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Did you know that back in the fall of 2016 during a period of 6 weeks a total of 23,232 comments were submitted to the DEA and 99% voted to keep this botanical legal in America? This was a major lesson. Together in America, we are one. Yet, despite knowing that 448 veterans to 1 support keeping kratom legal, despite knowing that 569 to 7 medical professionals support keeping kratom legal, despite the support of hard-working Americans, it is extremely sad to realize that the kratom community continues to be marginalized and stigmatized in the 21st Century (Botanical Educational Alliance, 2019). The purpose of this article is to encourage individuals to connect with nature, to research the origins of kratom, and to find, and to fight for the truth about these indigenous trees. We are the ones that have been waiting to save us. Becoming media nature literate is essential in today’s suffocating media-centric society. There is clearly a war on information happening. The overwhelming saturation of information is ubiquitous in our lives. Nature is the missing key that will open the doors to our cage. Hence, understanding the past and the present is vital for rewriting kratom’s future.
Nature is the future that is trying to be robbed from us right in front of our eyes. Did you know that American Vietnam Veterans were one of the first individuals of the west to encounter Mitragyna speciosa? Kratom was given its botanical name Mitragyna speciosa, by Pieter Korthals, a Dutch botanist who worked for the East India Company in 1839. There is no doubt in my mind that the face of kratom is the face of humanity. Learning and possessing kratom is our birthright for nature is the web of life that connects us all. The face of kratom is the face of your next-door neighbor. The face of kratom is the face of your teacher and your co-worker and your relatives and your friends. The face of kratom is the face of grandmas, grandpas, single moms, hard-working family-oriented men, business owners, truck drivers, office staff, married couples, democrats, republicans, independents, vegans, yogis, college students, boyfriends and girlfriends, veterans, sisters, middle-aged individuals, brothers and colleagues from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and social economic status. Kratom is what brings every single one of us together. Next time you come across a friend or a neighbor, ask them if they know about kratom. If they don’t, then it is your civic duty to enlighten them. Be the warrior of your community like ripples in the pond of consciousness.
Americans do not want to move towards prohibition. (Wing, 2017). This is clear. Next time you come across a Veteran, learn from them and ask them whether they got the opportunity to learn about Mitragyna speciosa/kratom during their stay in South East Asia instead of relying on unscrupulous organizations and media outlets who are more interested in sabotaging your family than saving you. According to the American Kratom Association (2019), a non-profit organization founded in 2014 responsible for educating, protecting, preserving, and restoring full consumer access to kratom, “kratom was first introduced to the United States following the Vietnam War when Southeast Asia immigration increased and returning soldiers, who had been introduced to kratom during their service there, continued its use for an energy and mood boost, similar to having a cup of coffee in the morning, and for its pain relief effects.” (p.1). As stated by the Educational Botanical Alliance (2019), an organization dedicated to educating and empowering consumers, lawmakers, medical professionals, law enforcement, and the media about the safe and therapeutic uses of kratom, Mitragyna speciosa, widely known as kratom or ketum, is a beautiful and deciduous evergreen tree that grows in tropical places like Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, New Guinea, the Philippines, and Thailand. These trees can grow to a height of approximately 25 m or 80 feet tall. Kratom trees are known for having dark green and glossy-oval looking shape leaves. In fact, Thailand is kratom’s hometown. Although there are over 40 alkaloids found in Mitragyna speciosa, the two main alkaloids are Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. It is important to mention that the kratom community sees kratom as a benign botanical that is known for assisting in daily occupational demands and family social functioning. This pure raw botanical is widely familiar among natives and villagers of countries that perform demanding work under the sun and with direct exposure to the elements. Kratom is also how thousands of mothers and fathers, sons, daughters, and brothers and sisters and cousins in South East Asia sustain themselves. There are thousands of kratom farmers whose income solely rely on the agriculture of this special botanical. Banning this innocent botanical will not only affect American families, but it will also deeply affect native families of South East Asia who have been honestly cultivating and protecting kratom for thousands of years.
