Unlocking the Secrets of Canada's Kratom Culture: A Deep Dive into Its Uses and Legality

Unlocking the Secrets of Canada's Kratom Culture: A Deep Dive into Its Uses and Legality

Kratom has been on the lips of many Canadians in the recent past.

Most kratom proponents heap praises on the herb for its perceived health benefits. Some have stopped short of declaring the novelty plant a cure for opioid withdrawal, which could be a significant development considering that the country is presently ravaged by the opioid crisis.

But while kratom continues to garner the attention of millions of alternative medicine enthusiasts, some believe it’s a passing fad.

In this article, we shall unlock the secrets of kratom and why you should consider adding it to your wellness routine. We’ll also highlight some legal considerations before using, selling, or distributing the herb in Canada.

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What Is Kratom?

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical tree endemic to Southeast Asia, which has recently shot to the spotlight in the Western world for its reported healing benefits.

In countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, locals have been consuming kratom extracts for centuries to manage various ailments. However, it was not until the mid-19th century that scientific studies into the plant’s therapeutic properties began.

Multiple findings have shown that kratom might, indeed, relieve most of the ailments it was traditionally administered. That explains why Canada kratom shops are popping up at every turn.

However, it’s imperative to understand kratom’s potential effects before administering it.

How Might Kratom Improve Your Health?

1. Kratom for Pain

Pain is arguably the biggest medical concern that many kratom users seek to mitigate with the herb.

Studies have established that kratom may relieve pain by impacting certain opioid receptors in the brain.

Opioid receptors play a critical role in regulating various feelings, including pain and pleasure. Therefore, any compound that activates such receptors is directly involved in pain management.

2. Kratom for Inflammation

Research has uncovered about 40 alkaloids in kratom. The two most prevalent ones - mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine - are mostly involved in pain mediation.

However, there are other lesser-known alkaloids that can alleviate inflammation. Notable ones include rhynchophylline and epicatechin.

Whether your inflammation is due to a physical injury, surgical operation, or chronic illness, you can trust kratom to provide the much-required relief.

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3. Kratom for Fatigue

Mitragyna speciosa is a renowned stimulant. The herb can combat exhaustion by supercharging your energy levels, depending on the doses consumed.

Kratom’s energizing effects are similar to caffeine. That’s understandable, as the tree is taxonomically related to coffee.

As a stimulant, kratom is best consumed before heading off to work or embarking on a daunting endeavor. You can also add the herb to your fitness routine to relieve workout fatigue.

4. Kratom for Irritability

Most stimulants deliver the opposite effects as sedatives. However, kratom is an exception to that rule. This Asian herb occurs in various strains, including energizing white veins and soothing red veins.

One study found that kratom may calm hyperarousal, manage workplace anxiety, and boost sociability.

Besides the strains, kratom’s overall effects are dose-dependent. The herb is uplifting at smaller doses, between 1 and 3 grams, but relaxing at 4 - 8 grams. Keep that in mind while administering kratom to boost your energy or calm your nerves.

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Can Kratom Help The Opioid Crisis?

Canada has been grappling with the opioid crisis for years. In 2023 alone, opioid-related overdose accounted for some 5,975 deaths, with most fatalities reported among 30 – 39-year-olds.

Canadian drug enforcement agencies have played their part in fighting the scourge of opioid addiction in the country. However, a multi-pronged approach involving alternative medical interventions is necessary. It’s against this backdrop that many wellness enthusiasts recommend kratom for treating opioid addiction.

As previously mentioned, kratom impacts the body by binding to opioid receptors. Some findings have shown that the plant has a higher affinity for mu-opioid receptors than scheduled opioids like heroin and fentanyl.

Now, controlled opioids are mostly frowned upon for their addictive nature. Since kratom impacts the body similarly to these substances, it’s intuitive to imagine that the herb is equally addictive.

Fortunately, kratom is a partial opioid agonist. That means it binds partially to opioid receptors. In comparison, scheduled opioids are full opioid agonists.

Kratom’s partial effects on opioid receptors explain its lower proclivity for addiction than regular opioids. By integrating this herb into their lifestyle, opioid addicts can gradually wean off these harmful drugs from their system without experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

Opioid withdrawal symptoms are adverse effects resulting from the sudden cessation of opioid usage or the dramatic reduction in an opioid user’s regular dosages. Common ones include headaches, muscle aches, anxiety, insomnia, tremors, vomiting, diarrhea, and sweating. Note that many of these side effects constitute the very issues that kratom is commonly administered.

Is Kratom Legal?

Kratom’s legality varies from one jurisdiction to another.

Canada is one of the several countries that have legalized kratom. Users can access the herb in all its formulations - powders, capsules, teas, gummies, topicals, etc.

However, the two government agencies responsible for regulating food and pharmaceutical products in Canada - Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) - are yet to authorize kratom as a pharmaceutical or dietary product, respectively. Therefore, vendors are technically prohibited from selling consumable kratom supplements.

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Wrap Up

While the Canadian food and pharmaceutical regulators are reserved about mainstreaming access to kratom, citing the plant’s stimulating properties, mounting evidence indicates that kratom is far more beneficial than harmful.

The onus is on users to administer the herb responsibly to avoid experiencing adverse effects.