The Lacuna Project

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Exhibit 1297

Letter, Senator Ron Wyden to Jerry Ross, Botanic Tonics

Exhibit 1297 ยท Congressional letter

Letter, Senator Ron Wyden to Jerry Ross, Botanic Tonics

Six pages. States that a website banner reading "ANNOUNCEMENT: FDA reinforces safety of natural leaf kratom" ran until 1 July and misdescribed FDA's position, states a cabinet secretary holds a stake in the company, and asks 17 questions on contributions, meetings with officials and lobbying, due 31 August 2026.

Source
U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Democratic staff
Date
3 August 2026
Grade
Primary record
Document
https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/20260803lettertobotanictonics.pdf
Accessed
2026-11-10
Cited by
Findings citing this exhibit
Note
sha256 3ce38f1c52e3b32bdc3a124ed1e8ab02f3be12e3c27e400602d659fe2020201a. Kratom is outside the scope of this note.

Cited by

Finding POL-5.20
Primary record On 3 August 2026 Senator Ron Wyden, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, sent letters to Reynolds American, to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and to Botanic Tonics. The letters cite press reports for a chronology of the payments, a lunch and FDA's guidance, ask what was requested at the lunch and in calls, and set a deadline of 31 August 2026.