Exploring the Benefits and Legality of Kratom in Canada
Mitragyna speciosa, or kratom as it’s more commonly called, is a tropical tree originating from Southeast Asia, whose extracts contain powerful healing properties.
Kratom has been used since at least the mid-19th century to remedy various medical conditions. Anecdotal reports indicate that the herb might relieve pain, inflammation, anxiety, and other illnesses. Many emerging scientific findings have since corroborated kratom’s traditional therapeutic claims besides uncovering more exciting facts about the tree.
But despite its many pharmacological applications, Mitragyna speciosa is yet to achieve global legalization. Some countries have imposed outright bans on kratom, while others have formulated regulations around manufacturing, distributing, and consuming the herb’s extracts.
Read below for insights into kratom’s health benefits and its legality in Canada.
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What Are The Health Benefits Of Kratom?
One of the frequently asked questions among Canadian kratom lovers pertains to the herb’s legal status in the country. We’ll explore whether kratom canada in the next section. But first, it’s only fair to unpack some of the herb’s perceived therapeutic benefits.
Below are the various ways you could benefit from incorporating kratom extracts into your health and wellness routine. You can visit Super Speciosa for more information.
1. Kratom May Relieve Pain
Pain is arguably the most common medical problem, for kratom is usually administered.
Nearly all chemicals in kratom may help with pain management. However, the herb’s analgesic properties are primarily due to two alkaloids – mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine.
When consumed, mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine affect various opioid receptors in the brain in a manner that triggers pain relief.
2. Kratom May Alleviate Inflammation
Many herbal extracts commonly recommended for pain relief also tend to contain anti-inflammatory properties, and kratom is no exception.
But while mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine account for most of the kratom’s analgesic properties, the tree’s anti-inflammatory effects mostly come from rhynchophylline and epicatechin.
Rhynchophylline and epicatechin alleviate inflammation by inhibiting the production and signaling of cytokines and chemokines. Cytokines and chemokines are the proteins that transmit inflammatory messages throughout the body.
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3. Kratom May Help With Opioid Withdrawal
Opioid withdrawal is a medical term for a range of symptoms that occur when a person previously on opioid drugs reduces their dosages dramatically or stops administering them altogether. Symptoms include headaches, muscle aches, abdominal discomfort, nausea, anxiety, restlessness, and elevated heart rate.
Kratom mimics the effects of opioid receptors in the brain. Therefore, you can gradually wean off opioids from your system by replacing these drugs with kratom. The idea is to fool your brain into believing you’re still on opioids.
What makes kratom so effective at dealing with opioid withdrawal is that the herb is a partial opioid agonist. In lay terms, it binds partially to opioid receptors, thereby minimizing the risks of addiction and dependency. That’s in contrast to conventional opioid drugs, which are full opioid agonists (bind fully to opioid receptors).
4. Kratom May Treat Anxiety and Depression
Some reports indicate that self-medicating with kratom may soothe stress and anxiety. That’s due to its positive effects on ‘feel-good’ chemical neurotransmitters like serotonin.
Kratom’s anxiolytic properties explain why it may relieve mood swings, depression, and related sleep disorders.
Even better is that the herb can combat various mental problems without causing addiction.
5. Kratom May Supercharge Your Energy Levels
Coffee is probably the first thing that comes to mind when discussing energizing products. But did you know that kratom belongs in the same family as coffee?
Well, that proves the herb’s effectiveness at boosting your energy levels.
According to research, Mitragyna speciosa may enhance both physical and mental energy. Incorporating kratom extracts into your breakfast is a proactive way to prepare for the day.
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Is Kratom Legal In Canada?
According to Canadian kratom laws, the herb isn’t illegal for sale, distribution, or consumption throughout the country’s ten provinces and three territories. However, the law prohibits selling kratom as a consumable product.
Here’s the broader implication of kratom’s legality in Canada;
First, growers can cultivate kratom provided they obtain the required license. In fact, the law appears completely silent on kratom farming in Canada.
Secondly, vendors cannot deal in kratom-infused edible products. These range from packaged kratom drinks to kratom gummies, candies, chocolate products, baked goods, and even pills or capsules.
Most importantly, kratom traders in Canada must obtain pre-approval before selling the herb’s extracts. Any unapproved sale, whether for human or animal consumption, is prohibited under Canada’s Food and Drugs Act.
The only legal way around these limitations is to offer non-edible kratom goods. These include kratom-enriched cosmetic products like ointments, kratom-based e-juices, or pre-rolls.
Some traders have also bypassed the red tape by labeling their products “for research purposes” only.
Others include kratom as part of secondary offers and giveaways. When a customer buys related products, such as cannabis chocolate, the package might include kratom gummies as a bonus. The weed chocolates would then have the markup of kratom gummies already factored into their listing price.
However, it’s still important to note that the Canadian state agency responsible for regulating pharmaceutical products – Health Canada – doesn’t authorize any kratom-containing product. That means buyers should exercise due caution before purchasing kratom supplements.
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The Bottom Line
Kratom’s incredible therapeutic benefits are well-documented. It’s also great to know that the herb is legally consumed in Canada. Remember to administer kratom in moderation, as an overdose might trigger specific adverse effects.
