Is Smoking Kratom a Good or Bad Idea? A Complete Guide

Although native to Southeast Asia, kratom is currently used as a medicinal and recreational drug worldwide. The most abundant compound in kratom leaves is Mitragynine, which produces similar effects to opioids. Mitragynine has antinociceptive effects to relieve mild and chronic pain.

Another potent alkaloid in kratom is 7-hydroxymitragynine, with evidence suggesting that its analgesic properties are more potent than Mitragynine. In addition to pain relief, some people use kratom to relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. Others take kratom to reduce the severity of opioid withdrawal.

Vein color, unique properties, and place of origin classify kratom. To understand this better, assume you find White Bali, Green Bali, Red Bali, and Yellow Bali on the shelves. All these strains hail from Bali Island but have different vein colors.

The white strain is harvested before the tree fully matures, whereas the green strain is processed during the middle-growth stage. Red strains are processed in the late maturity stages, while we are yet to fully understand how yellow strains are made since they do not occur naturally.

Regardless of where a kratom strain comes from, white vein kratom strains are excellent stimulants and nootropics. They are ideal for daytime use since they improve physical energy, mental clarity, concentration, and productivity.

Red vein strains are perfect for evenings because they are sedative. Additionally, they are potent in lessening discomfort and pain due to the abundance of alkaloid 7-hydroxymitragynine.

Meanwhile, green vein kratom strains balance white and red kratom. They lean towards offering uplifting and sedating effects. Gold and yellow kratom strains also produce mild effects similar to green kratom.

If you are wondering, is it safe to smoke kratom powder, the quick answer is no. Locals in Southeast Asia are accustomed to smoking kratom leaf because the kratom tree grows there. Unfortunately for us in the USA, we receive finely ground kratom powder that’s not ideal for making kratom cigarettes. The fine powder prompts some users to sprinkle it onto nicotine, tobacco, cannabis, and other substances.

But is it safe to smoke kratom with other substances? No. When you take kratom with cannabis, cannabis overpowers kratom effects. On the other hand, combining kratom with tobacco or nicotine can quickly become toxic and cause liver damage.

Is it safe to smoke kratom leaf? Unfortunately, no. Raw kratom leaves and powder offer numerous benefits, including pain relief, mood, and energy boosts, stress relief, and euphoria. Sadly, these benefits dissipate when the drug is subjected to high temperatures.

To get a clearer view, some people brew kratom tea to enjoy the leaf’s benefits. Tea brews at 212 degrees F, which is relatively high for some kratom alkaloids. Smoking takes the temperatures a notch higher since it subjects kratom to temperatures of 1652 degrees F, degrading its most active alkaloids.

Additionally, when you smoke kratom, the few remaining active alkaloids are transported to the lungs and your brain. Unfortunately, the lungs were not meant to inhale smoke, which can result in adverse respiratory conditions.

Now that we understand it is unsafe to smoke kratom, let us consider alternatives for safer consumption.

● Toss and Wash: It is a simple, effective, and safe way to consume kratom. Place a pre-measured dose of kratom in your mouth and toss it with water, milk, or juice. You might experience some gagging or discomfort due to kratom’s bitter taste.

● Make Tea: Some kratom strains offer energy-lifting benefits, others are sedating, while a few offer a blend of both. Brewing kratom tea is another safe way to take kratom and enjoy its benefits.

● Take Kratom Capsules: This is a convenient and discrete way to use kratom wherever and whenever.

● Add into Recipes: You can add kratom powder, tinctures, or extracts into your soups, salad dressing, gummies, or baked goods. Be keen on dosage, as kratom’s bitter and grassy taste can easily overpower other ingredients.

Whether you smoke kratom resin or kratom extract, smoking has few positive effects compared to negative ones.

Fast Effects

The only potential benefit of smokable kratom is it produces immediate effects. When you ingest kratom as a capsule, powder, or tincture, it moves into the stomach to be absorbed through the stomach walls or intestinal lining. This might take up to an hour or two before you enjoy peak effects.

Smoking, however, pulls kratom’s active compounds into the lungs to produce fast effects. You see, the lungs have air sacs filled with blood capillaries to transport oxygen and other essential chemicals to vital organs like the brain.

When you smoke kratom, the blood capillaries transport the active alkaloids to the brain, initiating effects in 10 to 30 minutes. Smoking allows kratom to bypass digestion and rapidly cross the blood-brain barrier for quick effects.

Some kratom benefits to enjoy are:

● Socialness

● Increased energy

● Alertness

● Mood uplift

● Pain relief

● Heightened libido

Immediate Risks

The common side effects of kratom smoking are bloodshot eyes, nausea, dizziness, dry mouth, vomiting, and constipation. Some users report an irritated throat from the smoke and contaminants.

