Authorities warn about kratom, the herbal substance that replaces addictions

In recent years, a synthetic drug called fentanyl has been the cause of an epidemic in which hundreds of thousands of people in the United States and around the world have lost their lives to overdoses. But it is not the only narcotic responsible for damaging people's health.

Authorities have put the spotlight on kratom. In recent years, the two chemical components of the leaves of this tree native to Southeast Asia, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, are being used to make products that, for the moment, are not legalized, but are being ingested in the country, and increasingly so.

In general, it is consumed through capsules or small tablets, although it is also possible to ingest the dried leaves or make tea powder with them. Although it is not legalized, products made with kratom can be purchased in conventional places such as gas stations or liquor stores.

Kratom use to replace addictions

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has long been analyzing the risks of kratom. Through a brief release, the agency detailed the effects its consumption produces: from increasing physical energy or alertness to causing hallucinations, delusion and confusion, nausea, tachycardia, convulsions and even death.

In fact, as revealed by a analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 91 of the 27,000 deaths that occurred between July 2016 and December 2017 were from consuming this herb. And of that number, about 80% of the users had previously abused some other substance.

Consumers turn to it to alleviate different physical ailments, mainly chronic, or to alleviate states such as anxiety or depression. It is also used for different diseases, such as diabetes, or to replace addictions to other substances.

Regarding the number of consumers, as stated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration through a survey, a total of 1.7 million Americans over the age of 12 consumed kratom in the United States during the year 2021.