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southeast asia

Kratom Pronunciation Debate: Krah-tom, Kray-tom and More?

August 18, 2020 by LCK

Many people have had the same experience when they talk to someone about kratom in person or out loud for the first time. They find that when the person they’re speaking with says kratom, they pronounce in a way that is completely different than what they expected!

Have you ever felt awkward about how you pronounce kratom? Unsure about whether or not you are saying this unique word the right way?

It’s a common experience to have. Kratom advocates and consumers often feel self-conscious about the way that they are pronouncing the word. Since there are different opinions on what pronunciation is the right way to say kratom, it’s hard even to find out if you have it “right” or “wrong.”

What is this debate all about, and how should you pronounce kratom? Let’s talk about it!

Pronouncing Kratom: Four Methods

There are two main ways to pronounce kratom, as well as two supplemental ways that some people choose to use instead.

Long A

The first way that you will often hear Americans say kratom is with a long A sound; this will sound like KRAY-tum. This is how many will sight read the word, and that is why it is commonly seen. Many American dialects favor this type of long A pronunciation. 

Short A

Another way to say kratom uses a short A sound; this will sound like KRAH-tum. Many people think that this pronunciation fits the rules of English better, and they also believe that it sounds closer to the native pronunciation of kratom.

Native Tongues

There are also people who believe that they should try to mimic the local pronunciation of kratom as it is referred to where it grows.

This means that they prefer to say something more similar to KRAH-tum or KEH-tum since ketum is a word commonly used. However, there isn’t a single way to refer to or pronounce kratom in Southeast Asia because kratom grows in a few different countries. 

Even if you were to consider a single area, such as Thailand, explaining the pronunciation of a Thai word using Roman characters is not easy. While some would say that kah-tom is close to how the Thai word is said, even the “K’ sound is complicated.

Why is that?

The K-adjacent sound used in the Thai word for kratom is a guttural sound that falls somewhere between the G and the K. Explaining how to accurately pronounce this word to anyone that does not understand Thai sounds, then, is too difficult.

Science Speaks

Finally, some scientists, politicians, and advocates of kratom prefer not to use the word kratom when possible and instead use the scientific name, Mitrogyna speciosa.

While this can work in many written documents, articles, and forms, saying this long scientific phrase aloud every time you reference kratom is not going to be appealing to everyone. 

The “Correct” Pronunciation

Is there a definitive answer about how kratom should be pronounced?

No. There is not, which is why the debate about which of the pronunciations discussed above should be used when talking about kratom. Within the community, most people are divided between calling it KRAY-tum or KRAH-tum. That divide is pretty evenly split, and both sides tend to feel that their own pronunciation makes the most sense.

Dictionary Says… 

Some would suggest using the dictionary to decide which pronunciation is correct. Unfortunately, both KRAY-tum and KRAH-tum are listed as pronunciation options in the Oxford Dictionary, so there isn’t a final answer to be found in that source.

Locals Say… 

Others say that the only way we can make the final call about pronunciation is to ask the local population where kratom grows naturally. Normally, this would be a great way to find out how a foreign word should be best and most accurately incorporated into the English language.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a single way to refer to kratom in these regions since kratom grows in a number of Southeast Asian countries. Thai uses ketum and similar words while Malay has its own words or uses kratom pronounced in the Malaysian way.

Kratom growth and cultural history are not restricted to one area or language, so relying on a single language to make the call about pronunciation isn’t possible.

Advocates Say… 

The community has also suggested that we follow the example of leaders of advocacy organizations and shops on the local level as a way to standardize the pronunciation. Even within these groups and shops, however, people use both KRAY-tum and KRAH-tum, so there isn’t an answer to be found here.

So What Should I Say?

Saying kratom with either a long or short A is okay; stick with whatever is most comfortable for you. If many people in your local community tend to favor one pronunciation, it might be best to shift to their version to remain consistent when talking with your community at large.

There is no standard pronunciation at this time. Until the community decides that it is necessary to unite around one pronunciation, continue to use whichever version makes the most sense to your mouth and your brain.

Moving Forward With Kratom

If this is a debate that you have gotten caught up in, it’s probably best to move on towards other things for now. There isn’t a singular way to pronounce kratom that is more correct than others, even if some people do have strong preferences. 

