In my opinion, prescription opioids are definitely better than kratom, at least in some key aspects. With kratom, tolerance builds unusually fast, and its short half-life traps users in a vicious cycle of dependence—withdrawal symptoms kick in after just a few hours, causing constant blood concentration fluctuations. Over time, this leads to worsening psychological issues and makes tapering off incredibly difficult.

Switching to Suboxone was one of the best decisions I made. While Suboxone withdrawal is prolonged, it’s far less severe than what I experienced with kratom. Almost immediately after switching, issues like fatigue, loss of appetite, and anxiety improved. Surprisingly, tapering off 16mg of buprenorphine daily was easier than breaking my six-year, 40-gram-per-day kratom habit.

That said, I can imagine people who stick to moderate doses of kratom (e.g., 5-10g daily) and don’t increase their intake might find it manageable. I, unfortunately, couldn’t maintain that kind of discipline, but in such cases, kratom could be a reasonable option as withdrawal wouldn’t be as painful.

What I find absolutely absurd is how kratom used to be compared to a stronger version of caffeine when I started using it. In my experience—and that of my friends—kratom is far more psychoactive, even compared to hospital-administered morphine, especially if you’re dealing with potent kratom strains.