Ketum 'health benefits' a myth, says National Anti-Drug Agency
PUTRAJAYA: Claims that ketum has medicinal properties are a myth, as prolonged consumption can lead to serious addiction and long-term harm, says National Anti-Drug Agency (Nada) director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh.
PUTRAJAYA - The National Anti-Drug Agency (Nada) has dismissed claims that ketum possesses medicinal properties, stating that prolonged consumption can lead to serious addiction and long-term harm, according to its director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh. Despite recent legal amendments, many people continue to view ketum as an ordinary drink, but Ruslin emphasizes that its effects are akin to those of opiates.
Ketum is regulated under the Poisons Act 1952, and Nada now possesses testing kits to detect mitragynine, the plant's main psychoactive compound. In the first half of the year, 1,956 ketum users were detected, an increase from 1,579 during the same period last year.
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