The fact of the matter is that at this point in time, people are going to continue to say the word kratom in different ways. That’s not a big problem, so you shouldn’t let this debate get to you. Continue to say kratom however you want, and through your influence, those around you might convert to your way of saying it as well.

Beyond that, there are other things to focus on in the kratom industry that are more worth discussion and debate. Let’s focus on moving forward with kratom and not getting caught up in the minor details!

Filed Under: Resources Tagged With: dialect, featured, ketum, krah-tom, kratom, kray-tom, pronunciation, regional, southeast asia, vowels

FAQ: Does Growing Kratom Have A Positive Environmental Impact?

April 15, 2020 by LCK

While kratom trees have been around for hundreds of years, the worldwide kratom industry is still very young. Supply chains, farming methodologies, and guidelines for safe kratom sales are being developed and altered every month. As of now, there are still a lot of changes happening regarding kratom in the world.

One area of the kratom industry that gets even less attention than the rest of the industry is the environmental impact that kratom farming has. All farming industries put some type of pressure on the land and locality; some programs are able to balance that out and some are not.

How sustainable is kratom, and are there any environmental impacts that the industry is having that we should be concerned about? These are questions that we would like to investigate more deeply as we move into a kratom-friendly world.

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A Brief Kratom Introduction

To understand how kratom might have an effect on the environment, it is important to first be aware of what it is and why it has an impact on the environment at all.

Kratom is a tree. Also known as Mitryagyna speciosa, it is a tree in the coffee family. The tree has grown naturally for hundreds of years in many Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Papua New Guinea.

The leaves of the plant have been used for both traditional and recreational purposes in those regions for many years. The leaves could be chewed on directly for pain relief and focus, or the teas could be turned into a tea to treat common ailments.

Today, this botanical is being used for a wide variety of reasons. It’s growing popularity is leading to more focus on kratom, so the question about its long-term sustainability effect is very important.

Is kratom having an environmental impact? Is it helping or hurting the world and areas where it is grown?

Kratom: The Lesser Of The Evils?

One argument often made in favor of increasing the presence of kratom farming in these regions is that kratom is the lesser of the farming evils.

For many years, the palm oil and rubber industries kept this area alive. Additionally, forests are often being harvested for tree-based paper and timber, and that is leading to an overall reduction in space for forest animals and cultures.

Palm Oil

Palm oil production has played a huge role in the deforestation of forests in this region, and there is also evidence that palm oil production plays a large role in the problem of climate change.

Palm oil is the most highly produced oil – period. More than 60 million tons of the product are made each year, and it takes over 270 hundred million acres of land to do so. Creating these plantations leads to mass deforestation, and there are also many concerns about human rights abuses within the palm oil industry.

Palm oil is used in a huge variety of products that shoppers like you and I buy at the supermarket, and many of the world’s fuel sources contain palm oil even though it does not burn clean.

Many people believe that farming kratom instead of palm oil in regions where farming is a way-of-life could help to reduce the overall negative impact that palm oil has.

Deforestation

Another huge issue seen in these regions is deforestation. The rainforest in these areas is amazing and helps to create some of the amazing biodiversity that can be found in our world. The rainforest, however, is often destroyed to the benefit of the paper and timber industries.

Up to 70% of the paper in the United States already comes from plantations where timber is sustainably managed, but the same cannot be said in some regions of the world where these industries are less regulated. In Indonesia, 70% of all logging that happens is illegal, and yet, it continues.

Often, it is the rainforests that suffer from this addiction to logging. Recent activism in the regions has created small smarks of change, but there is still a lot of work to be done.

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While paper and timber farming require that native rainforests be cut down, the same cannot be said about the kratom industry. Kratom can (and often is) harvested by hand, leaving the trees intact. The plant continues to grow, and the forest around the plant can thrive with it.

Kratom: An Option of Sustainability

One of the reasons it is so important to pay attention to where your kratom comes from is because you want to be sure it comes from a sustainable kratom farm. Despite the potential that kratom farms have to replace industries that are more harmful to the planet, kratom farms also have to commit to environmentally-friendly practices.

