We parents have quite the challenge on our hands these days. When it comes to drug use, no longer can we concern ourselves with simply teaching kids about the dangers of illicit substances and how to avoid them.
Now we have to dive headfirst down the rabbit hole to pro-actively inform them about legal drugs that they (and ourselves) may benignly encounter under legitimate, seemingly safe, scenarios. Kratom is one such substance that is proliferating like wildfire, threatening unsuspecting consumers – and children – with its little known addictive effects in the process.
What is Kratom?
Kratom is a plant native to Southeast Asia. It contains the substance mitragynine, which is a powerful psychoactive alkaloid.
Not surprisingly, in this part of the world, kratom is popular as a recreational drug.
Kratom Tea
Prepared as a dried and ground herb, kratom tea is a deep green powder that looks strikingly similar to matcha. It is promoted as helpful for anxiety and pain, making those seeking a lifestyle boost particularly vulnerable.
Fans of kratom say it is safe because it has been used in Asia as natural medicine for centuries. Further, they claim that dangerous side effects only potentially occur when mixed with alcohol or drugs.
Here in the North America, this herb is unregulated with dried and crushed versions commonly taken in pill form or brewed into tea.
Even more worrisome, many places that serve kratom tea spike it with CBD oil, increasing the synergistic dangers for a psychotic episode.
One of the first to address the problem, New York City recently banned edibles and drinks containing CBD in bars and restaurants. As of this writing, however, it has taken no action on kratom. (1, 2)
Popular at tea bars where young people like to hang out, kratom is popular for triggering an opioid-like effect. Depending on the dose, those who consume it may experience stimulant like effects or even mild euphoria. Hence the aggressive marketing to “naturally” treat anxiety and pain.
Kratom is Unregulated
Currently, there are no age restrictions on kratom use. This means a minor can order it on their own, and it is frequently available in places where no alcohol is served giving the false impression of safety.
This substance is already the subject of at least one lawsuit, by the parent of a teenager in my local area.
Kratom is suspected of causing brain damage in a 19 year old who drank it frequently starting at age 15 at several tea cafes near her home.
Then, out of the blue, the young woman began to suffer from “psychotic episodes and hallucinations so severe that she was confined” to a nursing home. Her physician made the connection between kratom and her brain injury. The suit alleges that the tea bars failed to warn about its dangerous side effects, making them liable for damages. (3)
Disability from kratom seems to be the tip of the iceberg.
The Food and Drug Administration has linked kratom to dozens of deaths in the United States over a nine-year period. To date, however, the agency has taken no action on prohibiting or regulating its use, saying only that:
There are no FDA-approved uses for kratom, and the agency has received concerning reports about the safety of kratom. FDA is actively evaluating all available scientific information on this issue and continues to warn consumers not to use any products labeled as containing the botanical substance kratom or its psychoactive compounds, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. FDA encourages more research to better understand kratom’s safety profile, including the use of kratom combined with other drugs. (4)
Kratom Effects
Fans of kratom claim that its effects are beneficial and can help wean people off deadly opioid abuse. While potentially true (more research is needed though – see below), it doesn’t justify easy kratom availability to minors.
What about people who don’t or have never even used opioids?
According to the FDA, kratom “affects the same opioid brain receptors as morphine, [and] appears to have properties that expose users to the risks of addiction, abuse, and dependence.” (5)
Does this seem like a substance that a 15 year old girl as described above should be able to freely consume at a local tea bar?
Short Term Symptoms
One or more symptoms typically appear within 5-10 minutes of consuming kratom. They usually last between 2-5 hours. The complete list of short term side effects from consuming kratom in tea or capsule form include: (6)
- Skin: Itching, sweating, dry mouth
- Excretory: Constipation, diarrhea, increased urination
- Cardiovascular: Fast or fluttering heartbeat, panic attacks
- Neurological: Feelings of agitation, irritability, or uneasiness, drowsiness, loss of muscle coordination in arms or legs, hallucinations, seizures
- Gastrointestinal: Loss of appetite, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, liver damage
Long Term Dangers
Kratom dependency is documented in the scientific literature in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependency. More than half of users who consumed kratom for six months or longer develop severe dependency problems. The other half show moderate addiction.
Did you get that?
Nearly 100% of people using kratom for 6 months or longer were addicted – either moderately or severely.
