Kratom Addiction

E28 Journalist Edward Ericson, Jr.

Mr. Ericson's reporting on the kratom industry for Court House News:
https://www.courthousenews.com/can-kratom-kill/
https://www.courthousenews.com/addiction-and-the-kratom-business/
https://www.courthousenews.com/the-kratom-playbook-working-the-refs/
https://www.courthousenews.com/the-law-and-the-profits-inside-kratoms-political-underbelly/
https://www.courthousenews.com/major-kratom-importers-guilty-plea-stirs-questions/
Research articles mentioned in interview:
Study of 550 Kratom Related Deaths (21 Kratom Alone) Over Two Years https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4495146
A Mild Panic? Media Accounts of Kratom
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01639625.2019.1607114
Patterns of Kratom use and health impact in the US—Results from an online survey
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28521200/
Forensic Implications of Kratom
https://link.springer.com/epdf/10.1007/s40429-023-00477-4?sharing_token=wh-9b_7hinP2jDobkJxOcve4RwlQNchNByi7wbcMAY6YWAp_ltIAKHHRkHjabCt4rfmHk7R0b28KLLHNQO3tpxmNqbgt94y6JvxO25oe_5u8XLWeFn7APmIBgzqo-yzekFy09CcczTqwUO9NdCwkzz4mr-fhkdiSsE4ZNS5_MAY=
 
CONNECT WITH US
https://www.instagram.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.facebook.com/kratomsobriety 
https://twitter.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.tiktok.com/@krat0ms0briety 
https://www.youtube.com/@KratomSobriety 
CONTACT THE SHOW
Voice: 313-437-7720
Email: kratomsobriety@gmail.com 
https://kratomsobriety.com  

E27 Sammy

Preview of an upcoming episode with journalist Edward Erickson, Jr. and his articles about the kratom industry. Decima interviews Sammy who quit kratom 5 years ago!  Jacob takes a look at kratom and toxic metals.
RESOURCE OF WEEK
https://nextdistro.org/naloxone
If you are using kratom and are at-risk of mixing it with stronger drugs known to cause respiratory depression, please have naloxone/narcan around for an accidental overdose so others can revive you, or so you can help friends or family members.  Kratom does not appear to cause people to stop breathing in the same way classic opioids do.  There is at least one case report of the use of naloxone to reverse the effects of kratom, but in general it appears it won't be helpful with a kratom alone overdose - but kratom mixed with polydrug intoxication - naloxone can save a life.  You never know, a kratom product may be adulterated or someone you think is only taking kratom, may have been hiding their harder substance abuse. 
Kratom (Mitragynine) Ingestion Requiring Naloxone Reversalhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6366391
Kratom-Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10084802
KRATOM IN THE HEADLINES
Heavy Metals & Kratom
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2468170923000103?via%3Dihub
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-to-know-about-heavy-metals-in-kratom#Dangers-of-heavy-metals
CONNECT WITH US
https://www.instagram.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.facebook.com/kratomsobriety 
https://twitter.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.tiktok.com/@krat0ms0briety 
https://www.youtube.com/@KratomSobriety 
CONTACT THE SHOW
Voice: 313-437-7720
Email: kratomsobriety@gmail.com 
https://kratomsobriety.com  

E26 Wes

Kratom and hair loss. Wes tells how he kicked the kava/kratom "little blue devils". Drugs that use CYP3A to break down may be inhibited by kratom consumption, and hence may cause a dangerous overdose condition with some common pharmaceuticals.
 
RESOURCE OF WEEK
Kratom can affect certain forms of CYP enzymes that are crucial in the metabolization of other compounds such as pharmaceutical drugs. This can cause adverse drug reactions such as serotonin syndrome, various organ toxicity, and even death in some instances. Common examples: Elavil, Endep, Tofranil, Praminil, Anafranil, Celexa, Lexapro, Cipralex, Paxil, Seroxat, Prozac, Sarafem, Effexor, Effexor XR, Desyrel, Oleptro, Serzone, Buspar, Remeron, Zispin, Seroquel, Abilify, Geodon, Latuda, Clozaril, Erythromycin, Clarithromycin, Telithromycin, Rifampin (Rifampicin), and Rifabutin. “Clinical Assessment of the Drug Interaction Potential of the Psychotropic Natural Product Kratom.” Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, March 2023.  https://doi.org/10.1002/cpt.2891.
 
