Kratom: Understanding the Risks of an Unregulated Substance
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth) is a plant native to Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, where its cultivation has been restricted since 1943 due to its opiate-like properties. Historically, local populations have used Kratom leaves for various purposes, including cooking, traditional medicine, and as a substitute for opium. However, long-term use has been associated with adverse effects, such as anorexia, skin pigmentation, constipation, and mood disturbances.
While Kratom has been used traditionally by working-class males in certain cultural contexts, it’s essential to recognize its addictive potential. Withdrawal symptoms can resemble those of opiate withdrawal, and cases of Kratom-induced psychosis have been reported among long-term users. In recent years, Kratom has gained popularity among younger individuals in Thailand, often consumed as a brewed beverage mixed with other substances.
The increasing demand for alternative substances in Western countries has led to the marketing of Kratom as a “legal” option outside of its native region. In 2002, Japanese researchers identified 7-hydroxymitragynine as a key active compound in Kratom, noting its potent analgesic effects, which are stronger than morphine. This discovery has sparked interest in the potential pharmaceutical development of Kratom.
Despite this, Kratom remains largely unregulated in many parts of the world, including Canada and the United States. While it is not approved for human consumption in Canada, it is readily available online and through other channels. Conversely, several countries, such as Australia, Malaysia, and parts of Europe, have banned Kratom due to its potential risks.
The availability of Kratom, particularly through online platforms, poses a significant concern. There is a risk that Kratom use can serve as a gateway to more potent opioids, like heroin. Some suggest Kratom may aid in opioid withdrawal or maintenance programs, but this introduces the risk of substituting one dependency for another.
Although marketed as a “natural” alternative, Kratom carries a high risk of addiction, with withdrawal symptoms that can include anxiety and pain lasting for several days. The suggestion that Kratom can assist with alcohol recovery is also problematic, as it may simply replace one form of substance dependence with another, without addressing the underlying causes.
Concentrated Kratom products, sold under various names, are readily available, often online. This ease of access, combined with the perception that Kratom is “safer” than illicit or prescription opioids, makes it particularly appealing to young people. The term “herbal speedball” used in the UK is a red flag, as this is a term used for the mixture of heroin and cocaine, and shows the dangerous perception of Kratom.
In Malaysia, the increasing prevalence of Kratom use is evident in the rising number of seizures and impoundments of Kratom products. These trends highlight the growing concern regarding the potential harms associated with this unregulated substance.
a depressive mood, with most users being working class males, who nevertheless marry and remain connected with their families.
Symptoms of withdrawal are similar to opiate addiction. Occasionally kratom psychosis is reported in long term users. In Thailand Kratom use was originally culture bound, with male working addicts socially accepted, but women users frowned upon. Kratom was a drug not used by students, the educated or moneyed classes. In recent years Kratom has become popular among young Thai’s as a brew, with Coca Cola.
With the increase in the demand for drugs throughout the Western world, Kratom became marketed as a legal drug elsewhere than Thailand.
In 2002, Japanese researchers were able to discover 7-hydroxymitragynine as the patentable “active” ingredient of Kratom, and may develop Kratom as a pharmaceutical product in the future. 7-hydroxymitragynine has been found to have a more potent analgesic effect than morphine.
Meanwhile, Kratom continues to be legal, available and unregulated in Canada, although not approved for human consumption, is unregulated in the USA and many other countries, and illegal in some countries such as Australia, Malaysia, Finland, Lithuania, Denmark and Poland. Kratom is widely available on internet and used by many North Americans.
Using Kratom can easily become a pathway to the use of opioids such as heroin. It is also seen as having potential as a substitute drug to assist with opioid withdrawal and “maintenance drug” programs for people with opioid addiction.
Kratom might not be illegal, but is as addictive as opioids. Withdrawal symptoms can include feelings of anxiety and pain for several days.
Kratom has been suggested as a drug that can assist with alcohol recovery, by reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. For many people this is seen as merely replacing one drug of dependence with another, and of no long term benefit, compared with taking steps to discover and resolve the reasons why there is a need to use addictive drugs in the first place.
Concentrated Kratom products can be found under such names as Enhanced Red Vein Thai Kratom, Enhanced Green Vein or Indonesian sunrise / sunset blends. Kratom can appear to be a safer drug than heroin, or prescription narcotics, because not all countries restrict its use, and young people can obtain it by mail order, often from sites that sell synthetic marijuana. In the UK, Kratom is known as “herbal speedball”.
In Malaysia, Kratom use is on the rise. Between 2004 and 2005, seizures relating to Kratom use increased from 2 in the July of 2004, to 45 in January 2005, with police impounding a total of 1,000 kilos of leaves, and 236,000 liters of the drink.
Author: National Addiction Resources
America's Best Treatment Directory
My son has been addicted to Kratom for 5 years. He has now lost his wife, job, and home he worked so hard to get. He has now progressed on to other drugs as kratom has now not satisfied his needs. Run away far away fro this awful drug.
Just a note for anyone that reads this and presumably compares the addiction as severe as other opioids, that is not the case. I am addicted to kratom (physically, & mentally) for 14 years this month using since 14, still in great health. Kratom leafs contain opioid ANTAGONISTS, such as corynantheidine. This keeps addictiction potential o a minimum, may be the reason why kratom is not “craved by the brain” like real opioids are even months after cessation of use (I know from when I stop taking it). Just throwin it out there also that I used to have anxiety and organization control like there was no tomorrow, but kratom (sort of) TAUGHT me how to be organized an content through its powerful adrenic and relaxant properties. Don’t fear the unknown people this helps me more than the add or anxiety medication I used before, and the withdrawal is treatable and a short 3-5 days max (I have high metabolism). HOWEVER, the depression and anxiety of the w/d CAN be very debilitating, and I do “stress” the need to keep it in stock to my partner (pretty easy at $300 a year).
Additional info: I only ever use 2-4 grams in the morning and 2-5 at night– max. Most of us “kratom heads” :p take much more than that, but it’s enough to fix my “diagnosed conditions” for the entire day and into the night. THANKS!