Those who consumed 3 or more glasses per day had a higher risk of developing severe addiction. These individuals were also likely to experience uncontrollable kratom cravings and withdrawal symptoms which included: (7)
Physical
- Muscle spasms
- Pain
- Insomnia
- Watery eyes/nose
- Hot flashes
- Fever
- Decreased appetite
- Diarrhea
Psychological
- Restlessness
- Tension
- Anger
- Sadness
- Nervousness
The journal Addiction Biology also warns of the “evidence for an addiction potential with cognitive impairments for mitragynine [kratom], which suggest its classification as a harmful drug”. (8)
The Effects of Kratom – Bottom Line
The current scientific literature on kratom summarized above is certainly ominous.
However, much more research needs to be done on the effects of kratom.
The best information we have at present is what doctors have observed about dependence in a clinical setting from individual patients experiencing addiction and/or withdrawal symptoms.
In the meantime, savvy parents will take the initiative to warn their children to avoid this herb when frequenting cafes and restaurants with their friends.
I certainly love a good natural remedy as much as anyone, but just because something is natural does not make it safe!
Just Say No … to Kratom!
References
(1) New York City bans CBD in bars and restaurants
(2) Legality of Kratom in New York
(3) Lawsuit says Kratom Tea Caused Teen’s Brain Damage
(4, 5) FDA and Kratom
(6) Kratom Side Effects
(7) Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) dependence, withdrawal symptoms and craving in regular users
(8) Abuse potential and adverse cognitive effects of mitragynine
My wife suffers from chronic pain. The Dr had her on Tramadol and and was wanting to put her on much stronger drugs. Kratom has enabled her to drop all the highly addictive Rx painkillers with their life altering side effects. Her son became addicted to opiods starting with Rx pain pills prescribed for an accident as a teen. It grew into a fentynal addiction that nearly killed him and landing him a year in prison. Thanks in great part to Kratom he’s been clean for two years. It’s literally saved his life and the lives of others I have met. It’s greatly increased my wife’s quality of life.
Is it addictive? Yes. On about the same level as coffee. She runs out at times. The withdrawals are minimal. I’ve taken it at times IT DOES NOT MAKE YOU HIGH. Maybe extremely high concentrations of mitragynine would but you’ll never get that level in tea or leaves.
Have people died from Kratom? I very seriously doubt it but it’s possible. People even die from peanuts, caffeine, and even too much water. But compare the number of those allegedly killed by Kratom over several years to the number killed by Tylenol annually. Kratom saves lives
Unregulated yes, person responsibly and common sense yes…kratom as a drug isnt bad, it’s ignorant people who have little self control thats the issue. Pills have terrible side effects and if minors are taking them recreationally there is a far bigger problem. This is just a scare article if you ask me. Nothing wrong with sighting warnings but, a scare campain is ridiculous. 3 Million people died globally in 2016 related to alcohol. Why are we not freaking out about that?
Comparing alcohol to kratom is comparing apples to oranges. Alcohol is not available and freely served to minors in cafes is it?
A few things…. Yes, kratom needs regulations (but not by the government with ulterior motives), kids should definitely not have access to kratom (this is a no-brainer that all kratom advocates agree on), it is a powerful plant. And it can have addictive properties (much milder withdrawal than pharmaceutical opiates though). But kratom does not cause psychotic episodes nor is it a dangerous plant. A kratom overdose usually consists of nausea and a headache. There is no research claiming it can make you crazy. And you are irresponsible for even hunting at the possibility. You are hopping on the anti- kratom bandwagon without any personal research of your own. Anyone who checks out the sources you cited can see that you came to kratom with contempt prior to investigation. There has only been 1 death solely attributed to kratom. 1. (and the jury is still out on that) All the others were attributed to polysubstance abuse. Kratom is a wonderful plant for its pain relieving properties. Anyone coming into it hoping to “feel better” recreationally is heading down the wrong road already. Anxiety, etc are issues that need to be confronted with talk therapies, cognitive therapies, etc. Very few are physiologically based and require medication. Go look at the independent research papers on kratom then get back with me. Until then, we advocates would appreciate you spreading the false narrative of kratom dangers sponsored by big pharma. There is enough rhetoric to fight already
I used kratom every day for a year and a half to get of of alcoholas well as deal with crippling stress. Without it i would’ve lost my job, my house and probably my friends and family. After the year and a half i stored cold turkey with ZERO addictive urges.
