In Thailand, they legalized a herbal preparation called kratom – SME.sk

BANGKOK. Thailand on Tuesday, it decriminalized the herbal preparation kratom, which has long been used as a natural remedy. However, some global regulators consider it potentially dangerous, AFP reported.

Legalization will save billions

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical tree that belongs to the same family as the coffee plant. This product has been used for centuries in the countries of Southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea for its stimulating effects and ability to relieve pain.

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“The public will be able to consume and sell crater legally,” a Thai government spokeswoman said, adding that more than 1,000 prisoners who had been convicted of the drug-related crime would also be released.

It is estimated that legalizing this substance will save the Thai government up to 1.69 billion baht (€ 43.6 million) in court fees.

Kratom stimulates the same brain receptors as morphine, but its effect is much weaker. In Thailand, it is used mainly in areas in the south of the country, where Muslim workers use it as a means of relieving pain after strenuous physical work, AFP explains.

Popular in the USA

This plant is becoming more and more popular in the United States. However, the US Food and Drug Administration warns against its use and cites the risk of addiction as a reason.

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The use of kratom is becoming more popular in Slovakia as well.

In the previous days, the Ministry of Health pointed out that they had already noticed the first manifestations of addiction in the country.

Thai lawmakers have reformed strict drug laws in recent years. In 2019, Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize the use of medical marijuana.

Nevertheless, Thai prisons are overcrowded with people convicted of drug-related crimes. People face up to ten years in prison for possession of several methamphetamine pills, AFP writes.