Andrew Kolodny’s July 17 op-ed, “My patients are becoming addicted to this ‘supplement,’” was correct that scheduling 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, while leaving other kratom products unregulated is incoherent policymaking. But there’s a critical element lacking in the current scheduling effort.
Agencies may bypass the normal rulemaking process only when a genuine emergency demands immediate action — not when the science is unsettled, the policy questions are complex or powerful private interests are fighting over the outcome.
Reasonable minds may disagree about whether 7-OH (or kratom, more broadly) should ultimately be regulated or eventually scheduled. But emergency scheduling was never intended to become the default mechanism for resolving complicated scientific and regulatory debates. This is especially true for products that have been sold openly for years through licensed retailers.
About 1 million Americans consume 7-OH products. And the Drug Enforcement Administration’s action would criminalize its use. Yet, not one documented death has been conclusively attributed to 7-OH consumed in isolation. Instead, reports of fatalities invariably involve multiple substances, making causation difficult to determine. That does not mean the product is harmless, but it is difficult to qualify it with certainly as an imminent hazard. Many users report using 7-OH to reduce or eliminate their use of illicit opioids. Their testimonies deserve rigorous appraisal rather than dismissal.
If the evidence ultimately supports permanent scheduling after a full administrative process, the government should make that case openly and allow scientists, physicians, patients and the public to test its conclusions.
John Cleveland, Boston
This belongs in teen checkups
Regarding the July 17 online Style article “New study links ADHD symptoms in boys and addictive social media use”:
I am a pediatrician, and I spend a lot of time counseling parents and children about healthy habits. One of the most important topics I discuss is the introduction and management of technology.
Scientists and researchers are learning more about the long-term effects of the introduction of technology and social media at a young age. It is already well-documented that frequent social media use in teens is associated with higher rates of depression and mental health disorders, and that social media usage can cause symptoms similar to substance addiction. Paying attention to the potential effects of social media usage, like struggles with school work and damaged relationships, may be more critical than actual amount of screen time.
It may also be prudent to make strategies for decreasing social media use, such as placing parent-locked time limits on social media apps, a standard of care during annual checkups for teens. Educating families on the health impacts of social media and how to mitigate its effects is paramount to providing the best care to children.
Camden Polo, Philadelphia
Data center moratorium hurts New Yorkers
The July 16 editorial “Kathy Hochul sabotages New York’s future with data center moratorium” has wide-ranging, well-documented reasons for why the governor’s decision is wrong. Especially notable is that it is diametrically at odds with what some of her fellow Democratic governors have decided regarding data centers. And there’s more.
Data centers are vitally important for providing massive regular tax payments that increase funding for public education while also reducing property tax payments from homeowners.
The Genesee County Economic Development Center calculated that the benefits of a proposed data center would include $1.3 billion in wages, nearly $286 million in increased revenue for municipalities and schools, and $268 million for electrical infrastructure improvements. Those funds and many others have disappeared with the governor’s executive order.
Dedicated, skilled workers like electricians, plumbers and others in construction trades are also hit hard. As the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers said in supporting the Genesee County project, “This $19.4 billion investment represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create good-paying union jobs.”
New York’s data center moratorium will spell fewer jobs, less money for schools and higher taxes.
Paul Steidler, Reston
The writer is a senior fellow at the Lexington Institute.
The stick shift’s hidden advantage
As a devoted fan of driving a stick shift, I was saddened to read the July 18 news article “The death of the stick shift is almost here.” I learned to drive a stick many years ago after I wrecked my car and my boyfriend who owned a car junkyard offered me a cheap manual vehicle as a replacement. After I moved to Europe some years later, I was glad that I had learned the skill because almost all cars on the road at the time had manual transmission.
I also taught my niece to drive a stick, and she still drives a manual car in the United States today. She has pointed out to me one advantage that the article didn’t mention: She never has to worry about her car being stolen because no one knows how to drive it!
Edwina Sagitto, Munich
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