner. With respect and wishes for your best, Steve

@dijon-evans My dear Dr. Evans: Thank you for replying to my error laden post. I should edit those things before I post them (haha). Please tell me if it is inappropriate to reach out in a reply like this, but I wanted to ask you a few things about your Ohio-specific comments. Kratom has been a miracle natural compound for me. It has restored my ability to contribute to society that I believed were lost for good. My story is long and complicated and I will not bore you with the details; however, I am obviously hyper-concerned about the March meeting of the Ohio Board of Pharmacy. Their path will forever change the trajectory of my life. I will not leave Ohio because my only living blood relative, my beautiful daughter, lives two blocks from my wife and me; so I will not relocate to a kratom-friendly state by personal choice. However, if they schedule as a 1, I can no longer use because a mid-60 year old man in prison will be dead in hours (unless some of the inmates are real keen on mathematics and statistics, which I see as a low probability). Finally, I have talked to my physicians about my pain and they say the only thing in the medical arsenal these days is OTC analgesics which ruin liver and kidneys with long-term use. What did Hippocrates say and what do all new physicians repeat upon graduation, 'Do no harm'. Well, I don't know what to say. So, if you have waded through my ramblings, which I promise to be the last time I will bother you, I am asking you what are the possibilities in March for Ohio??? You mentioned, 'maybe things will be kept at GM P, LABELING AND AGE'...could you please interpret this for me? I have been in contact with Dave, Mac and Pete about Ohio and these guys know me to be a nervous Nellie :) However, it is a bit like Popeye said, 'I am what I am'. Having said that, and given that we have had two postponements in Ohio and based upon your professional opinion (that is a lot of hypotheses, sorry)....what is your best take on what may happen in Ohio...do we have a shot at keeping it legal? With great respect and sincere gratitude for your consideration, Dr. Steven Miller aka and always, Steve PS - I will not bother you again with such long-winded notes, I just see a potential difficult physical time ahead and am trying to mentally prepare.

@the_professor So sry for anyone who is going through this! So many ppl are suffering needlessly and I really personally feel it’s at the hands of big pharma! I think they are behind the scenes pulling the strings b/c if ppl are gonna take a substance they feel it has to be a substance they’re making money off of! They have the capital and political connections to affect these rulings and without entities such as the AKA, everyone will be on some type of pill and making these despicable conglomerates rich! We must all fight for our right to have access to this plant. Mr professor, plz keep your head up I’m sure there are ppl or places that would be willing to help you despite legality. Plz lmk if I can do anything

@klay-kirk Dear Mr. Kirk: Thank you for your very kind note. I think there is much truth in what you are saying. The AKA is an amazing organization. I have had a great opportunity to speak to several of its leaders and they are very intelligent and dedicated individuals. We are lucky to have them on our side. Like you say, it is truly a David and Goliath story here. The best I can do is when I get a few free dollars, I send it to them because I know that it is going to be well-spent. Even if Ohio fails, other states can be beneficiaries of their efforts. I am in the fight with you, my brother. Please call me Steve. With respect and gratefulness at such a kind reply, Steve

@the_professor In response to your question about Ohio in connection to The American Kratom Association GMP Standards Program, labeling standards & age limit; The AKA is working diligently to get all of these standards in place to help combat the possibility of bans in, not only Ohio but all states across America. Along with the prevention of bans, the goal is to also help our brothers & sisters in the states that already have bans in place by lifting those bans. None of us here can predict the future but I can assure you that all of us, from the Board, PR team & everyone who works & volunteers with The American Kratom Association, are highly confident that we, the kratom community, will win this War. Working Together, the kratom community is truly a Force Of Nature!!! Let me know if that is helpful & if you have any more questions please, never hesitate to ask me, ok? It is not a bother because THAT is what I/we are here for 

@bluewolf Great work! And congratulations! I too have chronic pain and kratom saved me from a life of horrible rx drugs. Just wanted to share a hug to you <3

@itzatwist @Dijon-Evans Thank you so much for your answer. Dr. Evans: My long-winded question was under the 'From 9yrs Vicodin to Kratom'. The ever gracious @itzatwist answered me. Wow...how do you get a 699 reputation???? Steve

@the_professor Just to be sure I don't confuse you, Professor, I have returned to my former user name ska *(from itzatwist)*... 