While it is a good start to replace industries that are naturally more harmful than growing kratom, it’s an even better choice to make sure that the kratom industry is as eco-friendly as possible.

For example, paying farmers to grow and harvest kratom in their backyards in smaller batches may be a great alternative to setting up huge kratom groves. By planting small amounts of trees in various yards rather than clearing natural forests to grow kratom, the world is a little less damaged.

Additionally, it’s important that kratom continues to be harvested by hand rather than having entire forests taken down just to get the kratom leaves. Handpicking is more common than other methods of harvesting, but that trend needs to continue.

Wild trees can also be harvested to get kratom in some areas; in this case, trees don’t even need to be planted. Through wild harvesting, even less of an impact is made on the forests that kratom is native to.

It’s Up To People Like Us

You have a choice to decide where you will buy your kratom from. We have a choice to decide where we will source our kratom from. Vendors like us and customers like you have the opportunity to make sure that we choose options that are as eco-friendly as possible.

Doing so ensures the future of the kratom industry as well as additional protection for the world around us. What will you do to do your part?

Filed Under: Resources Tagged With: eco-friendly, environment, farming, featured, indonesia, kratom, palm oil, rubber, southeast asia, sustainability

Urgent: Thailand Removes Kratom From Narcotics List

February 12, 2020 by LCK

News update: Thailand should be removing kratom and cannabis from their narcotics list!

Kratom has been a Schedule V narcotic on Thailand’s narcotics list for 76 years despite it being a substance used traditionally in parts of Thai culture. Additionally, the laws surrounding kratom usage, possession, and sale in Thailand are incredibly strict. Southeast Asia, in general, is known for having some of the strictest punishments for illegal drug use and possession.

The changes regarding kratom and cannabis in Thailand aren’t going to happen immediately. Here’s what is going to happen and when it is likely for those new laws to go into effect.

Kratom Removal From Narcotics List

The most important thing in regards to kratom that is happening in Thailand is the removal of kratom from the narcotics list. Kratom was added to this list more than 76 years ago, but that’s is going to be changing soon.

In December 2019, the Justice Minister in Thailand, Somsak Tapsutin, announced that the ministry no longer considers kratom as a narcotic. He has issued a memorandum stating as much alongside the country’s Health Minister.

When making this decision, the ministry cross-referenced with the guidelines laid out by the World Health Organization. These guidelines require that the substance is reasonably addictive, dangerous, and harmful to society to be made illegal.

The Justice Minister shared the ministry’s position that kratom is not addictive or harmful enough to be classified as a narcotic, so they are beginning the process to change their stance. 

The minister even mentioned that kratom is known to have some positive effects. The ministry is interested in those effects being explored with research. Plus, kratom could be provided to the public for medical use as needed.

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Saving More, Making More

This change in laws in Thailand is a sign of changing times. Kratom has been banned for at least 76 years there, and the initial ban caused a huge career train and strained some Thai farmers.

Now, Thai farmers have reason to believe that they might be able to move into a new, old industry: kratom. There’s a sense of optimism about the potential economic boost that opening up the kratom market, even just a little bit, in Thailand might do.

Farmers in countries like Indonesia, where kratom farming and exportation is being phased out, are struggling to figure out what crop they will move on to when the industry completely closes down. That change is going to cause a huge economic problem in an inverse manner to the potential growth of the industry in Thailand.

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin has estimated that the government spends about 20,000 baht, almost $700, per case on up to 50,000 kratom cases each year. By lowering the restriction levels and the amount of money that must be spent on each kratom-related case, the government will be able to save a lot of money.

How Will The FDA Respond?

In the past, the FDA has regularly used Thailand’s classification of kratom as narcotic as an example of why kratom should be restricted or banned in the USA. Now that leaders in Thailand are issuing memorandums and changing the status of kratom. What will the FDA say now?

This is something that many people are interested in finding out. In particular, the American Kratom Association leaders, who have been waiting for years to have a sit down meeting with the FDA about kratom, find this news a huge push in the right direction.

Kratom does not grow naturally in America. Organizations often look to countries where it does grow wild to determine how a substance should be used. Thailand could be considered a leader in how to handle kratom laws. Only time will tell if this news affects the FDA’s stance at all.

