There is no denying the fact that kratom has received a bad name. The only problem here is the fact that many people do not fully understand the substance or its benefits. Instead, they listen to the unproven allegations put forth by the media and the government. This has proven to be rough for supporters of the substance. After all, they have a tough time fighting back against the propaganda machine of the media. Nevertheless, Kratom supporters are not willing to give up just yet. They’re petitioning for news media trade organizations in the United States to begin covering them fairly right now. Within this guide, you will learn more about the petition.
Who?
First and foremost, you should learn a little more about the group behind the petition. The petition was drawn up by the Kratom Information & Resource Center (KIRC). The organization supported the legalization of kratom and believes it should be available to consumers throughout the United States. Once the petition received enough signatures, it was sent directly to nine of the most relevant news media trade groups in the United States.
Media Analysis
It is vital to understand that most stories about kratom are negative. The KIRC put out a study that proved this. The story took a look at 2,500 media stories regarding Kratom. These studies were published from February 1, 2019 to May 17, 2019. It was determined that 92% of those articles were unbalanced and unfair. This is why the organization is fighting back against the bias. They want these companies to change their attitude about kratom as quickly as possible. It should be noted that the negative bias from the media continues even though the DEA has backed off criticizing kratom.
In 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration in the United States put together a campaign in hopes of classifying Kratom as a narcotic. That campaign never came to fruition and ended up failing quickly. One would think that the media would change its tune after the DEA decided to do the same. Nevertheless, the media has continued to hit out at kratom and its biggest supporters. KIRC would like this to change.
Who IS KIRC?
So, what is the Kratom Information & Resource Center or KIRC? Well, the agency describes itself as an independent, media watchdog organization. It focused on fighting for the truth about kratom. The agency has done a significant amount of research on the subject and they want to educate people around the world. More important, KIRC strives to ensure that news media in the United States and beyond are going to cover kratom in a fair and balanced way. It should be noted that the agency was heavily involved in the DEA’s 2016 push to classify kratom as a narcotic.
Thanks to the agency and others, the DEA backed down and decided not to make kratom an illegal drug. If the agency is successful, there is a good chance that the American news media will change their tune and begin showing kratom in a different light.
Who Received It?
Again, it should be noted that nine media trade groups received the petition. These groups represent the biggest news media stations and newspaper in the country. They will be listed below for your consideration.
The National Association of Broadcasters
Society of Professional Journalists
The Association of Magazine Media
National Newspaper Association
News Media Alliance
Investigative Reporters and Editors
Association of Health Care Journalists
The American Society of News Editors
National Association of Science Writers
If the petition is successful, these agencies will make changes and begin delivering balanced representations of kratom. It is unknown whether or not these agencies will listen to the petition. If not, there is a good chance that they’ll continue bashing kratom and its supporters in the public. This is problematic for everyone involved since it clouds judgments unnecessarily.
What Is The Goal?
Ultimately, you should know what the goal of the petition is all about. Well, the Kratom Information & Resource Center wants to make sure that the media is more balanced about kratom. During recent months, most stories about kratom have been negative with little to no substance. This is a major problem and it creates too much controversy. This is why many people mistakenly believe that kratom is just as bad as cocaine, heroin, and LSD. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
This is why the KIRC wants things to change. If the petition is a success, changes will come.
Is It Working?
At this point, it is difficult to determine whether or not the petition from KIRC has been successful. Just recently, the CDC put out a claim that 91 deaths between 2016 and 2017 were linked to kratom. Of course, the governmental agency admitted that the overdose victims had many other drugs in their system too. Thankfully, the media is starting to change. Since the petition was delivered to the media trade groups, some media outlets have decided to ignore the CDC.
This is the case with the New Orleans Advocate, Pain News Network, and Inverse Westword. These three outlets have written favorably for kratom. This proves that the media is willing to ignore governmental agencies and use common sense when writing stories about kratom.
The Future
At the end of the day, kratom and kratom supporters have an uphill battle on their hands. There is a good chance that it is going to be many years before kratom is widely accepted around the world. Nevertheless, changes are coming and they’re coming quickly. This is a good thing for people who have managed to benefit from this substance. If you’re serious about using kratom, you can look at this petition as positive. Once the media begins publishing balanced stories about kratom, there is a good chance that public opinion is going to change. This will prove to be a good thing for people who support and use the substance. In other words, this is a big step in the right direction.
