Those of us who participate in nightlife culture, the electronic dance community, or any active urban scene are no stranger to drugs. For as long as there’s been dance music, substances but legal and illicit have been used to enhance party-goer experiences. Save for the evolving world of research chemicals for those who fancy psychedelics, the pool of popular substances has stayed relatively stagnant; ripples caused by the splash of dangerous concoctions involving unknown cocktails of chemicals like bath salts have come and gone, and ravers (and authorities) have come to know their staples. There’s a new player in the game though, and it’s turning some heads and raising some questions: Kratom. While not necessarily new to this Earth or entirely new to human consumption, it has slowly gained traction over the last few years, garnering attention from the likes of Forbes and Business Insider, and in recent months has become a hot trending topic. Festival season is fast approaching, and your chances of coming across Kratom are greater than ever before, so what is it that you really need to know about it? Is this the next party drug all-star, your next daily supplement, or a clinical remedy you can go to for lifted health and wellness?
Native to the lush jungles of Southeast Asia, Kratom belongs to an evergreen tree known as Mitragyna speciosa, a member of the coffee family. Found across Borneo and Bali (Indonesia), Thailand, Malaysia and several other smaller regions, Mitragyna speciosa comes in numerous strains and colors including Maeng Da, Red, Green, and White veins. Traditionally, the leaves are harvested and dried for teas or crushed into powders for medicinal purposes, most often to curb pain and anxiety, and even aid in stopping drug or alcohol abuse. In the US market, it’s most common as an herbal supplement, and is legal given its entirely organic nature and is not considered a controlled substance by the FDA. It most commonly comes in a crushed powder but comes in “kratom bars” as well. Depending on the dosage, Kratom has been known to provide caffeine like energy, pain-relieving effects similar to weak opiates, act as an antidiarrheal, an antidepressant, an aphrodisiac, and even a sedative.
Given its legal status and apparent “wonder-drug” capabilities, kratum is starting to gain popularity not only in the herbal healing community but of course…the recreational communities of the nightlife scene and festival grounds. At prices ranging from $15-$50 for 5-gram packets, it’s financially accessible, and in large quantities. Critics who have little knowledge of Maeng Da and other Kratom strains try to compare it “Krokodil” “Bath Salts” and “Spice” (all of which are synthetic), but there is no evidence to connect it to these unregulated and street-birthed stimulants that have sent hundreds to the emergency room or even induced zombie-like episodes. Proponents like those of the Kratom Association fervently defend it for its health benefits and assert it’s frowned upon to use recreationally in mass quantity like anything else. Like any OTC medicine, prescribed medicine, herb, or illicit drug, everything has its limits and users need to obtain the right information to be properly educated on what they’re going to consume.
Is the Trendy Internet Drug Kratom Making Everyone Crazy?
Critics are fueled by the consequences of reckless recreational use when in reality this is a herbal product that has an opportunity to hit the mainstream in a positive light if carefully guided. The rave community should act with caution and treat the history and origins of Kratom and its many benefits with respect, as many current users consume it for a variety of health and recovery purposes. At most, it’s “euphoric” effects are akin to caffeine highs and nothing more; anything greater is a result of abuse.
In our quest to find a trust worthy and credible vendor, Best Kratom came up numerous times upon searching “Where to buy Kratom online” who sells all varieties with the intention of increased health and wellness. Reviewing the kratom products revealed most benefits stem from unique its alkaloid (any of a class of naturally occurring organic nitrogen-containing bases) properties, something synthetics aren’t able to boast; another popular and professionally used medical alkaloid is morphine, isolated from opium poppies. Perhaps Kratom could stand to benefit festival goers in preparing and recovering from vigorous partying, or perhaps it may help others known to addictively abuse popular rave drugs come off their crutch.
There are handfuls of pleasant stories from both frequent and non-frequent users who fear this safe and beneficial leaf may end up like marijuana: misunderstood and wrongfully classified or punished. If you want to learn more about Kratom yourself or help defend its status, read up on Kratom News and check out their Ultimate Kratom Guide. If you’ve had first-hand experience with Kratom, know somebody who has, or just has an opinion, we’d love to hear you in the comments below.
