There is a retail store in SF dedicated to this vaguely legal drug. So I tried.

When taken in small doses, people report that they feel alert and motivated. In large quantities, kratom can have analgesic effects similar to those of opioids. Unfortunately, due to the lack of approved research, many of the conversations around kratom still remain anecdotal. But that did not stop him from growing in appeal.

Currently, about 10 to 15 million Americans are using kratom and, for the purposes of this story, I became one of them, testing a few doses of Green Maeng Da kratom, which he claims has motivational effects (more on that later).

The substance’s reputation as a natural medicine has only recently gained strength in the US, but goes back centuries in countries like Thailand and Indonesia. Indonesia supplies the US exclusively with kratom leaves and powder – a situation that has resulted in the nebulous legality of the substance. As Thailand continues to actively debate the legalization of kratom exports, internally the substance is subject to a patchwork of U.S. state laws, while federally categorized as a dietary supplement.

There are currently six states that have passed laws against kratom (Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin), while four others (Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Georgia) have, conversely, established protections for patients.

For the remaining 40, including California, kratom remains unregulated at the state level.

This vague legal structure, combined with an obscure reputation, has relegated kratom to the ranks of other curiosities like Salvia divinorum and the San Pedro cactus. In San Francisco, for example, there is only one retail establishment in the city focused exclusively on kratom.

Located in the Mission District, the Bumble Bee Botanicals website (which declined to comment on this story) sells about 15 different varieties of kratom powder. In addition to Bumble Bee, Twistle Thistle Apothecary also sells the substance. Across the United States, there are other brick and mortar retailers like Bumble Bee in Denver and Portland, but the kratom culture has in fact persisted for a long time thanks in large part to smokers and informal testimonials negotiated on trusted drug forums like Erowid .

Is the shortage of kratom an indication of its questionable safety? Well, so far, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported more than 90 deaths from kratom overdoses.

While this number may seem surprising at first, it is important to note that kratom advocates fiercely contest any finding that kratom may be lethal. Instead, they argue that other contaminated substances or batches of products are probably to blame.

According to Marc T. Swogger, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center, all we really know right now is that we need to know more.

“We know a lot about the experiences of people who use kratom,” said Swagger. “In all cultures, they are similar, in the sense that people report reduced pain, elevated mood and that the use of kratom is useful for relieving opioid withdrawal symptoms and reducing the intake of classic opioids such as heroin . So, it is a harm reduction agent. But we do need clinical trials to show whether kratom has more rare and differentiated effects – both therapeutic and adverse effects. “

Let’s just say that Swogger’s words were enough to make me a little nervous when a kratom care package arrived at my door one day.

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Justin Kats, the founder of Kats Botanicals, had no plans to be a major supplier of kratom in the United States. When his phone rang in August 2016 with the news that the Drug Enforcement Agency planned to classify the two main active ingredients in kratom as controlled substances in Table I, he was thinking mainly of himself.

“At the time,” said Kats in a telephone interview with SFGATE, “I was a kratom consumer, so, of course, I researched and started to panic. That’s when I decided that I needed to import as much kratom as possible – because I didn’t want to stop taking it. “

His efforts turned out to be unnecessary when a petition condemning the action quickly earned more than 100,000 signatures. In addition, a protest in front of the White House featuring hundreds of kratom supporters further prompted the DEA to withdraw kratom from the schedule for consideration within a few months.

Kats was grateful for the development, but the news later left him with an interesting new problem: what should he do with more than 100 kilos of kratom?

At first, he experimented with kratom online forums, interacting with members by offering free samples. Then there was a group on Facebook, and in a short time, Kats Botanicals was born.

Today, the operation, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offers several different mixtures of kratom powder, as well as other products like shilajit – a black resin that forms under rocks in the Himalayan mountains that has reputed healing properties. There are also plans to sell herbs like moringa and willow bark, but for now, Kats Botanicals’ main business remains kratom.

