Is it Worth the Risk?

Kratom pills and capsule

How can something that looks like some kind of synthetic marijuana and have similar effects to heroin be good? Welcome to Kratom. To be truthful however, we don't actually know if it is a good thing. It has been called many things. From "dangerous drug" to "miracle pain medicine", this drug has split the country on whether or not it should be illegal or not. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has yet to officially declare Kratom a schedule 1 substance. Other schedule 1 substances include Marijuana, LSD, and Heroin. Like many other drugs of this category, there are positives and negatives to taking it.


Kim Byrom, an Atlanta local, has a history of back problems. She started taking Kratom and noticed an immediate impact. She swears it's safe and has helped her back aches greatly. Byrom also says, "If I didn’t have Kratom -- I’m not going back to pain pills. I will illegally use it. I stand firm with that."  However, the DEA looked into this and found more than a dozen deaths possibly linked to Kratom. On the other end of the spectrum, Brandon Short, a psychiatrist in Florida, claims that Kratom is a central nervous system depression and can cause seizures. Read more here. Another issue is that this drug is in fact an extremely efficient pain killer, and could boost the scientific research and development. Placing Kratom in schedule 1 could halt the production and discovery of  useful new medication. When it comes to drugs however, there is always one question that comes to mind. Is it worth it?

With the drug already being banned in Alabama, Wisconsin, Vermont, Tennessee, Indiana and Arkansas, should the DEA look to make it illegal in all states? Is it already too late for people like Byrom who claim that they are more than willing to go outside the law to keep up their supply of the painkilling drug? Why do you think the DEA hasn't already banned this drug when it has such harsh side effects?