Kratom: Reviews, Updated News and Commentary on Mitragyna Speciosa

Kratom Dependency and Addiction Myths

2012-02-27T07:01:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5Di3SP2g5w

Thumbs Down for Outlawing Kratom?

2011-02-16T04:25:00.000-08:00

By Dan Weist

The Salt Lake Tribune

First published Feb 11 2011 06:07PM

Updated Feb 12, 2011 12:29AM

A drug advisory committee that helped launch legislation to ban spice and a drug-laden product marketed as bath salts is questioning an amendment to the bill.

And that’s not all the advisory committee, largely a group of Utah doctors, is wondering about. Another bill that would outlaw a plant called kratom is getting the thumbs down from the group.

Members of the controlled substances advisory committee met with lawmakers Friday to voice their concerns, particularly about chemicals or plants included in the bills that committee members feel might not have been researched enough.

The committee was formed last year by lawmakers to advise them on drug issues. But the amended spice bill and the kratom bill were not vetted by committee experts, who include the state medical examiner, a leading drug researcher and others.

Read the rest of the story here...

Can You Trust Other Kratom Vendors? Maybe. But Bodhi Has Been Around For A Long Time.

2010-10-11T18:02:00.001-07:00

Phuket NEWS: Phuket maid murder re-enactment sparks outrage

2010-09-11T16:35:00.000-07:00

Phuket maid murder re-enactment sparks outrage

The confessed killer goes by the nickname “Phee Dib”, which means "zombie" in Thai.

PHUKET: Emotions ran high in Thalang yesterday afternoon as local villagers and relatives of Sunee Premprasert, the maid whose throat was slashed by an intruder on July 22, reacted angrily to the re-enactment of her murder.

Mrs Sunee, 43, was stabbed some 80 times before her throat was slit and she was left to die bleeding on the floor at the home where she worked, said the police report.

The attack was captured on CCTV cameras inside the home, an upscale residence near Sirinat National Park surrounded by cleared land.

The suspect wore a balaclava to hide his face during the reenactment.

He remains unnamed by police as he is just 17 years old, not in his early thirties as initially estimated.

Brought to the scene by Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong and Tah Chat Chai Police Superintendent Sakchai Limcharoen, the youth was protected from the angry crowd by a squad of officers.

The protection was very much needed. After the re-enactment, officers had to rush the youth into the waiting police car and hold off angry witnesses trying to beat him.

Some climbed up onto the car’s roof and tried to open the doors to get to him.

Present to witness the re-enactment was house owner Khwanjai Aroonjareornkul, 50, who also owns Nanachart Mansion, opposite the Pearl Hotel on Montri Rd in Phuket Town.

Also present were Sunee’s cousins and village neighbors.

The youth, identified as a Thalang resident and a former student at Phuket Technology College, was given the nickname “Phee Dib” (Zombie).

He was arrested on Thursday in Krabi.

After the murder, he fled to his cousin’s house in Tambon Klongphon, in Klong Thom District, the youth told police.

Sai Khao District Police moved in and arrested him at the Klongphon sports field at 5:30pm.

During the re-enactment, he related how the murder unfolded.

He pointed to the bathroom window he scaled at about 5pm that day to gain access to the home, as well as the outdoor kitchen where Sunee was murdered.

He also pointed out some of the CCTV cameras around the house that he had destroyed.

He retraced his steps through the house, showing where he pocketed 500 baht in cash and a mobile phone, the only valuables he could find in the house to steal.

He also explained what motivated the attack. The youth said he drank a few cans of beer before riding past the house. Stopping at the front, he threw a few empty cans at the gate.

Mrs Sunee told him off as he rode away, but her comments angered him into returning and entering the house by climbing over a fence into the maid’s quarters bathroom.

The two argued at the back kitchen for about 20 minutes before Sunee told him to climb back over the fence, even placing a ladder there for him.

That’s when he started stabbing. He stopped only after slicing her throat, he said.

He then spent the next two hours walking around inside the house before Ms Khwanjai returned home.

“He was not afraid of being caught because I arrived home about 8:30pm and he was still inside. I knew something bad had happened, so I drove away from the house and called the police,” Ms Khwanjai said.

The youth is being held in custody at the Phuket Juvenile Observation and Protection Center awaiting trial at the Phuket Provincial Juvenile and Family Court.

The youth’s mother is reportedly a fish vendor at a market in Mai Khao.

His former teachers have said that he was involved with drugs, ya bah (methamphetamine) and kratom leaves in particular.

His urine always tested positive in drug tests at school, they said.

Arrested for Kratom Part 2

2010-08-25T11:03:00.000-07:00

Mother of five nabbed for selling ketum leaf water

August 3, 2010, Tuesday

KUALA TERENGGANU: A mother of five, whose husband is no longer able to work, decided to take over the task of selling ketum leaf water from her husband.
ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE: Supt Roslan Abdul Wahid showing ketum leaf water that was seized in a house at Kampung Simpang Empat during the press conference. — Bernama photo

ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE: Supt Roslan Abdul Wahid showing ketum leaf water that was seized in a house at Kampung Simpang Empat during the press conference. — Bernama photo

However, it was not long before the police nabbed the 32-year-old woman at her house in Kampung Simpang Empat, Chendering here on Sunday.