It is a fact that at any given time natives of places like Pontianak Indonesia (who have easy and direct access to kratom gardens) can literally walk up to the trees, pick a matured leaf, and begin to chew it in its raw form- while others prefer to make natural herbal teas and smoothies based on their preference and creativity. The name “Mitragyna speciosa” comes from the close resemblance of the leaves to the ceremonial head-dress of bishops known as “Mitre or miter.” From personal experience, when done right from scratch using raw artisanal products, the process of making the tea can be quite fun and therapeutic. Lighting some incense or candle and listening to some soul-healing music is perfect for putting you in a great mood. When done right, the tea is frothy with an intense dark-brown-green-orange look. While some prefer to add cinnamon, tongkat ali, native blue skullcap, chamomile, akuamma, and other fresh fruits to their elixirs/tinctures, and smoothies, others prefer to add turmeric, ginger root, chaga, ashawagandha, or even moringa. In order to mask the bitter dirt taste, some use raw honey, pineapple juice, coconut oil, mint, grapefruit, cayenne pepper, vanilla extract/ice cream, coconut sugar, molasses, cacao, maple syrup, but my family and friends enjoy adding raw blue agave nectar because of its natural properties. This cultural and traditional ancient ritual is a part of our universal sacred heritage that has been passed down for thousands of years from generation to generation through the marvelous tradition of oral storytelling. Fascinatingly enough, there is anecdotal indication suggesting that kratom trees can potentially grow in different areas of the United States of American including places like Southern California, Texas, and Florida. This is based primarily on the comments and images that I have personally encountered on platforms like Reddit, Facebook Support Groups, and everyday people that I have encountered during my journey to the heart of kratom. Perhaps you might want to find a way to grow a kratom tree in your backyard and report its progress. This is another wonderful way to help the kratom community and to help you learn about this fascinating life-giving botanical that is for the most part constantly making negative headlines.
It is really an honor to have learned the secrets of these trees back in 2016 when we almost lost kratom nationwide. Kratom deeply inspired me to continue to pursue my career as a media psychologist. Kratom also saved my best friend’s life. He found kratom after years of severe and debilitating chronic pain, sadness, and frustration going through the broken medical system. I remember the more I learn about the beautiful lineage of Mitragyna speciosa, the more in love I felt towards these trees for having them in my life and in the lives of my family and my friends. The more I dig, the more I realized that a murky cloud lingered on these wonderful trees and this miserable cloud continues to do everything in its power to destroy kratom and to create fear and to divide us even further. Researching kratom became my passion. As I continue to work on my MA in Media Psychology (with an emphasis in media literacy and storytelling), the more I was able to apply what I learned to decipher the truth. However, it was my firsthand experience of watching my friend almost die- that is what gave birth to the vision of increasing kratom awareness. Mitragyna speciosa is here to stay. Mitragyna speciosa now has a sanctuary in my home, in my heart, and its roots are spreading across the world. Kratom is ready to bloom and to be part of every home. Kratom is a sacred teaching plant, a messenger of the universe that is here to contribute to the awakening of humanity.
According to the American Association (2019), “in the mid-1990’s the popularity of kratom was discovered by many Head Shop and Smoke Shop operators” (p.1). As of 2019, it is estimated that 5 million Americans purchase kratom yearly nationwide. This number does not include the people in Canada, México, Europe, and other areas of the world where more people every day are becoming kratom literate. Unfortunately, it is critical to mention that unethical head shops and smoke shops are the ones who originally besmirched the reputation of the kratom community, but the American Kratom Association and other organizations like the Botanical Educational Alliance and warriors across the nation have been able to shine a bright light into the dark voids within our society. These warriors behind screens and in real life are the ones doing everything they can from volunteering to using their social media accounts to promote kratom awareness in order to clean the name of kratom and to give back its true indigenous evergreen identity. Sadly, certain media outlets continue to make unbelievable headlines based on outdated misinformation, and cherry-picking information rooted on unsound science, alternative facts, questionable sources, personal agenda settings, personal gains, and purely made up/malicious lies that corrupt our minds (American Kratom Association, 2018). These agencies and media outlets are lacking morals. They are spreading seeds of hate. They are divulging delusions. They are trying to misrepresent kratom, but even science is on nature’s side. Times are changing and we are here to rewrite the lineage of kratom. We are here to share the origins and to give birth to the personification of this wonderful life changing botanical that continues to be assaulted. The war on kratom is a war on nature. The future of this glorious botanical is in our hands. Only we can save her from being taken away from us. Mitragyna speciosa was taken away from the people of Thailand back on August 3, 1943, when the government was attempting to gain control of the opium market and saw kratom as a threat to their profits (Botanical Educational Alliance, 2017). Thailand passed the Kratom Act 2486, which unfortunately made it illegal to plant and to possess kratom trees/leaves. Luckily, just recently the community fought back. After decades of being deprived of this natural artisanal botanical, it is peaceful to know that the people of Thailand have awakened. Not only is marijuana legal in Thailand but they also have Mitragyna speciosa/kratom/ketum back in their lives.
