After Ocala-News.com published a story about kratom policy in Ocala, several residents reached out to share opinions. Additionally, a business owner shared their perspective.
Here are several more letters sharing opinions about the topic:
“I am writing in response to the article detailing Mayor Ben Marciano’s refusal to educate himself on the properties of the natural leaf Kratom sold and the safe, responsible practices and principles surrounding the sale of said Kratom at Muddy Lotus Tea in downtown Ocala. As one of those alcohol-free residents of this town who is beyond grateful for the existence of this gathering place, I find it reprehensible that the mayor would issue a blanket statement lumping this establishment in with gas stations or other places selling the synthetic 7-OH version. If the mayor or his staff would have only responded to one of the many emails sent by the establishment’s owners or kept the confirmed meeting that was scheduled at one point, he would have had the opportunity to learn of this distinction. Many non-factual claims have been publicized recently by his office referring to Kratom that would be more accurate if they were referring to alcohol, a substance that has PROVEN to be the cause of innumerable deaths and is known to lead people toward the use of other substances. I don’t personally ingest Kratom, preferring coffee or floral teas, but I have frequented this establishment exclusively since moving to Ocala in 2021 because it caters to a community of people who embrace sobriety and community consciousness. The culture of Muddy Lotus Tea, the owners, staff, and the other regular customers I have come to know over the last four years, are why I go there. I don’t know what I would do if this place did not exist in Ocala. There is nowhere else that offers such a community-forward environment and is so different from bar culture. I wholeheartedly support their presence in our community and hope this attack will stop. We need them here.” – Alexis Nikitopoulos, Ocala
“I am a 51 year old woman who has suffered with pain and anxiety for at least 15 years. As I navigated the ups and downs of our damaged healthcare system, I found myself searching for a natural way to manage my pain and anxiety. The thought of relying on pharmaceuticals like Suboxone and Xanax didn’t sit well with me. They made me feel lethargic and sick to my stomach and still didn’t help my pain. My anxiety medications weren’t working and the doctor didn’t support Xanax use, so they would not order that for me, even though it worked. Doctors treated me like I was just looking for a high and yet never addressing my pain. I’ve spent hundreds of dollars at the specialist because I kept hoping for real help. It was exhausting and expensive and nothing they were willing to put me on worked for me. I had heard about kratom’s potential benefits and decided to explore it. I started with small doses, experimenting to find what worked best for me. The calming effects were noticeable, and it helped ease my pain without the heavy sedation i’d experienced with other medications. Kratom became part of my wellness routine, allowing me to face each day with more clarity and less pain and horrible side affects from these so called better alternatives that our government is talking about. I have used both the concentrated kratom tabs that have been banned as well as the natural powdered kratom sold at stores. They are not the same products. One is a natural plant solution to my pain and anxiety and the other is not. I don’t understand why I can’t show my drivers license and continue to use this supplement as I have for the past 5 years like a responsible adult. Kids will huff glue and eat tide pods but they aren’t banning those products. More people call Poison Control each year from acetaminophen poisoning than any kratom products. It’s because im not going to big pharma for my help anymore and it’s hitting them in their pockets. It’s not about my health. I don’t take any other medications anymore and they want to take the one supplement I’ve used for the last 5 years. It’s not right, responsible adults should be able to purchase this and keep it out of reach of children like the rest of the herbs that come with a warning label. At least do your research and talk to people actually using the products like they are supposed to be before you just ban another plant.” – Kimberly Daly, Belleview
“As a community member and a daily customer of Muddy Lotus Tea, I was deeply concerned to see Mayor Ben Marciano publicly call for removing kratom from Ocala businesses without consulting even one of the responsible, community-centered establishments that actually serve it. I also want to acknowledge the late Chief Greg Graham, who personally met with the Muddy Lotus owners. He told them their presence helped reduce crime in the surrounding area by nearly 90 percent and expressed appreciation for the positive, alcohol-free environment they provide. His collaborative leadership understood that community health is strengthened—not threatened—by places like this. In 2012, I suffered a traumatic brain injury and underwent a craniotomy. I had relapsed after years of sobriety, and by the time I moved to Ocala in 2015, my brain didn’t work well. I struggled with chronic pain, cognitive gaps, and the wreckage that alcohol had left in my life. I needed a safe place to be—a place without alcohol, where I wouldn’t have to white-knuckle my way through every evening. I found that place at Muddy Lotus Tea. I didn’t know what kava or kratom were at first. I only knew the atmosphere was warm, the staff was knowledgeable, and the space felt safe. After a careful, easy-to-understand explanation of my botanical options, I tried my first glass of kratom tea. I’m not exaggerating when I say it changed my life. For the first time in years, I slept through the night. My pain eased. My mind became clearer. Conventional painkillers and sleeping pills had failed me, but this didn’t. As I continued having tea—sometimes five glasses a week during my child’s Civic Theatre rehearsals—my health improved enough that I could eventually return to the stage, to horseback riding, and to being a present partner, mother, friend, and community member. I have not had a drop of alcohol since July 4, 2018. Is some of my recovery due to detoxing from alcohol? Of course. But it is absolutely true that my recovery would not have been possible without Muddy Lotus Tea and the community that calls it home. Their support, structure, and alcohol-free environment helped me rebuild the life I thought I had lost. A little over a year ago, they asked me to host a Tuesday night event—what is now known as Act Out. It has become a home for artists, performers, recovering individuals, and anyone needing a space where they are heard. I can’t think of another venue in Ocala where this would have been possible. Mayor Marciano, if you are indeed a friend of Bill’s, then I’m genuinely sorry you haven’t visited the Ocala Kava Bar—Muddy Lotus Tea. You truly don’t know what you are missing. I’ve spent nights in cities across the country during my career with Amtrak, visited high-end establishments as a labor representative, and lived abroad as an actress. Nowhere—nowhere—have I found a place as committed to the well-being of its patrons as The Alchemist Brews. As a person in recovery I have to say this…gateway drug?!! Honestly? I’m not the sobriety police or anti-alcohol or businesses that serve alcohol but I challenge city leaders to check how many alcohol related disturbances there are in Ocala versus kratom related ones. Horses kill and/or injure more citizens in Marion County yearly than kratom does. As a thoroughbred owner we could have a conversation about OBS or WEC as gateway drugs to a much more expensive and dangerous habit.” – Christy House, Ocala
“Anything that’s from nature is good and not addictive like synthetic food or drugs so mayor of Ocala please, do your research before you accuse others of selling illegal goods which in this case every thing is natural.” – Noel Tulley, Ocala