“She had just packed 117 packets of ketum water weighing 10 litres worth RM350 allegedly to be sold in the village when the police moved in.

“She took over the unsavoury task from her husband who is suffering from diabetes and heart ailments,” said Terengganu Narcotics CID chief Supt Roslan Abdul Wahid.

“Her husband, who is in his 50s, had been arrested for selling ketum water several times before and fined by the court. But the duo were unperturbed and continued with the ketum water trade,” he said, adding that they acquired ketum leaves from Johor.

In another case, the police arrested a labourer and seized 46 grams of heroin worth RM14,000 from a house in Kampung Raja, Chendering.

Roslan said the 38-year-old man, who was allegedly a hardcore drug dealer and addict, was remanded for seven days to assist investigations into the case under the Dangerous Drug Act which carries a mandatory death sentence.

Roslan said drug cases increased dramatically in the first half of this year in the state with 5,233 arrests recorded compared to 4,083 in the corresponding period last year.

He said 119 university and school students were arrested for drug abuse in the first half of this year compared to 38 in the corresponding period last year. — Bernama

Original Article: http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=54738

Arrested for Kratom Part 1

2010-08-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

Ex-teacher with 1,020g of ketum leaves arrested

March 29, 2010, Monday

Tagged with: crime drugs

KUCHING: A former teacher from Alor Setar, Kedah was arrested by the police at Kampung Jawa, Jalan Semenggok near here in the late hours of Saturday night for possession of ketum (krathom) leaves — an alternative to other drugs, especially ganja.

Married to a local, the 48-year-old was said to have flown back from his hometown last Wednesday and brought back the ketum leaves for processing before being sold.

The police went to his house at Kampung Jawa and arrested him at about 10.50pm following tip off and surveillance.

The ketum plant is mainly found in the northern part of peninsular especially Kedah.

Usually processed into drinks, these are used by substance abusers in the peninsula as an alternative to get ‘high’ when other narcotics are not so easily available.

The head of Sarawak Police Narcotics Department Superintendent Moses Agat said last Saturday’s case was the first of its kind to be traced in the state although cases involving the addictive ketum leaves were common in the peninsula.

He told reporters here yesterday that the former teacher had 1,020g of ketum leaves in his possession.

Also seized from the man were 268g of ketum stems, which indicated that the man could have intentions to start ketum farming here.

“He (the former teacher) is now under remand, and the case is investigated under Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952.

“If convicted, he could be jailed not more than four years, and fined not more than RM10,000,” he said.

Ketum has been in the news especially in the peninsula for the past several years mainly because some people have been using its leaves as a drug that can give them a ‘high’ akin to some banned narcotics.

It has been reported that many stalls sell drinks made from ketum leaves and since it is cheap, many youths are using it as an alternative to other drugs, especially ganja.

According to police sources, a kg of ketum leaves could cost between RM35 and RM40.

When processed into drinks, it is usually sold between RM2 and RM3 per packet, and a kg of ketum can be processed into 100 packets of drinks.

Ketum leaves and drinks are presently still classified under the Poisons Act, although there are plans by the government to classify them under the Dangerous Drugs Act due to the rising number of cases and effects on substance abusers.

Original Article: http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=20218

Limited Supply of Rifat Strain Kratom Plants

2010-08-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

We have a limited supply of Rifat strain Kratom plants. Please visit http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/13215675_bFeHb and type in the password KRATOM to access. Once you've chosen the plant you want, please contact the seller using the email address supplied.

Again:

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/13215675_bFeHb

Password: KRATOM

The Kratom User's Guide

2009-06-08T13:11:00.001-07:00

The Kratom User's Guide
Version date: September 8, 2008

( The most recent version can always be found at: http://sagewisdom.org/kratomguide.html )

Created by "Sage Student" and Daniel Siebert

The statements below have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
Information regarding the use of kratom in folk medicine is provided for education purposes only, it is not intended as medical advice.

What is kratom?
Kratom is a tree native to Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar [Burma], and elsewhere). Its botanical name is Mitragyna speciosa. Kratom is in the same family as the coffee tree (Rubiaceae). The leaves of kratom have been used as an herbal drug from time immemorial by peoples of Southeast Asia. It is used in folk medicine as a stimulant (at low doses), sedative (at high doses), recreational drug, pain killer, medicine for diarrhea, and treatment for opiate addiction.

How is it taken?
In Thailand, kratom leaves are often chewed fresh (usually after removing the stringy central vein). Dried leaves can also be chewed, but since they are a bit tough, most people prefer to crush them up or powder them so that they can be swallowed. Powdered kratom can be mixed with fruit juice or apple sauce. This partially masks the taste and allows it to be quickly swallowed. Dried kratom leaves are often made into a tea that is strained and then drunk (this is the most frequently used method in the West). Kratom can be smoked, but doing so has no advantage over chewing or making a tea from it. The amount of leaf that constitutes a typical dose is too much to be smoked easily. A paste-like extract can be prepared by lengthy boiling of fresh or dried leaves. This can be stored for later use. Small pellets of this extract can be swallowed, or it can be dissolved in hot water and consumed as a tea. Some people like to mix kratom tea with ordinary black tea, or other herbal teas, before it is consumed. This is done to make it more palatable. Sugar or honey can be added to sweeten it.