In today’s apocalyptic times remaining cool, calm, and connected is key. Nevertheless, being authentically and fiercely honest is not only crucial for the survival of this botanical, but it truly is our civic duty to defend and to protect the sacred heritage of kratom. Ketum is a leaf of the heart, and we are delighted to be able to understand its soul and to be 1 of 5 million individuals in America who have given Mitragyna speciosa/Kratom a proper and legitimate sacred space based on reciprocal amity, compassion, patience, love, understanding, honesty, and integrity. Perhaps one of the greatest lessons that Mitragyna speciosa has taught me is that LESS IS MORE, BREAKS are VITAL, and SELF-CONTROL is key just like with anything else in life. People can literally die from drinking too much water. People can die from eating peanuts. People are dying every day from smoking legal cigarettes. People are constantly dying while drinking and driving. America has one of the largest obesity rates in the entire world yet kratom is the main focus of attention? There is no doubt that more scientific research is needed to study the biopsychosocial long-term effects of kratom in humans. Nevertheless, banning kratom could interfere with this so desperately needed evidence in order to enhance the already existing and auspicious findings related to Mitragyna speciosa.
It is clear that unethical organizations, individuals are misinforming society. However, it is important to mention that outlets like Rolling Stone understand kratom. The Washington Examiner gets it. The Huffington Post gets it, and other media outlets like Vice understand that natural kratom leaf powder is safe (American Kratom Association, 2018). Agencies and dishonest media outlets not only are they occulting and obscuring the science about kratom, but they are also intentionally manipulating the minds of our society. This type of yellow journalism is intolerable, disgraceful, and shameful. They tried to use “novel computing programs” to analyze its components instead of relying on “in vivo experiments” and a legit culture that has known about kratom for thousands of years. They continuously and erroneously label kratom as an opioid and make us believe that kratom causes deaths when scientific evidence suggests that kratom does not stop or interfere with one’s breathing as poisonous opioids do. This might sound like a dystopian future, but it is happening right now whether you want to accept it or not I leave it to your personal research. There is massive gaslighting on steroids, and it is irresponsible for media outlets and federal agencies to be adulterating the identity of kratom and the families that support these trees. Attributing deaths solely to kratom when humans had other substances in their anatomies is by far an unsubstantiated outrage and sinister, to say the least. This type of illicit behavior is an intentional crime. It is unethical, scientifically flawed, and un-American. It is incredibly hard to believe that in the 21st Century avaricious powerful individuals like Richard Sackler and his family continue to push a dark narrative that only aligns with their pockets despite the negative cascade of effects on the national population. It is the Sackler Family what the media needs to really be focusing on after destroying Americans with the human poison known as “Oxycontin” who also benefits from the ones who become addicted through the treatment of suboxone. It is the Sackler family, American Billionaires, who are feeding our family poison as they benefit from their destruction (John Oliver, 2019). This is showing us again and again that our agencies and our communication system have been hacked. There is a vital need for new minds to paint the truth with uprightness and veracity. This is showing us that they simply do not care about our freedom, what we have to say, and our total well-being. It is clear that if nature is illegal true freedom does not exist. The delusional attack on kratom is an assault on nature, which is a direct threat to humanity. The trees of the world are our ancestors. An attack on these trees is a direct attack on us. Trees have a voice that we cannot understand quite yet but they have rights just like anything alive in the universe.
Families in South East Asia have been living next to kratom trees because these trees have been and continue to be part of their sacred heritage. Kratom trees are a source, a symbol of strength, camaraderie, solidarity, cooperation, unity, sisterhood, and brotherhood. The positive butterfly effect of kratom will not go unnoticed. Kratom is rooted at the core of honest family values. It has always been, and it will stay like this because nature cannot and will not be controlled. Not under our eyes. Not under the eyes of our children. As stated by the American Kratom Association (2019), “kratom was acquired [and continues to be acquired] either from friends and families in Southeast Asia who sent it to the United States, or from ethnic deli’s that served those communities” (p. 1). This has not changed. Kratom continues to be an honest family-oriented industry, but of course there are exceptions of dishonest farmers and vendors who do not follow the rules. These special situations do need to be addressed on a case-by-case situation. No doubt about that. Luckily, in Indonesia, it is completely legal to cultivate and posses kratom. It is not out of the norm to see family-owned tea stores or a cafe throughout Indonesia where one can walk in and enjoy fresh kratom tea while watching the news or sports. This is the reality of South East Asia.
