I actually use kratom with my Zoloft, saves me from having to up my dose. My sciatica is thankful for this plant.

I was put on a ssri this year and it has helped greatly, and I am absolutely no was a supporter of big pharma. I’ve just tweaked by brain a bit too much growing up and caused an imbalance. I use cannabis and kratom to supplement its effectiveness and it works like a charm. Without those I gauarantee I’d still be a depressed/anxious mess. Cannabis and kratom together makes life bearable.

As for the gmo versions, they’re trying with cannabis and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were with kratom. Why change somethingthats already perfect for so many diseases?!

That's all the feds know how to do. They stomp freedom. A group of men in suits in DC own your body and mind. Self ownership is something people don't seem to possess anymore. It's maddening!!!

Exactly! That was my first thought when I seen this on the news. "35" dead from evil Kratom...oh btw that's 35 out of 2 million consumers who had other drugs in their system! DEA "sorry but you can not mix this dangerous drug called Kratom with our 100% pure Afghanistan imported heroin! Bad Kratom! Now if you turn in your dangerous Kratom we will allow you to keep abusing our black ops funding drug we took over in Afghanistan!

I use kratom. And I have not touched an opiate in over six months. It is much better for my pain. This is some bullshit, 35 dead! Holy shit! How many die from legal prescriptions, legal alcohol and legal tobacco... fucking millions. Guess I need to stock up while I can.

I have debilitating fibro/CFS nerve paid that comes and goes and the only way I make it through those days is Kratom and ALA/Carnitine/Ginger/Turmeric.

If these crooked AF corrupt big pharma bitches make it illegal, I am straight up leaving the U.S. and going else where.

Seriously, wtf is going on with this country. 100% this place is going to come crashing to the ground within the next 10-15 years once deepstate merks trump and they overthrow the WH

Yeah I got a kilo in the mail yesterday. After reading a couple of articles today I am going to order a couple more kilos tonight. Fuck these stupid assholes! Kratom is cutting in to their heroin profits. Kratom alone does not kill people. Kratom is natural and help lots of people, myself included, who don't want to be addicted to opiates. I really hope they don't make it illegal.

Same starting my stockpile as well I seriously don't know what I'd do if they ban it because I'm not going back to Suboxone.

Where you able to quit suboxone using Kratom?

Yes! I didn't take much Suboxone anyways (like 1/4 of a strip a day) but the withdrawal without it was torture. From heroin to methadone to Suboxone I had no faith in something natural but I got kratom one day and took it instead and couldn't believe how much better I began to feel day after day. Subs made me a zombie, I had no excitement for life. Now with just kratom I feel like myself again, I'm excited to wake up everyday and my Crohn's has stayed in complete remission.

That’s amazing. So I can literally switch to kratom and stop taking suboxone the same day? I’ve been on 2 a day for 3 years and am in the same boat. I just want me life back! Any recommendations on where to get? How much I should take or how do you consume it?

r/kratom has a daily vendors list. kratom is amazing, it's saved my life.

Thank you, I’m hoping it does the same for me and people I know!

Yeah I'm not sure with your dose I was only taking a tiny piece of one everyday but yes the day before my kratom came I just took less and the next morning I took kratom I researched the different colors and strains and ordered a red and green I felt so good I just kept taking it and no subs, I buy the powder and mix a few grams in grapefruit juice and shake it up and gulp it down because the taste is like dirt lol. But I do have to take it three times a day. 3-5 grams use a scale to save money and not take too much. You find the strain right for you I love whites and reds mixed and experiment it's actually fun and I've learned alot it's been months and I don't crave subs I'm still having so much fun ordering and mixing new strains and vendors. My husband did it with me and we both have been chemical free. (Besides the occasional rec night)but it's just as satisfying to me to take a few grams of a new strain as it was copping a pill back then. I can pm you my vendors if you like. It's a fraction of the cost of the doctor and meds too!

Not in the US but my guess is planting a Kratom tree would be entirely possible in the southern,south-eastern states, and unlike cannabis nobody knows what a Kratom tree looks like in US. Just a thought for those feeling scared.

doesn't kratom go bad quickly? might be better to invest in growing your own. I wonder if you can graft it to other plants?

No, current research shows oxidation over time actually increases potency.

well i guess my 6 year old powdered kratom should have matured quite well in a cigar box in my storage shed

I've never had any go bad. I keep it in airtight containers. I have thought about growing it but central Texas is not tropical enough, maybe after I build my greenhouse.

