source: A Leaf of Faith

First off, this is a must-see documentary if you are interested in learning the truth about kratom. I don't care if one of the executive producers has a financial interest in one particular store that sells kratom (and other products!) so long as the message of the film is genuine. There are many interviews with people who have benefited from kratom where they were previously prescribed opioids like oxycodone, hydrocodone and stronger controlled substances that led to addiction, and in some cases a switch to illicit narcotics like heroin when their prescription pain killers ran out. From the scientific standpoint, kratom doesn't depress the central nervous system (CNS) like prescription (and illicit) opiates do. In fact it's the opposite. Kratom is a relative of the coffee family and there is a mild stimulant effect from most unadulterated strains of ground up leaf. For anyone to leave a negative review, not on the content of the film, but based on their own alleged addiction to kratom, they must have been either seriously abusing it or procuring adulterated product or "extracts" which are much stronger and marketed by some of the shadier sellers to those who might be looking for a recreational drug to play around with. As a long-time user of this plant, I have stopped cold turkey more than 10 times once I no longer needed it for pain and the only "withdrawal" (another reviewer's word, not mine) effects are similar to quitting coffee. That is, again, unless they have been ingesting unnecessarily large amounts of dried leaf - or - using adulterated extracts for alleged recreational purposes. Of course everyone's body is different and some lack an enzyme needed to break down the powdered leaf in their digestive system. That is another reason I recommend using a very small dose the first time if you're trying to wean yourself off of opiates and use kratom for pain. Anyone claiming that they had horrible stomach pain but continued to use it anyway is 1) unaware that they should take it as tea instead or 2) using large amounts/adulterated "extracts" in search of a "high." Please watch the film before believing negative unsubstantiated reviews and as with anything, do as much research as you can before trying kratom!

For some, this plant is a life saver and for others it's simple another addiction. I will admit that it comes with some responsibility. If you are a daily user and then decide to stop, you will have withdrawals similar to opioid withdrawal. With that being said, in my experience, kratom is the safer alternative to pharmaceutical pain meds. A lot of kratom enthusiasts will down play the withdrawal but that's just because they don't want to "demonize" the plant. Anyone who says the withdrawl is no worse than coffee is either ignorant or lying. It really depends on how much the person takes and how consistently they take it. I know dozens of people who have been tremendously helped by this plant and a lot of them got completely off alcohol using it. Alcohol in my opinion and backed up by science is a lot worse for the human body than kratom will ever be. Kratom is a wonderful plant by like I said, it needs to be used responsibly and if someone uses it a few times a week, there shouldn't be any problems withdrawal wise or dependency wise. This documentary explores the media conception of it and dives into personal experiences with it along with scientific studies on it. Definitely a great beginners guide for someone who's interested in learning more about what it is. I discovered kratom back in 2009 when it was virtually unheard of in the US and the only place you could buy it was online. Now it's sold in every headshop across America and some gas stations as business owners are starting to see the market it has. My overall opinion on kratom is that it CAN be a lifesaver for specific people and others it can be another monkey on their back. For me? I used to use it a lot to curb my opioid addiction and urge to use. I do not use it as much anymore because of the dependent factor. I have experienced withdrawals coming off of it and they weren't fun. Still not nearly as bad as pill withdrawal but each person is different. I wouldn't say it produces a "high".. I would describe it more as a slight euphoria and sometimes intense depending on the quality or if it's an extract or what not (I would stay away from taking extracts too much as they knock your tolerance way up and make it harder to come off of it) All n all, it's a pretty quality documentary on the plant. Give it a watch if you are curious.

I had to create an account to say how much I enjoyed this documentary. I can't believe some of the remarks. Of course you can get addicted just like anything else in life. If you abuse something it's bad, just like alcohol. Don't be dumb bottom line. It helps many people. It helps me with my restless leg, ovarian cysts and depression. I have been using it for 4 years and I'm just fine. I take breaks, I know when I have been taking too much and I back off. Be responsible. Kratom has changed my life in a positive way

One of the best and true documentary that shed light on the real facts of Kratom. Although, many big players are pushing hard to list it as a harmful drug but no success as benefits exceeds the side-effects.

I love the style of his documentaries and this one does not disappoint. Chris interviews lots of people to get to the truth about the plant we have all heard about on the news. Is it a hardcore harmful drug or something mild that has helped people get their lives back from chronic pain and addiction ? Watch and find out

What's irresponsible is WVfilmfem's review. This kind of ignorance is exactly why Mr. Bell felt the need to make this documentary. People need to use their brains. Everything in the world has its downsides; whether it's drugs, food, sex, there are negatives. Yes, kratom has withdrawals. But, despite what recent media reports and trigger-happy hypocrites have been trying to dump on Kratom in the past few years, Kratom use does not lead to harsh addictions and death. There are certain vendors online who have been caught mixing opioids into the kratom they sell, and this has been linked to a handful of deaths. But kratom itself? Not one death has been linked solely to kratom. It can cause withdrawals in people who go overboard with taking it, but compared to heroin and prescription painkillers like Percocet and Vicodin, that's a small price to pay. And when you compare kratom to the legal drug alcohol, it's no contest. Alcohol causes hundreds of thousands of deaths a year, and yet the FDA, DEA, and IMDB users like WVfilmfem want to attack Kratom? Give me a break. Wake up people. As another user said in their review: educate yourself. Great documentary, Mr. Bell. Thank you for an honest film that sheds some reality on the Kratom discussion. I pray this documentary will help others out there to see the light; if Kratom becomes a Schedule I. drug, there will be a lot of deaths on the hands of the FDA, DEA, and ignorant Americans.

Wow! Thank you to Chris Bell for making such an informational film on Kratom. If you are a user, are interested or are just wondering what kratom is, this documentary is very informative. It's very unbiased, presenting views on both sides of the issue. Kratom is life changing for so many people, it truly is a miracle substance. Its great to see a mainstream documentary that can share so much information to hopefully help more people.

I was so happily suprised to see "A Leaf of Faith" being streamed. I was so impressed that this doc showed both of sides of the aisle. The informed and the grossly misinformed. If you are a chronic pain sufferer and are most unfortunately taking chemically produced pain killers...do yourself a big favor and check this doc out. Kratom is truly a gift from Mother Nature. There are millions of success stories out there, and I am one.

Gives the facts, straight and to the point. This is a conversation that needs to be brought to the for front. Thank you Chris bell for doing your part to end this epidemic!