Narcotics Control Committee Updates

Another organization that will be changing in Thailand is the Narcotics Control Committee. This organization deals with the classification of narcotic substances, control of narcotics laws, and other aspects of narcotics problems in Thailand.

For the past few years, people and other governmental organizations in Thailand have raised some criticisms of the committee and how it is set up.

Recently, the National Legislative Assembly in Thailand voted to change the way that the organization is run and how many members are on the committee.

Paving The Way For Medical Legalization & Research

The legalization of medical marijuana was voted on at the same National Legislative Assembly meeting, and it passed with a full assembly vote for yes. It will take a few months for this change to go into effect. Still, the legalization and regulation of cannabis as a medical substance is going to pave the way for kratom to be used in a similar way.

As the Justice Minister has set up both cannabis and kratom for legalization, the National Assembly will need to vote on kratom next. This vote is expected to happen sometime in March according to the minister, but no official date has been set yet.

If it does pass the NLA vote, it is possible that the respective laws in Thailand will be changed as soon as June.

Why This Matters To You

Though you are using kratom in a country far away from Thailand, it is still possible that this change will end up affecting the products that you are using.

Nothing has been officially decided yet, but Thailand could begin allowing kratom farming and exportation if they want to get into the international kratom market. That would change the supply chain and ultimately would change what kinds of products you can purchase.

Additionally, Thailand is setting up the country for more research into kratom because scientists will be able to study wild-occurring plants with more freedom. This research is incredibly important and plays a large role in the future legality of kratom.

Without this research, it will be hard to convince some states and organizations about the safety of kratom. Research has already been done about kratom, but a huge amount is needed to fully show what kratom is, what it can do, and what it can treat with more specificity than is currently available. 

Filed Under: Resources Tagged With: botanicals, featured, kratom, legalization, mitragyna speciosa, narcotics, natural, regulations, research, southeast asia, thailand

A Tiny Tour of Thailand

August 21, 2019 by LCK

When we’re looking through our catalog, it’s easy to think of Thailand as nothing more than the place where some of our most popular strains of Kratom originated. Of course, Thailand is much more than that, but not everyone has had the opportunity to learn more about this rich and varied country.

Today, come on a tiny tour of Thailand with Left Coast Kratom! While we can’t all fly there together, we can learn more about what the island is like and what are the most popular things to do when people visit. After all, Thailand is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. 

Whether you want to learn more about Thailand’s beaches or their culture, we’ll get you started on discovering those areas today.

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The Basics of Thailand

Thailand is the 50th largest country in the world. For comparison, it is just a little bit larger than Spain. The island itself spans a wide range of area, so there are differing climates and zones depending on where in the country you are. The northern regions are very different from the tropical regions of the south.

Thailand is home to more than 68 million people and counting! The country is still growing, and big cities are getting even bigger. Thailand is divided into 76 different regions. From tiny villages all the way up to huge cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai, there are towns of every type and size. Depending on which of these places you visit, you will get a very different experience.

Currency in Thailand is known as the Thai Baht. One USD equals 33 Thai Baht; having a conversion calculator handle when traveling around will be very useful unless you are great at doing math in your head.

Thailand’s Climate & Geography

To understand what a place is really like, we first need to be able to imagine what it would like to be there ourselves! In Thailand’s case, the climate and geography play a big role in that.

Weather Throughout The Year

The specifics of the weather, of course, will differ depending on the exact region that you visit, but the following information about how the change in seasons affects the weather throughout the year should help you to narrow down when you would want to visit the country.

Most people visit Thailand between November and February. This is because the coolest and driest weather of the year (with an average temperature of 29ºC/85°F) happens at this time. In the north of Thailand during this time, the weather at night can get pretty chilly.

April to June is very hot in Thailand, especially if you are not used to the heat. By the end of May, monsoon season will begin and most days will see weather that is wet, wet, wet! The heaviest rains happen in June and August. October is a borderline month; it can be dry or it can be wet depending on the year.

