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H e a l t h

PONTIANAK: The sweltering backwaters ofIndonesian Borneo have become the unlikely groundzero for the global production and export of Kratom, atree leaf hailed by some as a miracle cure for every-thing from opioid addiction to anxiety. Part of the cof-fee family, the leaf has been used for centuries inSoutheast Asia and Papua New Guinea for its pain-relieving and mildly stimulating effects but it is nowsold in powder form and exported worldwide — alarm-ing some health regulators who have raised concernsabout safety.

Kratom stimulates the same brain receptors as mor-phine, although it produces much milder effects. “I takeKratom and have had no problems. Every strain has itsbenefits - some help you relax, others can treat insom-nia or treat drug addiction. Some help increase stami-na,” grower Faisal Perdana said. Fellow farmer GustiPrabu, who now exports 10 tonnes of the drug a month,agreed. “Our ancestors used Kratom and there were nonegative side effects. It can help eliminate drug addic-tion and help people detox,” he explained.

But its popularity is causing concern — the drug isunregulated, and has had little clinical testing to assessits safety or side effects. Kratom is already banned fordomestic consumption in Indonesia, Malaysia andThailand, though the former allows its export inunprocessed form. Health authorities in the UnitedStates — now the drug’s top importer — have linked

consumption of the plant and its derivatives to dozensof deaths, warning it could aggravate a deadly opioidepidemic gripping parts of the country.

Compounds found in Kratom are opioids, whichexpose users to the same risks of addiction and deathas illicit opiates, according to the US Food and DrugAdministration. But for farmers in Kapuas Hulu, WestKalimantan — the centre of production — demand forKratom is such that they have moved away from tradi-tional commodities such as rubber and palm oil to startgrowing the tree, turning it into a major cash crop.

And at the main post office in Pontianak, the keytrading post for this part of Indonesian Borneo, it’sclear the health warnings have done little to dampeninterest. “Around 90 percent of our shipments fromWest Kalimantan province are Kratom that’s beensold to the United States,” post office head ZaenalHamid said.

As many as five million Americans use the drug andthat number is growing, according to the AmericanKratom Association. Data from 2016 showed that theregion was shipping some 400 tons abroad everymonth — worth about $130 million annually at currentglobal prices of some $30 a kilogram. Most Kratomcustomers are reached through online platforms suchas Facebook, Instagram and Chinese e-marketplaceAlibaba. The trend for alternative medicine has beencredited with increasing interest in Kratom from

Europe and America, where it is usually consumed as atea or in capsules.

The US is struggling with an opioid epidemic, fueledby addiction to prescription painkillers as well as streetdrugs like heroin and synthetic versions such as fen-tanyl. Kratom is legal in 43 states, but the FDA is push-ing for greater restrictions and has already put animport alert on it, which means shipments entering theUS can be confiscated.

In a statement, the organization warned consumersnot to use the drug and said it was “concerned thatKratom appears to have properties that expose usersto the risks of addiction, abuse, and dependence.”Scientists say that while Kratom may have positiveattributes, very little research has been done into thedrug. “It has great potential as a remedy for pain andopioid addiction given its pharmacology and its poten-tial accessibility,” Michael White, head of the depart-ment of pharmacy practice at the University ofConnecticut, said. “It is promising and not proven,” headded. Advocates insist it’s a safe alternative to pre-scription drugs and can actually help opioid addicts.

“Of the 44 deaths on record involving Kratom, theyall involve poly-drug use,” said Ryan Leung, aspokesman from kratom lobby group BotanicalEducation Alliance (BEA). “The FDA health warnings...(have) proven to be misguided by multiple experts,” headded. For now, Indonesian producers are waiting to

see how the regulatory battle in the US unfolds. Andwhile bad weather and a salmonella scare dentedexports in 2017, provisional data showed Kratom ship-ments bounced back strongly last year. Kratom farmerPrabu insisted: “The Kratom market has been verygood over the past decade and it still has potential inthe years ahead.” He added: “People will see its useful-ness, sooner or later.” — AFP

Miracle treatment or risky drug? Indonesia cashes in on Kratom

Compounds found in Kratom are opioids

PONTIANAK: This picture taken on December 25, 2018shows Indonesian kratom grower Gusti Prabu tendingto his plants at a farm. — AFP