I've had some in a Ziploc bag for years. Still good

No it lasts if you store it properly, it comes in sealed bags. Kratom grows in Asia so it's hard to grow in our climate.

the real tragedy is people use it to kick subs, which also destroys their 'legal heroin' profits.

I kicked subs successfully via kratom

I hate to break it to you, man....

I hate to break it to you, man....

Where do you get it from? I have been looking to try it out and see if it can replace some other medications of mine.

https://www.kratoma.com/buy-kratom

They mainly sell kilos but you could try the 250g to see what works. Read up on the different vein colors for what you need to get out of it. They vary quite a lot. I like energy and mood boosting so I take white. I think red makes you relaxed and kills pain. I tried a yellow once and it was awful to me, felt almost like a mild poison and yet there were dozens of positive reviews. So there's general rules of thumb but it varies from person to person.

Check out /r/kratom. They have a monthly vendor list with prices.

I use Gaia Ethnobotanicals. Excellent service, prices and high quality. r/kratom is a great community with really nice helpful people.

Hit up /r/kratom also I personally recommend /r/herbalrva due to politics on the kratom sub he is banned. But he provides high quality kratom for 70 bucks shipped. Select a kilo then put in the notes 4 different strains for 70 bucks it's a no brainer

You can't die from kratom. Unlike opiates it doesn't cause respiratory suppression -- you can't overdose like with heroin. If you take too much you'll simply throw up. Hell when I take too much I nod off on the couch, and that's long long before taking so much that I'm feeling the need to throw up.

The DEA is evil. Government is too. I hope they all get painful cancer.

Exactly

I hope a meteor destroys their homes after they are all diagnosed with cancer

hope they all get painful cancer.

They probably have the cure for cancer for themselves. At the very least, they know to avoid the poisons they put in stuff we consume which gives us cancer in the first place.

Even if they don't have the cure they will have no problem getting all the opiates they need for pain control. It's the poor who suffer most from drug crackdown

There isn't a cure all for cancer. It's preventable. Stop eating trash. Eat whole healthy foods, exercise, and sleep well. Prevention is the key to beating cancer.

I'm drinking Mountain dew and eating potato chips

Undeniably delicious.

I'm at work. We only have shitty overpriced junk food at our convenience store thing

I eat junk too every so often, gotta feel that need for mouth pleasure. Today I brought some stuff with me for lunch and glad I did. I had celery, peanut butter and raisons(ants on a log), a green banana, and black coffee. Felt good all day just from a good decision in the morning.

Yum!

I use kratom. And I have not touched an opiate in over six months.

Try going off it for a couple of days and report back what that's like.

I'm glad you aren't on opiates but taking an herbal opiate substitute isn't necessarily good for most people.

It should be prescribed if it's really an effective medicine. Someone start an herbal company to compete with big pharma.

I don't take it daily. I take it when I have severe pain. I have taken it daily for several weeks or maybe months before and when I stopped I didn't have any withdrawals like I did on opiates. I noticed my allergies flaring up and when I took the next dose they stopped. It has worked wonders for me personally in many ways, but everyone is different. I always take breaks and alternate strains. It works for me because I don't allow myself to abuse it.

I don't take it daily. I take it when I have severe pain.

That's great to hear!

I have taken it daily for several weeks or maybe months before and when I stopped I didn't have any withdrawals like I did on opiates.

Then you're lucky! And probably have a high tolerance for opiates like you do pain.

I myself took it for a few days and had the worst withdrawals I've ever had on anything. I am not alone.

I noticed my allergies flaring up and when I took the next dose they stopped. It has worked wonders for me personally in many ways, but everyone is different. I always take breaks and alternate strains. It works for me because I don't allow myself to abuse it.

Ok. Not to nitpick but there aren't actually strains since it's all the same plant.

There's some supplements and vitamins I've heard that might help you with your recovery times. L-styrine or something like that (I can find the bottle if you like) and B supplement is good.

Different strains have different effects. Just like cannabis. I am also lucky because my mother is a master herbalist, we experiment in the lab with many herbs for many ailments. She was cautious when I told her about kratom, but now she uses it to help with pain in her old age.

Different strains have different effects. Just like cannabis.

But it isn't like that though. You are comparing a single strain to different strains of a plant. That's why kratom is called veins.

I am also lucky because my mother is a master herbalist, we experiment in the lab with many herbs for many ailments. She was cautious when I told her about kratom, but now she uses it to help with pain in her old age.

That's cool. I think old people benefit from plants the most!