How does one make kratom tea?
Following is a basic recipe for making kratom tea. This recipe makes enough tea for 8 to 16 mild doses, 4 medium-strength doses, or two moderately strong doses (see "dosage guidelines" below):
1.) Take 50 grams of dried, crushed kratom leaves and put into a pot. To this add 1 liter of water.
2.) Boil gently for 15 minutes.
3.) Pour the tea through a strainer into a bowl and reserve the liquid.
(squeeze the leaves in the strainer to get most of the liquid out).
4.) Put the leaves back in the pot and add another liter of fresh water. Repeat steps 2 and 3.
(after the leaves have been strained a second time, they can be discarded.)
5.) Put the combined liquid from both boilings back into the pot and boil until the volume is reduced to about 100 ml.
(The idea is to boil the tea down to a small volume so that each individual dose can be quickly swallowed.
You can boil it down to whatever concentration you are comfortable with. Be careful near the end of the process.
If it starts to become syrupy, it may spatter and/or burn.)

The tea is bitter tasting. To minimize the unpleasant taste, gulp it down quickly and then immediately chase it with some pleasant-tasting fruit juice.

The same general preparation method can of course be used with larger or smaller amounts of herb by simply adjusting the volume of water used. Kratom tea can be safely stored in the refrigerator for about five days. It is probably okay to keep it a bit longer, but it's better to play it safe and not drink it after five days. It can be stored for many months if you add some alcohol to it. Adding about 10% alcohol will preserve it for many months (in the refrigerator). That is one part 80 proof liquor (vodka, rum, or a similar spirit) to three parts kratom tea.

What are the effects?
Kratom is a rather unique drug in that a low to moderate dose will usually (but not always) be stimulating, while a high dose is almost always quite sedating. This is apparently because the active alkaloids have both stimulant and sedative effects. Which predominates probably depends both on blood level and individual differences between users.

The stimulant level: At the stimulant level the mind is more alert, physical energy and sometimes sexual energy is increased, ability to do hard monotonous physical work may be improved, one is more talkative, friendly, and sociable. Some people find this level edgy rather than pleasant.

The sedative-euphoric-analgesic level: At this dosage you will be less sensitive to physical or emotional pain, feel and look calm, have a general feeling of comfortable pleasure, and may enter a pleasant dreamy reverie. You may experience some itching or sweating. Your pupils may be constricted (small). It is possible you may feel nauseated, but if you lie down and relax the nausea should quickly cease. You may find your appreciation of music is increased. It will be very pleasant to lie down on your back in a semi-darkened room, with eyes closed, and just listen to your favorite music. If you do this you may be fortunate enough to enter the delightful mixed-state of ‘waking-dreaming’ where you have one foot in dreamland and the other foot in the real world. This state was much prized by the 19th century Romantic writers, who, lacking knowledge of kratom, resorted to the much more habit-forming narcotic, opium, to achieve it. The effects of kratom usually last about six hours. The higher the dose, the stronger the effects, and the longer they last. Many people report a positive ‘afterglow’ the next day.

What effects are associated with different doses? (dosage guidelines)
2-6 grams = mild effects (typically the effects are stimulant-like)
7-15 grams = medium strength effects (the effects can be stimulant-like or sedative-euphoric-analgesic)
16-25 grams = strong effects (sedative-euphoric-analgesic effects; too strong for highly sensitive people)
26-50 grams = very strong effects (sedative-euphoric-analgesic effects; TOO STRONG FOR MOST PEOPLE)

Caution: These dosage guidelines apply to kratom leaves (not extracts). People vary in sensitivity to kratom, and different batches of kratom vary in potency (sometimes quite a lot), so these dosage estimates should be regarded as loose approximations. One should always start with a low dose when experimenting with a new batch of kratom. One can then increase the dose gradually with subsequent experiments until one obtains the desired level of effects. DO NOT take a strong, or very strong dose, the first time you are sampling a new batch of kratom. Most people experience nausea when using doses above 25 grams. Sensitive individuals may experience nausea at lower doses, but usually not at doses below 10 grams. For this reason, it is best to take kratom on an empty stomach when using strong doses (i.e. wait about 3 hours after eating). Some people are hypersensitive to kratom, and may expereince adverse reactions (such as severe and prolonged vomiting) when using strong doses.

What are the risks? How safe is it?
When kratom is taken by itself (without mixing it with other drugs), the greatest risk is falling asleep while engaged in hazardous activities. NEVER drive while under the influence of kratom, even if you feel stimulated, rather than sleepy, for sleepiness may come on you without warning. Use common sense. Do not use power tools or climb ladders while under the influence of kratom. Be careful not to leave a pot on a lit stove and then fall asleep.

