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'Kratom': Natural substance becoming a growing problem?

Odd_nonposter

Bluelighter
Joined
Feb 21, 2011
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114
'Kratom': Natural substance becoming a growing problem?
abc15.com (WPTV)
July 5, 2011

By: Dan Krauth, WPTV

There’s a new natural substance just about anyone can buy in stores across the nation, including the Valley, that doctors say can be more addictive and dangerous than some illegal drugs.

It’s a substance many young people are taking and substance abuse experts say it can be more difficult to get off of than heroin.

It’s called Kratom. It’s from the leaf of a tree grown in Southeast Asia and it’s legal in the United States.

We found a simple online search reveals there are Phoenix businesses that openly sell Kratom and dozens of others that sell it over the Internet.

It may not be illegal, but some say it is certainly concerning.

...

Kratom is a big substance in the rehab community. Doctors said many people are taking it as a substitute for drugs like heroin or oxycodone. It does not show up on a drug test. Many doctors are now trying to get the drug banned.

Some reports show Kratom has a chemical structure similar to a psychedelic drug. Its been reported that it can act as a stimulant in low doses and sedative in high doses.

More at http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/regio...ce-called-'kratom'-becoming-a-growing-problem
 
WHAT ?!?! WHAT?!??! NOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kratom was doing SOO good flying under the radar.. DAMN U STUPID ASS HEAD SHOPS THAT SELL BULLSHIT KRATOM!!
"more difficult to get off than HEROIN" ?!?!? wtf?? your seriously going to say that? b/c we all know that statement is absolute nonsense!

damn, but seriously, I was hoping that kratom would stay under the radar and I was pretty sure it was going to seeing that its "effects" are pretty mild to non-existent in most users.. If the US or UK tries to make kratom illegal you can pretty much bet vitamin C and B vitamins will be next!
 
I highly doubt they will schedule Kratom anytime soon. The DEA has been aware of it for many years.
 
Lol @ "a new natural substance." That's some stellar researching the author did. Jesus. Articles like this piss me off. Kratom has managed to stay low key and avoid this kind of publicity, as far as I know at least. All that articles like this do is let a bunch of people in on a substance they weren't previously aware of and then some dumbass will do something stupid and then parents will start bitching about how the kids aren't safe and blah, blah, blah. Like when that governor made such a fuss about the Silk Road, he just ended up boosting the number of members, most of which would never have heard of it.
 
I guess every drug is no harder to get off then heroin. HURR DURR LETS BAN MORE HARMLESS PLANTS
 
I think kratom abuse is rather limited in scope.
1. You basically can't IV it, snort it, or smoke it.
2. The tea tastes too plant-y for most people.
3. A lot of people don't get the effects they want.
4. Forcing down 20 grams of powder to catch a buzz is... a bit much.
5. I've yet to see someone get shot or robbed over kratom.
 
I think kratom abuse is rather limited in scope.
1. You basically can't IV it, snort it, or smoke it.
2. The tea tastes too plant-y for most people.
3. A lot of people don't get the effects they want.
4. Forcing down 20 grams of powder to catch a buzz is... a bit much.
5. I've yet to see someone get shot or robbed over kratom.

Yeah, exactly. If they did sell this stuff on the black market, no one would buy it because it sucks for all of those reasons. I used to be able to stand it, maybe 4-5 years ago. Now, it makes me vomit. I bet if you ate 20 g of toilet paper you would also get fucked up lol.
 
I highly doubt they will schedule Kratom anytime soon. The DEA has been aware of it for many years.

I'm sure the DEA was aware of it. Unfortunately they're not the only ones that get laws passed against drugs.
 
Bluelight should have a rep that can be contacted by media outlets for comment on stories like these. You never get the Harm Reduction perspective in the Mainstream Media in the US, only LEOs and the rehab industry. I predict this will change in the next few years.
 
It ought to, this is ridiculous. I don't understand how people can get so fucking excited over something so inconsequential.
 
Bluelight should have a rep that can be contacted by media outlets for comment on stories like these. You never get the Harm Reduction perspective in the Mainstream Media in the US, only LEOs and the rehab industry. I predict this will change in the next few years.
We've thrown around that idea in the past. We're quite a bit aways from anything official, though. We can be reached at our admin email address, although there's no guarantee that we'd go on the record about anything...

I'd be somewhat surprised if the media actually took us that seriously.
 
The headshops here are openly advertising it as a "painkiller herb" on tv for fucks sake
 
BECOMING A GROWING PROBLEM MY ASS.
/rage
I've never heard of kids using this, only responsible adults.
 
That article is fucking terrible. That being said, I think kratom will be okay. It's not like the DEA just found out about it. As others have said, kratom is pretty hard to screw up. You'll end up puking well before you take enough to causes any sort of harm. It tastes so bad it's basically self-limiting. I'm sure someone could find a way, but I feel that a death from kratom would be extremely unlikely.
 
Yeah, this is just more bullshit from the media. Nothing about this plant is new. Most users know it can be habit forming, but I don't think comparing it to heroin is fair. Maybe caffeine.

Kratum isn't going to be made illegal. They might as well make nutmeg illegal. I can't wait to see the news story on that one.
 
This is my plea....leave kratom alone. Please...it helps those of us in pain whose scripts run out early because the pill fairy steals a few.
 
Moronic article is moronic.
New? NEW?
Kratom must have more history than 95% of drugs out there.

Reading that article couldn't have been good for my blood pressure.
 
According to the mainstream media every drug there is is a "growing problem."
Bull-fuckingshit
 
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