Professor Zach Walsh.
(UBC OKANAGAN / iNFOnews.ca)
December 18, 2017 - 2:30 PM
KELOWNA - A drug with the otherworldly name of kratom may be a valuable tool in addressing the opioid overdose epidemic.
Associate professor of psychology Zach Walsh said in a press release he is the co-author of a study reviewing 57 years of research on the controversial psychoactive plan kratom.
Kratom is a tropical plant form the coffee family that grows in South East Asia and has been used medicinally for centuries.
“Over the past decade we have seen increasing interest in kratom as an effective way of easing pain and curbing opioid use,” says Walsh.
“We are concerned that this potential might be overlooked amongst the hysteria and misinformation that often accompanies the emergence of an unfamiliar plant-based drug that does have some potential for misuse.”
Walsh said people are being left behind without effective alternatives as current approaches to opioid addiction fail them.
“We need to explore all options, and our findings suggest it’s time to carefully examine the potential of this ancient plant,” says Walsh.
“Our review suggests that kratom is not as powerful or addictive as widely used opioids and is far less likely to lead to fatal overdoses. We would be remiss not to take a closer look.”
To contact a reporter for this story, email John McDonald or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2017