KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville has at least two Kava and Kratom bars — offering products that have been advertised as alternatives to alcohol and drugs, producing mind-altering effects similar to opioids.
Some people recovering from addiction have said the products changed their lives. However, the Metro Drug Coalition said it had doubts about how much Kava and Kratom could help people in recovery.
"What I've seen is, when they start to use Kratom or Kava, eventually, usually not more than a couple of days or weeks, it leads them back to using opioids again. Because, again, it plays on the same receptors in the brain," said Webster Bailey, from the Metro Drug Coalition. "We see it in our community. It makes it feel as though it's maybe not dangerous, or maybe this is a good, or even healthy, alternative — which is not the case."
The Metro Drug Coalition said replacing substances with other substances is never a good idea, and medical experts said it's important for people to do research before choosing whether to drink Kava or Kratom products.
Some people who have used the products said it helped them turn their lives around, using the products as a way to manage pain and drug withdrawal symptoms. The National Institute of Health said Kratom is an herbal substance that can produce opioid-like and stimulant-like effects. It said Kava is an herbal substance that has been used in the past as a medicine, and for ritual purposes.
"When we can find the thing that can take the edge off, that's not gonna wreck our life, make us go out and do stupid things or get a DUI — I think I'm all about it," said Charity Ann, a frequent Kava and Kratom user. "I always felt like alcohol would make you put a mask on. It was hard for us to be ourselves, almost like we're hiding behind a shield. But when we drank Kava, it was like taking the mask off and you could just be yourself."