KUWAIT CITY, Aug 18: The Ministry of Interior has confirmed the criminalization of the consumption, smuggling or selling of Kratom; which has been added to table number five in law number 74/1983 on combating drugs, reports Al-Anba daily. The ministry explained the consumption or sale of Kratom will be regulated, because it contains opium-like properties; warning that anyone who uses, smuggles or sells Kratom will be punished as per the law.

According to the ministry, Kratom could cause respiratory failure, epileptic seizures, psychosis, high heart rate and blood pressure, liver poisoning, nausea and sudden death due to high-level poisoning. It then advised parents to closely monitor their children, raise the latter’s awareness on the dangers of narcotics and psychotropic substances, and inform the concerned authorities about their children who are drug addicts in order to refer them to the authority in charge of treatment, care and rehabilitation of drug addicts.