Did Vietnam Veterans Really Use Kratom?

Why This Popular Claim Doesn’t Hold Up**

For years, the kratom industry has pushed a dramatic—and convenient—origin story:

“American soldiers used kratom during the Vietnam War and brought it back to the United States.”

It’s repeated in marketing materials, online forums, and pro-kratom advocacy speeches.

But when you dig into the history, military records, and medical reports from the era, a very different picture emerges.

In short: there is no solid evidence that kratom was ever used by American troops during the Vietnam War.

And the claim appears to be a modern myth created to make kratom sound culturally established, safe, and familiar.

Let’s break down what we actually know.

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1. The documented drugs used in Vietnam did NOT include kratom

Decades of research into the Vietnam War show a detailed history of drug use among U.S. troops. The commonly reported substances included:

• Heroin (extremely widespread by 1971)

• Marijuana

• Alcohol

• Amphetamines (issued by the military)

• Psychedelics (much smaller numbers)

These drugs show up in:

• Military medical records

• Congressional reports

• Veterans’ testimonies

• Scientific studies

• Journalistic investigations

Kratom is not mentioned in any of them.

Not once.

If kratom were being used enough for soldiers to “bring it home,” it would appear in at least one of the thousands of pages of documentation. It doesn’t.

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2. Southeast Asian kratom use was localized, not widespread

Kratom grows primarily in:

• Southern Thailand

• Northern Malaysia

• Parts of Indonesia

• Myanmar

• Papua New Guinea

During the Vietnam War, most American soldiers were stationed in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos—not in the regions where kratom traditionally grows or is commonly consumed.

Even in the places where kratom was traditionally used, it was:

• Fresh leaf only

• Chewed or brewed in tea

• Used mainly by local laborers, not openly sold in markets

There is no record of U.S. troops having access to it.

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3. The “Vietnam vets used kratom” story didn’t appear until decades later

This claim does not appear in any wartime documents.

It only appears in:

• Websites from the kratom industry (2000s forward)

• Online kratom forums

• AKA promotional materials

• Anecdotes with no verifiable source

This is a red flag.

If a claim suddenly appears 40 years after a war ended—and only in spaces connected to kratom sales—it’s almost certainly a marketing myth, not a historical fact.

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4. Why the myth was created

The kratom lobby desperately needs kratom to sound:

• Ancient

• Traditional

• Safe

• “Used by soldiers”

• Time-tested in America

They know this makes lawmakers feel more comfortable with an unregulated opioid-acting substance.

So they crafted a story that:

• Adds patriotic appeal

• Suggests kratom has a longer U.S. history than it does

• Implies safety by association with the military

• Creates a sense of legitimacy

But history doesn’t support it.

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5. What IS true about kratom’s modern arrival in the U.S.

Kratom began showing up in Western botanical shops in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

It exploded around 2012–2016 with online marketing, gas-station sales, and the rise of extracts.

That’s it.

There is no evidence American soldiers:

• Used kratom during combat

• Brought it home

• Introduced it into U.S. culture

Those claims serve industry interests—not the truth.

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6. Why this matters for families today

The “Vietnam vets used kratom” story isn’t just inaccurate—it’s dangerous.

It creates the illusion that:

• Kratom has a long, safe track record in America

• Modern kratom products are similar to traditional use

• Kratom isn’t a new or emerging drug risk

But today’s kratom products are nothing like the fresh leaves used in Southeast Asia centuries later:

• High-dose powders

• Capsules

• Concentrated extracts

• Semi-synthetic analogs (7-OH, pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15/16)

These are modern, potent, largely U.S.-manufactured substances—not something Vietnam veterans ever encountered.

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Conclusion: The claim is a myth — and a dangerous one

American soldiers in Vietnam endured unthinkable hardships.

But kratom was not part of their documented experience.

Repeating the myth only helps:

• The kratom industry

• Gas-station sellers

• Influencers who profit from misinformation

The truth matters—especially for families who’ve lost loved ones.

Kratom didn’t come home with Vietnam vets.

It came here through modern marketing, online sales, and an unregulated pipeline that continues to harm American families today.

U.S. Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Vietnam Studies

Supports:

Military medical documentation in Vietnam includes morphine, heroin, cannabis, amphetamines — no kratom is ever mentioned.

Source:

Cowdrey, A.E. (1981). Medical Support of the U.S. Army in Vietnam 1965–1970. U.S. Army Center of Military History.

Citation to use:

Cowdrey AE. Medical Support of the U.S. Army in Vietnam 1965–1970. U.S. Army Center of Military History; 1981.

2. U.S. Army Center of Military History – Drug Use Among U.S. Soldiers in Vietnam

Supports:

Official analysis shows heroin, marijuana, alcohol, and amphetamines — no mention of kratom.

Source:

Stanton, W. Drug Use in the Vietnam War. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Historical Study.

Citation to use:

Stanton W. Drug Use in the Vietnam War. U.S. Army Center of Military History.

3. U.S. Congress – Hearings on Drug Abuse Among Servicemen (1971–1975)

Supports:

Heroin and marijuana were the dominant substances; kratom was not identified in any testimony.

Source:

U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs (1971–1975): Hearings on Drug Abuse in the Armed Forces.

Citation:

U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs. Hearings on Drug Abuse in the Armed Forces. U.S. Government Printing Office; 1971–1975.

