For people with substance use disorder, the issue of addiction always is present, Dr. Holcomb believes, and if that is the case, it’s better to be using kratom than another drug,
“If people steer themselves to kratom rather than something else, that’s probably a good thing, because if someone wants to abuse something, you can’t stop them; you can’t regulate intent,“ Dr. Holcomb said. “Kratom is a partial agonist. It doesn’t make you euphorically high, it doesn’t make you quit breathing, and you don’t really have any withdrawal symptoms, and no one is going to overdose on a natural plant – because it will make them sick to their stomach.”
In a systematic review of studies related to kratom use, investigators found that the product “may be useful for analgesia, mood elevation, anxiety reduction, and may aid opioid withdrawal management. Negative themes also emerged, including unfavorable side effects, especially stomach upset and vomiting,” wrote Marc T. Swogger, PhD, and his colleagues (J Psychoactive Drugs. 2015 Nov-Dec;47[5]:360-7).
“As an opioid substitute, it seems to be used in good effect to decrease opioid withdrawal symptoms, including cravings for more opioids,” said Dr. Swogger, clinical psychologist at the University of Rochester (N.Y.). “People are able to use kratom as a way to get through systemic hoops to get the medicine they need.”