These deaths could be due to kratom extracts. Kratom by itself is safe but i've found at least one that has something other than kratom in it.

The extract can and will give seizures, the adulterant is believed to be a tramadol derivative.

I read 26 dead, but it doesn't matter both numbers are wrong. Even worse, however, I can't believe they are claiming kratom stops addicts from seeking medical help. Medical help in the form of sub ox and methandone leads to much harder to kick addictions, the half life of methadone and sub is far longer and leads to horrible withdrawals, so addicts go back to easy to manage prescription meds or heroin. There is nothing sinister about people trying to fix their life by ingesting a harmless plant.

I woiuld never suggest not seeking medical assistance if it is needed but for the people who have decided to take kratom I would have to say great work and I am with you.

Yeah this is ridiculous, I had a terrible opiate habit for a couple years, decided to try suboxone to kick it, it worked but honestly I was still getting the same opiate feeling and I didn't do enough research on the drug before hand. After a few months I realized I was just using a different opiate and had the same result so I went to quit and had even worse withdrawals, so I tapered off and when I got to a manageable dose I used Kratom to completely kick the habit. It's that only thing that kept me from relapsing and I've been clean for over 3 years now, DEA needs to back the fuck up and find something better to do with their time rather then fucking with peoples livelihoods.

It’s weird how people react differently to drugs. I’ve been on subs for 8 months now and I’ve never gotten any kind of high from them. Congrats on the 3 years. Just hit 16 months clean on the 1st after a 6 year daily habit. Keep up the good work! Good luck.

Yeah I didn't get like super high or anything, it just gave me that same energetic boost I got from opiates and sometimes I'd get a little nod but nothing crazy, the problem was the withdrawals, they were more intense then when I dropped a $300 a day roxy habit and I wasn't taking incredibly high doses of suboxone either. Grats on the 16 months that's really awesome, as someone who has dealt with it, when you do decided to drop the subs make sure you taper off slowly because cold turkey is not safe in the slightest. Either way 16 months is huge and as some random internet stranger I'm proud of you my friend, good luck on your future endeavors!

Thanks. I really appreciate that. It’s crazy how well everything is going. Kinda takes some getting used to. Yeah my doctor said he’s gonna taper me down really slow. I was a little worried about it but I’ll survive. A little discomfort is better than being dope sick.

Cold turkey my not be safe from subs but it's manageable, Benzos are deadly to cut cold turkey ! Not opiates

in this case we need to take down big pharma and issue laws that include redistribution of corporate property as punishment for violation which prevent the mention or lobbying, or any discussion of, legally impacting the prescription or medical research/use of natural substances which cannot be patented.

laws that state anything that goes under because of this is natural market force, and that industry deserves to collapse. a Too Tall to Stand clause. (pun on Too big to fail)

Can you go into more detail how you did it? I'm on subs right now, trying to get off it tho. I'm supposed to take 8mg a day but only take like 2-3mg/day right now. I got some kratom as well from a friend, some red strain version? I dunno.... I've tried it twice, chugging it with some OJ. It tastes like shit and not sure if it worked lol, either cause of subs or I didn't take enough.

But how did you taper? And what withdrawal effects did you feel still? How long did whole process take? And how do you manage now, do u go to NA or anything? Do you still get cravings?

At first I would cut the strips into 8 equal pieces and take one in the morning and one at night, I did this for about a week. The next week I would cut them even smaller and do the same thing. The next week I would cut them the same size but only do one in the morning and if absolutely necessary for sleep one at night but I only had one night that week that I needed it to sleep and that was the first night. I had been reading about kratom already so I ordered some from a reputable vendor I found on /r/kratom that had good reviews and it came in after that week, so that monday I transitioned to kratom, I started with 2 grams in the morning and 2 in the evening, realistically you could do this for a couple weeks and then quit all together if you want with minimal withdrawals symptoms, at least this is my experience. However, I know that some people will go right back to whatever they were using sometimes and small doses of kratom can be a lifesaver in those situations and is far better than the alternative. I hope this helps some but if you are really interested in tapering off I would definitely talk to your prescribing doctor to let them know and they may be able to give you some different options.

I was doing NA for about a year and it really did help having a support system of former addicts with clean time to call when I was really having a tough day or just didn't have any hope at the time. Eventually it became a bit too much for me, it was taking up all of my free time and I was unable to balance my family life, work life, free time and NA all at the same time without going nuts. I have a 4 year old and I wasn't giving him the attention he deserved so I made the choice to leave NA and spend time with my family, I have 3 years clean and after a certain point using really wasn't an issue anymore, I don't drink or use any substances recreationally and I don't really get cravings anymore.

