The majority of kratom users are familiar with the mainstream methods of using this herb as either capsules or special kratom drinks.
Since kratom is an herb – and people have been smoking different herbs for centuries if not millennia – it’s understandable that you may wonder if you can smoke kratom.
Well, can you?
Can you sprinkle some kratom powder on top of weed and roll a wombo-combo joint?
Is it possible to smoke it on its own from a pipe or bong?
Read on to find out.
Can I Smoke Kratom?
Technically speaking, yes, you can.
But it doesn’t mean you should.
While kratom is undoubtedly a smokeable herb, the amount of the kratom powder that would be necessary to let you experience any of its effects is totally counter-productive.
Actually, an individual would have to smoke through the minimum of 20 grams, whereas the average effective dose of kratom for novice consumers ranges from 2-5 grams.
So not only is smoking kratom ineffective but given the large amount you have to smoke to get any “kratom high”, it can be also dangerous for your health.
Are There Any Benefits of Smoking Kratom?
If you still insist on smoking kratom, or you’ve just decided to give it a single try, below we list some potential benefits.
However, keep in mind that only certain individuals can achieve them through smoking ground kratom leaves.
1. Helps People Deal With Withdrawal Syndromes
That’s actually right, and it’s the most vivid benefits of smoking kratom.
If you were addicted to other types of drugs such as opium and cigarettes, kratom may help you deal with withdrawal symptoms.
Smoking kratom for the sake of imitating your prior behaviors rather than for its effects can help you quit tobacco and other addictive substances without having to go through severe withdrawal symptoms.
But then again, you may very well smoke weed instead of kratom and actually benefit from its active compounds.
2. Boosts Motivation
If you’re one of the individuals who can handle the extensive amounts of kratom without causing adverse effects on your body, you can benefit from its anxiolytic properties and free yourself from anxiety.
At times when you’re low on energy, you can smoke kratom and end up having the same emotions as people who ingested the product through traditional methods.
3. Can Relieve Pain
One of the basic functions of Kratom is to alleviate pain. History tells us that people have been using the plant to relieve themselves from different types and levels of pain.
Still, in order to experience kratom’s pain killing effects, you would have to smoke way more than you’d have to ingest as capsules or drinks, not to mention that you’d also need to find a kratom strain that excels at relieving pain.
Why You Shouldn’t Smoke Kratom
While there are some benefits of smoking kratom leaves, the downsides are definitely more striking.
Here are some of the main reasons why you shouldn’t smoke kratom:
1. Smoking Kratom Can Cause Lung Damage
Given the aforementioned amounts of kratom a person needs to smoke in order to generate the desired effects, it will ruin the health of your lungs, just as smoking cigarettes can do.
Smoking 20 grams of kratom daily is too much, even if you split this amount through the entire day. Such behavior will eventually trigger the smoker’s cough, tar buildup in lungs, bronchitis, and a range of other lung-related diseases.
2. Smoking Kratom Increases Cancer Risk
Let’s face it, every form of smoking brings about the same adverse effect, but smoking kratom can significantly increase the risk of lung cancer.
The leaves of the kratom plant can create a very high tar content when smoked. Inhaling that smoke will release the tar directly into the lungs, causing the already mentioned tar buildup.
This, in turn, can result in the development of lung cancer, so if you don’t want to suffer in the future, we strongly suggest that you abstain from smoking the plant.
3. Smoking Kratom Is Simply Cost-Prohibitive
As compared to other forms of kratom consumption, smoking is the least effective of all options.
Here’s why:
Kratom leaves contain alkaloids, the main active substances responsible for the range of kratom effects. The list includes:
- Hydroxymitragynine
- Mitragynine
- Mitraphylline
When you burn these leaves, you will end up neutralizing or denaturing the vast majority of the above alkaloids, making them useless.
Besides, remember that kratom is not the cheapest herb out there, so having to consume 20 grams daily would require you to be a very rich person, to say the least.