KRATOM IN THE HEADLINES
https://kratomsobriety.com/f/kratom-advocate-extremism-fails-to-prevent-ban-in-zachary-la
 
CONNECT WITH US
https://www.instagram.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.facebook.com/kratomsobriety 
https://twitter.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.tiktok.com/@krat0ms0briety 
https://www.youtube.com/@KratomSobriety 
 
CONTACT THE SHOW
Voice: 313-437-7720
Email: kratomsobriety@gmail.com 
https://kratomsobriety.com   

E25 Lori

Lori shares how she broke her 10 year long kratom addiction (dependency + inability to stop despite a strong desire to quit and negative consequences - financial and health in her case). She really relates to the quote from the Lord of Rings in which Bilbo tells Gandalf that “I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.” Things are much better today kratom-free.  NOTE: Kratom in the Headlines and Resource of the Week will return next episode.
 
CONNECT WITH US
https://www.instagram.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.facebook.com/kratomsobriety 
https://twitter.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.tiktok.com/@krat0ms0briety 
https://www.youtube.com/@KratomSobriety 
 
CONTACT THE SHOW
Voice: 313-437-7720
Email: kratomsobriety@gmail.com 
https://kratomsobriety.com   

E24 Kratom Regulatory Reform

Read the Article: https://kratomsobriety.com/f/kratom-regulatory-reform
 
CONNECT WITH US
https://www.instagram.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.facebook.com/kratomsobriety 
https://twitter.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.tiktok.com/@krat0ms0briety 
https://www.youtube.com/@KratomSobriety 
 
CONTACT THE SHOW
Voice: 313-437-7720
Email: kratomsobriety@gmail.com 
https://kratomsobriety.com   

E23 John

Kava/kratom drink special. Interview best listened to on speakers not headphones sorry for audio issues. John tells how he kicked kava/kratom shots: "You have to work on the little blue bottle hole inside you that led you to get addicted."  See previous episode on potential fermenting of kratom that may why kratom/kava drinks maybe so addictive for many people: https://kratomsobriety.podbean.com/e/e21-kratom-and-pseudoindoxyl-metabolites/.
 
RESOURCES OF THE WEEK
https://www.arnslaw.com/active-investigations/feelfree/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Quittingfeelfree/comments/1616m4r/ff_case_update/
 
KRATOM IN THE HEADLINES
https://medium.com/@jwross/3-reasons-why-you-should-avoid-natural-flavors-5b1b25899182
 
CONNECT WITH US
https://www.instagram.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.facebook.com/kratomsobriety 
https://twitter.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.tiktok.com/@krat0ms0briety 
https://www.youtube.com/@KratomSobriety 
 
CONTACT THE SHOW
Voice: 313-437-7720
Email: kratomsobriety@gmail.com 
https://kratomsobriety.com   

E22 Kratom and Pseudoindoxyl Metabolites

Guest analysis about kratom pharmacology with academic references for this episode's commentary.  Contact info at end of the show notes if you are seeking help quitting kratom.
 