One of the things I had to do that really made a difference was cut out the people from my life that were enablers or people that were using, that was absolutely huge in my recovery. It's a long and tough journey and it's not going to come easy but if you really want it you can take it, but you really have to want it. Good luck on your journey my friend and if you ever need to shoot the shit or just want to vent or anything don't hesitate to PM me because I know what it's like.

Thanks, that is some great advice.

So a few weeks of the kratom, with 2mg day and night, was enough to get off them with only minor wd effects? What effects did you feel still? I can deal with the cold type symptom or diarrhea, but the depression low energy or no sleep drives me crazy. Were you taking any other supplements or anything to help with that transition? And were there any wd effects when you stopped the kratom?

I still go to an NA meeting every now and then to see people and hear the stories. I have cut out my old friends already so not worried about someone enabling me again, tho you are right that this is def one of the most important things you can do. I have also found that the "ritual" of taking something everyday is hard to break.... subs worked not just cause it keeps you from wd's, but it replaces opiates in the daily habit of taking something 2-3 times a day to feel well. So kratom replacing the subs for that, or being what I take if I ever feel a craving, is a good idea. I really need to find a gym and push myself to workout too.... have heard numerous times that it helps a lot to feel better, get energy, and channel that addictive behavior to something healthy but I can never motivate myself to do it lol.

I will def try the green/white type of kratom... my buddy got the red stuff so that's just what I had available. I will try taking it with hot water too, I feel like the heat may help with activating it too... OJ was a bad choice, its already bitter so it made the whole drink much worse. I actually took 7gm cause that is what everyone recommends to "feel it", and I did actually get a bit nauseous after both times I tried it.... prob for the reasons you listed, so will try 2mg instead. Thanks again for the advice.

When I stopped completely I mostly had a little anxiety and a little fatigue and some minor flu like symptoms but nothing too bad. It took a few weeks to get entirely back to normal but once I did it was all gravy. Finding a gym is definitely a solid idea as well, when I did finally kick the habit I was obese, depressed and just in general poor health, once I got a little energy back and hit the gym I ended up losing over 150 lbs and getting in decent shape which helped a ton with staying clean. I recently put on a bunch of weight because of an injury but I'm right back at losing it and it definitely helps keep the head clear and brings up energy levels once you get in the routine. No problem my friend, ever need anything else just hit me up, always down to help.

Wow, 150lbs, that is awesome man. Congrats on your sobriety and healthier lifestyle, it takes a lot of willpower but always inspiring to see other peoples success stories. I'm kinda opposite to you in that I lost alot of weight while using instead of gaining it, and now look too frail and bony.. I def gotta put on some weight. I have a feeling the gym is what I really need to get that energy boost and focus my free time so I am gonna push myself to go. Plus if I start now then I can prob be in shape by summer. Thanks man, appreciate it, if I have more questions I'll send you a PM.

It's fake news: pure and simple. But where are the Democrats on this issue, oh yeah they are furiously sucking off oligarchs such as Stephen Cloobeck

exactly i successfully kicked subs with kratom. subs to me were harder to kick than heroin, but in the moment it was a hard choice not to make to stop being sick.

Exactly the same thing that happened in Thailand.

The Thai government -heavily involved in the heroin trade- made Kratom illegal when they realised that opiate addicts were using kratom to get off heroin.

Terence McKenna talks about it here (4 mins): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8aVtYTdkhQ

I took Kratom for almost 2 years to quit opiates and it worked amazingly well. I was taking 5 to 6 00 capsules a day, all at once and never had any issues. I recently quite because I had been taking about 18 00 capsules a day and tried to just stop taking it cold turkey and ended up having horrible hallucinations and paranoia for about a week. I'm all better now and I would still recommend Kratom to anyone who has chronic pain. Just if you take a high dose you do need to wean yourself off slowly to avoid a situation like mine.

Hallucinations? What? I've never had anything remotely close to hallucinations. And by paranoia, do just mean anxiety?

No, it was when I quit taking Kratom that I had issues. I went from 18 capsules to 0 and after a couple of days I started having auditory hallucinations and extreme paranoia. I went to the hospital and everything. They said it was Kratom induced psychosis and I spent a week in the hospital detoxing then everything has been fine since.

