A recent review of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found adolescents reported use of kratom in very low numbers. Less than one half of one percent, only 0.44%, of respondents age 12-17 reported ever having used kratom in their lives. Only 0.27% said they consumed kratom in the past month (Sharma …
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Expert Committee On Drug Dependence announced that it does NOT recommend a critical review of kratom or its alkaloids. This effectively ends the process of recommending a so-called “international ban” at this time. In a document released in early December 2021, the ECDD announced: The Committee considered information regarding the …
The World Health Organization will NOT Recommend a Kratom Ban! Read More »
Drug Prohibition is the refusal by a government to reasonably regulate psychoactive substance markets, facilitate open research of psychoactive substances, and provide effective healthcare to people who use drugs. One purpose of drug prohibition is to expand the powers of law enforcement to legally oppress certain communities. John Ehrlichmann, a policy advisor to President Richard …
Dr. Fabian Pitter Steinmetz is a toxicologist from Germany who in 2021 testified for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 44th Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD). There, Dr. Steinmetz gave the case for why kratom should be kept legal. As a member for the European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies (ENCOD), he is …
Coffee is a tropical evergreen plant originating in Ethiopia but now grown worldwide. Two species, Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora, are predominantly sold as a recreational stimulant. Referred to “joe”, “java”, “brew”, “mud”, “liquid cocaine”, “espresso” and “go juice”, coffee is a drug of abuse, primarily used for its psychoactive and stimulant effects, similar to …
Last week we told you about a study published in September 2021 that showed cognitive impairment in high-dose mitragynine (MG), the main alkaloid in kratom. The study was also the subject of Kratom Science Journal Club #26. Researchers discovered that very high doses of MG, like THC and morphine, attach to CB1 receptors and cause …
Dr. Lance McMahon is Chair of the Department of Pharmacodynamics at University of Florida College of Pharmacy. Dr. McMahon is involved in pioneering kratom research that looks at the various kratom alkaloids, how they function on our brain receptors, and how that creates kratom’s complex effects on our bio. We talk about this research, where …
A comprehensive and detailed study in mice from University of Science, Malaysia revealed mitragynine in very high doses is an agonist (binds to and activates) cannabinoid receptor Type 1 (CB1). Mice administered with high-dose mitragynine demonstrated similar reward-seeking behavior and cognitive impairment as mice administered with morphine and THC. Mice that received high-dose mitragynine, morphine, …
Pittsburgh, PA A civil forfeiture action filed in Pittsburgh’s U.S. District Court spells bad news for several kratom companies across the country. The companies in question: Coastline Kratom, Kratom Crazy, and Best Kratom, are all ceasing operations, effective immediately. Two of the companies, Coastline Kratom and Kratom Crazy, are sister companies, previously owned by a …
Note: This content is the result of (1) Brian Gallagher’s interview with Mr. Suhairi Ery, Daily Chairman of PPHI and kratom farmer Mr. Jamaluddin Junaid, translated by Mr. Fadli Ashari, (2) Correspondence between Mr. Ashari and Brian Gallagher via email. (3) Questions written by both Brian Gallagher and Mr. Ashari and agreed upon before the …
Interview with Representatives of PPHI, an Indonesian Farmers’ Co-op Read More »