Pregnant women should not take any drug or medication except on medical advice. Since there have been no studies of the risks of kratom use by pregnant women, it is not known whether it could cause birth defects or fetal death. We strongly recommend that any woman who could possibly be pregnant NOT use kratom.

Is kratom habit forming?
Although a small number of people have become dependent on kratom (primarily in Thailand), kratom is not habit forming when it is used responsibly. If used occasionally as a recreational drug, rather than daily, there is virtually no risk of becoming dependent on it. But it is very important not to get into the habit of using it every day. For kratom, like many drugs [e.g. alcohol, coffee, tobacco, etc.] if used on a daily basis for a prolonged period of time, could become a habit hard to break. IT IS IMPORTANT NOT TO USE KRATOM EVERY DAY. Before starting to experiment with it set yourself usage guidelines. If you EVER find it is hard to stay within your usage guidelines immediately quit using kratom.

What are safe usage guidelines?
It is best to err on the side of caution. Therefore, we recommend that people not use Kratom more than once a week. Preferably, no more than once or twice a month. This will insure that Kratom does not become a habit. In other words, kratom should be reserved as a special, but OCCASIONAL treat. By using it infrequently, you will avoid habituation and get more pleasure from it.

Are there any reported health problems?
Health problems are unlikely unless one is consuming large quantities of kratom every day. In Thailand, where there are some people who use kratom every day, those dependent on it can develop weight loss, dark pigmentation of the face, and have physical withdrawal symptoms if they quit abruptly. The withdrawal symptoms may include muscle aches, irritability, crying, runny nose, diarrhea, and muscle jerking. Health problems are unlikely to occur in occasional kratom users. Like any drug or medicine, people's reactions vary and some people could possibly have an allergic or other unusual reaction to kratom, even if they used it responsibly.

Can kratom be combined safely with other substances?
In general, combining drugs can be risky. We recommend that kratom not be combined with yohimbine, cocaine, amphetamine-like drugs, or large doses of caffeine, because of the possibility of over-stimulation or increased blood pressure. We recommend that kratom not be combined with large amounts of alcohol, with benzodiazepines, opiates (other than possible use with red poppy tea—see below), or any other drugs that depress the nervous system. This is because of the possibility that such combinations might cause over-sedation or even possible respiratory depression (not breathing), We recommended that kratom not be combined with Syrian rue, Banesteriopsis caapi, or any other MAO inhibitor drug. Serious, even fatal, reactions can occur if MAO inhibitor drugs are combined with monoamine drugs. The combination of MAO inhibitor drugs with kratom, which contains monoamine alkaloids, has not been studied.

Certain combinations have been reported by users to be pleasant and supposedly safe. Kratom can certainly be combined with ordinary tea without risk. It has been used with a tea made from red poppy flowers (Papaver rhoeas), which itself has an extremely mild narcotic effect, and with a sedating-euphoriant tea made from ‘blue lotus’ (Nymphaea caerulea). It has been safely combined with SMALL quantities of alcohol, however large quantities of alcohol must be avoided. Some people report they like to smoke tobacco or cannabis while under the influence of kratom. But anyone smoking under the influence of kratom must be very careful not to nod off and drop lit smoking materials.

What is kratom's legal status?
Kratom is illegal in Australia, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), and Thailand (these countries impose sever penalties for possession of the herb). It is legal in most other countries, including the United States and all of Europe. Laws can and do change, so be sure that kratom is legal where you live before using it.

What are kratom's active constituents?
There are many closely-related tryptamine alkaloids in kratom. The most important ones are mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. These are primarily responsible for kratom’s pain relieving, sedative, euphoric, and stimulating effects. These alkaloids resemble yohimbine in structure, but do not have the same effects.

Where can kratom be purchased?
There are a number of online merchants who sell the dried leaves, extracts, or both. One of the authors of this guide offers kratom through the Sage Wisdom Salvia Shop. Beware of misleading labels and marketing hype. Some vendors offer several different grades of kratom leaves (with names such as "premium," "super," and "super premium"). Many users have found that there is little if any difference in these "different" grades. Kratom leaves do vary in potency, but it does not appear that vendors have found a reliable method for separating the leaves accordingly. It is important to find a trustworthy source. There have been problems with some vendors selling bogus "kratom" (misrepresenting other herbs as kratom).

Can kratom be cultivated?
Kratom plants are occasionally offered for sale by nurseries that specialize in unusual medicinal plants. They can be grown as house plants (but will have to be cut back because they can grow quite large). They prefer a humid environment. They dislike cold weather and do not tolerate frost. Potted plants can be grown outdoors in temperate climates when the weather is sufficiently warm, and grown indoors the rest of the time. Kratom can be grown outdoors all year in tropical climates. Potted plants should be lightly fertilized every few weeks, but only when actively growing. They can be propagated from cuttings.

“You Have So Much Kratom - Which One’s for Me?”

2009-03-04T05:27:00.000-08:00

"Yes, one of the most common “problems�?� many of our new customers or new spiritual explorers have, is the sheer variety of products we have here at the shop. The main reason we have so many different types of products to choose from, especially when it comes to Kratom, is because it is such a popular product, and just as different people like different incenses or clothes or cars or music…it�??s no different with Kratom.