Downvoted by Reddit doctors

I'm not surprised. There's really nothing wrong with Kratom, I took the Maeng Da the whole 2 years and loved it, it works so much better than the pain pills I'd been taking before. I learned in the hospital that ideally you take breaks from it so you never get to the point where you have withdrawals like I did, or just limit the daily intake to under 10g a day. I'm an avid defender of Kratom but I guess hearing about my experience freaks some people out, thus the downvotes.

C'mon, guys, the US government spent a lot of time and energy in building the heroin trade. Won't you think of the black budgets?

Understand it is tyranny like this which compelled our forefathers to include a 2nd amendment. Folks sit around and drink alcohol, but most of them don't realize without the People using machine guns in the 1920s against the tyrannical, We would not be allowed to drink beer anymore (Sean Connery was great both as a hero, and as a villain, such as in the Untouchables). The vets during that period were very thankful for the 2nd amendment, which allowed them to continue to drink beer during prohibition. Of course immediately after alcohol prohibition was repealed by the 21st amendment in 1933, in 1934, they used the 16th amendment (tax anything ya want) to make machine guns illegal. Their jedi mind trick was to simply say machine guns are legal...sure...but in order to have one...you have to have a congressional tax stamp...which they printed few of. That was a key moment in our country's history, and at that moment, we should've used our 2nd amendment to the fullest extent to escape that tyranny. Instead, the People were docile, and the tyranny continued in 1937, when the racist government (google harry anslinger congressional testimony 1937), decided they didn't want folks to have marijuana, but again they knew they did not have the privilege to make plants illegal (they still don't have that privilege), so the used the same tactic as they did with machine guns. Sure, you can use marijuana, but you first need a congressional tax stamp, and they decided not to print any at all. Again, how were there not assassinations? How was DC even still standing after this? Decades later...folks just feel like "it has always been like this of course the government has the privilege to tell us what we can or can't put in or take out of our bodies". It's ridiculous. They don't have that privilege, otherwise, we are by definition slaves, as the government would then be the true owners of our bodies. There are actually many machine guns out there across this great country. Unfortunately, the government knows about most of them. But not the AR-15s and AKs. There are billions of those in the hands of Americans. We the People have a 2nd amendment. It is not for hunting. It is not for sport. It is not for self-defense. It isn't for any kind of defense at all. The 2nd amendment is for offense. It's a tough conversation to have with the current state of the union. But maybe take it upon yourself to educate the folks around you when they start complaining about guns. Let them know without the 2nd amendment, the government could one day hold guns to our heads, and tell us which plants we can, or can't consume. Or even worse, maybe one day the government would hold guns to our heads, and force us to buy health insurance. It is truly flattering that the government wants to protect us so much, but the bottom line is our bodies are our own sovereign nations, and the government has never, and will never have that privilege. Hopefully within my lifetime, but certainly by the end of the USA, our politicians will at some point have to be held accountable for this kind of tyranny. They are clueless to believe they can get away with this. So comfortable...such a feeling of safety and security they have. No fear at all...and therefore...no motivation to not infringe on our rights. They are calling the People's bluff, and our government feels we are weak minded and are not as strong as the People in Iraq or Afghanistan. In my opinion, Americans can be just as brave, just as clever, and just as cunning as those we have seen stand up to us.

I dated a woman for 6 months who had a serious addiction to Kratom. Went through horrible withdrawals when she tried to kick it, and just went back to drinking it in her water 3-4 times a day. I don't know the specific physical/mental effects it has, but she was definitely suffering through an addiction that made her feel like she wasn't in control of her life. I know this is a second hand anecdote, but thought it was worth sharing. Kratom is not a miracle drug that is 100% safe. It can and will fuck your life up if not used correctly.

Agreed that it's not 100% safe but considering it's safety profile compared to other drugs with similar benefit, id say it's pretty close to a miracle. Its not up to the government to parents us and hold our hands. Consenting adults should be able to make their own choices. This is taking away our freedoms

I would just be cautious labelling anything as a "miracle." Kratom addiction can be just as damaging to a person's life as opiate addiction. Swapping one for the other usually isn't a wise course. Pretty sure there's an entire subreddit dedicated to helping people recover from Kratom addiction.

Recreational use of Kratom is probably not a great idea. It can and will cause dependency if you use it too much.

My brother was hooked on opoids and Kratom literally saved his life. He tried suboxone and that only made him crave his pills even more, Kratom is the only thing that's freed him from his addiction.

Pretty sure Heath Ledger had pizza in his system when he was found dead. They should ban pizza.