SOURCES
Angyal, Péter, Kristóf Hegedüs, Bence Balázs Mészáros, János Daru, Ádám Dudás, Anna Rita Galambos, Nariman Essmat, Mahmoud Al-Khrasani, Szilárd Varga, and Tibor Soós. 2023a. “Gram-Scale Syntheses of Kratom Pseudoindoxyl Metabolites: Illuminating the Dynamic Stereochemistry and the Resulting Structural Plasticity of Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl.” ChemRxiv, February. https://chemrxiv.org/engage/chemrxiv/article-details/63dab15989c04b6693c92cba
Angyal, Péter, Kristóf Hegedüs, Bence Balázs Mészáros, János Daru, Ádám Dudás, Anna Rita Galambos, Nariman Essmat, Mahmoud Al-Khrasani, Szilárd Varga, and Tibor Soós. 2023b. “Total Synthesis and Structural Plasticity of Kratom Pseudoindoxyl Metabolites.” Angewandte Chemie , June, e202303700. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202303700
Chakraborty, Soumen, Rajendra Uprety, Amal E. Daibani, Valerie L. Rouzic, Amanda Hunkele, Kevin Appourchaux, Shainnel O. Eans, et al. 2021. “Kratom Alkaloids as Probes for Opioid Receptor Function: Pharmacological Characterization of Minor Indole and Oxindole Alkaloids from Kratom.” ACS Chemical Neuroscience 12 (14): 2661–78. https://doi.org/10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00149
Chakraborty, Soumen, Rajendra Uprety, Samuel T. Slocum, Takeshi Irie, Valerie Le Rouzic, Xiaohai Li, Lisa L. Wilson, et al. 2021. “Oxidative Metabolism as a Modulator of Kratom’s Biological Actions.” Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 64 (22): 16553–72. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01111 
Ford, Nigel. 2021. “What Is Fermented Kratom?” Kratom.org. October 8, 2021. https://kratom.org/guides/fermented-kratom 
Kamble, Shyam H., Francisco León, Tamara I. King, Erin C. Berthold, Carolina Lopera-Londoño, Kanumuri Siva Rama Raju, Aidan J. Hampson, et al. 2020. “Metabolism of a Kratom Alkaloid Metabolite in Human Plasma Increases Its Opioid Potency and Efficacy.” ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science 3 (6): 1063–68. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsptsci.0c00075
Schaffenburg, William C., Benjamin N. Lockshin, and Cynthia M. C. DeKlotz. 2021. “Polymorphisms: Why Individual Drug Responses Vary.” In Comprehensive Dermatologic Drug Therapy (Fourth Edition), edited by Stephen E. Wolverton, 21–33.e2. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-61211-1.00003-6
Takayama, Hiromitsu, Hayato Ishikawa, Mika Kurihara, Mariko Kitajima, Norio Aimi, Dhavadee Ponglux, Fumi Koyama, et al. 2002. “Studies on the Synthesis and Opioid Agonistic Activities of Mitragynine-Related Indole Alkaloids: Discovery of Opioid Agonists Structurally Different from Other Opioid Ligands.” Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 45 (9): 1949–56. https://doi.org/10.1021/jm010576e 
Trescot, Andrea M., Sukdeb Datta, Marion Lee, and Hans Hansen. 2008. “Opioid Pharmacology.” Pain Physician 2008 (11): S133–53. https://www.painphysicianjournal.com/current/pdf?article=OTg3&journal=42
Váradi, András, Gina F. Marrone, Travis C. Palmer, Ankita Narayan, Márton R. Szabó, Valerie Le Rouzic, Steven G. Grinnell, et al. 2016. “Mitragynine/Corynantheidine Pseudoindoxyls As Opioid Analgesics with Mu Agonism and Delta Antagonism, Which Do Not Recruit ß-Arrestin-2.” Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 59 (18): 8381–97. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b00748 
Wikipedia contributors. 2023. “Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. August 15, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mitragynine_pseudoindoxyl&oldid=1170554478
Yamamoto, L. T., S. Horie, H. Takayama, N. Aimi, S. Sakai, S. Yano, J. Shan, P. K. Pang, D. Ponglux, and K. Watanabe. 1999. “Opioid Receptor Agonistic Characteristics of Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl in Comparison with Mitragynine Derived from Thai Medicinal Plant Mitragyna Speciosa.” General Pharmacology 33 (1): 73–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0306-3623(98)00265-1
Zarembo, J. E., B. Douglas, J. Valenta, and J. A. Weisbach. 1974. “Metabolites of Mitragynine.” Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 63 (9): 1407–15. https://doi.org/10.1002/jps.2600630916
Zhou, Yuchen, Steven Ramsey, Davide Provasi, Amal El Daibani, Kevin Appourchaux, Soumen Chakraborty, Abhijeet Kapoor, Tao Che, Susruta Majumdar, and Marta Filizola. 2021. “Predicted Mode of Binding to and Allosteric Modulation of the µ-Opioid Receptor by Kratom’s Alkaloids with Reported Antinociception In Vivo.” Biochemistry 60 (18): 1420–29. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00658
 
CONNECT WITH US
https://www.instagram.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.facebook.com/kratomsobriety 
https://twitter.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.tiktok.com/@krat0ms0briety 
https://www.youtube.com/@KratomSobriety 
 
CONTACT THE SHOW
Voice: 313-437-7720
Email: kratomsobriety@gmail.com 
https://kratomsobriety.com   

E21 Misha

Charlie and Decima discuss top ten tips for quitting kratom.  Misha talks about her struggle with the risky carousel of kratom, alcohol and pills.  Jacob gives a review of online MAT providers.
 
