Brian

A list of baseless claims that kratom causes hallucinations

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In October 2018 we covered a sensationalist news story out of Florida where the director of a for-profit rehabilitation center claimed that kratom caused hallucinations (Scripps Media, 2018). Multiple news stories, press releases by government agencies, and even peer-reviewed published studies have made this claim, all without a shred of hard evidence. The most comprehensive …

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Cleveland Clinic uses O-desmethyltramadol overdoses to support its claim that “kratom has even caused death”

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Cleveland Clinic is one of the highest ranking and most reputable hospital systems in the United States. The nonprofit established in 1921 (Happy Anniversary!) serves over 7 million patients per year, houses the top cardiology program in the nation, and has international campuses in Canada, the UK, and the United Arab Emirates. The Cleveland Clinic …

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Does the FDA want to control kratom because they know it’s safe?

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been an outspoken enemy of legal kratom since 2012. The FDA’s official stance on kratom as of 2019 has been to warn Americans that kratom is a dangerous drug that should never be consumed. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to use Mitragyna speciosa, …

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Let’s look at the Oregon Kratom Consumer Protection Act

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On June 26, Oregon’s state senate passed HB2646, the Oregon Kratom Consumer Protection Act. Governor Kate Brown is expected to sign this bill into law, making Oregon the 6th state to place regulations on kratom vendors to hopefully ensure adult access to pure, uncontaminated kratom. Like other KCPAs, this bill places an age restriction on …

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What’s causing hair loss, a rare side effect in kratom consumers?

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So far, no scientific evidence has been found linking kratom and hair loss, but it seems from several online forums that a very small percentage of American consumers are experiencing this bizarre side effect. Many also report that after discontinuing kratom, their hair grows back. What could be the cause? I could find virtually no …

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The Big Dietary Supplements Industry Wants to Ban Kratom

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Import Alert Imposed During Natural Products Association CEO’s Tenure at FDA Update: As of 2022 NPA and Daniel Fabricant appear to be no longer to be in favor of kratom prohibition*** The Natural Products Association (NPA) describes itself as the “leading trade association for dietary supplements”. Its board members include representatives from massive “nutraceuticals” manufacturers, …

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Interview with Dr. Oliver Grundmann, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Kratom Researcher, University of Florida

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An audio version of this interview can be found on the Kratom Science Podcast #40 Kratom Science: How did you become involved with studying kratom? Oliver Grundmann: It’s an interesting way, how I got involved with kratom. In 2015 one of my Masters students who works in the forensic field with a forensic toxicology lab …

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Kratom Legality in Thailand will go into effect August 24, 2021

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The government of Thailand announced May 26th in the Thai Royal Government Gazette that kratom will be taken off the list of banned narcotics. This is expected to go in effect on August 24th. Growing kratom remains restricted until regulations are set in place with what could eventually become a new kratom industry. A new …

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FDA-Induced Panic by Another Kratom-Induced Seizure

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an import alert on kratom in 2012, giving the agency the legal right to seize imports. The justification for the alert was based on laughably flimsy evidence, including nine deaths in Sweden of a product called “Krypton”, that contained toxic levels of O-desmethyltramadol (Babin, 2018). Since then, the …

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Correlation Found Between Thai Kratom Users and “Good” Cholesterol Levels

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A new study from Thailand (La-up, 2021) found traditional users of kratom had elevated levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good” cholesterol) and low levels of triglycerides, or “fats from the food we eat that are carried in the blood” (Cleveland Clinic 2019). High HDL, low levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad” cholesterol), and …

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