First, although I have my personal favorite (which is the Standardized 15x Kratom Extract), we do our best to carry as wide a variety of Kratom products as possible, to suit as many of our customers�?? tastes as possible. By offering every kind of Kratom we can find, including our own personal Forest of Kratom from our Private Reserve, to the Commercial Kratom found absolutely everywhere, to the Maeng Da Kratom that someplace s offer (including us), we want to empower you to make your own decisions, to read the descriptions, and simply decide what you feel is �??right�?� for you.

Secondly, we offer as many varieties of some herbal products as possible to educate you. Many vendors try to pass off inferior product as something more than it is. A great example would be Hawaiian Baby Woodrose seeds. We carry a number of varieties; from the inexpensive and low germination-rated Ghana seeds, to the ultra-rare Private Reserve HBWR seeds that we cultivate ourselves. We include actual photos as well, so you can get a clear idea of what each variety looks like, while reading an accurate description, allowing you to make your own choice with what you feel suits you most.

And, this is exactly the case with Kratom. We have everything from dried Kratom leaves to powders, extracts, resins, and even Live Plants. And, even with the Live Plants, we give you (as of this writing) TWO choices instead of one, to not only educate you, but to let you choose the variety that strikes you the most.

So, personally, I like both the 15x and the plain leaf, but all varieties of Kratom seem to sell equally as well. So, empower yourself, try a couple, and see which one has the richest aroma and burns most effectively for you."

This was taken from Bodhi's blog which can be found at his site here:

Kratom Galore

2008-11-05T09:42:00.000-08:00

It seems nowadays you can get kratom everywhere and at anytime and have it shipped as fast as you'd like. I remember back when there were only a couple shops selling it. Those were the days when we were safe from the abusers. I've been asked by many if I believe kratom will become illegal as it has been painted as a legal drug or compared to illicit and illegal drugs or as a drug alternative. My answer is typically the same I would give with the status of Salvia divinorum and how quick it has become illegal in so many states. We already know the FBI is aware of kratom and the FDA and the....
I've often thought of stocking up on kratom but what would happen if it became illegal? You might as well have heroin or opium in your possession. Well, not quite but you get the idea.

contact@kratomblog.com

Self Treatment of Opioid Withdrawal Using Kratom

2008-10-14T05:40:00.000-07:00

Self-Treatment of Opioid Withdrawal Using Kratom - Upload a Document to Scribd

Kratom is Good

2008-08-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

Where can you find good kratom these days? There are many places that are selling it and I know of one online shop I've used for many years that has been consistent. You can visit them here: http://www.iamshaman.com/kratom.htm?B=12&A=221

Baba Kratom --- Mmm Good!

2007-11-12T12:17:00.000-08:00

I don't know how many readers know what Baba Gannouj is. It is a Middle Eastern food. .

Baba Ghannoj is a dip made from broiled eggplant, chick peas, sesame tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic and salt. In many supermarkets, It is available already prepared. Or if you have a food processor it is very simple to make your own. Just put all the ingredients in a blender and whiz up for a minute.

Baba Gannouj turns out to be the perfect food into which to blend powdered Bali leaf! The resulting paste has no kratom taste, no unpleasant bitterness, and its texture perfectly masked the grittiness of the kratom.

To make "Baba-Kratom", mix the kratom leaf powder into the Baba Gannouj, mixing well until no dry powder can be seen. Consume immediately (don't let it sit around and become bitter). You can just eat the Baba Kratom by itself, or spread it onto bread and eat it that way.

Eaten on an empty stomach, Baba Kratom' tasted wonderful, and typical kratom effect was noted 1 hour after ingestion, the effect peaking at 2 hours.

"Try it, you'll like it". And how! Mmm good!

Herbal Explorer

Several Ways to Ingest Kratom

2007-09-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

There are a number of different ways to ingest kratom. In this post I will describe several different ways to use kratom leaf powder orally. You can purchase kratom leaf powder, or if you have crushed dried leaf, you can make the poweder yourself.

To make kratom leaf powder grind crushed dried leaves in a whirling blade blender, a Cuisinart, an electric spice mill, or a whirling blade coffee grinder. Strain the resulting powder through a fine mesh wire collander several times. Set aside the pieces of vein and leaf stem that will be screened out, they can be used to make kratom tea (see below). The powder that passes through the wire mesh collander is what you want to use as kratom powder.

Now that you have kratom leaf powder, how can you use it? Here are the ways that I find work best for me.

1. Kratom leaf powder can be gel-capped. This is probably the best way for those who find the taste of kratom obnoxious. To gel-cap kratom powder you will need to purchase gelatin capsules or Vegi-caps. They are available online from several merchants such as spicediscounters.com. You will also need to purchase an inexpensive manual encapsulating machine such as a Capsule Machine®. Sources of gel-caps often also sell capsule making machines. Don't spend more than you have to on one, as the cheap ones work well for non-commercial purposes. The advantage of this method is ease of taking kratom. The disadvantage is that gel-capping is time-consuming, even with a capsule-making machine.

