Kratom

Kratom is a tropical tree (Mitragyna speciosa) native to Southeast Asia, indigenous to Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papa New Guinea, and Thailand. The leaves known as “kratom” have been used as an herbal medicine since the 19th century by chewing the leaves to relieve pain, increase energy, appetite, and sexual desire. Consumption of its leaves produces both stimulant effects (in low doses) and sedative effects (in high doses), and can lead to psychotic symptoms, and psychological and physiological dependence.

Kratom leaves contain two major psychoactive ingredients (mitragynine and 7-hydroxymytragynine). Products prepared from kratom leaves are available in the U.S. through sales on the Internet and at brick-and-mortar stores. Kratom is often used to self-treat conditions such as pain, coughing, diarrhea, anxiety and depression, opioid use disorder, and opioid withdrawal. These leaves are crushed and then smoked, brewed with tea, or placed into gel capsules or energy-like drinks. People who use kratom report both stimulant-like effects (increased energy, alertness and rapid heart rate) and effects that are similar to opioids and sedatives (relaxation, pain relief and confusion). While many people who use kratom report that smaller doses of kratom produce stimulant-like effects and larger doses produce opioid- or sedative-like effects, studies have not yet established that these effects depend on the amount or method of kratom consumed. In the U.S., the abuse of kratom has increased markedly in recent years.

While there are no uses for kratom approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, people report using kratom to manage drug withdrawal symptoms and cravings (especially related to opioid use), pain, fatigue and mental health problems.

Kratom is most popularly found in powder form to brew in tea or in pill or liquid form for ingestion. Kratom is legal to be sold in the United States and is not listed on the U.S. Schedule of Control Substances, but the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has listed Kratom as a “drug of concern”. Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin has made kratom illegal.