How to Consume Kratom Effectively
Kratom can taste horrible to a new user, but if you want to consume it effectively, you’ll need to reconsider your preferences. There are some ways to mask the taste of kratom and still enjoy its benefits.
Let’s get right down to it.
1. The Toss’n’Wash Method
This is the simplest and quickest way to deliver kratom to your system.
All you need to do is measure out your kratom dose, gently tip the powder into your mouth, and wash it down with your favorite drink.
Some more “tolerant” kratom users go with the powder on their own, but this might not be the best choice if you’re new to the herb.
2. The Drink Mix Method
Here’s a more enjoyable method of using kratom effectively.
Simply include the powder and mix it with your favorite beverage.
We recommend looking for more distinct flavors to mask the taste of Kratom powder and make your experience quite pleasant.
People typically mix their kratom powder with the following drinks:
- Orange juice
- Pomegranate juice
- Chocolate milk
- Coffee
Play around different ratios of your ingredients to get the desired taste.
3. Kratom Tea
Brewing kratom tea might be a perfect way to start your day by getting the best of both worlds.
Boil up the kratom powder and the tea leaves with some water for approximately 30 minutes over medium-low heat. Once done, let the mixture sit, then strain off the liquid through a coffee filter or a fine mesh strainer.
You can also infuse your kratom tea with sugar or honey to make the taste more palatable.
As for the equipment, the teapot will probably be your best bet.
4. Kratom Capsules
Kratom capsules are widely available online and they allow a user to get their daily dose of kratom without even a hint of its taste. Plus, each capsule comes with a fixed dose so you don’t have to measure out the powder each time you need the alkaloids in your system.
However, since kratom capsules have to pass through the digestive system and the liver to reach the bloodstream, this product offers low bioavailability.
In other words, you need to take at least a few pills to get an adequate kratom dose (5+ pills depending on the potency).
This method might not be as cost-prohibitive as smoking kratom leaves, but it’s definitely a far cry from what other ingestion methods have to offer.
Mixing Kratom With Weed: Is It Worth the Effort?
Yes, and it’s actually quite a popular solution among chronic pain sufferers.
But on top of relieving pain, kratom and weed carry plenty of the other similar benefits including:
- Euphoria
- Improved sleep
- Reduced inflammation
- Stress relief
- Muscle relaxation
- Anxiety relief
Lots of users have claimed that kratom and weed provide extreme synergy, working in tandem to relieve stress, chronic pain, and improve general well-being.
Of course, your final experience will depend on both the weed and kratom strains, as well as how you react to cannabinoids and alkaloids in a combo.
Personally, we have found a white vein kratom to pair well with the effects of Sativa-dominant strains. Alternatively, you can try the combination of an Indica strain with a red vein kratom.
While some people like to sprinkle some kratom powder on top of their joint or blunt, we don’t recommend doing that given what we’ve already said.
If you want to get the most out of the mixture, smoke some weed and then get yourself a cup of kratom tea.
But above all, we suggest that you keep your weed-and-kratom intake in moderation, as some people may experience a range of adverse effects from this pairing.
One user on a kratom forum shared an experience a friend of his had while taking kratom in conjunction with weed. The report mentioned such side effects as being more paranoid than from weed alone, as well as losing the track of her body.
Another user agreed, saying that his use of kratom along with weed resulted in an experience comparable to being drunk and high at the same time. “It’s incredibly trippy and unpleasant at that. No euphoria or anything, just utter confusion,” he concluded.
Everyone is different and thus it’s essential that new users consider their general tolerance to certain substances before approaching kratom and weed together.
Final Thoughts on the Effects of Smoking Kratom Leaf
While smoking kratom leaves can offer a few benefits at some point, they are simply achievable given the amount of the kratom powder one would have to smoke to feel any relief.
Not only is that method cost-prohibitive, but it can also pose threat to your health by causing damage to your lungs and increasing the risk of cancer.
If efficacy is your top priority, we suggest that you stick to traditional consumption methods, such as Wash’n Toss, kratom tea, and different kratom-infused beverages, or kratom capsules.
Speaking of which, what’s your go-to way to use kratom?
