What the heck is Kratom? And why does Sen. Greg Evers want to add to the state’s list of controlled substances (SB 764)?
Kratom is a tree native to Southeast Asia. Its leaves of kratom have been used in folk medicine as a stimulant, sedative, recreational drug, pain killer, medicine for diarrhea, and treatment for opiate addiction. Kratom is legal in the United States and Europe, but Australia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand have impose severe penalties for possession of the herb.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration lists kratom as a “drug of concern†because of its abuse potential, stating it has no legitimate medical use. The state of Indiana has banned kratom consumption outright. However researchers are looking into whether it can help treat drug addictions (Read “Should Kratom Use Be Legal?”)
SaintPetersBlog reports: “…of so-called kava bars serving up Kratom cocktails have popped and the web is starting to become populated with sites promoting the health benefits (“it will give you energy†and “it will calm your nerves.â€) and how it eases the transition off more widely-known and highly addictive drugs. These “all natural†tea shops are popping up next door to urban rehab centers in South Florida and, as a result, the locals are trying to do what the U.S. military has already done: shut down access to what is known in some circles as “nature’s speedball. But so far, only one county (Sarasota) has succeeded.”