The assault, the attack on nature has been, is, and continues to be detrimental for the evolution of our personal and our collective consciousness. The lies are so absurd that they have become laughable. Unfortunately, not many people are checking the facts. Regrettably, there are many people who continue to rely on these malignant, cancerous news as a source of information. Unless we see a change in the present, these people will continue to be prisoners of a system that has hacked their minds, their souls, their hearts, and their life-force. We are living in an industrial media-centric society that is lacking media literacy and media digital citizenship values. This world has been constructed to keep us busy in our own worlds. People are too busy to research. People are too busy to learn. People nowadays are too busy to contribute to the revolution of our evolution. The system has been created to keep us drained, and it is totally understandable. The system has been engineered to keep us on the edge of nervousness and fear. There is a war of information happening as we speak, and the war continues to rot the core of our democracy. Words of hate and division are being used as viruses and words in order to infect the core of our communications. Social media, the radio, the Internet, and television are being used to pollute, to contaminate, to rape, and pillage the minds of Americans. The reality is way darker than it seems on the surface. This is just the tip of the gigantic monster resting beneath the waters. This is an invisible war. This is a digital war of the self against life. We can win it if you join the warriors of earth, the Aya-Knights on platforms like Reddit, Youtube, and Facebook Support Groups, and by teaching lawmakers and by creating support groups in your communities driven by empowering human connection to ourselves and to the elements including the way we perceive earth, our home, our mother. This is a digital war against our mother, our grandmother, nature, Pachamama, life, liberty, family values, well- being, and our pursuit of happiness. This is a war against the hard work of our soldiers, friends, and family members who have fought for our independence. They are doing a lobotomy to humanity. This is beyond partisanship. It is about forming an educated International Kratom Awareness Family. It is about helping those in need while educating and becoming committed kratom ambassadors of life. A tree with no roots is not a tree. A world without a sky is frightening. They are spreading prepacked content with shams all in the name of greed and control with the false name of protection. The assault on nature is real. The harassing of nature is real. The perception of our planet is in danger. The battering of nature is happening. The constant shaming of the kratom community is real. The discrimination of the banking industry on the kratom community is real. The discernment of Mitragyna speciosa is real. The assault on mother earth has been going on for eons upon eons, and it is now time to flip the tables. It is now time for the salmon to eat the evil bear. The archetype of the mother, the healer, and the wise has been attacked and continues to be the subject of today’s headlines.
I truly believe that it is our civic duty as citizens of this planet to encourage people to become kratom literate. It hurts to wake up every day to the kratom apocalyptic headlines when we know that these majestic and benevolent trees have been around for thousands of years. I am not against regulation. I fully support the efforts of keeping Mitragyna speciosa available and safe for the public and respecting its sacred heritage. The key once again lies in becoming kratom literate and that entails not only learning about kratom’s history, but it also entails researching and being conscious of the places where you decide to spend your hard-earning money. Find a place where you can truly connect with the vision of the organization, their values, their procedures, and their ideals.
Natives have been known for living in communities surrounded by kratom trees, and the bright yellow flowers are a magnificent symbol of their lively culture. The key to defeating the evil bear eating the salmon going against the current is to truly become kratom literate in the true sense of the word. That includes following the science and learning its sacred traditional heritage as well as keeping up with the news and expressing your experiences to the world. Talk to real American Kratom Heroes. Write articles of joy and wisdom. Upload your educational videos on places like YouTube, Periscope, and Vimeo. Teach. That is how we are going to combat the greedy bear eating the salmon. Organize a rally. You kill the virus, the hacking of the mind with self-teaching and self-determination. You annihilate the virus from its roots with total kindness. You wipe out the virus with unity and understanding. You kill the virus with the authentic expression of yourself. The truth is at your fingertips waiting to be revealed to those who are willing to learn. Do not let media outlets who have literally sold their soul to Satan misinform you. They no longer have credibility. They no longer have my attention. Ignore them. Stop spreading their lies. Bury their nasty articles. Do not share them. Do not address them. Create positive materials that enlightens and empowers. This is how you combat the war and the assault on nature. This does not apply only to the kratom community. This concept, this philosophy applies to the entire MITOTE happening in the planet. What has been done to kratom is a perfect example of what happens when a society leaves their lives in the hands of the heartless delinquents who are after money and power. Knowledge is our greatest weapon. Refining yourself, your family, friends, and your community is the greatest thing you can do to save these trees not only for ourselves but for future generations to come.
