“The Mysteries of Kratom,” a documentary exploring the potential of kratom in addressing America’s opioid epidemic, will become available for free on YouTub3 starting on Monday, Sept. 16.
The 80-minute documentary by Elm City Films (elmcityfilms.org) was developed in collaboration with medical researchers from the United States and Southeast Asia. It offers an in-depth look at kratom.
Kratom is a Southeast Asian tree with leaves that the film suggests may hold promise in combating the opioid crisis.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports that “kratom” commonly refers to an herbal substance that can produce opioid- and stimulant-like effects.
According to NIDA, kratom and kratom-based products are currently legal and accessible in many areas, though U.S. and international agencies continue to review emerging evidence to inform kratom policy.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not see any uses for kratom. In contrast, others report kratom uses include managing drug withdrawal symptoms and cravings (especially related to opioid use), pain, fatigue, and mental health problems.
Kratom, according to the FDA, cannot be marketed in the U.S. — not as a drug product, not as a dietary supplement, and not as a food additive in conventional food.
However, products prepared from kratom leaves are readily available in the U.S. through sales on the Internet and at brick-and-mortar stores.
Kratom is used to self-treat conditions such as pain, coughing, diarrhea, anxiety and depression, opioid use disorder, and opioid withdrawal.
According to the American Kratom Association, the FDA is putting consumers at risk because it refuses to regulate kratom properly.
Mac Haddow, the association’s senior fellow on public policy, says: “Since the FDA treats all kratom products as the same, consumers have to navigate an increasingly complex marketplace alone.”
According to the AKA, the FDA should help consumers understand the marketplace and remove bad actors.
For its part, the FDA has continued issuing warnings about kratom products, which are viewed as unlawful.
Key highlights from the film:
1. It features insights from Prof. Marek Chawarski, an addiction medicine expert at Yale University School of Medicine. He will participate in the media screening.
2. Explores kratom’s traditional use in Asia and its emerging role in pain management and addiction treatment.
3. Examines the controversy surrounding kratom-based products in the U.S.
“Our goal is to accelerate research and debunk potentially dangerous misconceptions about kratom,” said Steve Hamm, director and spokesperson for Elm City Films. “By making this film freely available, we hope to contribute to the ongoing dialogue about alternative approaches to the opioid crisis.”
The opioid epidemic continues to devastate communities across the United States, with over 1.6 million people struggling with opioid use disorder and 81,083 overdose deaths reported by the CDC during 2023.
Elm City Films is a non-profit documentary film collective based in New Haven, CT, dedicated to producing mission-driven films that aim to improve society.
The YouTube link is available here.
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