Kratom Laws

Kratom is a tropical tree that grows in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Although the leaves of this plant have been used in traditional medicine for many years, kratom is viewed as an alternative to cannabis and cocaine. For this reason, and because no studies have proven these ties, the status of kratom’s legality is not always clear in the United States.

Kratom Laws

You see, kratom is still federally legal in America, but many states have banned the use of the plant. What’s more, some states are in the process of regulating the usage of kratom and there’s reason to suggest that federal laws will eventually take a lenient approach to it.

Kratom Laws

That is to say, many believe that opposition to kratom is either exaggerated or unwarranted. Also, kratom is linked with many health benefits and there is certainly reason to believe this substance can potentially benefit–rather than harm–the public.

But maybe you are still unclear whether kratom is legal or not?

Kratom Laws

The truth is, it’s still a gray area. In fact, the Drug Enforcement Administration has yet to make a firm decision on the matter. More specifically, some experts say that kratom can help battle the opioid epidemic in America, while others insist the psychoactive properties of kratom are not only dangerous to the public but also highly addictive for individuals.

Kratom Laws

But in order to understand these issues, it helps to know more about kratom itself.

Many doctors believe that certain properties of kratom can impact nerve cells in the same way as opioid painkillers. However, decisive studies have yet to prove this connection or confirm that kratom can have a similar effect on the brain as these psychoactive drugs. On the other hand, research has outlined how and why kratom works, suggesting there may be some truth to claims that the plant can be the cause of side effects and even addiction.

Kratom Laws

With this in mind, kratom is now being used for recreational purposes and many states in America have already banned kratom-related products. Meanwhile, many countries around the world at least consider kratom a controlled substance, including Thailand, Australia and several countries in the European Union.

Kratom Laws

And why might the laws around kratom be so vague in the United States?

Well, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has already put forward a recommendation to ban kratom at a federal level. However, they have also dropped this recommendation in order for scientists to study kratom and provide more definitive results in terms of the potential dangers. This all seems to imply that the DEA really doesn’t know enough and is hedging its bets somewhat.

Kratom Laws