2. You can add the powder to chocolate soy-milk or regular chocolate milk and blend it up in a blender to make a kratom milk-shake. This will make the powder palatable. This is a quick method of preparing kratom for ingestion. You must drink the shake very quickly before the kratom particles settle out.
Disadvantage of this method: the effects come on slower and are a bit weaker if milk-shake is used as the vehicle. This is probably because gastric emptying is delayed by the milk. and also because the milk-protein will coagulate around the particles once in the stomach, making it hard for the alkaloids to leach out of the particles.

3. You can make kratom tea. This can be done using powder or cruushed leaf, or 'veins and stems'. The extraction of alkaloids is quicker and more complete if you use powder rather than crushed leaf or veins and stems. The following is a recipe for kratom-cinnamon tea, which if sweetened actually tastes fairly good (ginger root, or ginger powder can be added to the cinnamon and kratom to make the resulting tea taste like Chai-tea).

To a quart of water add the kratom leaf powder. The amount you will use depends on your individual tolerance to kratom, but don't overdo it or the drink will be nauseating and much too strong. Boil the kratom powder at a low boil for 5 minutes, then add a cinnamon stick, NOT powdered cinnamon, and boil for 5 more minutes, or until the amount of liquid is reduced to half its original volume. Filter the tea through a tea strainer, and then optionally (if you want a clear looking tea), filter it again through a paper coffee filter. Sweeten and drink it as you would regular tea. The residue you filtered out still contains some kratom alkaloids, therefore you may want to return it to the pot with more water and repeat the whole tea-making procedure, finally adding the second batch of tea to the first.

Some people add other legal psychoactive herbs to the tea. Some such sedating tea-herbs include chamomile, Blue Egyptian Water Lily, Red Poppy flowers, Lotus stamens, or Linden blossoms. Or add maté for a more stimulating drink.

Advantages of kratom tea: Tastes fairly good if not too concentrated. Disadvantages - time consuming, the strength of the tea may vary from batch to batch

4. You can add kratom powder to a cup of room-temperature or refrigerated apple-sauce. Add powdered cinnamon and a sweetner such as honey, sugar, or Splenda® and stir well until the powder is thoroughly mixed into the applesauce. Consume at once, for if you let it stand too long the applesauce becomes bitter. Advantages: A very quick and fairly palatable way to ingest kratom. Disadvantage, unless the powder if fairly fine the resulting applesauce may be unpleasantly gritty. Using a chunky applesauce helps hide the grittiness.

5. You can simply swallow the powder with water (or fruit-juice). This is the quickest way to take kratom powder, but if you don't do it right you can wind up inhaling powder, which is certainly not a wise idea.

To swallow the powder without choking on it do the following: First hyperventilate several times, and then take a deep breath and hold it in. While breathing out ever-so-slowly through your nose, put a teaspoon of powder in the front of your mouth and immediately take a small sip of water without swallowing, but while still slowly exhaling. Still exhaling very slowly through your nose, mush the powder around with your tongue until you feel it is thoroughly mixed with the water. Then quickly swallow this down with a glass of water. Repeat the whole procedure for every teaspoon of powder you will be ingesting. Do not try to swallow more than one teaspoon of powder per glass of water.

6. Hershey's chocolate syrup can be used as a vehicle to mix kratom powder into. Then spoon this over ice-cream or strawberries and consume at once. Advantages: Tastes good. Disadvantages: Ice-cream, like milkshake (see above) may interfere with rapid absorption of kratom alkaloids.

7. Kratom powder can be mixed into honey and this mixture spread over a slice of dark bread such as rye, pumpernickle, or whole wheat. Place another slice of bread un top and eat your kratom sandwich.

--- Herbal Explorer

What is the Worst that Can Happen with Abuse or Long Term Use of Kratom?

2007-09-13T18:22:00.001-07:00

On a kratom list the following question was asked: "So what is the worst that can happen with the abuse and long term use of Kratom?"

This post tries to answer that question. The following answers may seem obvious to many, but readers differ a lot in their knowledge about kratom:

Abuse, long term use, and dependence are all different.

Abuse is use of a drug in a harmful way. Using kratom just once but getting into an auto accident because one took a large dose and tried to drive on it IS abuse. So is using it when one has a medical condition which might make using kratom dangerous. So is frequently missing work because one is too drugged on kratom.

Long term use is not necessirily dependence or abuse. Long term use is quite different depending on whether it is long term daily use, or long term once or twice a week use. The former will quite often (but not always) result in physical dependence, tolerance and withdrawal if kratom is stopped abruptly. But the later will not.

Dependence is strong psychological (often compulsive) craving for a drug, and/or a physical need to take the drug to avoid characteristic withdrawal symptoms.

As for the worst that can happen, well several bad things can happen:

1. You CAN get hooked on it. Getting hooked on anything is not a good idea. And getting hooked on kratom, with both psychological and physical dependence is possible. According to those kratom users with past history of opioid addiction, getting hooked on kratom is not nearly as bad as getting hooked on heroin, which can destroy your finances, make it impossible to hold a job, ruin your social relationships, mess up your love life, give you AIDS from using dirty needles, or land you in jail or dead.

