On Wednesday July 7, the Governor of Rhode Island, Dan McKee, signed a historic bill to legalize the first safe drug consumption site (SCS) in the country. The two-year pilot program will allow individuals to use pre-obtained drugs under the careful guidance of trained professionals. Kratom, on the other hand, remains banned in the state. …
The Untold Truth Behind Harm Reduction Centers and Kratom Read More »
Dr. Kirsten Smith is a post-doc fellow at National Institute on Drug Abuse. With a background in social work and working with communities with substance use disorder, Dr. Smith was instrumental in introducing kratom research to NIDA’s Intramural Research Program, where she works in the in the Real-world Assessment, Prediction, and Treatment Unit. Dr. Smith …
55. Dr. Kirsten Smith of National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Read More »
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 …
A list of baseless claims that kratom causes hallucinations Read More »
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 …
Neuroscientist Dr. Jon Cachat and host Brian Gallagher look at a study from University of Science in Malaysia that studies kratom extracts using various solvents: water, methanol, ethanol, and ethyl acetate. The technique they use, accelerated solvent extracting, uses less time and a lower amount of solvent for a safer and more environmentally friendly extraction …
Journal Club #22: Accelerated Solvent Extracts of Kratom Read More »
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, …
Does the FDA want to control kratom because they know it’s safe? Read More »
Jaclyn O’Shea has such a rich story that we couldn’t possibly tell it all in this short conversation. She is a United States Army veteran who served two tours in the War in Afghanistan. Her husband fought in Iraq in the Battle of Fallujah. He became one of several veterans in that battle who suffered …
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 …
Let’s look at the Oregon Kratom Consumer Protection Act Read More »
Study examined in this episode: Smith, K. E., Bunting, A. M., Walker, R., Hall, M. T., Grundmann, O., & Castillo, O. (2019). Non-Prescribed Buprenorphine Use Mediates the Relationship between Heroin Use and Kratom Use among a Sample of Polysubstance Users. Journal of psychoactive drugs, 51(4), 311–322. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2019.1597224Pubmed link https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30961450/ Link to all studies covered on …
Journal Club #21: Heroin to Buprenorphine to Kratom in Appalachia Read More »
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 …
What’s causing hair loss, a rare side effect in kratom consumers? Read More »
