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Home My WebLink AboutLee Email 03_07_2026ffi Outlook Upcoming meeting please read From Shannon Lee < shannonhareldS3@gmail.com > Date Sat 2026-03-07 7:36 AM To Provos, Sara < SProvos@yarmouth.ma.us > Attention!: This email originates outside of the organization. Do not open attachments or click links unless you are sure this email is from a known sender and you know the content is safe. Call the sender to verify if unsure. Otherwise delete this email. Dear yarmouth board members, Dear Yarmouth board members ljust wanted to say you guys are awesome to take a second chance to do deeper research in the difference between Natural Kratom and the synthetic 7-0H. But I ask that you please regulate atleast natural kratom powder and l'm all for banning of the synthetic 7-0H .. . I am a Healthcare worker of many years taking care of the elderly and over that time frame working as a CNA / HHA my lower back is so sooo bad how would I explain the pain it effects my walking the pain is unbearable tl.. I spoke to my PCP my doctor and lsat with himjust him and land lexplained that the pain meds where not doing it and i also did not like how they made me feel. He said he had many patients on natural kratom powder and if it helps with the pain l'm in he was all for it and happy I finally found a natural pain relief.. I know you heard some of the ppl that lost their loved ones and they speak out against this at every meeting and as soon as people hear death they just run and say " welp let's ban it".. what they are not telling you that there is other things taking along with kratom and they will never admit that. I even seen first hand from their online fb group that there was a picture they made of the AKA (American kratom associatio n) mem be r made him into a clown in photoshop and wrote a list of things and one thing on that list said " DONT SHOW THEM THE TOXICOLOGY REPORTS'... ( them they mean you and all board members and anyone wanting to see proof ) Let's talk about how natural kratom is saving people's lives and helping so soo many people out here. There is no high to it, it is not an opioid like the synthetic 7-0H is... From a hard working Healthcare worker I am telling you the truth right hand. Please consider regulating natural kratom for the sake of people in our community and all across the state of MA. I am terrified that if this gets totally banned the pain I will suffer afterwards and the amount of " what do I do" it's scary.. Please listen to the emails that come in and the deep research that people are sending in and please listen to the people whom speak about regulation on natural kratom.. it is not a drug it's a natural plant from Asia that has been around for many many years and has helped so many people and their lives. Thank you again for allowing me to speak last week at your meeting. I attended South Hadley and Amhurts meetings not to long ago and they really listened and regulated Natural kratom and banned that synthetic 7-0H. Follow with them is all I ask. Ithank you again Sha n non Below is my original testimony I sent in but ljust wanted to make sure you received it. Dear Yarmouth Town Board and Board of Health l/]embers , l\4y name is Shannon. I know that you are discussing kratom in your community. As a resident of Massachusetts, I wanted to reach out and tell my success story I have been taking natural leaf kratom for many years now. I have had many issues with my lower back due to working in healthcare as a CNA, Over time, lifting and moving patients caused a number of jssues and resulted in a considerable amount of pain. I went to many different doctors in hope of flnding ways to ease my chronic lower back pain. I have had [,4Rls, CAT scans, and X-Rays and I was formally diagnosed with degenerative disc disease. There is no permanent solution to my immense pain. Because the pain was so severe, I was put on a pain medication regime to try and reduce the extreme pain I was experiencing. Unfortunately, OTC medication, prescribed pain medication and even injections did not work. I decided to stop taking everything since there was no point in medicating with no results. That's when I discovered natural leaf kratom. My doctor and I spoke about it. He said he had other patients that were using natural leaf kratom for their pain management. My doctor was excited that it was helping my pain and that it was safe and non-addictive. lvly lower back pain went from a steady 10 to a 0! lt was a miracle! Natural Kratom has drastically improved my quality of life. I was able to return to work without suffering on a daily basis. The FDA announced in their July 29, 2025 press conference that they are not interested in banning natural kratom. They asked the DEA to consider scheduling 7-OH since it is a public health emergency. I was very happy to hear that announcement because there are many people in l\ilassachusetts that are just like me that need access to natural leaf kratom. I would never take 7-OH due to the fact that it has no safety data and no science to back it. It is important that you understand the difference between natural leaf kratom and 7-OH. These synthetic products should be removed from store shelves, but it is critical that consumers have access to natural leaf kratom. There are many just like me who rely on kratom for their health and well-being. Even the Rhode lsland legislature reversed their 2017 kratom ban once they saw the science and the salety proflle of natural leaf kratom. As of April 1 , 2026, kratom will be legal in Rl, but 7-OH will continue to be illegal. I hope that the state of l\4assachuselts passes a similar bill this year. Until then, you can pass a similar law in your city. Please pass good regulatlon that protects your citizens by banning 7-OH and other synthetics but allows safe access to natural leaf kratom. E + B"lo* "r" some great facts and information on the difference between kratom anO Z-Ol.Ll i: Natural leaf kratom products are from the actual plant. Natural leaf kratom contains only trace amounts of 7-OH. 7-OH is not found in the freshly plucked leaf. lt forms in these trace amounts as it dries. The Kratom Consumer Protection Act only allows products that contain less than 2% of 7-OH in their ingredients. This falls in line with the natural plant. 7-OH products are created by taking that trace alkaloid and shocking it with a myriad of chemicals. lt creates a completely new product that is synthetic. 7-OH products are marketed to sound like opioids. They are often marketed to be appealing to teens. . 7-OH is 14x+ stronger than morphine. Watch this video. You will see how powerful these products are. https:/c[iye.google.com/file/d/1jlgSlSDaETPwl-qFe2TpJEwrkegweleAylj€]u? usp-shadts. 7-OH products cause quick dependence/addiction due to their short half-life. The withdrawals from 7-OH are brutal.. There was zero science and safety data present when 7-OH hit the market two years ago. Natural leaf kratom has over 450 peer-reviewed studies showing its safety and effectiveness. lncluding a study from the FDA.. Poison control report that calls regarding kratom/7-OH have doubled in the last two years. Guess what? 7-OH has been on the market for 2 years. Poison control does not ask if the person has consumed kratom or 7-OH. They consider them the same, which they are NOT the same.. As you know, naloxone may be needed to reverse an opioid overdose. Naloxone will reverse a 7-OH overdose because it is an opioid. Kratom is a partial agonist, and naloxone will not reverse its effects because it is not an opioid.. 7-OH has been shown to suppress breathing in rats. Kratom does NOT suppress breathing.. Almost all deaths seen throughout the country are a result of consumers combining 7-OH with other substances including alcohol.. You cannot overdose from kratom. There is a ceiling effect. lf you take too much kratom your body instantly vomits. This is not the same with 7-OH.. The FDA and HHS have made it very clear that they do not want to ban NATURAL LEAF KRATOM. They are only interested in scheduling 7-OH. Please listen to this short clip that clearly shows this. Short Video Segment Quoting FDA Commissioner Makary regarding 7-OH and Kratom: 8-6-25 Makary.mp4 - Google Drive Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to my story and to read these facts. Yours Truly, Shannon Hareld