Energy drink manufacturers behind kratom ban? 

Decriminalising all Class 5 drugs would be a good idea.
tomacht8
The Big Pharma corporations would not be happy if they do.
nev
Neither would the energy drink manufacturers – unless they were given time to readjust their products accordingly. The first corporation to launch a kratom energy-drink product would dominate the market share.  
connda
I wonder what Red Bull’s position would be on a kratom energy drink?
Edwinchester
Criminalisation of kratom is the biggest joke ever.
If, at the time, coffee had interfered with the opium trade, we would have ended up with coffee plants being illegal. 
Now some policymakers are concerned about how many kratom plants can be cultivated without attracting criminal action. This is merely the latest version of a sad-but-true running joke.
Morakot
This sort of forward-thinking is way, way above the ultra-conservative mentality at the top in Thailand. There also is evidence that kratom beneficial for the treatment of depression. Meanwhile evidence is also growing  that e-cigarettes are helping people stop smoking and are less dangerous than tobacco cigarettes. Indeed there’s stacks of evidence that says legal drugs such as alcohol are more deleterious to society. Unfortunately conservative/religious doctrine is on the march internationally and backward-thinking rather than forward-thinking is dominating. 
dinsdale
Never tried this one, is it good? Can we smoke it? 
bberrythailand
The leaves can be smoked, but as with inhaling any fumes, it will damage your lungs, throat, etc.
Making a tea-like infusion is more common, especially if used as a remedy for ailments. When used as a mild stimulant, the leaves are often chewed, but this can lead to tooth discolouration or even dental caries in the long run.
Morakot
ThaiVisa