Ketum leaves are boiled to produce a drink which is usually packed in small packets for sale to drug addicts. Drug addicts abuse ketum leaves because of their psychoactive components, such as mytragynine, which produces a stimulating, sedative and euphoric effect, and can lead to addiction. The National Anti-Drug Agency has revealed that ketum leaves have also been added to other substances such as tobacco, alcohol, hallucinatory pills, mosquito repellent, painkillers and cough syrup. Timely seizure: Perak Tengah OCPD Supt Mohamad Zainal Abdullah showing packs of wrapped up ketum leaves that were seized by police during a random check on vehicles in Kampung Gajah. “At present, no traditional or pharmaceutical use of ketum leaves has been registered under the Health Ministry,” he said.

Source: The Star September 25, 2017 03:00 UTC