Speaking to Kats, who provided the kratom that I will soon try for the first time, he expressed empathy when I confessed to being confused: How is a kratom Maeng Da different from a kratom Green Vein, apart from coloring?

“All of these varieties and names that you will see are actually from the same tree,” explained Kats. “It is almost all the same kratom. The differences are the drying methods. “

To obtain the red kratom powder – known for its soothing properties – dry the kratom leaves indoors and in a bag. Do the same, but skip the sack, and you will get a greenish powder that may or may not inspire feelings of motivation. Or, if you dry your kratom leaves indoors, but then take them outside in the latter part of the process, you will end up with a white powder, which Kats says can do wonders for “morning recovery”.

For my own initiation, I took the recommended dose of Kats from a teaspoon of Green Maeng Da kratom mixed in a glass of warm water.

Warned of a possible unpleasant taste, I was relieved to discover that the mixture tasted no worse than any other over-the-counter natural supplement that I dared to take in the past. When tasting earth mixed with matcha, the powder also revealed a bitter taste, suitable for a substance derived from a coffee family tree.

It didn’t take long – maybe 10 minutes – to feel a slight euphoria, both in the body and in the mind. It was subtle, certainly, but unmistakable.

Comparable, perhaps, to a perfect dose of espresso or a few minutes of sunbathing, my initial experience with kratom was that I enjoyed a good mood and a light burst of energy for about an hour. After that time passed, I was pleased to discover that there was no “fall” or “fall”, but a return to my pre-kratom state.

After trying, would I try again? There are definitely arguments in favor of it.

In addition to the pleasurable experience and outstanding properties of each unique kratom formula, the product also has an impressive price.

Kats Botanicals sells most of their kratom powders for $ 5.99 per 20 grams and $ 34.99 per 250 grams. With a teaspoon equivalent to about 4 grams of kratom powder, a single packet could last a long time, unless, say, someone got into the habit.

In fact, one of the central issues for the ongoing debate about kratom’s place in society concerns the risk of becoming dependent on the substance. To be completely precise, the debate is not really whether kratom can create habits. That was accepted. Justin Kats, for example, has no problem labeling his own use of kratom as a “habit”. Instead, the question he thinks should be asked is whether having the kratom habit is a problem in itself.

“I mean, it’s a habit for me,” reasoned Kats, “but you have to look at it from this point of view: what’s best for you? There are millions of people who are at a certain point in their lives, where if they introduced kratom, their lives would become better. However, there are people who introduce kratom into their lives and do not experience it. In such cases, the habit is not improving your life. “

Professor Swogger admits that false information abounds when it comes to kratom, and he is quick to warn against deciding on easy conclusions.

“There are misconceptions,” he said, “including that kratom has been causally associated with psychosis and death. Studies have not shown this. But until better scientific evidence is available, people should not assume that kratom is completely safe. “

“It is important,” continued Swogger, “kratom can cause cravings and, after discontinuation, withdrawal symptoms. Kratom-associated abstinence is not as severe as classic opioids and most respondents do not experience any type of addiction. However, the fact that some people feel addiction is indisputable and a clear risk that should be included in anyone’s choice of whether or not to take kratom. “

With the jury still decidedly up to now, it is up to the individual to decide whether kratom can be suitable for him.

Can kratom improve my life? Maybe yes! When I think about it, it’s not so hard to imagine relying on kratom – not daily, but occasionally – both to improve mood and as a source for an energy burst in the afternoon.

That said, the specter of becoming dependent on kratom is definitely something I can’t ignore. However, by accepting it, we can also point to a number of other similar bargains already at stake in our everyday lives. From coffee and kombucha to alcohol and tobacco, we are always at an internal war to define the line between “enough” and “too much”. Although this limit may exist (and almost certainly exists) for kratom, it does not mean that the baby should be played with the tea water.

Caution? Absolutely. Skepticism? Understandable. But there are many things I have tried and I will definitely never do again. As of today, kratom is not one of them.

Zack Ruskin is a San Francisco-based freelance writer. Email: [email protected] | Twitter: @zackruskin