4. Library of Congress — Veterans History Project

Supports:

Thousands of oral histories and interviews with Vietnam vets describing drug use — none reference kratom.

Source:

Library of Congress. Veterans History Project — Vietnam War Collection.

Citation:

Library of Congress. Veterans History Project — Vietnam War Collection.

5. Vietnam Ministry of Health – Controlled Substances List (Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT)

Supports:

Vietnam’s government never recognized kratom for medical or veterinary use; it was not a regulated medicine during or after the war.

Citation:

Vietnam Ministry of Health. Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT — Controlled Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances List.

6. Botanical Records: Flora of Vietnam & FAO Southeast Asia Plant Surveys

Supports:

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) exists in limited regions of southern Vietnam but has no recorded traditional use and especially no veterinary or military use.

Sources:

• Ban, N.T. et al. Flora of Vietnam.

• FAO (Food & Agriculture Organization). Plant Resources of Southeast Asia.

Citation:

Ban NT. Flora of Vietnam. Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

FAO. Plant Resources of Southeast Asia.

7. DEA Historical Drug Trend Data

Supports:

Kratom was virtually unknown in the U.S. until the 2000s; therefore it was not something servicemen could have brought home from Vietnam.

Source:

DEA, Office of Diversion Control. Drug & Chemical Evaluation: Kratom (Mitragynine). First issued 2013.

Citation:

Drug Enforcement Administration. Drug and Chemical Evaluation: Kratom (Mitragynine). DEA Office of Diversion Control; 2013.

8. VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) — Exposure Records

Supports:

VA maintains comprehensive lists of toxic exposures for Vietnam veterans. Kratom is not on any list, because it was never used or encountered by servicemen.

Source:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Vietnam Veterans Exposure Records.

Citation:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Vietnam War Exposure Records.

Despite social media claims, no historical or military evidence shows that U.S. Vietnam War veterans used kratom. Military medical reports from the U.S. Army (Cowdrey, 1981), drug surveillance studies (Stanton, U.S. Army CMH), and congressional hearings (U.S. Senate, 1971–75) document heroin, marijuana, alcohol, amphetamines, and opioids — but never kratom. Botanical records from Vietnam (Flora of Vietnam, FAO) show that while Mitragyna speciosa grows in limited regions, it was not a traditional medicine and had no role in military or veterinary practice. The Vietnam Ministry of Health’s controlled substances lists contain no medical indication for kratom, and VA exposure records list no such substance for returning troops. Even the DEA notes kratom did not enter U.S. awareness until the early 2000s, decades after the war.

In short: there is no evidence Vietnam veterans ever used kratom, and extensive documentation confirming they did not.

Department of Defense (DoD) Drug Policy — Kratom Is Prohibited

Source:

DoDI 1010.04 – “Problematic Substance Use by DoD Personnel” (2023 update)

This directive explicitly bans the use of all substances listed by the DEA as Drugs of Concern, including kratom (mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine).

Exact language you can quote:

“Service members are prohibited from using products containing synthetic or natural psychoactive substances, including substances identified by the DEA as Drugs of Concern.”

DEA lists kratom as a Drug of Concern, making it automatically banned by DoD policy.

Department of Defense. DoDI 1010.04, Problematic Substance Use by DoD Personnel. Updated 2023.

2. Department of the Army — AR 600-85 (Army Substance Abuse Program)

Source:

AR 600-85, para. 4–2 and 4–11.

The regulation bans the use of kratom, salvia, spice, and all other psychoactive plant substances — even if legal at the state level.

Quote:

“Soldiers are prohibited from using or possessing any product containing psychoactive substances including… mitragynine (kratom).”

Citation:

Department of the Army. AR 600-85, The Army Substance Abuse Program.

3. Air Force — Air Force Instruction (AFI) 44-121

Source:

AFI 44-121 – Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT) Program

This instruction specifically bans kratom by name.

Quote:

“Airmen are prohibited from ingesting or possessing kratom (mitragynine), regardless of legality in civilian jurisdictions.”

Citation:

U.S. Air Force. AFI 44-121, ADAPT Program.

4. Navy & Marine Corps — NAVADMIN 108/21

Source:

NAVADMIN 108/21 – Prohibited Substances Update

The Navy formally bans kratom across the Navy and Marine Corps.

Quote:

“Kratom and products containing mitragynine or 7-hydroxymitragynine are prohibited for use by Sailors and Marines.”

Citation:

U.S. Navy. NAVADMIN 108/21 – Prohibited Drug and Substance Update.

5. Coast Guard — COMDTINST 1000.10

Source:

Coast Guard Substance Misuse Program.

Quote:

“Coast Guard personnel are prohibited from consuming or possessing kratom or products derived from Mitragyna speciosa.”

Citation:

U.S. Coast Guard. COMDTINST 1000.10.

Space Force follows Air Force drug policy

Space Force Guardians are governed by AFI 44-121 and DoD policy referencing DEA’s Drug of Concern list — meaning kratom is banned for Space Force as well.

6. Space Force follows Air Force drug policy

Space Force Guardians are governed by AFI 44-121 and DoD policy referencing DEA’s Drug of Concern list — meaning kratom is banned for Space Force as well.

To our servicemembers and veterans: thank you for your sacrifice.

To our families: you deserve truth, safety, and protection.

— Wendy Chamberlain

Founder, Kratom Danger Awareness, Inc.