Thailand’s Geographic Features

Thailand has high mountains in the north, and these mountains go down towards the south along the country’s border with Burma. The highest peak is Doi Inthanon, an 8,451-foot mountain. The lowest power is the Gulf of Thailand, which is located at sea level.

The central area of Thailand is a fertile plain that is fed by the 231-mile long Chao Phraya River. Most major cities, historically significant locations, and densely populated areas are located along this river. In a way, it brings life to Thailand. Eventually, the river drains into the area south of Bangkok.

Thailand also has a plateau region known as the Khorat Plateau. Here you can find low, rolling hills as well as shallow lakes. This region drains into the Mekong River system. The end of the land in the southern peninsula becomes overtaken by mangrove swamps. Off the coasts of Thailand, many islands can be found, such as the famous Phuket.

Popular Destinations in Thailand

So, where do people visit when they go to Thailand? Where do Thai people go when they vacation within their own country? There are a lot of wonderful places to see in Thailand, so listing them all would be impossible. We’ll just be mentioning some of the most popular and well-known tourist destinations.

Big City Life

Many tourists, Thai or otherwise, visit the big cities of Bangkok, and Chiang Mai! While the image of Thailand that comes to mind for most when thinking of Thailand is of a beach, much of the excitement and culture of Thailand exists in the cities!

Beaches & The Islands

What’s more wonderful than the opportunity to visit some tropical islands? Not much! In Thailand, you can do just that. From five-star coastal resorts to small, barely populated island beaches, there is a huge range of beach and island activity that you can join.

For the best experience, try to do a little of both. Visit a popular beach near Phuket, and then plan an excursion to a pristine beach in one of Thailand’s many nature reserve areas to see what that is like as well. You’ll probably love them both!

The Mountains & Mountain Towns

As mentioned, the northern regions of Thailand are very mountainous. Visiting the Thai Highlands is an interesting way to see a different side of Thailand. The way of life in mountain villages is quite different. You can hike, explore, and destress.

Other Popular Locations

These three main types of things to do are, of course, not the only things that you can do in Thailand! Here’s a quick run-through of some of the other most popular things to do when visiting this enticing nation:

  • • Phi Phi Islands
  • • Krabi
  • • Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
  • • Khao Yai National Park
  • • Khao Sok National Park
  • • Ko Chang District
  • • Thani
  • • Hat Yai

These are just a few of the many, many places that we could recommend. Searching through images of Thailand can help you imagine what other areas of this type of tour could include! Ultimately, your own trip to Thailand would be able to include anything that you wanted; you just need to choose!

Filed Under: Resources Tagged With: featured, international, kratom, mitragyna speciosa, southeast asia, thailand, tourism, tourist, travel, visit

Borneo: All About This 3-Country Island

August 7, 2019 by LCK

Does the name “Borneo” bring any specific images to mind? Do you picture a luscious rainforest or sunny beaches? Can you imagine what life is like on this island nation? For many people, Borneo is just a foreign name of a faraway foreign place that doesn’t bring anything specific to mind.

Since a lot of our products come from Borneo or originated there, we think that it’s important to learn more about the island itself. What goes on there? What is the weather like? We got curious about it all, and now, we’re going to share our findings with you!

Borneo is a large island that holds land for three separate countries; let’s find out how this happened and what it means for the island today!

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Borneo: What’s The Island Like?

The island of Borneo is 287,000 square miles. As this island is ruled by three different countries, this may seem like a pretty small area to divide, but the countries have still managed to do just that! After all, Borneo is the third-largest island on Earth, and it is the largest island in Asia! That is a big part of why so many different countries have been involved in ruling it.

Overall, there are more than 21 million people living on the island. The population density falls in around 29 people per square kilometer on average, but there are more people living in dense city areas than there are in the uninhabitable rainforests and other regions.

Uninhabitable Land

In fact, a large portion of Borneo island is uninhabitable. Between the mountainsides and dense rainforests, people have tended to settle on the coastlines where life is easier. If the mountains and rainforests weren’t enough, there are also a lot of swamps to deal with on the island.

Because of the vast tracks of uninhabitable land, however, wildlife has been able to thrive untouched. Hundreds of varieties of native trees have been identified on the island. For comparison, there are less than 200 native trees in North America. The ecology on Borneo is vast and amazing.