But if anyone gets hooked on kratom he/she can wind up paying out a LOT of money for kratom over the years. Unless one is rich, that's a problem. And so too, regardless of financial issues, is being dependent on (rather than just enjoying) kratom.

To avoid getting hooked DON'T use kratom daily. To be safe, keep your usage down to no more often than twice a week, and don't get into the pattern of doing it two days running. If you strictly limit your kratom use to twice a week or less, it will cost you much less, you won't get hooked, and when you take kratom you will enjoy it more. It's a win-win situation.

As far as I know, no one who STRICTLY followed this advice has developed compulsive psychological dependence on kratom, or had withdrawal symptoms upon quitting it.

But if anyone finds they are using kratom more and more frequently, that should be taken as a serious danger signal, a warning to quit it entirely while still are able to do so.

2. Another VERY serious problem is getting into an auto accident by driving under the influence of kratom. While low doses of kratom might, or might not, not significantly impair driving ability (people vary), high doses certainly DO impair it. Of course, those who have developed a high tolerance to kratom's effects would be less impaired by a given dose than those not tolerant to it. And some people are naturally more effected by kratom than others.

Therefore, do not assume that because someone you know drove safely on a certain dose of kratom that his dose will not impair you. NEVER drive on a dose of kratom that possibly could impair your alertness, reaction time, ability to judge distance, reflexes, coordination or attention. The same goes for other physically hazardous activities such as using power tools, climbing ladders etc.

3. Daily kratom use could cause chronic constipation and problems related to that, such as hemorrhoids, or worse, fecal impaction. Those taking kratom daily who experience serious constipation should, every day, take a safe bulk-laxative such as Metamucil (with plenty of water) to minimize constipation. Metamucil will not cause diarrhea. But remember that it must be taken with enough water or juice so it won't gel in one's esophagus and plug it up! Follow the label instructions.

4. Whether chronic heavy daily kratom use really would result in other health problems such as psychiatric problems, facial skin discoloration, seizures, or liver disease is unknown. But an old Thai study (which I don't have that much confidence in) suggests it might. So don't go overboard.

5. Those with sleep apnea might experience a worsening of their condition from kratom. Since this is certainly the case with other narcotics, it is reasonable to assume the same may occur with kratom.

Those with sleep apnea probably should not take kratom at all. But if anyone with sleep apnea does chose to take kratom, he definitely should not take it late in the day; for if someone takes kratom late in the day, there still will be significant levels of kratom alkaloids present in his system when he sleeps, and this might increase the number of apneic episodes.

Taken NOT TOO OFTEN , in reasonable doses, with attention to physical safety issues like not getting behind the wheel, kratom is for most people a very safe legal drug.

But still kratom IS a drug, and it is not absolutely safe. Taken in high doses every day for a long time, it certainly can cause addiction, although this addiction is not as destructive to physical health, or social and occupational functioning, as the addiction problems from abusing prescription narcotics, street narcotics such as heroin, excessive alcohol, or tobacco.

Perhaps someday, if kratom remains legal, there will be trustworthy studies on its effect on morbidiy and mortality. None exist. In the absence of such studies, the best one one can do is to make an educated guess what its actual long term health effects might be. On the basis of what is known about kratom, I estimate that using it is probably more risky than drinking coffee, tea, or kava, but much safer than compulsive over-eating or heavy use of alcohol, and orders of magnitude safer than cigarets.

Herbal Explorer

Controlling Kratom Usage

2007-09-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

Many, myself included, find kratom (when used wisely) to be a life enhancing pleasure. But, like coffee, tobacco, or alcohol, kratom IF USED TOO FREQUENTLY can become a habit. So the skill to learn is how to use it, without using it too often. That is what this article is about --- sensible use, using without abusing.

Not everyone who uses kratom has difficulty in limiting how often they use it, but clearly some do. Fortunately for them, a kratom habit is MUCH less harmful than is a tobacco or alcohol habit. But, while kratom is NOT a "killer drug", and unlike too much alcohol it does not lead to out of control behavior, it is best not to develop any sort of drug habit, not even a relatively safe kratom habit.

Those who unwisely use kratom every day for weeks or longer may develop varying degrees of physical and psychological dependence on it. If they then quit 'cold turkey' they may experience withdrawal symptoms. These can range from none at all, to trivial, to mild, to moderate in severity. Most people report trivial to mild withdrawal symptoms, but some have a rougher time of it. Life threatening withdrawal symptoms will not occur, but some people will get pretty uncomfortable. Kratom withdrawal symptoms often resemble those of a very mild cold, but if moderately severe may include runny nose, chilly or feverish sensations, muscle aches, watery eyes, depressed mood, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, irritability and diarrhea.

The withdrawal syndrome is self-limiting, and the worst of it is over in about 4 days. Milder symptoms may persist several more days. Kratom withdrawal is not the end of the world, but is not something one wants to go through.