The science could not be clearer. The voices of the American people will not be ignored. As stated by the American Kratom Association, according to a comprehensive analysis by Jack Henningfield, Ph.D., “kratom’s potential for abuse and dependence is no greater than such widely used and unscheduled substances as “nutmeg, hops, St. John’s Wort, chamomile, guarana, and kola nut.” Kratom has been around in America for over 20 years. As explained by the American Kratom Association, reputable scientific studies and testimonials of everyday Americans indicates that Mitragyna speciosa/kratom was introduced as a natural ground leaf powder that supports optimal energy levels, assists in lifting mood, provides a general feeling of well-being, aids mental clarity and focus, promotes mobility, and comfort when taken as a natural herbal tea. Additionally, kratom is a wonderful botanical that has also been used to create wonderful antiseptic and exfoliating soaps, incense, candles, and salves. It is also known for being bought by collectors of herbs and spiritual individuals that use it for ritualistic offering and for spiritual purposes including smudging. The truth is that kratom trees are extraordinary, and only here are we having to discuss that these natural trees are worth saving. Only here during these times are we having to teach the world about the powers of nature, and how nature has been accosted for thousands of years as we continue to be fed the false narrative that nature is evil.
Now that you know a brief history of kratom, go out to the world and plant seeds of hope and knowledge in the minds and the hearts and the souls of your loved ones. Kratom is already written in the future of our nation. Banning these trees would be like cutting the wings of an eagle and that would be considered a heinous crime against life. Be brave and rewrite the future of Mitragyna speciosa. Now is the time to reclaim your right to purchase Mitragyna speciosa and to have it in the safety of your homes without being considered a criminal for possessing a natural botanical within the same family of the coffee. While kratom is available in the majority of the nation, there are still states where kratom remains illegal. There is also a demonic campaign trying to ban kratom in cities and counties across America. They are trying to get their way and what a better way than to destroy the community but from within. That is why your full support is needed. Your contribution is valuable to our democracy. Become kratom literate today! As stated by the American Kratom Association (2019), it is clear that “kratom is not a drug. Kratom is not an opiate. Kratom is not a synthetic substance. Naturally, occurring Kratom is a safe herbal that behaves as a partial mu-opioid receptor agonist and is used for pain management, energy, even depression and anxiety that are common among Americans. Kratom contains no opiates, but it does [lightly] bind to the same receptor sites in the brain. Chocolate, coffee, exercise, [cheese] and even human breast milk hit these receptor sites in a similar fashion.” The reality is that the potential for abuse exists with countless legal things including coffee, other herbal teas, alcohol, toxic energy drinks like Redbull and Monster, cigarettes, junk food, sugar, and sodas. According to Jack E. Henningfield, Ph.D., Vice President for Research, Health Policy and Abuse Liability, and Professor of Behavioral Biology at John Hopkins University, kratom physiological effects are more related to coffee than anything else and “kratom is more likely a path away from opioids than a path to opioids.”
It is clearly in our human nature to be addicted to substances and technologies. The main problem is the lack of education, the lack of morality in the heart of our democracy, and the lack of learning and applying self-regulating behaviors. All roads lead to self-discovery. To respect kratom is to respect your sanity. Find the balance that your life is missing.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific treatment plan, product, and course of action or medical treatment. All of our products, statements, and contents of our website, and social media accounts have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease/medical condition. Please educate yourself and talk to your medical professional prior to purchasing any herbals. Our Mitragyna Speciosa is sold as a bulk/raw botanical specimen for external purposes (e.g soap, incense, salves, and candle making) and it comes without instructions of use or claims. Not for human consumption. For external purposes only. All information on this site are the views of individual writers who do not declare to be medical experts giving advice. Keep products out of reach of children and animals. You have to 18 years old (or 21 depending on local laws) in order to purchase any of our products.
Alas, we feel the need to warn you about the war on Kratom. Please contact your local Representative & Senator. Make sure you let them know you want them to fight for your right to be able to keep purchasing this natural botanical from South East Asia. May the cosmic vibrations be with you! Sending you a rainbow of love and light.
Here you can enter your zip code and find your
Congressman or Congresswoman:
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Here you can find your State Senator:
https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact
Click here and access the American Kratom Association Warrior Advocacy Toolkit
https://www.americankratom.org/advocacy/advocacy-toolkit.html
Find out if kratom is legal in our area.
https://www.americankratom.org/advocacy/aka-in-your-state.html
Additional Resources
http://www.kratomcare.com/
https://www.kratomunited.com/
http://drtomobrien.ie/100-kratom-facts/
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