Mountains & Seas

The tallest point on Borneo is Mount Kinabalu, which measures in at about 13,400 feet. The mountainous island has more than a lot of mountains, however. Due to Borneo’s location, it also comes in contact with a lot of different bodies of water!

The island is surrounded by:

  • • South China Sea
  • • Makassar Strait
  • • Celebes Sea
  • • Sulu Sea
  • • Java Sea

All of these bodies of water are part of how so many different empires and colonizers attempted to move into Borneo in order to take advantage of its essential position in Asia.

Borneo: What Are The Three Countries?

The island of Borneo is divided into three separate regions that are each ruled by a different country. Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei all lay claim to some part of the island. The island, however, is not divided evenly:

  • • Indonesia rules the southern 70% of Borneo
  • • Malaysia rules about 29% of Borneo
  • • Brunei takes up 1% of the landmass

Throughout the long history of Borneo, the island has been occupied and ruled by various countries and empires. The land’s political connections, as well as cultural majorities, have changed so many times that the variety of ethnicity, culture, and history on the island itself is almost overwhelming.

There have been Spanish, English, Dutch, and Portuguese merchants visiting the island through their times of exploration, and their cultures were thus able to influence what was happening around the island of Borneo.

Why The Division?

Many different groups tried to exert their control over the entire island of Borneo through history, but the geography of the land and internal strife between native tribes made it all but impossible. 

The mountainous ranges made it hard for a single colonizer to take over the whole country, so the separated areas of the island ultimately aligned with different countries. In the time leading up to modern-day, the alliances eventually lead to the current situation that can be seen on Borneo.

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Kratom In Borneo

Like us, one of the first times that you probably heard the word “Borneo” was probably in reference to Kratom. Since Borneo is not often referred to by name in our daily lives, we’re more likely to have heard of Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia than we are to have heard of Borneo.

So why is it that Borneo and Kratom are often brought up together?

Dying Industries Turned To Kratom

For many decades, palm oil and rubber were the primary exports of Borneo, and that is where a lot of people made their money. As these industries slowly withered and there was not as much product needed, farmers needed to find something else to grow and export.

With the rise of Kratom culture in the West, farmers turned to Kratom as their new cash crop. The environment on Borneo makes the island a perfect place for the native Kratom tree to thrive, and farmers took advantage of that for the future of their businesses. 

Indonesia Is Key

Most of the Kratom on Borneo is grown in a specific area of Indonesia that is about 12 hours from the nearest large city. In this region, the soil and climate make cultivating Kratom trees very easy.

While a lot of Kratom grows in Indonesia, consumption of Kratom is actually illegal in the country. It is legal to export the product, however, so farmers continue to grow Kratom as a thriving cash crop.

More Than Just Kratom

Though Kratom has been a big part of what brought thoughts about Borneo into our minds today, the island is about far more than just Kratom. Many of the locals on the island do have a history of using Kratom for ceremonial or medicinal reasons, but entire cultural aspects exist outside of Kratom.

The next time that you’re deciding to buy one of your favorite Borneo-based strains, allow an image of the island itself to come to your mind. Think about the mountains, the seas, and the interesting political situation on the island. Learning a little bit more about the world never hurts!

Filed Under: Resources Tagged With: borneo, brunei, featured, indonesia, island, kratom, malaysia, mitragyna speciosa, southeast asia

3 Things To Know About Countries That Export Kratom

June 26, 2019 by LCK

When you’re learning about Kratom, it can be hard to get clear information about where it comes from, what it is, and what the legalities of it really are. Here at Left Coast Kratom, we devote a lot of time and resources to learning these ins and outs because of how confusing the world of Kratom currently is. And we’re happy to share that information with our beloved customers!

One thing a lot of people want to know more about is where Kratom is grown and exported from before it’s delivered to vendors here in the US.

Does Thai Kratom really come from Thailand? You’ve probably seen conflicting responses, and that’s mostly because there is so little information on the internet from these areas that can be used to clearly answer your questions.

Today, we’ll work to clarify three major points of confusion about countries that export Kratom. 