@ska Hi ska: I wanted to tell you that I was feeling a bit lonely and down this morning and I read your reply to one of my long-winded texts and my heart was deeply touched. I appreciated your kind words so very much. I write totally from the heart; it is not a gift or anything special. They are just sincere words for people for whom I care. I have struggled so much to make it through life and while to the outside world it may look as if I have it 'together', internally, I 'churn and struggle'. I don't know if that makes sense to you or not, but it is a bit hard to explain with words. I will just leave it at that, but wanted to say that I respect all of the souls on this forum who are here to help support one another who are legitimately trying to lead productive lives in spite of the difficult twists and turns that life has sent their way for no particular reason. Thank you for being an administrator and helping me along the way. I will not forget that. With most sincere gratitude, Steve

@the_professor Your posts always make me smile, Professor & it is my turn to Thank You for your kind words. There is nothing you have said that does not make sense to me because Life has been an ongoing struggle for me as well. I am not entirely sure I would know what to do with myself it wasn't. This precious Leaf that we all have in common has worked it's magic in my life as I hope it has in yours. My struggles are still there but they are far less difficult to deal with now. It's my turn to say, I hope that made sense to you. I must say that the friendships & support I have enjoyed in the kratom community for the past 10 years has been amazing, especially when I meet someone like you, Professor. *Thank You for making me heart glad ...* 

Hello @the_professor ( Prof. Steve) I'm sorry that it took me so long to find this again.... as well as respond. ( Itzatwist/ ska) can attest that I have been a little under the weather. I am not trying to use that as an excuse... as well all can qualify for " under the weather "... Between phones breaking, a replacement that was faulty and medical... . Hmmm .. medical challenges and some difficulties... lol Then this phone not being recognized for my login.. But guess what I'm back and ready to talk anyone's ear off.. When they did the first amputation of my lower leg. ..😄😄😄😁😁🙄 They took away my ability to shut up as well.. lol

@ska Thank you for such a kind note. I apologize that it took me so long to respond. I have been struggling with some obsessions vis-a-vis the potential scheduling Kratom in Ohio and my personal response to it. I will try not to be verbose, but here is the irony of my situation. My use of Kratom goes beyond control of my arthritic hands. It is true that I will no longer be able to teach if I cannot use Kratom, because I will not take high doses of OTC analgesics. However, I have an extensive cluster of mental disorders due both to biological and environmental (childhood abuse) causes. Until I discovered Kratom, I was taking a spectrum of medicines to manage the symptoms and keep me 'functional'. There was a time that I was housebound (early 1980's). I had to dig out of that hole by researching my condition and pharmacological therapies at local science library's PDR...begging my doctor to put me on anafranil...ugh. This was before the advent of the SSRIs. The tricyclics were horrible. But they propped me up so that I could do the following: 1. Walk to bus stop 2. Get on bus 3. Go to work and perform at relatively high level 4. Leave work and get on bus 5. Return home That was my life. When I got loaded up on the benzodiazepines, anti-psychotics and SSRIs I started to come out of my obsessive burdened life enough to function high enough to attend social gatherings. If I took enough medicine, I was able to teach and share the knowledge that I had with large groups of people without crippling anxiety as well as advance in my business career. However, the cost was that I was always taking medicine and I was always foggy, although I adapted throughout the years. (PS - I am not psychotic, you can take anti-psychotics for anxiety relief too...it is just a testament to the level of anxiety that I live with, as well as chronic insomnia and nagging night sweats and nightmares, unless I am either on Kratom or the cluster of meds, so please don't think these are caused by the meds) Then I found Kratom and found that it covered, lo and behold, not only my arthritic pain, but my anxiety, OCD, mood disorders and other things with which I have dealt. I have been able to come down off of the other medicines and feel better. The alternative that I now face is to return to the cocktail of other medicines (that take a while to reach a therapeutic serum level and taper the Kratom (I am now only taking about 2 grams a day and starting to feel edgy). I return from Florida to Ohio on February 27th to take my daughter to surgery. My understanding is that the Ohio Board of Pharmacy meets at 9AM on 3/4. I think they usually announce their decision (depending upon their meeting schedule, which they usually publish, but I haven't been able to find yet) by about noon. As the old (well, I am old :) expression goes, I will be 'over the moon' with anxiety in the days leading up to this, but hope to be as physically prepared. I am praying for a reasonable outcome. I hope that there are no lashing out at the members or any negative letters or phone calls to the OBOP phone line. Be professional and ask them to follow the science and disregard the noise. Anyway, skw....I am glad I could make your heart glad. I don't know if you will still feel that way after reading about my whole story. But, there it is. I am very thankful and full of gratitude that I have met you and every one of the folks on this message board. I guess I felt all alone but found that there are people like me and I should not feel shameful about the way I am. With the most sincere gratitude and humbleness of heart....thank the AKA for their great effort on our behalf in Ohio. The Prof, Steve