Dude, kratom is a fucking problem in our community. I work at a half way house and people come to me telling me they have a problem drinking like 9 of the kratom small bottles a day (viva Zen). And that's just at the half way house. I know of plenty of regular people who are addicted to it. Just because it's doesn't have withdrawals like opiates doesn't mean it's not prone to the same abuse.

Kratom and kratom extract concoctions are different things. It's the people that are concentrating it and throwing it into an easy consume drink with other active ingredients that are causing the bad name for it.

Exactly. These are concentrated extracts that people abuse, not the powdered plant.

dude, to be honest the kratom theyre drinking 9 bottles of is weak and a waste of money -- if your halfway house wasnt controlling and ignored the rules, theyd use a lot less (seemingly) in raw powder.

the kratom is better for them than their prescribed maintenance drugs. without kratom i would never have gotten off maintenance.

fuck people who say maintenance is forever, never get off or you'll relapse. i stand as a shining example and am rebuilding my life thanks to kratom. not subs. not methadone.

both of which, to me, quitting was an unobtainable task.

switching from subs->kratom was seamless after the first 3 days of no subs, and once i got used to that quitting was much much easier. and here i am, 5 months clean.

VivaZen has some kratom in it. It also contains California poppy extract, extracts of willow bark, yohimbe bark, valerian root, Boswell serrata resin, and a few other mildly stimulating ingredients. VivaZen is actually a pretty nasty little cocktail, and gives you much more than just a normal kratom buzz. I've tried them and always get a mean headache afterwards

It is extremely addictive if used on a regular basis for long periods of time. If you doubt me try to stop using for 1 week.

the benefit is if your already addicted to a more addictive opiate. its still tough to kick, but easier than pharmaceuticals or heroin (including suboxone and methadone) by a large margin.

Yeah that shit scared the hell out of me when I did it a few times in a row and then had the sweats and shaky legs. Fuck that.

Maybe it's good for already addicted people but when they never get off that then they're just trading addictions.

It’s bs, Kratom works. Pharmaceutical companies control the fda, they should just change the fda’s name to an amalgamation of all the pharma co’s.

This is fucking heinous. Just think about how many lives, and years of life due to imprisonment, have been taken due to this silly drug prohibition.

Prohibition doesn't work, we need proper education.

Kratom absolutely saved my life from a horrible opiate addiction. I've been taking kratom for a while now and i can honestly say there's really no downside to it. Your body can become used to it if you take it daily but that happens with lots of things. I'd rather not have kratom than not have a pill when I'm withdrawing. Any day. The only reason FDA wants it banned is because it's the path to not using pills or any opiates or ssri's anymore. It's all about control.

36 deaths over a five year period isn't a significant causr for alarm. I believe the deaths where due to natural kratom being laced with big pharma opioids.

Stick to leaf and you'll be good. Extracts are a quick way to ruining a good thing. Accept the plant as it is rather than trying to make it something it isn't. Coming from someone who has overdone it before it's far more forgiving when withdrawal time comes than most.

I used kratom to end a 13 year pathological relationship with booze. (IMHO) It's not just an effective treatment for opiate/opioid addiction, it's also an effective treatment for alcoholism. Conspiracy: In recent months a number of suspicious deaths have been reported claiming Kratom as the cause, but the claims are so dubious the American Kratom Association has launched an investigation into the DEA/FDA intentionally trumping up these claims to pursue a ban. There is also a patent pending on Synthetic Mitragynine which points to Big Pharma conspiring to ban natural kratom in order to monopolize its effectiveness as a medicine.

i hope one day someone releases leaks on big pharma so damning, that even people with terminal illness stop taking meds and going to the doctor literally bankrupting them all

Many of these "kratom OD" stories involve the concentrated extract, do we really know the effects yet? Im anti big pharma, believe me- (Im a type 1 diabetic, and I've been fighting nearly my whole life to afford that magic juice that keeps me alive- and they keep making it more expensive, insurance impossible to afford, etc.) Thats just my main reason...but how much do we really know about kratom? I've had a 14 month experience with kratom now, and I just want to advise caution. I was thrilled after my husband began using it to stop drinking (bad black out nightly kind of drinking)- he quit completely. Things were awesome, he was motivated, energized, and wasn't in pain from various old injuries. About 4 months in, he started becoming detached, was quickly losing interest in sex, became constantly constipated (sorry- but trying to be informative!) and it gradually became worse with his increasing doses, tolerance grew fast. He was distant from the kids and I, became secretive, was always pale/ashy, sickly looking, wasn't eating much, his world revolved around his next dose. By September Id figured out he was taking about 35g a day-(RMD) Read some stories in quitting kratom sub. It can be so very helpful as a step down from hard drugs, I DO understand that, but kratom took a hold of him before he realized it. I've seen this with 3 other people we love, it can be just as big a demon as any other. The only harmless plant I personally believe in is making its legal way already- but please use caution with kratom. People are sharing stories of hair loss, unexplained organ damage, digestive issues that stick around, contaminated shipments from various kratom shipments and a slew of other super negative effects.... My husband still takes it, he's down to 5 grams a day, but wont sleep if he misses a dose. He shared with me some honest things after the blow up- how his eyes starting acting up, the nausea and vomiting it was causing, how he'd avoid eating to better absorb his dose. Anyway, I mean this novel of a message with compassionate intent, don't let it cross the line of helpful to habit....I've watched it first hand. Well wishes to everyone here.

