Kratom: Antidote or Adversary in Canada’s Opioid Crisis?
Opioid use in Canada has gradually degenerated into a major epidemic in the recent past. According to statistics, some 42,494 Canadians succumbed to opioid toxicity between January 2016 and September 2023.
British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta account for the vast majority of opioid-related deaths in Canada. Up to 88% of all fatalities between January and September 2023 were from the three provinces. That said, all other provinces and territories are critically affected by the opioid monster.
To many opioid addicts, the biggest challenge is addressing the associated withdrawal symptoms. And that’s where kratom comes in.Â
Some individuals explore alternative wellness products, such as those offered by OVAX, as part of a broader approach to managing health and well-being.
Kratom is widely touted for its ability to wean off the adverse effects of opioids in the body. But is this herb an antidote or adversary?
Read below to find out.
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Introducing Kratom
Kratom, botanically called Mitragyna speciosa, is a tropical plant in the coffee family native to Southeast Asia. The herb is particularly widespread in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Mitragyna speciosa is relatively new in the Western wellness industry. However, in Southeast Asia, locals have been chewing its leaves for decades to remedy numerous ailments. The herb is particularly effective against pain, inflammation, anxiety, and sleep deprivation.
Kratom possesses stimulant properties, too. That explains why some countries have either regulated access to it or criminalized it together. But Is kratom legal in Canada?
Canada was among the first countries to legalize Mitragyna speciosa. The herb is accessible all over the country with two conditions.
First, sellers shouldn’t hype kratom as a magic cure for the medical conditions it’s commonly prescribed for.
And second, kratom should be sold in other formulations besides consumables.
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What Are Opioids?
Opioids are a class of drugs that derive from, or whose effects mimic those of, the active biological compounds in the opium poppy plant.
Many people consume opioids for their analgesic properties. However, the drugs are also taken recreationally for their stimulant effects.
Opioids exert their biological effects by impacting a class of receptors in the brain aptly called opioid receptors.
Common opioid receptors include mu (MOR), kappa (KOR), and delta (DOR) receptors. Others are nociception (NOR) and zeta (ZOR) receptors.
Opioids are available as prescription drugs and illegal narcotics.
Examples of prescription opioids include morphine, codeine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone (Vicodin®). Illegal opioids are typically available as synthetics, with fentanyl being the most prevalent.
What Makes Opioids So Dangerous?
Prescription opioids are generally safe, provided that users stick to expert dosage recommendations. These drugs become problematic when used recreationally.
Opioids are highly addictive. When consumed, the drugs bind fully to opioid receptors in the brain, causing addiction and dependency over time.
It’s worse when you consider that many opioid users don’t realize they’ve been hooked to these drugs until they begin to cut back on their dosages. That’s when opioid withdrawal symptoms start to manifest.
Opioid withdrawal symptoms occur when an opioid addict suddenly quits these drugs or drastically reduces their regular doses. Common symptoms include;
- Body aches, particularly headaches and muscle aches
- Stress and anxiety
- Sleep deprivation and drowsiness
- Tremors
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and inappetence
- Fatigue
- Runny nose
- Hot and cold flushes
Illegal opioids are also outright dangerous due to their superior potency. According to Health Canada, fentanyl is over 100 times more powerful than morphine. That makes it dangerously easy to overdose.
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Is Kratom An Opioid Antidote Or Adversary?
To answer this question conclusively, we’ll first need to understand how kratom affects the body.
Kratom impacts similar receptors as regular opioid drugs. The difference is in the intensity of its effects.
Kratom is a partial opioid agonist. That means it impacts opioid receptors partially, unlike conventional opioids that are considered full opioid agonists.
Kratom’s partial interactions with opioid receptors explain why it presents considerably lower risks of addiction and dependency than conventional opioid drugs. It’s also the reason many wellness enthusiasts recommend the herb for treating opioid withdrawal symptoms.
Apparently, opioid addicts can gradually replace their standard opioid doses with kratom. This allows them to achieve the same therapeutic benefits with a less addictive herb.
In the long run, a former addict would have replaced the more toxic opioid drugs with a safer kratom. But that’s not all.
Kratom may also address various opioid withdrawal symptoms.
Kratom’s opioid-like effects can produce pain relief, making it a reliable treatment for headaches and muscle aches.
Opioid addicts may also administer kratom for anxiety and irritability. Certain kratom strains, particularly red-vein cultivars, are famed for their soothing effects.
Note that sleep disturbances experienced by withdrawing opioid users are mostly due to stress and anxiety. The fact that kratom possesses anxiolytic properties explains why it can boost a former addict’s sleep quality.
Kratom is also a mild stimulant. Remember that this herb shares the same biological origin as coffee. Its energizing properties may come in handy for recovering opioid users grappling with physical or mental fatigue.
Again, the effects are strain-dependent. While red-vein kratom is predominantly mellowing, consider white-vein kratom if you’re seeking to benefit from the herb’s uplifting properties.
If you’re suffering from both stress and fatigue, you could consider green-vein strains. Green-vein kratom cultivars are mildly sedating and mildly stimulating.
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Summary
Evidently, kratom is an antidote, not an adversary, to Canada’s opioid epidemic.
Not only can opioid addicts administer kratom to wean off the adverse effects of these drugs from their system. They can also rely on the herb to mitigate the severity of opioid withdrawal symptoms.
