Thailand Decriminalizes Kratom as WHO Considers Banning It

By Pat Anson, PNN Editor

For the first time since World War II, it is legal again in Thailand to grow and sell kratom, a tropical tree used for centuries in Southeast Asia as a natural stimulant and pain reliever. In 1943, the military junta that ruled Thailand banned the planting of kratom trees because the popularity of kratom in rural areas was interfering with tax revenue from the opium trade.  

Ironically, the decriminalization of kratom in Thailand comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) considers placing international restrictions on kratom and six other psychoactive substances.

With kratom no longer listed as a narcotic in Thailand, thousands of pending criminal cases involving kratom are being dismissed and 121 inmates convicted of kratom crimes will be released from prison. Possession of kratom had been punishable by up to two years in prison.

In recent years, Thailand has been liberalizing many of its drug laws to ease pressure on its justice system. There was also growing recognition that kratom could become an important cash crop for Thai farmers. The global trade in kratom has grown significantly in recent years, with millions of Americans using kratom to self-treat their pain, anxiety, depression and addiction. Most kratom exports currently come from Indonesia.

It remains illegal in Thailand to mix kratom with other drugs. Some recreational users boil the leaves and mix it with codeine cough syrup, creating a “kratom cocktail.”

"To decriminalise kratom is the right thing to do. Local people or patients who need it will be able to access it more easily. However, I am concerned that teenagers will use it in a wrong way, for example, mixing kratom with other narcotics. We have to control this strictly, otherwise, it can cause damage," Ramdin Areeabdulsorma, a Thai politician, told the Associated Press.

‘Kratom Saved Me’

Under international treaties, WHO is required to assess the use of psychoactive substances and advise the United Nations on whether they pose a public health risk. WHO’s annual assessment will begin in October and U.N. members have been asked to submit their recommendations.

Kratom is legal in most U.S. states, although some states and communities have banned it. The Food and Drug Administration has tried -- unsuccessfully so far – to schedule kratom as a controlled substance, which would effectively ban its sale and use in the United States.

Today is the last day for people to submit comments on the Federal Register for the FDA to consider as it prepares its response to WHO. Over 8,500 comments have been received so far, the vast majority asking the FDA and WHO not to ban kratom.  

“Kratom saved me from a lifetime opiate addiction. At 45 years old, I was unemployable and on my way to prison or death. Methadone or Suboxone hadn't kept me clean,” wrote Cecelia Lore. “I have never abused (kratom) as I hear some do. It has never caused a disruption in my life. I honestly feel that you should be looking at soda and junk food as the real dangers to our communities.”

“Kratom has helped both my wife and I stop taking opioids altogether. We never experienced withdrawals and we continue to use kratom rather than any other pain reliever because of its cost, lack of addictive nature and overall effectiveness. Rather than any kind of ban, what we need is regulation of the quality of the products,” said Nick Simpson.

“Kratom has made a direct impact on my life by helping me quit a debilitating alcohol addiction. I was an alcoholic for 6 years and to the point of being hospitalized several times with seizures from withdrawals,” wrote Tyler Davis.  “(Banning kratom) would harm a very large number of people recovering from addiction and force many back to destructive lifestyles.”

The American Kratom Association, a group of kratom vendors and consumers, has claimed the FDA instigated WHO’s review of kratom as a way to bypass the drug scheduling process in the U.S. An FDA spokesperson denied that, telling PNN the agency “does not determine for the U.S. government which substances shall be proposed” for WHO to review.