'100% natural, 100% potent, 110% party' but possibly dangerous

i'm guessing that she was probably on meth or bath salts. kratom, which is an herb that has been used safely for thousands of years and never caused these kinds of effect (AFAIK), was what her parents knew she was consuming. If she bought it at a headshop she probably had access to the synthetic drugs they sometimes sell. Who knows what she hadn't let her parents know about?

IMHO there is NO way Kratom could have made this girl bug out the way she did. I have been using Kratom responsibly for a long time now for my AS and have NEVER had any side effect except the occasional nausea from the taste of the tea! We have GOT to stop shoddy reporting such as this and bring the TRUTH to the msm. This story was absolutely ridiculous and it's not the only one out there unfortunately. I'm willing to give my testimonial to anyone who cares to listen. There should only be one kind of journalism, TRUE investigative...this bordered on tabloid.

Watch this movie before you do anything else! http://www.lef.org/lpages/WarOnHealth/index.htm?utm_source=INFEML_130206&utm_medium=email&utm_term=WarOnHealth&utm_content=LinkBody&utm_campaign=INB301E&sourcecode=INB301E

HIGHLY doubt Kratom caused this. Kratom is relaxing if she took a lot, if she only took a little, it's like drinking coffee.

I am a smoke shop owner AND a person who has found tremendous benefit using kratom. I have been using kratom in low doses (4-6 grams) for the past two years for the anti-anxiety benefits as well as an energy booster (I am an endurance runner). I choose to use a natural plant instead of relying on pharmaceuticals. I have many, many customers who have shared their stories of breaking addictions to heroin, Vicodin, and other opiates by using kratom. The problem with these news stories is that like all media, they are full of sensationalism and not full of truth. Something tells me we're not getting the whole story here. It seems more likely this young woman had ingested bath salts or meth, or simply had a mental breakdown. I have never had a customer report hallucinations or delusions using this natural plant, nor have I experienced any myself. It is misinformed to lump kratom into the same category as synthetically created chemicals such as bath salts or meth. It is irresponsible reporting to blame kratom as well. 

Truth:  Kratom is in the coffee family

Myth:  It's deadly

Truth:  Treats depression

Myth:  Highly addictive

Truth:  Treats chronic pain

Myth:  Causes hallucinations

Truth:  Treats anxiety

Myth:  Just like heroin

Truth:  Treats fatigue

Myth:  Just like cocaine

Truth:  Fewer side effects than coffee

Myth:  Just like L.S.D.

Truth:  100% Natural

Myth:  Causes you to dance around naked with a knife

Truth:  Treats hypertention

Myth:  Causes cancer

Truth:  Cures addiction

Myth:  Causes psycosis

Truth:  Helps insomnia

Myth:  Causes aggression

Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.
-Mark Twain

BEware of Kratom. I have had direct experience with someone who has been taking it for years and had to be rushed to the hospital where he stayed for 4 days. He was out of his mind, and yes was hallucinating.  He ordered it direct from Thailand and started out using it for pain.  Became addicted, started exhibiting weird personality traits and really has not been the same person since (even thought he is off it now). I'm adding a section from an article from years of research trying to help my friend.  Sorry I don't have the source anymore as the link doesn't work. If you do research it online, you will find many more stories like mine, so be aware there are two sides to this story. Lives have been lost to it, my friend was lucky.

"Some claim that kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) has been used by humans for thousands of years in Thailand and Malaysia where it grows indigenously. It is a tree from the same botanical family (Rubianceae) as the coffee tree and grows up to 50 feet tall. Its leaves are used in low doses (2-6 gm) as a stimulant or in high doses (16-25 gm) as a sedative. Other uses include easing pain, treating opiate addiction and diarrhea, and use as a recreational drug. Although over 25 alkaloids have been identified in kratom leaves, the three principal ones are: mitragynine (9-methoxy-corynantheidine), mitraphylline, and 7-hydroxymitragynine. Recent research indicates 7-hydroxymitragynine is the primary active chemical and that it is more powerful than morphine (KM Babu, CR McCurdy and EW Boyer, 2008. Opioid receptors and legal highs: Salvia divinorum and kratom. Clin Toxicol (Phila), 46(2):146-152). Although this alkaloid is structurally more related to yohimbine and other tryptamines, it is a powerful mu and delta opioid brain receptor agonist like buprenorphine (found in Suboxone®). Suboxone® is one of the major medications used in the treatment of heroin and other opioid addictions. It is fascinating that both Mitragyna speciosa and Salvia divinorum contain chemicals that stimulate the brain’s opioid receptors though neither is botanically or chemically related to the opioids. Salvinorin A, the non-alkaloid psychoactive chemical of Salvia divinorum is the primarily chemical responsible for most of its psychedelic effects. Salvinorin A has been found to be a powerful kappa opioid receptor agonist. (KM Babu, CR McCurdy and EW Boyer, 2008, Opioid receptors and legal highs: Salvia divinorum and kratom. Clin Toxicol (Phila), 46(2):146-152)"

"The major drawback to kratom abuse is its ability to induce opioid-like tissue dependence with a significant withdrawal syndrome when it is used at high doses on a daily and chronic basis. Long-term use of kratom has been shown to produced anorexia, weight loss, insomnia, skin darkening, dry mouth, frequent urination, and constipation. The kratom withdrawal syndrome consists of symptoms of hostility, aggression, emotional labilitly, wet nose, achy muscles and bones, and jerky movement of the limbs. Some kratom addicts also exhibited psychotic symptoms that included hallucinations, delusion and confusion."