Could someone post the original cases of the 35 dead in this article?

Folks go to your local headshop and put Kratom in your redbull. Enjoy

Kratom was a life saver for me. I finally put an end to a 10 year addiction with pills using it. Makes me sad that people are turning to far more addicting solutions like Suboxone without even trying Kratom. It's far more of a holistic approach to kicking the crap and not a doctor or rehab I have met condones it. Shame

Kratom where I live is sold in the bad part of town to druggies, it cannot be a good thing

Druggies often use Kratom to quit harder drugs. Good on them for trying to improve their lives and kick heroin.

Not a big fan of heroin addicts self medicating, if you have a problem, their is a place for you

No their isnt

I'm not even sure if it's possible to OD from Kratom.

it's not; scientists have been unable to produce a toxic effect in lab rats at any level, even when they were actively trying.

Nation wide legalization/rescheduling is on the horizon, and they need jog security.

no they dont, we need government downsizing where all jobs are burned, and all retirement benefits and life benefits are totally revoked. anyone claiming they still deserve status and recognition should be sent to a torture facility like gitmo and stripped of citizenship as traitors.

This is the first time I've ever even heard of Kratom. Now I wonder if I woke up and fell into another dimension.

So glad to have /r/conspiracy on this. Kratom is an amazing tool and the FDA is rediculous. Suboxone doctors, methadone clinics and the alcohol industry is fighting hard to ban it because IT ACTUALLY HELPS PEOPLE. Long term and for good cures and help people everywhere. We need to keep this plant accessible.

Disgusting. Kratom is a very safe drug that is no more addicting then alcohol. Making it illegal will push a percentage of it's users to heroin and other illicit opiates

Kratom is illegal in five states (one of which is the state I live in) so I can't attest to it's benefits. I know people in legal states who consume it daily though, either to keep themselves away from opiates or to treat chronic inflammatory pain disorders.

I wish it were legal in my state, because I'm so sick of downing pain medicine like candy and still suffering through the pain day to day, due to rheumatism.

Since Kratom was banned in the UK my life has pretty much fallen apart.

Fell straight back into alcohol dependency, gained a shit load of weight. Anxiety and depression has returned, generally struggle to function at the most basic level.

Thanks dickheads.

Kratom is legit. If you can, please try it. Green Kapuas is an amazing coffee replacement. Mood boost, clean energy, zero comedown. 1 teaspoon is all you need.

SSRIs are horribly addictive. They may not be recreational drugs but if you take them long enough, all emotion is leveled out and things get real robot-y real fast.

If you're lucky enough to recognize that and decide to stop, there's a long withdrawal ahead of you. They also kill the sex drive and in my opinion, eat away at capacity for empathy. They destroy things that make us human. Almost undetected.

We also don't know for sure if low serotonin is even the primary cause of depression or anxiety. And there is no commonly used way to test serotonin levels. So how do we even know if anyone needs more serotonin?

If someone tries to prescribe an ssri to you, (which they likely will if you have any sort of mental health complaint) be cautious. They suck to be on and they REALLY suck to come off of.

when the FDA says something bad, you have a good indicator that its good

As someone who tried to use Kratom to overcome addiction I have to say it definitely did not work. And now as someone in the field trying to help people find sobriety I have come to the conclusion that freedom from all substances is the only option. Just saying.

It sure as hell helps someone quit opioids. Just like meth can be used to quit heroin.

It helped me.

Yeah me too

Can you xpost to everythingscience?

It’s pretty clear why the are going after Kratom specifically so hard. It poses the biggest threat to both the opiate and SSRI markets, which of course are 2 of their top profitable drugs.

