Natural herbs can replace opioids

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine recently surveyed Kratom users in the United States. The study concluded that the potential abuse rate of this psychoactive compound, which is somewhat similar to opioids, is much lower than that of prescription opioids used to treat pain, anxiety, depression and addiction.
in a study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, scientists said that while the study was based on self-reporting, they confirmed that Kratom appeared to have safe therapeutic potential and could be used as an alternative to opioids. Authorities should seek research and regulation, not a total ban on Kratom's sales.
Kratom is a tropical plant belonging to the coffee tree family, mainly growing in Southeast Asia. It contains a chemical called cap-pillar wood, an alkaloid that acts on the brain's opioids and changes mood. In Asia, people use it in small doses as an energy and mood enhancer, similar to coffee. A larger dose of Kratom is used for pain relief.
, about 91 percent of participants who used Kratom on average several times a day were asked to relieve back, shoulder and knee pain, about 67 percent to relieve anxiety, and about 65 percent to relieve depression, according to the report.
About 41 percent of respondents said they used Kratom to treat opioid withdrawal, while 35 percent of those who used Kratom to quit opioids said they had not used prescription opioids or heroin for more than a year.
new findings suggest that Kratom does not fall into the category I controlled drug category because of its relatively low potential abuse rate and the fact that there may be medical applications to explore. (Source: Lu Yi, China Science Journal)
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