I don't see my comment posted from before so I will repost what I said earlier. Kratom has been around for thousands of years . It is not a new plant. This story is irresponsible and is sensationalizing rumors instead of fact. Fact- thousands of lives have improved because of kratom. It has medicinal benefit.  To make a judgment on anecdotal evidence vs truth is irrational and irresponsible. It is a plant that is given from God and it should be researched before it is dammed.  It does not cause hallucinations, in fact people with ADD  have reported benefits from using kratom as a supplement- allowing for more focus. People with chronic pain have reported benefits and do not need pharmaceuticals when taking kratom as a supplement. Those who suffer from depression have found benefit reporting they do not need anti-depressants..It has also been reported that kratom helps with lowering blood pressure. If kratom is taken in responsible amounts it has alot to offer as an herbal supplement. Hmm perhaps the pharmaceutical companies are feeling a bit of a blow since there are natural alternatives available. 

This reporter should be ashamed of himself for not doing a simple search about kratom to see that it is IMPOSSIBLE to hallucinate on it. Kratom is a life saving herb, those who say it's a drug is a complete ignorant idiot. Good job KATU, you are ran by pharmaceutical companies too, good to know!

Well, for all those folks out there who were looking for a new elixir of joy and happiness, KATU just gave them an incentive to go out and buy some and try some. Best advertising in the world!

So one stupid person who would probably do the exact same thing on caffeine, makes adrug dangerous?  Drugs dont make you do anything, its the mind that creates.  

"While the DEA can ban drugs like Kratom, it takes a while to study them and then pass laws.

Parker said he thinks the government will eventually ban it."

IF THIS IS DANGEROUS WHY ISNT ALCOHOL BANNED YET?

Its HAMMERTIME------- hee haw

30 years ago I would of served this stuff to liven up the party.

In another account of the same story. "her father told authorities he believed his daughter was using Kratom, which acts as a stimulant in low doses and may result in hallucinations.  Strine told officers she had smoked marijuana she believed to be laced with some kind of toxin."  Why would she admit to Marijuana use and not Kratom? just because someones parents believes something does not make it a fact.  

Smoke shops - the new corner pharmacy.

I can swear to you, and i will swear to everyone, that kratom DOES NOT cause halluzinations.

Whatever drug this women took, she should have rather stayed on kratom.

It is a soft and gentle plant, that is able to help people with chronical pain, depression and so on.

But is is neither a party drug nor in any way dangerous as bath salt.

STOP DEFAMING KRATOM

Bath Salts, now Kratom. Why anybody would prescribe to something sold in a "smoke shop" is beyond me. Hint, hint to all you simple folks out there, stick to the produce isles at Safeway for your natural "organic" goodies.  Hehehe. Geez people are dumb.

If you can't provide at least 10% of the party yourself, there will be problems.  This alone has 110%?  Who needs that much party?  The average person would end up with at least 120% party.  In most situations, that's a recipe for disaster.

I'm guessing that the product available in smoke shops is a modified or altered version of the plant, and that the modifications or alterations are to blame for the womans behavior, as well as possibly any alcohol or mental impairments she may have been under.

I think they forgot to mention that the naked woman had smoked some marajuana "laced" with something.  Kratom does not cause hallucinations and certainly would not cause someone to get naked swinging a hammer with a baby.  Many people use Kratom for pain relief instead of using prescription drugs.  Do some research....

Has all the markings of a plant article...  sole purpose is to demonize this sacred plant..

Kratom is in the same family as the coffee bush, it's impossible to overdose and certainly doesn't cause hallucinations!
For Christ's sake, do some real research!

You can fix stupid and that is what people who use this stuff are, stupid.

Mr. Porre is correct. Kratom is very mild.  It's been used for a couple thousand years in Thailand and Burma, etc.  Now what other chemicals are in these packaged products is another thing. Kratom can be purchased in raw, bulk form without any additives.   People who flip out are usually unstable to begin with. But people who flip out without any clothes on are def unstable. Randy Travis went into a store naked, crashed his vehicle and was confrontational with arresting officers, still naked. There was no sensationalist articles about hard liquor.   

"they found her running around the street swinging a hammer and yelling about Jesus. She was also naked."

That does sound like 110% party. 

Blaming Kratom on this is like saying Wheatgrass causes Cancer....It is bad science and totally inaccurate.

I volunteer to be a test subject in a KATU study of the effects of  Kratom I dont have a whole lot else going on today lets get it done in time for the 10pm broadcast

Emial the author here: dcassuto@katu.com

Explain to him how inaccurate this article is and how Kratom had NOTHING to do with this crazy woman.

Kratom is milder than coffee. Get your facts straight.

"While a person has to be 18 to buy it, there is a lot of information online that says teenagers all over the country are getting their hands on it."

So... 18 and 19 year olds then - they're teenagers.

I appreciate a good news story along with the rest of the world but to play off of an already far fetched story about a woman who was more than likely already mentally confused or had other aliments is ridiculous. I would like to understand a little more of this woman's health history and mental ability. You portrayal of Kratom is a very damaging one. I would like you to know that a very simple search would give you the information you would have needed to find out if Kratom was beneficial in any way and what its actual definition is. Kratom is a safe and all natural herb that has helped many people over come not only addiction but daily day to day pain without being addicted to powerful prescription pain medicines. I am one of those people. I believe you should speak with someone that has experience with Kratom and finds its use beneficial. A good journalist would want to cover both sides of the story unless you would rather hide and spread lies to your viewers and readers. Do you know that there is an Association to protect the herb?