The only side effect i noticed was it gave me gas if i didn’t make it into tea and excessive use can make you agitated, but 5-HTP supplements will get rid of the agitation.
As far as the deaths related to it, i would like to see the age, state of health and other drugs in their systems before i would beleive it was because of kratom.
Not to mention, you make this stiff illegal and that will stop any real clinical testing and it will be just as easy for your kids to get it. Making things like this illegal is ridiculous and by throwing it into the same scare as other drugs only increases the risk of your kids doing the other drugs too.
If youre a parent, did your research, think things through and don’t let your emotions control your actions
I disagree with this article about being addicted to kratom. I do agree though that minors should be drinking the tea. I use kratom almost every day but if I don’t use it I do not get withdrawal from it.
I’m a ex-opiate and cocaine user my use was every day for a very long time (after being prescribed oxy contin at the early age of 19 years old for a work related injury that was exaggerated by myself and the prescriber)then I was taking off the drug abruptly due to my urine testing positive for cocaine. After taking opioids for 4-5year legaly prescribed I was physically and mentally addicted so I turned to heroin. 15 years or so of this lifestyle I had enough. I put myself in a detox and a long term rehab . I stayed in treatment for close to a year ! 6 months into treatment I learned about kratom and tryed it ,I don’t know if it’s what is keeping me clean but I’m still sober and I have no desire to go back to that lifestyle. I have to believe that kratom is playing a Huge part in my choice to stay off of opioid and cocaine! As far as I’m concerned it’ has helped me and gave me a real chance at life! I don’t think minors should be able to walk in a store and buy a bag because like a lot of stuff I’m sure if you don’t take it carefully it will have a bad affect on you. I’m definitely pro kratom for ex addicts!!!
First of all…the mention of CBD oil being added to increase the psychotic episode…Is Completely False. CBD Oil… does Nothing to the brain area…it is for internal ailments. There is no “high” that is gotten from CBD oil!!!
2nd of all, you talk about the few deaths of people that have used Kratom (abusers of the herb)..it would of been nice if you Also showed the amount of people that don’t use Kratom that have died due to addiction to opioids, heroin, or severe pain. Kratom can be a healing herb…IF used correctly. Like all other things that are legal and abused and have caused deaths like alcohol and pain pills. Don’t knock Kratom down if you ONLY want to talk about the ones that have abused the dosage of the herb!!!
Ummmm … wrong .. see the linked article about how cannabidiol can convert to THC in the digestive tract.
My boyfriend has been in pain for 7 years L5 S1. He was told he needed a fusion., anyways all he ever took was NSAIDs. Kratom for pain works for him. No, side effects. He takes only that. If not for this he would need to apply for social security. It gave him back his quality of life. More research is needed. DEA, FDA spread lies all the time and put drugs out on a daily that they claim are safe but have same side effects like any other drug. Stop, KRATOM works.
I’ve been using Kratom for almost two years for pain. I HAD to find something to manage my pain seeing as how the “Opiate Crisis” has made it impossible to obtain opiate pain medication. I’ve went without kratom for up to two weeks and didn’t have any sort of withdrawal symptoms. You can’t overdose on it either, you take too much and it will come right back up. Kratom is saving lives. Those that have been denied pain releif and abruptly taken off their opiate medication and those trying to get off of the opiates, antidepressants and liquor and using Kratom to do so. This is the real reason Gottleib has kratom in his crosshairs!!! Uh, let’s see that will take money out of big Pharma’s pockets not to mention all the other businesses that would suffer….Actually kratom could make drug rehabs obsolete. Yes, people are having good results using Kratom to get off of drugs and liquor.
I do not see any listed references about CBD and how it reacts and works with the body. I am a Cannabis educator and cannabis advocate. If you look into what system of the body CBD interacts with, you will notice the Kratom does not interact with that particular system of the body. CBD only interacts with the endocannabinoid system. This particular system only cannabinoids interact with. So CBD, THC, CBG, CBN, THCa, CBDa, CBV, just to name a few. Look up the work of Raphael Mechoulam from the University of Israel. Also, Kratom works with opiod receptor sites in the body which are in a seperate system entirely that doesnt interact with the CB1 and CB2 receptor sites that cannabinoids attach themselves to in the endocannabinoid system. Please do more research on both compounds and you would see that drug interactions between the 2 would be nonexistent due to the way they work in the body. The article is well written though.