Thailand legalizes kratom, plant-based pain killer

[Jilly_in_VA]

Thailand on Tuesday decriminalized the possession and sale of kratom, a plant native to Southeast Asia whose leaves are used as a mild stimulant and painkiller and which has a following in the United States for its pain-relieving qualities.

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said thousands of legal cases for the possession or sale of kratom were being dropped, and 121 inmates convicted in such cases would be released immediately. Possession of kratom had been punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine of as much as 200,000 baht ($6,077) for quantities of 10 kilograms (22 pounds) or more.

The decriminalization of kratom, which involved removing the drug from the official list of controlled narcotics, is the country’s latest move to liberalize its drug laws. In the past two years, Thailand has allowed regulated medical marijuana use as well as the licensed buying and growing of marijuana, and permitted households to grow up to six plants. Harsh penalties remain for hard drugs such as heroin and methamphetamine.

Easing pressure on Thailand’s justice system and its overcrowded prisons has been a major impetus for the new drug policy.

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/thailand-legalizes-kratom-popular-plant-based-painkiller-79616147

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. There's also money at stake, as IIRC Indonesia (the world's main supplier) just did the opposite

Criminalizing it, to take effect at the end of 2021 IIRC.

This puts Thailand in position to take up the export slack, I would imagine.

[EYESORE 9001]

2. I guess I'm a user of illicit drugs

I tried a kratom-infused drink a couple of months ago - at an outlet mall, of all places. I felt a boost in energy. At $7 a drink, I won’t be repeating that indulgence regularly.

[Nevilledog]

4. Way too much info there

[Maru Kitteh]

3. Uh, *plant-based* doesn't seem particularly relevant to me. Heroin, opium, cocaine

are all plant-based.

[GulfCoast66]

5. Aspirin as well.

[Maru Kitteh]

6. And ricin!

Plants are good for you!

[hlthe2b]

9. And Hemlock!

[Ligyron]

7. Story I heard was the Kratom was cutting into the opium sales

So naturally let’s make it illegal even though it grows wild all over our country.

[luckone]

8. Used for pain after an accident when legal methods would not prescribe pain pills

No side effects really other than bad taste and cut the pain
No withdrawal symptoms and able to function ok but everyone’s reaction is different I suppose
I used for 3-4 weeks and was able to taper down during that time
I bought more and now store it in case they try to make it illegal again here in US just in case
If I had been prescribed pain pills I would only have taken what was needed and stopped but that doesn’t seem to be accepted anymore + the last one who I asked for pain pills said too many people with addictions so I questioned why alcohol was on shelves still if some people can’t stop drinking and become alcoholics and drink to death but no answer
so it was street stuff or krantom because what they gave me was off use pharma which did nothing for pain in my case .
My daughter went to a cbd store that sold it and was educated by the owner on what type to use for pain and dosage . I knew about because I had tried as an energy alternative to coffee a long time ago but really never felt anything so didn’t continue but the pain relieving types really worked for me . There are many strains Mj users think indica vs sativa
If I or my kids could have found lean or straight codiene illegally i would have bought it because I have had codeine in the past without problems and easier than mixing and making kratom to swallow . Yuck on the taste buds but sounds like the folks sitting in jail for MJ here, another leaf, so glad they decriminalized it and let people out