The journey of traditional herb kratom – from banned narcotic to legal cash crop

[webfact]

A farmer tending to a kratom plant on a farm in Nonthaburi. (Photo by Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) / AFP)

 

By Thai PBS World’s General Desk

 

For nearly 80 years, traditional herbal remedy kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) featured on the list of banned substances. But on August 24 it was not only legalized but also became a promising cash crop.

 

Thai PBS World explores the benefits of this herb, its journey back to legality, and why it was banned for so many decades.

 

Benefits & harm

Indigenous to Southeast Asia and widespread in the South of Thailand, kratom has been used as a herbal remedy for decades. This evergreen tropical plant is used to treat diarrhea, muscular aches, and insomnia. In bygone days, chewing kratom was popular among Thais as a way of easing anxiety or boosting their energy to work longer hours. Research is now underway on kratom as a treatment for opioid addiction.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/the-journey-of-traditional-herb-kratom-from-banned-narcotic-to-legal-cash-crop/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-09-01

 

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[marcusb]

""The bill stipulates that permission needs to be secured from authorities to grow, distribute import, or export kratom for industrial use.""

 

 

So it's going to be like cannabis, friends of influential people will be able to prosper from the plant, not farmer Somchai. 

[sanuk711]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

In bygone days, chewing kratom was popular among Thais as a way of easing anxiety or boosting their energy to work longer hours.

Anyone tried it ?--What does it taste like ?...................Asking for a friend.........

[248900_1469958220]

6 minutes ago, sanuk711 said:

Anyone tried it ?--What does it taste like ?...................Asking for a friend.........

I have had it many times. It is everywhere in my area. At smaller doses...say 1 - 3 leaves its a stimulant, but kind of relaxes you at the same time. At higher doses...say 10 leaves its more like an opiate feeling. It tastes like <deleted>. Many many people in my area eat it. I don't recommend eating too much of it. I will now take it more that it is legal. Its good to take a small dose with coffee.....however, start eating large doses everyday and it could get hard to come off it....

[IvorBiggun2]

Had it as a tea but felt nothing. Had THC oil and that did nothing also.

[Jai Dee]

A troll post and subsequent argumentative responses have been removed.

[Mickeymaus]

I would like to try it. But where can I get it? 

[248900_1469958220]

2 minutes ago, Mickeymaus said:

I would like to try it. But where can I get it? 

If you live here in Thailand and speak some Thai ask your friendly motorcycle taxi dude. Its everywhere in central Thailand.....and the Southern provinces I  believe. I think up north it doesnt grow as much. I could be wrong about that. 

 

Its 100% legal now so asking around for it isnt a problem anymore. I will be purchasing some myself from an old farmer guy I know down the road. 

[ad61]

I take beteween 3 to 5 leaves daily with my morning black coffee. If i have to work in my plantation ( cutting grass, trimming fruits trees ect.) I usually take a few more (up to 10) during the day. It helps fighting the tiredness of working under hot climate. The taste is very bitter but you get used to it quickly

I have a tree behind my house to avoid any shortage problem.

[248900_1469958220]

25 minutes ago, ad61 said:

I take beteween 3 to 5 leaves daily with my morning black coffee. If i have to work in my plantation ( cutting grass, trimming fruits trees ect.) I usually take a few more (up to 10) during the day. It helps fighting the tiredness of working under hot climate. The taste is very bitter but you get used to it quickly

I have a tree behind my house to avoid any shortage problem.

Damn...lucky you. I am looking into purchasing some cuttings to grow. Having a tree outside that i can just pick away at will would be nice. 

[IvorBiggun2]

12 minutes ago, 248900_1469958220 said:

Damn...lucky you. I am looking into purchasing some cuttings to grow. Having a tree outside that i can just pick away at will would be nice. 

Difficult tree to grow. Grows up to 100ft . Keep well away from the house to prevent root damage.

Edited September 1, 2021 by IvorBiggun2

[IvorBiggun2]

18 minutes ago, 248900_1469958220 said:

I am looking into purchasing some cuttings to grow. Having a tree outside that i can just pick away at will would be nice. 

