Disclaimer: Kratom remains unregulated by the FDA, the authors of this text would like you to note that although this article contains many points regarding the use of Kratom, they should only serve as a piece of information - not medical advice.
For those of you who don't know, Kratom is a natural leaf native to Southeast Asia that produces opiate like effects. Kratom is legal and sold in most states in the USA.
Kratom acts similar to an opiate in the brain and so it produces many of the same effects.
What have people used kratom for?
Kratom is commonly used for 3 reasons.
1. For pain relief = people suffering from discomfort or pain who want an alternative may use kratom.
2. To alleviate opioid withdrawal symptoms = some people who are trying to get clean off of opiates will use kratom as a tool to reduce their withdrawal symptoms during their detox.
3. As an alternative to opiate usage = Some people choose to replace their opiate use with kratom use. This can be people who abuse opiates to get a buzz, or people who are addicted to opiates and choose to replace their daily opiate use with kratom use.
Kratom is not approved by the FDA for any of these uses and there are no clinical trilas supporting kratom as a treatment.
Why do People use kratom instead of opiates?
Many people in the kratom user community see kratom as a safer alternative to opiates with less side effects. The reasons for this that are commonly stated are:
1. Overdosing on kratom alone is rare. In the few cases where overdoses did occur there was usually another substance involved or an underlying health condition.
2. Opiate withdrawals are common for people who take opiates regularly. The general consensus among kratom users seems to be that Kratom withdrawals are less common and less severe than opiates.
3. Compared to illicit street opiates such as fentadope, heroin, and pressed pills which are extremely dangerous with high risk of overdose, many people think Kratom provides a safer, cheaper and more accessible option.
What are the negatives of Kratom?
Like opiates Kratom can lead to addiction, dependence and withdrawal symptoms. Don’t let anyone who says Kratom is all natural and non addictive fool you. There is ample evidence from thousands of anecdotal reports of people who have become addicted and dependent on Kratom. I personally know multiple people who have struggled with this.
Like opiates Kratom can cause feelings of euphoria and this can lead to addiction. Furthermore as kratom acts similarly to opiates it can cause similar withdrawal symptoms.
Although most people who have experienced both will say that kratom detox is less severe than opiate detox, Diarrhea, nauseous, depression, restless legs and hot /cold flashes can all be present in Kratom withdrawals.
Where to Purchase Kratom?
If you’re going to purchase kratom it’s important to get the kratom from a reputable vendor. This will help ensure you get quality kratom. Most head/smoke shops sell low quality kratom that is over priced, and may contain harmful ingredients. You're much better off getting kratom from a reputable site that specializes in kratom. Happy Hippo is one of the best known and reputable kratom suppliers, their site is linked here (use the link for a discount). Other well known reputable sites are kraken kratom and kats botanicals.
Is Kratom safe?
No substance is completely risk free and kratom is no exception. Kratom can cause addiction and dependence.
Therefore for someone who is thinking of trying Kratom to get a buzz or recreationally I would not recommend it as the risks of addiction dependence far outweigh the benefit.
However in my opinion the more important question is this “is Kratom Safer than illicit street opiates?”
And in my opinion the answer to that question is clearly Yes.
Street opiates and especially fentanyl are extremely dangerous with high risk of overdose and death. Furthermore smoking, snorting or injecting which are common methods of consuming street opiates are harmful to the body and filled with risks.
Kratom provides an alternative option to street opiates for many people and thats an important point to take into account.
Is Kratom a good choice for me?
Everyones situation is different and so we cannot recommend whether Kratom is a good choice for you. However if the choice is between Illicit street Opiates and Kratom I would say that in 99 percent of the cases kratom would be the safer option.
(This article only expresses the opinions of its author)
Feel Free to comment on your experiences using kratom in the comments below or in our forum.
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