Decision yet to be reached on making 'kratom' legal
Poungchompoo Prasert
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Public Health Minister Pradit Sintavanarong confirmed yesterday that the narcotics control committee under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has still not reached a decision on whether to remove "kratom" (Mitragyna speciosa) from the prohibited narcotics list.

It could take another two months for the sub-panel, assigned to gather information on the tropical evergreen, to reach its conclusions, he said.

Used for various medicinal purposes, the leaves of the kratom tree are psychoactive when chewed, producing an uplifting mood.

Pradit said the Justice Ministry had consulted the Public Health Ministry on whether kratom could be removed from the illicit drugs list on the grounds that it could be used as a medicine in aiding the recovery of yaba addicts, as well as acting as a substitute for yaba - thus reducing the number of yaba addicts.

Legalisation of kratom would also reduce the number of people being detained for kratom possession, as well as being wrongly charged with possession. The sub-panel, said Pradit, would have to study these factors before a decision could be made.

He said the ministry, in its role as an academic body, would focus on the medical properties of kratom in relation to health, rather than issues surrounding its legal use. However, Pradit stated there were similar substances with the same medical properties as kratom, thus there was no real need to use it.

FDA chief Boonchai Somboonsuk said ministerial agencies were gathering academic information as instructed by Pradit.

If all could agree that kratom should not be classed as an illegal drug, they would inform the committee.

Boonchai said there had already been two attempts to de-list kratom, one in 2004 and the other in 2009, but the committee had refused to change kratom's status as an illegal drug. It would be a good time to review those cases, he said, because there had been many changes and developments since the last case.

Considerations this time would be based on the Justice Ministry's reasoning, and on internationally accepted protocol.


-- The Nation 2013-10-04

the leaves of the kratom tree are psychoactive when chewed, producing an uplifting mood

They should hand this out on every street corner then and make everyone happier.

the leaves of the kratom tree are psychoactive when chewed, producing an uplifting mood

They should hand this out on every street corner then and make everyone happier.

Yeah! It could be the reason we live in "The Land of Smiles."

If they legalise it then its a step in the right direction.

Anything that grows naturally should be legal.

hope the 420 is the next step. Its patethic to see how misinformed the normal person is on this stuff.

I am sure I read somewhere yesterday that it was now legal,

the news in this country has more bends,twists than a country

lane. too often you read this or thats happened and a day or

two later its reported it did not happen!

regards Worgeordie

If it is in their culture then, let it be.... Maybe we can take a little wisdom, with what it is...... But perhaps Thailand feels it has to fit into the niche of Politically correct.... As for me I will say, hang on to your heritage Thailand......

KILOSIRRA

Agreed that legalizing Kratom would aid in the myth of Thailand being the "land of smiles". It's a bad-a$$ plant it should be legal, considering how toxic and awful the whisky and alcohol is here which I don't drink but I have smelled, and realized my liver was cringing just from the smell alone. Legalize Kratom! I hope it passes, it's really a very good herb.

I don't get the "being wrongly charged with possession". For what I know, it is now illegal so if you are caught with it you will be charged with possession, right? Or is it only illegal to grow and sell but not to carry and consume? I hope this will be the first step in, at least, decriminalizing the usage of drugs. Those piss tests are the craziest thing ever.