So how can a kratom user avoid EVER going through this discomfort? It's really very simple to do, IF from the beginning of your kratom use, you make sure you don't take it more often than twice a week. Just remember that those who never take kratom more often than twice per week will NOT experience any symptoms of kratom withdrawal when they do without it.

For many kratom users, keeping usage to twice a week (or less often), and never using it two days in a row, is easy to do. It works painlessly for me. And there are real advantages to limiting one's use to twice a week: kratom will not lose its pleasure, you won't wind up spending all your money on kratom, and you won't become dependent on it. These are three excellent reasons for never using it more than twice in any one week.

Yet, truth be told, on the kratom lists, there are some kratom users (many of these with a history of addiction to far more damaging substances than kratom) who report they find it difficult to stick to twice a week usage. For them I recommend giving up kratom completely as the safest course of action. However, many are unwilling to do this, yet who really do wish to keep their usage within the twice a week safe limit, but find that 'somehow' they are using it more often than they intend.

The plan which follows is written for such people, those who wish to limit their use to twice a week, but who need the specific help a detailed, no-exceptions plan can provide.

Note: This is a plan for those not currently physically dependent on kratom, who wish to continue to use kratom without getting hooked. Those who are currently dependent on kratom should first come off kratom completely (either cold turkey, or through a gradual taper) and remain kratom-free for at least several weeks. Then they should carefully consider whether they really have the will-power to stick to this plan (many with a history of addictions, do not). If they are unsure, they would be best off not resuming kratom use at all. But if they wish to try the plan they must make a sincere committment to stick to it without exception, and follow it to the letter. IF FOLLOWED EXACTLY the following plan should work.

The Controlled Use Plan

Follow these five simple rules. So long as you do so, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, your kratom usage should AUTOMATICALLY remain in control. The trick is to follow these five rules without exception. No excuses for breaking these rules. If you break the rules, you simply are not following the plan. Print these rules out, and keep them handy to refer to.

1. USE A CALENDAR FOR FEEDBACK. Mark your actual (not intended but actual) days of kratom usage on a calendar, i.e., make a mark on the calendar each day when you actually take kratom. Don't fill out the calendar in advance. This way you can't fool yourself about how often you really use kratom. The calendar will provide feedback to you about how you are doing. This feedback is important. If your calendar shows that you are breaking the following rules, quit kratom IMMEDIATELY because you are starting to lose control.

2. USE ONLY ONCE ON THE WEEKEND. If you use it on Saturday you may not use it on Sunday.

3. USE ONLY ONCE DURING THE WORK-WEEK. If you use kratom on Tuesday, you may not use it again Wednesday, or Thursday or Friday.

4. ALWAYS ALLOW AT LEAST TWO KRATOM FREE DAYS BEFORE USING AGAIN. Example: if you used Saturday the next day you may use will be Tuesday because Sunday and Monday would be the two kratom free days.

5. NO OPIATES. NONE AT ALL. You must absolutely avoid opiate usage, this is because there is cross-tolerance between kratom and opiates.

If you feel a desire to take kratom sooner than this schedule permits, DON'T do it, but (if you won't be driving or using power
tools) you may take kava, or chamomile, or valerian instead. These are not the same as kratom of course, but they will relax you, and will help control feelings of anxiety or irritability. Avoid kava though if you are drinking, using Tylenol(acetaminophen), or have a history of liver disease.

Herbal Explorer

Red Vein or White Vein Kratom

2007-09-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

Ok, so there's a debate on whether or not there's a Red Vein or a White Vein Kratom. Here's a video of a Rifat Strain Mitragyna Speciosa tree. See if you can tell if it's Red or White. After guessing, tell us why you think it is the color you chose. BTW, this is a trick question for those of you who haven't picked up on that yet. =)

Kratom and Responsibility

2007-09-02T17:24:00.000-07:00

I decided to go to Google search and see if the old site was indexed as Google will have a cache of the site stored. Lo and behold, it was, so I copied the text from the old blog and am posting it here now in its entirety minus the comments made:

"Making Kratom Illegal
Posted in Gary by admin on May 25th, 2007
Everyone who supports the use of any ethno-botanical or botanical should do what they can to make sure that we act responsibly not only in our use of herbs but in what we say on and in any public forum whether it be to our own family members, our educators, our spiritual leaders or via the internet blogs and forums unless of course they are supporters already.
Many will go against something that frightens them for no other reason than that they fear the unknown. Racism is a good example of this. Racists will judge another human being based upon the color of their skin. Their culture and mannerisms are foreign to them and are viewed as a threat whether real or imagined.
What can we do to protect our right to buy and sell Kratom? Education and discretion.
True, not all can be educated and admittedly there a some things in our own lives that need improving yet we do nothing about it and this should remind us that those we want educated may or may not listen to what we have to say and we therefore must be patient.
Discretion. This should be a no-brainer and over and over I find references to illicit and illegal drugs and drug use being compared to Kratom. Law enforcement and those looking for a reason to make Kratom and other herbs illegal are actively documenting references to Kratom and any negativity related to it.
Watch what you post and watch what you say and the life of Kratom remaining legal may be prolonged for days to come.

Gary
Kratomplants.com "