@dijon-evans Hello @Dijon-Evans Thank you for writing back to me. I am sorry that I have been offline for a bit. I wrote my entire story to ska. I think you guys can read everything anyone writes, so if you are interested you can read it. I am sooo sorry to hear about your leg. You know, there are so many hurting people in this world and I wish I could do a better job at comforting more of them. Thanks for being there for me when I first got on this chat board. I have to run right now. Been having some obsessional issues but am hoping that all goes well over the next few weeks. Take care of yourself. Steve

Hello @the_professor ( Prof Steve), yes, there are a great many people hurting, Unfortunately! What's worse, is that there are things that are able to contain the pain and other maladies, but because billion dollar companies, cannot make billions more- they are against " .... ( full in the blank)... I know and understand regulations, safety, etc... I understand " financial and legal issues.. but I do not, and more than likely never will, understand greed. I've had enough education ( 🙄, welllll, can you ever have ENOUGH?), to understand the picture.... But REPEATEDLY, trip over " I don't understand...." The lies, deceit, monopoly ..etc.. again. You've been through a lot. We've all been through a lot. We've all found, or are finding our way out of the fog, and off of our leashes... to a certain extent. All of a sudden, it is, as far as I am concerned, a little bit worse because we KNOW, there is some liberation. I have faith in all of us, that we CAN and WILL do what we have to do, in order to get by... I just find it a SHAME, that we may ( but won't 😁 + thinking), HAVE to resort to old, and such ineffective methods!

@dijon-evans Hello @Dijon-Evans. Thank you for your incredible thoughtful reply. I am so glad that I have been fortunate enough to be able to create meaningful dialogue with you on this forum. You have helped me along life's way with your thoughts and point of view. You are correct about my frustration and the frustration of many people on this forum. We have been through many debilitating conditions that have negatively impacted our lives and once we find something that seems to ameliorate most all of the multitude of conditions, state/federal governments want to ban it as opposed to regulate and study it. I have much more to say about things, but prefer to hold for private discussions or at least wait and see what my home state does. Thank you for again for your thoughtful reply to my story. Steve

@the_professor always❣ The fact that we've found each other, as a group of people who have been isolated, shunned, and made to feel somehow less than.. unworthy or as if we are at BLAME... instead of where there should be blame, IF any.... those who are " preventing iminant harm or threat to the people," go on their merry way, receiving pats on the back.... or paying for those watching, too look the other way..lol NOT A FAN of someone who gottLIEs.. at the current time... but TRYING SOOOO HARD to be a good, level headed person.... and ALWAYS remember who I am representing... But me... l ol My fingers do the walk talking MUCH faster then the brain. Lol. Right,@ska. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😮👼😏😉 Ohhh once again a tangent.. oh boy.. Ok, thankfully we have each other now, we've found and formed connections to... purpose, and for myself, I found HOPE! I think that finding HOPE, by and of itself, is the MOST IMPORTANT part, of finding myself again... and in that, I found all of you, and some long lost quality of life

@the_professor The more you share with me the more completely I can relate with you, Professor. I have, *, of course,*met others who share similarities with me but *never* have I met anyone as completely similar to me as you ... from shared experiences to corresponding character traits. *Thank You for sharing yourself with me as you have ...*