Reduced Efficacy of Alkaloids

Smoking interferes with the efficacy of Mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, and other active kratom alkaloids. By degrading the alkaloid composition, smoking lessens the intended effects.

Kratom Overdose

Exposing kratom to extremely high temperatures damages its alkaloid profile. This means you have to use a higher kratom dose when smoking than when ingesting it. Since kratom comes in varying strains, it is impossible to narrow down the correct smoking dosage, leaving room for guesswork. Sadly, trial and error make you susceptible to overdosing on kratom.

Symptoms of kratom overdose include fast heart rate, nausea, irritability, lethargy, drowsiness, and seizures. When mixed with other drugs, a kratom overdose can cause death.

Lung Damage

Smoking exposes your lungs to smoke, damaging the alveoli, bronchi, and airways. The alveoli are thin, porous, and vulnerable to injuries. Smoking makes you at risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

COPD causes breathing difficulties due to airflow blockage. Signs of COPD include shortness of breath, wheezing, and persistent coughing, making it challenging to undertake simple tasks.

Additionally, kratom leaves contain tar. When tar is heated and absorbed into the lungs, it can cause lung diseases and cancer.

Affects the Central Nervous System

Most users who smoke kratom combine it with cannabis, nicotine, or tobacco. Combining these drugs can overwhelm your central nervous system since each has unique benefits and side effects. This can result in poor functioning of your liver, kidney, and other vital organs.

Now that we have established that smoking kratom is not the safest method, should you switch to vaping? While smoking involves inhaling smoke, vaping involves inhaling the vapor. It is this difference that makes users think that vaping is safe.

Vaping is somewhat less harsh than smoking since it does not contain irritating particles. Plus, its heating chamber reduces kratom’s bitter taste. Vape pens provide a temperature range of 310 to 480 degrees F, which is perfect since the optimal vaping temperature for kratom is 350 to 390 degrees F.

However, vaping is still harmful since inhaled vapor leaves residue on the teeth and lungs. Plus, due to the unregulated kratom market, purchasing unsafe kratom vape juices with impurities, toxins, and unhealthy substances is easy. This puts you at risk of vaping toxic products.

For instance, some vendors add propylene glycol (PG) to their vape juice. Although the FDA recognizes PG, it can cause kidney failure and dermatitis when used in high quantities over long periods. Another harmful ingredient is Acetaldehyde which irritates the eyes, skin, and respiratory system after continued use.

We do not have conclusive evidence about the long-term effects of vaping kratom. But from recent studies, vaping is known to cause these side effects:

● Arterial stiffness

● Respiratory irritation

● Oxidative stress

● Increased inflammation

● Human carcinogen

Kratom is federally legal in the United States. But you will be surprised to learn that it is categorized as a ‘medication of concern.’ The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) tried to list kratom as a Schedule 1 drug in 2016, but citizens did not receive this decision well.

The agency argued that kratom had opioid-like effects and had the potential for abuse. Kratom users reported psychoactive effects like euphoria, stimulation, and sedation. From their research, the DEA found that kratom activates the same receptors ad opioid medications. And despite their research, there was limited knowledge about the extent of kratom effects, and some kratom products had levels of synthetic cannabinoids.

These pointers and hospital reports of kratom overdose prompted the DEA to ban kratom. The agency, however, changed its decision months later following a public backlash. Kratom advocates argued that kratom was much safer than opiates and that it did not cause as many deaths as other drugs.

Even though kratom is federally legal, a few states illegalize it. These states are:

● Vermont

● Alabama

● Rhode Island

● Arkansas

● Indiana

● Wisconsin

Other cities and counties that consider kratom illegal are:

● San Diego, California

● Sarasota County, Florida

● Jerseyville, Illinois

● Denver, Colorado

● Union County, Mississippi

The FDA warns against using kratom since several adulterated products are on the market. To find safe kratom, look for vendors who abide by The Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA).

KCPA bill addresses kratom manufacturing, labeling, testing, distribution, and sale. The bill ensures vendors sell unadulterated kratom to protect consumers from harmful compounds.

It prohibits the sale of synthetic kratom alkaloids, products with high concentrations of 7-hydroxymitragynine, and products mixed with other substances. It also prevents the sale of kratom to users below 18 years.

To find such high-quality kratom products, contact us at Kratom Monkey. We have these best-selling kratom leafs and kratom extracts. If you are looking for an alternative method to smoking, get these kratom capsules or powder.

We do not recommend smoking kratom. Smoking degrades kratom’s active alkaloids and makes you susceptible to developing respiratory illnesses. Additionally, adding fine kratom powder to other substances may harm your central nervous system.

So, consider adding kratom to your drinks and foods or take it as a capsule. These methods are much safer than inhaling kratom smoke into your lungs.