Kratom: Opioid-Like Herb With Health and Addiction Risks, Doctors Voice Concerns

Doctors should ask their patients about kratom use the same way they would for cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, or heroin, according to doctors who authored a commentary published Monday in Annals of Internal Medicine. Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is an herb native to Southeast Asia that some people take to treat depression, chronic pain, and opioid withdrawal. Some may also take it as an alternative to opioids or take it recreationally. It is mainly marketed in the United States as a supplement, coming in the form of gummies, tablets, and tobacco. Emerging evidence has shown that it can cause addiction and various adverse effects ranging from mild to life-threatening....