Kratoms efficacy as an anti depressant and it’s anti anxiety properties are very clearly much better than SSRIs. I can tell you kratom undoubtedly does WAY more for my anxiety and depression and motivation than any pharmaceutical I’ve ever taken. I’m actually looking forward to next summer when suboxone( well the same compound, plus another compound) is released for treatment resistant depression. It’s shown it most definitely works and works better than SSRIs for depression. And the reasons why are most likely the same reasons I think why kratom works so well, which is the action it takes on the bodies endogenous opioid receptor system and how we’re learning how much it dictates mood and behavior.

I was an IV heroin addict for three years, and ended up in prison for two, as a result. When I️ got paroled, I️ became a bad alcoholic, drinking a liter of cheap vodka a day. One day, I️ decided to try kratom out of boredom. Within two weeks, I️ was no longer drinking. Barely any noticeable withdrawal symptoms, at all. That was over a year ago, three or four kratom doses a day, and my mood is positive, good energy, no physical pain, and not even the slightest urge to drink, even with a beer in hand (and yes, I️ do have one every once in a rare while). This plants the closest thing to a miracle I’ve ever experienced, with more positive benefits than marijuana, in my opinion

Really jogs the noggin.

I wonder how many people per week die from, say, alcohol. Or cigs. Or fast food for that matter.

This is a copy of what I sent out to all the local news agencies and on my social media accounts. Only changing the wording of the first paragraph to include verbage related to broadcasting. If you support Kratom, or simply support the idea of allowing people to make their own decisions, please SIGN the petition and verify your email when the time comes. This is a fight that can be won, again.

The FDA is trying to take away Kratom by spreading false and incomplete data. By doing so will Kill millions of Americans who rely on it to stay off of opiates and other drugs. Dont let this happen people! Fight for this cure to stay the way it is!! CALL your local congressman, share this information on social media. Peoples lives depend on it.

Kratom is a wonderful, well received herbal supplement that is as safe as coffee. If you were to ban it the only thing that you would succeed in is killing people. Yes, killing people by banning it. Kratom has helped hundreds of thousands of people  get off of narcotics including heroin. It doesnt make people high, it stops their craving for drugs. So, if you take that away from people, the opioid epidemic in this country is going to get worse and worse. Dont take away peoples easliy accessed cure for whats killing them!! 

Day after day we hear another story of how X drug is being pulled from the Market because it's killing people, and a handy dandy lawyer is willing to represent you and your dead loved one against the FDA who approved it and the doctors that gave it out. 

These are the same drugs that the FDA approved and doctors are prescribing every single day. Now you have to ask yourself why does the FDA care about a possible cure for the opioid epidemic that is killing this country? If they didn't care about the other drugs that the doctors are prescribing that are killing us, why do they care about a plant that has been used for thousands of years safely by millions of people? Don't kid yourself to think that the FDA cares about your safety. They care about lining their pockets from lobbyist of the drug manufactures. They care that they're already losing millions of dollars because people are getting off of their deadly opiates without having to use their other deadly FDA approved medications Suboxone or methadone as treatment. They're mad because they can't patent a plant and box it up so they can sell it.

No one wants to see the epidemic of opioid abuse and over-prescribing by doctors continue. Those FDA approved and doctor prescribed medications are killing your fellow Americans. Do not let the FDA and other government agencies take away kratom. Don't let it become hard for anyone to access responsibly. Don't take away the one hope Americans have for ending this opioid epidemic now.

Do your research. Not just watching a news clip on television. Not from a talking head who has no interest in your safety and whos only interest is money. Go to the AKA, American Kratom Association website. Learn what this plant is doing, and what it is capable of. Then decide for yourself. And when you see that this plant is safe and effective just as it is, join us to fight to keep Kratom legal. Sign the whitehouse.gov petition to keep Kratom legal. Sign the American Kratom Association petition to keep Kratom legal. 

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/keep-kratom-legal-and-allow-access-all-responsible-citizens

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/keep-kratom-legal-and-allow-access-all-responsible-citizens

I hear ya man. I mean more for sustained sobriety. I apologize for lack of clarification.

No, current research shows oxidation over time actually increases potency.

I've never had any go bad. I keep it in airtight containers. I have thought about growing it but central Texas is not tropical enough, maybe after I build my greenhouse.

Not a big fan of heroin addicts self medicating, if you have a problem, their is a place for you

I've had some in a Ziploc bag for years. Still good

No it lasts if you store it properly, it comes in sealed bags. Kratom grows in Asia so it's hard to grow in our climate.