Kratom has been subject to controversy in recent times, due to the efforts of the FDA trying to ban it. As such, we can see news, rumors and false claims regarding kratom’s risks. To combat this misinformation, the American Kratom Association is meeting with legislators in most states to try to educate them on kratom and to introduce them to the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, legislation which will try to regulate the sales of kratom in every state. So far, bills have been passed in Georgia, Utah, and Arizona.
But, despite AKA’s efforts, there is still a lot of work to do and a lot of help is needed to keep kratom legal. One of the best ways to achieve this purpose is by having kratom advocates and ambassadors sharing their stories, contacting their representatives, etc. Recently, the American Kratom Association conducted a Webinar covering the topic “how to become a kratom advocate?”. In the webinar, many tips were given regarding this matter. So, if you’d like to become a kratom advocate yourself, keep reading to find some tips.
Contact Your Local Legislator
The first thing to do is determining who you are going to contact. If you don’t know who your local legislator is, you can find them in the House of Representatives website. It is important to contact a legislator or an elected official from your jurisdiction, as it will add more credibility to your story.
When you reach out to your local elected official you must make clear why you want to talk to them. When you introduce yourself to them, tell them where you live and that you are a registered voter. And, if you are not a registered voter, go and register.
You can either talk to your legislator themselves (this would be ideal) or to a member of their staff. The most effective way to talk about your story would be in person. However, if this is not possible, you can send them an email.
In this article, you’ll find more information about how to contact your local legislator.
How to Make a First Good Impression When Meeting Legislators in Person?
First of all, there’s no doubt that making a good first impression is extremely important. In fact, a good first impression can make or break a deal. This is true on every occasion, but it becomes crucial when meeting legislators or political representatives.
When you meet with a legislator or a representative in person you have 7 seconds to make a good impression. But how can you achieve a good first impression? Here are some tips:
- Smile
- Shake hands of everyone who is present
- Introduce yourself
- Speak clearly
- Maintain eye contact
- Dress smart (remove extreme piercing, cover your tattoos)
- Sit down only when invited to do so.
What to Talk About When Meeting with Your Legislator?
Before you meet with your legislator or local representative, you can download the American Kratom Association Advocacy Toolkit, which contains important information about kratom. You can print this toolkit and give it to your representative if you meet with them in person, or send it to them if you contact them by email.
In the meeting (or email), share your personal story with your representative, and let them know how kratom has helped you (or your loved one). It is very important to do so in a respectful manner. Be truthful and give as much information as you can.
After your meeting, you can look for opportunities to follow up with your legislator. You can do so by sending them new information, etc. This way, you’ll be able to maintain your relationship with them.
Other Ways to Fight for Kratom
If you don’t have the capacity or don’t feel comfortable contacting your local legislator or representative, there are other ways to fight for kratom’s legality. Let’s see more examples of how to become a kratom advocate below.
- Be active in social media: Share your kratom experience and explain how it helped you. Respond to comments that discredit kratom in a respectful manner. You shouldn’t start personal fights with other social media users, the purpose is to educate people about the plant.
- Participate in forums and comment on blog posts and articles. Again, be respectful.
- Additionally, you can share your story in blogs or even create a personal blog yourself. At the bottom of this article, you’ll find information on how to contact us to share your story in our blog.
- Follow the AKA, blogs, and influencers to keep yourself informed about kratom and possible actions that need your participation.
Finally, if you want to share your story with us, leave a message in the comment section or contact us at [email protected] to find out how to share your story in our blog. See some examples of other people who had shared their stories with us.