RESOURCES OF THE WEEK
https://quick.md/medication-assisted-treatment/
https://www.bicyclehealth.com/treatment/medication-assisted-treatment
 
KRATOM IN THE HEADLINES
Major kratom importer’s guilty plea stirs questions
https://www.courthousenews.com/major-kratom-importers-guilty-plea-stirs-questions/
 
CONNECT WITH US
https://www.instagram.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.facebook.com/kratomsobriety 
https://twitter.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.tiktok.com/@krat0ms0briety 
https://www.youtube.com/@KratomSobriety 
 
CONTACT THE SHOW
Voice: 313-437-7720
Email: kratomsobriety@gmail.com 
https://kratomsobriety.com   

E20 Matthew (part 2)

Matthew continues sharing his experience, including incorporating stoic philosophy into his recovery.  Part 1 of the interview was published August 27, 2023.
 
Stoicism quotes for quitting kratom:
Seneca: “We are often more frightened than hurt; and we suffer more from imagination than from reality.” 
Epictetus: “It isn’t events themselves that disturb people, but only their judgements about them.”
Marcus Aurelius:
* “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength.”
* “To love only what happens, what was destined. No greater harmony.” 
* “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
https://dailystoic.com/what-is-stoicism-a-definition-3-stoic-exercises-to-get-you-started/ 
 
RESOURCES OF THE WEEK
Mountainside Treatment Center Kratom Support Group
Free but must pre-register
Tuesdays 7:00pm EST
https://mountainside.com/support-groups/kratom/ 
 
KRATOM IN THE HEADLINES
My Gas Station, My Drug Dealer
For some, kratom was a miracle drug, helping them escape their addiction. For others, kratom became their addiction.
https://www.wlbt.com/2023/08/24/my-gas-station-my-drug-dealer/ 
 
CONNECT WITH US
https://www.instagram.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.facebook.com/kratomsobriety 
https://twitter.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.tiktok.com/@krat0ms0briety 
https://www.youtube.com/@KratomSobriety 
 
CONTACT THE SHOW
Voice: 313-437-7720
Email: kratomsobriety@gmail.com 
https://kratomsobriety.com   

E19 Matthew (part 1)

Matthew discusses (in part one of two episodes) his pathway back to a more fulfilling life after a two year relapse on kratom.  The challenge of the distance-beta paradox in kratom addiction (for example, kratom is for most people not as bad as other addictions so that actually makes it harder to quit, similar to how a so-so job may be harder to quit than a horrible job). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Region-beta_paradox 
“Like when I was using street drugs, I knew where to go to get help a hundred percent. When people are at the bar every night, they know where to go to get help. I feel like kratom sucks people in who have no idea what it is. They don't know anyone in recovery. I just feel like there's this hole for the message of recovery to get carried to people that are struggling with kratom.”
Part 2 of interview will be published September 3, 2023.
 
RESOURCES OF THE WEEK
Urge Surfing
https://www.therapistaid.com/therapy-worksheet/urge-surfing-handout 
 
KRATOM IN THE HEADLINES
Dependency versus Addiction 
Addict as empowering 
https://addictcollective.substack.com/p/the-word-addict 
Addict as stigmatizing 
https://julianbuchanan.wordpress.com/2023/08/08/beyond-the-addict-addiction-paradigm/ 
 
CONNECT WITH US
https://www.instagram.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.facebook.com/kratomsobriety 
https://twitter.com/kratomsobriety 
https://www.tiktok.com/@krat0ms0briety 
https://www.youtube.com/@KratomSobriety 
 
CONTACT THE SHOW
Voice: 313-437-7720
Email: kratomsobriety@gmail.com 
https://kratomsobriety.com