As your trusted Kratom vendor, we feel it is important for you to have a better understanding of the places where Kratom traditionally comes from, and this is our attempt to help you begin collecting that information!

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1: Kratom Is Illegal To Use In Many Places

Two of the places that people most often envision when they think of Kratom, Thailand and Malaysia, have strict laws about Kratom usage. While historically people have used Kratom in these areas for centuries, laws set up within the last 100 years have made it illegal to use Kratom in most circumstances.

Thailand has made Kratom a schedule 5 narcotic, so users can be heavily fined or jailed if they are caught with Kratom. Recently, however, there are some exceptions for those who are interested in Kratom for its medicinal potential, but you must be registered with the government and buy through approved vendors in order to truly follow these regulations.

In Malaysia, Kratom is included as a Dangerous Substance on their official lists, but there isn’t much active criminalization of Kratom at this time. There have been a few attempts by the government to further criminalize the use of Kratom, but a respect for the traditional and ritual uses of Kratom have prevented any of those acts from being passed.

And while Malaysia can still export some Kratom, Thailand currently cannot export it at all. For that reason, much of the exporting of Kratom is done from Indonesia.

In Indonesia, not as many people have historically used Kratom due to differing opinions about whether or not it is allowed under certain religious laws. It’s currently banned for use in Indonesia but legal to export out of the country. Vendors and advocacy groups in the United States are working hard to make sure Kratom export remains legal in Indonesia.

The key takeaway is this: While exporting countries may be allowed to sell Kratom in various forms and make a profit off of it under their countries’ regulations, that does not always mean that locals can consume Kratom themselves!

2: Most Strains Are Not Grown Where You Think They Are

Another interesting fact that many people do not realize about Kratom is that the name of the strain does not always indicate where that particular batch of Kratom was grown! Strain names are more likely to identify differences in alkaloid content and color than they are to indicate where the Kratom came from.

In fact, due to limitations by the governments of Thailand, Malaysia, and other areas where Kratom thrives, most Kratom today is grown in Indonesia. Specifically, the island regions of Borneo and Sumatra are two of the most prominent exporters of Kratom.

It can feel a bit misleading that the strain names do not match the exporting country, but remember that you are searching for a specific experience, not a specific country, when you are buying various Kratom strains. Strain names often represent the origin of that strain’s particular lineage, not necessarily where the specific tree was grown.

3: Kratom Is Not Used By Everybody

Kratom is used to some extent in all countries that export it. While it is illegal to use domestically in some of those countries, there are definitely still communities of people that choose to continue to use Kratom for various purposes and benefits.

Still, that doesn’t mean that everybody in these countries is using Kratom!

Even as someone who believes that Kratom has positive effects, it is unlikely that you would recommend every single person you know to use it. After all, there are specific reasons that you chose to take Kratom, and those reasons aren’t going to make sense for everyone. 

The same rule applies to countries that export Kratom.

In Thailand and Malaysia, for example, Kratom is largely used by laborers to make it easier to get through a long day of physical work. Additionally, Kratom is used in small, rural villages as a type of traditional ceremony item.

If you were to go to Bangkok and ask the first Thai person on the street if they use Kratom, their answer is more likely to be “no” than anything else.

It’s easy to assume that using Kratom is incredibly commonplace in its countries of origin, but the truth is that Kratom is still used in limited and specific ways there just as it is here. And that distinction is pretty important!

Kratom: Not So Simple

The process of vendors getting Kratom is not so simple, and that is a large part of why there has been so much confusion on the importing side of Kratom use. Where did it come from? What strain is it? How do we know if it’s a safe, clean product?

All of these questions only get more complicated when one has to consider the cultural and legal obligations that exporters have in their own countries, and that can make thinking about the entire Kratom industry a bit of an overwhelming headache!

Reputable vendors will take the time to gain knowledge about exporting countries, to call in experts on laws in each jurisdiction, and to develop strong relationships with trustworthy farmers in those areas. We look forward to industry advances that allow more companies learn about compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices and how to track their products from seed to sale for the safety and comfort of our customers.

Filed Under: Resources Tagged With: bali, borneo, export, featured, indonesia, kratom, malaysia, mitragyna speciosa, southeast asia, thailand

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