You would think that being so close in proximity to Southeast Asia would make Taiwan accommodating of one of SEA’s most bustling industries. Unfortunately, it’s the opposite. If you’re a kratom user planning a trip to Taiwan, it might help to check their local laws first to find out what you can and can’t do with kratom while you’re in the country.
Because of its proximity to Southeast Asia, Taiwan is often mistaken as one of the places where kratom naturally grows. The truth is that Taiwan is part of East Asia and experiences a partly tropical/subtropical climate that isn’t conducive for kratom cultivation or growth. That said, kratom doesn’t naturally grow in the country.
On top of that, Taiwan’s government completely outlawed kratom in 2019, categorizing the substance as a Schedule 3 narcotic. This means that kratom is considered moderate to high risk in terms of its potential for abuse and dependence, but not quite as dangerous and destructive as Schedule 2 (i.e. cannabis) and Schedule 1 (i.e. cocaine) narcotics. The law covers both of the active compounds that kratom is best known for, namely mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine.
The possession, use, sale, cultivation, and marketing of kratom are punishable by law, and may be subject to penalties like administrative fines and mandatory drug prevention education counseling. More serious and repeat offenses may be penalized with 7 years to life imprisonment, or fines of up to NT$10 million.
Taiwan takes these laws seriously and strictly implements penalties. Usually, possession of less than 5g may be handled more lightly, while over 5g of kratom will be treated as a criminal case.
No, there are no approved medical or therapeutic uses for kratom in Taiwan, so doctors will not prescribe the substance or its derivatives as treatment.
What if you got a kratom prescription from your doctor, and then traveled to Taiwan? Unfortunately, that won’t work either. There is no prescription framework for kratom in the country and the government has placed a total import prohibition on kratom and all of its active compounds.
So unlike other controlled pharmaceuticals like opioids and sedatives which may be brought into Taiwan with appropriate prescription and paperwork, kratom is banned outright regardless of whatever documentation you carry.
Because of their total import ban, Taiwan strictly prohibits any amount of kratom from entering their territory. To demonstrate this, recent news from the country states that they intercepted a shipment of 180-metric tons of kratom passing through the country in transit.
Taiwan uses narcotics-detection dogs, x-ray screening, and intelligence to identify and intercept kratom products and other scheduled substances entering the country. It doesn’t matter how discreet the packaging of the product is because customs workers are specifically trained to inspect incoming shipments beyond just appearances.
While there are no documented reports of it ever happening, it seems that Taiwan may pursue legal action and issue an arrest warrant for anyone attempting to ship kratom into the country. This means that if you ever travel to Taiwan or visit a country that shares an extradition treaty with them, you risk immediate arrest and detention.
Penalties for people receiving kratom shipments are much heavier. Aside from getting the packaged seized, violators face potential jail time and hefty fines.
Note that there are some anecdotal reports on forums like Reddit of users claiming to have been able to bypass airport security with kratom in their possession by simply mislabeling their stash. While it might be possible to do this without getting caught, the possible penalties are too great to risk it. Although others might have been able to do it, there is no guarantee that you’ll have the same luck.
If you’re a kratom user and you’re traveling to Taiwan soon, it might be helpful to consider an alternative or a substitute.
Taiwan has a long way to go in terms of kratom legality. Hopefully, with further research to demonstrate kratom’s potential benefits, it may be possible to see a future where countries like Taiwan embrace the botanical product.
For now, as responsible advocates for kratom legalization, we should strive to abide by the laws and restrictions that countries place on the product. So if you’re traveling to Taiwan soon, make sure to leave your kratom stash at home and settle for a substitute for the meantime.
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