Kratom, known scientifically as Mitragyna Speciosa, is an evergreen tree found in Southeast Asia. It grows naturally in the following countries:
- Thailand
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- Myanmar
- Papua New Guinea
There are many different strains of kratom, each with its own unique chemical composition. Kratom strains are typically sold in two forms – capsules and powder. One particularly popular strain is green elephant kratom. Since the kratom tree is related to the coffee family, kratom powder is often used to brew tea.
More information about green elephant kratom
The color in the name is the first distinction between kratom strains. The veins of the kratom leaf can be four different colors:
- Red
- Green
- White
- Yellow
The color of the vein depends on tree maturity and growing conditions, and nothing to do with the actual strain of kratom. Elephant Kratom is the strain, and the color is a variation of the strain. So, in addition to green elephant kratom, there is also a white, yellow, and red variation.
Green kratom comes from leaves harvested at middle age. Mature leaves produce red kratom and young leaves produce white kratom. Yellow kratom is a bit different from the other three. It can technically be made from red, green, or white vein leaves since it is a special drying process that turns the veins yellow.
The yellow variation is the rarest of the elephant strain. Green elephant kratom is by far the most popular.
The elephant strain is grown and harvested in Indonesia, specifically the northwest portion of Sumatra Island. Since it typically grows deep in the rainforest, there aren’t large scale commercial farms dedicated to growing this kratom strain. This means many kratom vendors don’t have a reliable source for this strain.
Those who do farm the elephant strain are Ayurvedic farmers. This means no chemical additives are involved with the process. The finished product is completely organic.
Elephant Kratom is a unique strain in that it is not named for where it is grown. The Bali strain comes from Bali and the Borneo strain comes from Borneo, for example. Instead, the elephant strain is named for the shape of its leaves. They are large and round, looking like the ears of an elephant when they are fully mature.
This strain has the largest leaves of all strains, which gives it a couple of advantages. The first is it provides more surface area for harvesting. This leads to a higher yield per harvest than other strains. The second is it has a higher concentration of the alkaloid mitragynine than most strains. Up to 82 percent of the total alkaloid makeup of green elephant kratom is mitragynine.
Is kratom legal?
As of December 2020, there has been no federal ruling on regulating kratom. This means it is technically legal at the federal level, but it is not federally regulated. The DEA made a push back in 2016 to ban kratom and classify it as a Schedule 1 substance. This means anyone caught with kratom would be facing at least a misdemeanor and possibly a felony.
The kratom community rallied together and pushed back against this classification. The DEA conceded and agreed to open up a public forum. There has been no definitive action from the DEA since then. It seems they are leaving it up to the state, county, and city governments to decide for themselves.
Speciosa.org has a great map that breaks down kratom legislation in each state. Below are the categories they use:
- Kratom is legal with no restrictions
- Legislation has failed or been amended
- Pending legislation
- Banned and Schedule 1
- Study involving kratom
- Have adopted the Kratom Consumer Protection Act
Where each state falls
Kratom is legal with no restrictions: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, South Carolina, Missouri, Texas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, California, Alaska, and Hawaii
Legislation has failed or been amended: Maine, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma
Pending legislation: New York and New Jersey
Banned and Schedule 1: Rhode island, Vermont, Indiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Wisconsin
Study involving kratom: Oregon and Louisiana
Have passed the Kratom Consumer Protection Act: Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Georgia
If you live in a state that has banned kratom, no reputable vendor will sell to you. If you live in a state where it is legal, check out the vendors approved by the American Kratom Association. This list will help you find some green elephant kratom powder to try.
Story by Jen Reaney
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