Misc Would you consider Kratom to be an herbal supplement?

[JadedTabs]

Just wanted to get some answers on this because I am not 100% sure.

 

[sekio]

legally, it's a herbal supplement, but in practice people take it like a drug

 

[《Plasticity》]

Sure, but let's be real and admit that it is also a drug as well. Many people supplement with kratom for medicinal benefits such as it's potential antidepressant, anxiolytic, relaxation, stimulation, and analgesic properties but at the end of the day it holds the potential to produce a decent opioid buzz to the opiate naive, or at least those with low tolerance... and as such will produce a physical dependence with frequent use, something not really seen with otc herbal supplements.

Really it all falls down to your definition of a supplement. At the end of the day it is a pretty pointless question though. Just see it for what it is, a weak opioid with medicinal uses that needs to be treated like any other drug with the potential for addiction. Many see the benefits to outweigh the negatives when it comes to daily use. However it is vital that you know what you're getting yourself into in order to make the proper decision... and that you're not using the label of "herbal supplement" as a way of justifying careless use.

 

[morphine-dreams]

I guess you could see it as both, though that also depends on your definition of supplement. If your definition of a supplement is something that is beneficial to your health long term as opposed to temporarily alleviating symptoms, then no, kratom is not a supplement. I think the whole "herbal supplement" started because people/vendors just want to keep it legal. At the end of the day, kratom is a MOR agonist. It gets you high. It's a drug. It's definitely a drug with a host of [potential] medicinal applications though.