Patterns of Kratom Use among Male Drug Users in the Deep South of Thailand
Keywords:
Kratom, Polydrug use, Southern ThailandAbstract
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a psychoactive plant which is native to Southeast Asia and is currently used recreationally. Psychoactive substances in kratom can interact with other substances and result in fatal physiological effects. However, no study has assessed substance use among men who used kratom in the deep south of Thailand. The objective of this study was to describe the patterns of kratom use among drug users in the deep south of Thailand and their associated factors. We established data collection sites in three provinces in the deep south region of Thailand and recruited 414 male drug users to participate in a survey interview by respondent-driven sampling. We assessed participant characteristics, self-reported history and patterns of drug use, and history of treatment for drug addiction using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Overall, 353 (85.3%) reported using kratom in the past 6 months. Among men who used kratom, 218 (61.8%) reported polydrug use, most commonly with methamphetamine. Kratom polydrug use was less common among those from Yala Province and among those who used drugs with peers. Kratom polydrug use was more common among those who had received drug treatment within the past 6 months, those who had received treatment ≥2 times, and those who had received treatment from facilities that were potentially connected to the Thai military. Treatment providers from the non-health sectors should make sure to comprehensively assess and ensure availability of treatments for multiple drug use.
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