We can all dream.

Quote

If you try to get Kratom from homegrown trees, it could take years before you even see any type of payoff, and you might not even have any trees survive that long! Rather than waste your precious time, energy, and money, we recommend that you stick to purchasing your Kratom; find another way to use that green thumb!

 

[248900_1469958220]

3 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

We can all dream.

 

Ok, I see. I will stick to getting it off the old dudes tree then...

[1FinickyOne]

1 hour ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Had it as a tea but felt nothing. Had THC oil and that did nothing also.

you think it did nothing and yet you post that avatar? 

[khunpeer]

6 hours ago, marcusb said:

""The bill stipulates that permission needs to be secured from authorities to grow, distribute import, or export kratom for industrial use.""

 

 

So it's going to be like cannabis, friends of influential people will be able to prosper from the plant, not farmer Somchai. 

yep, something like the Tobacco-Monopoly! it's understandable, if there's money to be made they want it taxed!

but it's also true that poor farmer Somchai cannot make a dime on this, while if he would plant tobaccoplants he would be free to do so...

hence government didn't think this through, step by step.

this is asking for trouble as several people have a Kratom-tree in their garden! what is then legal and what not?

same with ganja, if copied the way it is handled in sev American States or Canada, there would be plenty for everyone, plenty jobs and plenty money to be made...

but as with the (mis-)handling of foreign-made-vaccins, they have to invent the wheel themselves over and over again...

[IvorBiggun2]

53 minutes ago, 248900_1469958220 said:

Ok, I see. I will stick to getting it off the old dudes tree then...

Easier in the long run. Now it's become legal everyone will be growing it as per norm and the price will crash.

[IvorBiggun2]

7 hours ago, marcusb said:

So it's going to be like cannabis, friends of influential people will be able to prosper from the plant, not farmer Somchai. 

Out in the stick's it'll be very difficult to police. Police would have to prove who planted the tree in the first place, surely? It grows wild in places. 

[samtam]

I thought you could buy it in pill form, but maybe it needs a pharmacist to supply? Perhaps too early for that.

 

 

[ArcticFox]

4 hours ago, Mickeymaus said:

I would like to try it. But where can I get it? 

https://shopee.co.th/search?keyword=กระท่อม

[earlinclaifornia]

5 hours ago, 248900_1469958220 said:

I have had it many times. It is everywhere in my area. At smaller doses...say 1 - 3 leaves its a stimulant, but kind of relaxes you at the same time. At higher doses...say 10 leaves its more like an opiate feeling. It tastes like <deleted>. Many many people in my area eat it. I don't recommend eating too much of it. I will now take it more that it is legal. Its good to take a small dose with coffee.....however, start eating large doses everyday and it could get hard to come off it....

So how is it consumed? I just had bought it online half a k

 

[248900_1469958220]

1 hour ago, earlinclaifornia said:

So how is it consumed? I just had bought it online half a k

 

If its fresh leaves, strip it of the stem, chew and eat it....if its powder, wash about 2.5 g  to 5 g down with a beverage of your choosing....

[brianthainess]

16 hours ago, Mickeymaus said:

I would like to try it. But where can I get it? 

I can buy a sapling at my local garden and plant shop now 400b

[brianthainess]

11 hours ago, earlinclaifornia said:

So how is it consumed? I just had bought it online half a k

 

You can dry it and make tea. Do not store fresh leaves in the fridge, they rot.

[248900_1469958220]

57 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

You can dry it and make tea. Do not store fresh leaves in the fridge, they rot.

Learnt that the hard way. The leaves actually stay fresh if you keep them in an esky....not sure what other word to use for that, its an Aussie word. Fresh leaves potentially stay good for up to a couple of weeks. I eventually dry them and make powder out of them when I see they are starting to turn......but that was back when it was illegal to eat it, now? I will just pop back down the road with the 'I EAT KRATOM' shirt on and get more.