How long have people been using kratom?

Documented use of kratom in Southeast Asia dates back at least to the 19th century, with traditional accounts suggesting much older use. Farmers and laborers in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and surrounding regions chewed fresh kratom leaves or brewed them as tea for energy during long workdays in tropical heat, and used red-vein leaves in the evening for relaxation and pain relief. The plant grows wild and was integrated into rural daily life for generations before any Western awareness.

When was kratom first banned?

Thailand was the first country to criminalize kratom, with the 1943 Kratom Act. The motivation was reportedly economic: Thailand had a tax revenue dependency on opium, and kratom was being used as a substitute by laborers, undercutting that revenue. The ban remained in place until 2021, when Thailand fully legalized kratom — making the country one of the world's primary commercial growers today, alongside Indonesia.

When did kratom arrive in the United States?

Kratom began appearing in US specialty botanical shops and online retailers in the early 2000s, with significant market growth from roughly 2010 onward. By 2016 it was estimated that several million Americans were using it. The US market has historically been supplied almost entirely by Indonesian growers — Thailand's prohibition forced commercial kratom production to shift to Indonesia, where it remains concentrated today even after Thai legalization.

What was the 2016 DEA scheduling attempt?

On August 30, 2016, the DEA published a notice of intent to place mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine into Schedule I — which would have made kratom federally illegal. The public response was unprecedented for any DEA scheduling proposal: over 130,000 public comments, a 142,000-signature White House petition, congressional letters from 50+ lawmakers asking the agency to reconsider. On October 12, 2016, the DEA formally withdrew the notice and deferred to the FDA. That deferral has held since. See our 'Kratom and the FDA' article for the full federal regulatory picture.

When did the Kratom Consumer Protection Act movement start?

The first KCPA-style legislation passed in Utah in 2019, championed by the American Kratom Association as a state-level response to the absence of federal regulation. The KCPA framework establishes minimum consumer-safety standards: 21+ age limits, mandatory labeling of mitragynine content, prohibition of synthetic alkaloids, contamination thresholds for heavy metals and microbials, and state enforcement authority. Since 2019, more than a dozen US states have passed similar laws, and many more have active KCPA bills.

Why is kratom so concentrated in Indonesia today?

Two reasons. First, Indonesia's tropical climate and soil conditions on Borneo, Sulawesi, and Sumatra produce alkaloid-dense kratom — which is why most of the world's commercial kratom comes from these regions. Second, Thailand's 1943 prohibition forced commercial cultivation out of its traditional homeland and into neighboring countries that didn't have the same restrictions. Indonesia became the dominant supply node, and even after Thailand re-legalized kratom in 2021, the supply chain infrastructure had already settled in Indonesia.

Background · 9 min read · May 9, 2026

A Brief History of Kratom: From Southeast Asian Traditions to Western Markets

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) has been used by farmers and laborers across Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia for centuries. Here's the story of how it traveled from rural Southeast Asia to American shelves — and why the regulatory turmoil along the way still shapes the industry today.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long have people been using kratom?: Documented use of kratom in Southeast Asia dates back at least to the 19th century, with traditional accounts suggesting much older use. Farmers and laborers in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and surrounding regions chewed fresh kratom leaves or brewed them as tea for energy during long workdays in tropical heat, and used red-vein leaves in the evening for relaxation and pain relief. The plant grows wild and was integrated into rural daily life for generations before any Western awareness.
When was kratom first banned?: Thailand was the first country to criminalize kratom, with the 1943 Kratom Act. The motivation was reportedly economic: Thailand had a tax revenue dependency on opium, and kratom was being used as a substitute by laborers, undercutting that revenue. The ban remained in place until 2021, when Thailand fully legalized kratom — making the country one of the world's primary commercial growers today, alongside Indonesia.
When did kratom arrive in the United States?: Kratom began appearing in US specialty botanical shops and online retailers in the early 2000s, with significant market growth from roughly 2010 onward. By 2016 it was estimated that several million Americans were using it. The US market has historically been supplied almost entirely by Indonesian growers — Thailand's prohibition forced commercial kratom production to shift to Indonesia, where it remains concentrated today even after Thai legalization.
What was the 2016 DEA scheduling attempt?: On August 30, 2016, the DEA published a notice of intent to place mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine into Schedule I — which would have made kratom federally illegal. The public response was unprecedented for any DEA scheduling proposal: over 130,000 public comments, a 142,000-signature White House petition, congressional letters from 50+ lawmakers asking the agency to reconsider. On October 12, 2016, the DEA formally withdrew the notice and deferred to the FDA. That deferral has held since. See our 'Kratom and the FDA' article for the full federal regulatory picture.
When did the Kratom Consumer Protection Act movement start?: The first KCPA-style legislation passed in Utah in 2019, championed by the American Kratom Association as a state-level response to the absence of federal regulation. The KCPA framework establishes minimum consumer-safety standards: 21+ age limits, mandatory labeling of mitragynine content, prohibition of synthetic alkaloids, contamination thresholds for heavy metals and microbials, and state enforcement authority. Since 2019, more than a dozen US states have passed similar laws, and many more have active KCPA bills.
Why is kratom so concentrated in Indonesia today?: Two reasons. First, Indonesia's tropical climate and soil conditions on Borneo, Sulawesi, and Sumatra produce alkaloid-dense kratom — which is why most of the world's commercial kratom comes from these regions. Second, Thailand's 1943 prohibition forced commercial cultivation out of its traditional homeland and into neighboring countries that didn't have the same restrictions. Indonesia became the dominant supply node, and even after Thailand re-legalized kratom in 2021, the supply chain infrastructure had already settled in Indonesia.

How 4 Leaf Herbals Sources Its Kratom: The Full Supply Chain, Top to Bottom — Most kratom on the US market changes hands through anonymous brokers between Indonesian growers and US retailers — which is why so many products test poorly, drift in alkaloid content, or carry inconsistent contamination profiles. We do things differently. Here is the full supply chain behind every product we ship: grower relationships, sourcing protocols, transport, lab testing, and packaging.
Why We Third-Party Test Every Single Batch (And What That Actually Means) — Per-batch third-party testing is the single most important quality signal in kratom — and the single easiest thing for vendors to fake or skip. Here is what real per-batch testing looks like, what we test for, why we publish every COA openly, and how to spot the vendors who say they test but actually do not.
Kratom Dosage Guide — Beginner doses and dose-by-weight chart for safe use.
Lab Results Library — Every batch's third-party Certificate of Analysis.