The Truth about Kratom
If you have been paying attention to Kratom in the news over the last year, you have probably heard conflicting information. Just earlier this year the DEA came close to outlawing the drug outright but did not follow through.
Many professionals advise against both its undecided legality and the dangers of its broad availability. Today, Kratom is sold in head shops, gas stations, and convenience stores. The drug has recently come into the spotlight throughout American and being relatively new, it is not regulated in many places. In fact, it is outlawed in only a handful of states and outside of those states, only one state as far as we could find has a law requiring a person to be over the age of 18 to buy it. The community does argue most people who sell Kratom will not sell to minors but without regulations in place, this is more of a hope than a fact.
While this is going on, many claims that Kratom is a great replacement for more traditional drug replacement therapies like methadone and suboxone and the drug can help prevent a person from going into withdrawals. This may be the case as Kratom, taken by someone who is not opiate dependent will cause a high like that of an opiate.
The drug has some negative side effects and a person can become dependent on it, even going through withdrawals if they stop its use after a long time.
Some effects of Kratom withdrawals include:
- muscles aches
- tremors
- mood swings
- hallucinations
- sweating
- nausea
- anxiety
- depression
If you have never heard of Kratom, here are some facts you should know. Kratom is a cousin to the coffee plant and grows in tropical climates. It comes as a greenish powder sometimes loose or in clear capsules. The drug works as a stimulant at low doses and can cause a strong opiate like high when taken in higher doses. There have been recorded cases of overdose and complications from Kratom overdose.
Kratom cannot be detected by most drug tests, so if you suspect a loved one of drug use and they show up clean, this may be why. If you have a loved one who is using drugs, get them professional help. They will help you get to the bottom of what’s going on with your loved one.
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