But I also understand it could be a great way to wean people off opioids. But perhaps there aren't studies, because it's not patentable.
Hard to prepare?
The farmers in Indonesia grow the leaves from trees. They take of everything and ship it to the US. once it’s here you order from a vendor or as becoming more popular, from tobacco shops.
It is wonderful for pain.
Kratom,a Thai word/name, has been popular and been used in Thailand for centuries . Thais consider it no big deal, but it is, last time I heard, illegal. Although not majorly illegal; mildly illegal. It’s easy for people to have a kratom scrub out behind the house, or in nearby brush, which blends right in. Not a distinctly visible plant, like ganja.
Mitragyna speciosa, it’s related to coffee. But unlike coffee, you do not harvest/process any fruits ( beans) . More like Coca, the leaves are chewed. How these leaves are processed and sold far from the point of origin, I have no idea.