The fight against illegal drugs or substances in Vietnam is fierce, and the penalties can be severe. With the varying legal status of kratom in different regions of the world, it only makes sense to be sure of the legality of kratom in Vietnam before traveling to the country with it or sourcing kratom from within Vietnam. Knowing this will save you from any potential severe legal risks and help you rest easy in your decisions.
So, the question remains, “Is kratom legal in Vietnam?” You might have read conflicting articles on this subject that left you even more confused. But don’t worry; we’ll give you the correct and updated information that will help you understand the stance of the Vietnamese government on kratom.
To make the reading more interesting, let’s look at the history of kratom in Vietnam. Remember, kratom has its origin rooted in Southeast Asia, and Vietnam falls under this geographic region, where kratom grows naturally.
Although countries like Thailand and Indonesia are regarded as the significant origin of kratom, Vietnam is not left out of the equation. The southern part of Vietnam seems to be a good ground for the cultivation of kratom, and the locals of this area have been cultivating and using this herbal product for medicinal and cultural practices for a long time.
For centuries, Vietnamese and other locals in Southeast Asia have been taking kratom in different forms, such as chewing the leaves, brewing them, and grinding the dried leaves into powder. The major benefits of these leaves are that they boost mood and energy levels, productivity, and motivation, as well as enhance mental and physical relaxation.
Also, the two major alkaloids of kratom (mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine) offer stimulating and sedative effects when taken at low and high doses, respectively.
Now, even though kratom originates from Southeast Asia, countries in this region, such as Myanmar, Singapore, and Malaysia, have prohibited the use of this herbal product. This is largely postulated due to the psychotropic properties of kratom and how users can abuse it. However, others have theorized that kratom was banned because it was cutting into the countries’ illicit drug trade profits. So, is Vietnam on the list of countries where kratom is illegal?
When it comes to the legal status of kratom in Vietnam, it appears to be complex. While there are over 550 narcotics and 60 precursors listed as controlled substances in the country, kratom or its alkaloids are not included on the list. For this reason, kratom’s cultivation and use might be considered unregulated in Vietnam.
Even at that, the regulatory policies on kratom remain unclear or undefined and may be regarded as a gray area. This is why both producers, sellers, and consumers of this product are being extra careful. Remember, Vietnam is a country that is very strict with illicit drugs, and because of the psychotropic properties of kratom, people are still daunted.
From our findings, a lot of kratom users who traveled to or lived in Vietnam confirmed that there is little to no risk of using kratom in the country. However, what they fear the most is traveling with kratom to Vietnam. To bolster our point on the legality of kratom in Vietnam, finding out whether kratom is sold in Vietnam will be a good one.
Kratom is not commonly sold in stores in Vietnam. This might be an indication that the substance is either not legal or the citizens are scared, owing to how their government reacts to drug-related cases. On the other hand, it is very easy to find vendors in Vietnam who are willing to mail you your products without any issues.
Some users have mentioned you can buy kratom in Vietnam easily on the platform Lazada. Others have said there are other places to source kratom in Vietnam. However, with this said, these recommendations don’t mean that the practice won’t get you into hot water. It is easiest to say that these sellers of kratom selling within or shipping to Vietnam might be operating within a grey area at best.
So far, there hasn’t been any case of arrest (known to the public) due to the production, sale, or possession of kratom in Vietnam. However, the fear of being in possession of illegal substances in Vietnam has been instilled in people, and everyone wants to play it safe by avoiding the heavy penalties associated with breaking the law.
While it is true that kratom users have confirmed benefits, there are no therapeutic benefits found by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the World Health Organization (WHO). Also, this herbal product can be habit-forming and cause severe consequences when mixed with other substances, leaving users in a potentially life-threatening situation.
Because of these reasons, some countries and regions put a total prohibition or control measure on the use of kratom. By putting these laws in place, they hope to protect their residents (especially the young ones) from discovering the dark side of kratom.
Although kratom is not clearly listed on the list of controlled substances in Vietnam, the fact that it is harder to source in the country can mean that it is operating in a gray area of legality. While a lot of people in Vietnam can buy it and get it mailed to them, there is fear among residents of the possible implications of being caught with it, especially since these implications can be so severe.
Since Vietnam has some of the strictest penalties for being in possession of illicit drugs, it only makes sense for one to be extra careful in sensitive cases like this. Therefore, until a clear regulatory policy is released for kratom, you should be on the safe side and avoid traveling to the country with kratom or sourcing it within the country. The risk is just not worth it, even if kratom or its main alkaloids have not been clearly defined as illegal under Vietnamese law.
CONTENT DISCLAIMER: The content on this page is strictly for entertainment purposes only. The content below has not been medically reviewed and is not intended to offer advice for use or intended use. For more information about kratom and its potential dangers, please visit the fda.gov site.
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