How do people use kratom?

A recent announcement from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is causing an outcry: Users of a drug called kratom, which the DEA said it will ban, are arguing that the plant has beneficial effects for their health, according to the The Washington Post.

The DEA announced in August that it is planning to ban kratom, and the ban could come into effect this month. But users of the drug, including people with chronic pain and people who previously used opiate medications, argued that the plant relieves their pain and helps them stay off opiates, The Washington Post reported. Kratom Capsules

Why do people take kratom?

Pain relief is one of the big reasons why people use kratom, said Marc Swogger, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, who published a study last year that focused on why people use kratom.

Kratom appears to be a good analgesic, or painkiller, Swogger told Live Science.

People have also reported taking kratom to help them stop using other drugs, particularly opiates, Swogger said. Some people reported "using kratom to ease symptoms of opiate withdrawal, and many indicated that they had success in discontinuing opiates," Swogger's study found. The findings support earlier research that suggested that kratom may have therapeutic potential as an opiate substitute, the study said.

Other people in the study reported using kratom to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)  and social anxiety, Swogger said.


Kratom can cause effects similar to both opioids and stimulants. Two compounds in kratom leaves, mitragynine and 7-α-hydroxymitragynine, interact with opioid receptors in the brain, producing sedation, pleasure, and decreased pain, especially when users consume large amounts of the plant. Mitragynine also interacts with other receptor systems in the brain to produce stimulant effects. When kratom is taken in small amounts, users report increased energy, sociability, and alertness instead of sedation. However, kratom can also cause uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous side effects. Kratom For Sale

Can You Smoke Kratom Powder?

Smoking kratom powder (or kratom leaves), such as through a pipe or in a cigarette, may be possible but is highly ill-advised. Smoking kratom powder or leaves is an unfavorable way of consuming kratom, as it requires an impractical amount. More importantly, there may be health risks associated with smoking any kind of substance, and more research is needed to assess the exact hazards associated with using kratom this way.

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