Mitragyna speciosa (commonly known as kratom, a herbal leaf from a tree of the Rubiaceae family) is a tropical evergreen tree in the coffee family native to Southeast Asia. It is indigenous to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Papua New Guinea, where it has been used in herbal medicine since at least the 19th century. It has also historically been used for chewing, smoking, and tea. Kratom has opioid properties and some stimulant-like effects.As of 2018, the efficacy and safety of kratom are unclear. Although it was a federally legal dietary supplement, it was not approved as a therapeutic agent in the United States due to the poor quality of the research. In 2019, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that there is no evidence that kratom is safe or effective for treating any condition. Some people take it for managing chronic pain, for treating opioid withdrawal symptoms, or for recreational…