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The Experiences of Kratom Users in Southern California

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The Experiences of Kratom Users in Southern California THESIS CALIFORNIA ST A TE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS THESIS SIGNATURE PAGE THESIS SUB1\.11TTEDIN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE MASTER OF ARTS IN SOCIOLOGICAL PRACTICE TITLE: The Experiences ofKratom Users in Southern California: A Sociological Explanation AUTHOR: Claudia Lacher DATE OF SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE: April 30, 2021 THE THESIS HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE THESIS COM1\.11TTEEIN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN SOCIOLOGICAL PRACTICE Christopher Bickel 05/07/2021 COM1\.11TTEE CHAIR SIGNATURE DATE Richelle Swan 05/07/2021 COM1\.11TTEEMEMBER SIGNATURE DATE Xuan Santos 05/07/2021 XoaIISaIItos(May 7,202113.371=e,f1 COM1\.11TTEEMEMBER SIGNATURE DATE COM1\.11TTEEMEMBER SIGNATURE DATE Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... 2 ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. 4 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 5 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ............................................................................................. 6 LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................................................. 8 PHARMACOLOGY OF MITRAGYNA SPECIOSA ............................................................ 9 FROM EAST TO WEST: A Historical Tale of Kratom ....................................................... 10 THE SEMI-LEGALITY OF KRATOM ............................................................................... 16 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS ............................................................................................. 19 LABELING THEORY .......................................................................................................... 19 SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM........................................................................................ 22 METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................... 24 SETTING............................................................................................................................... 25 GROUNDED QUALITATIVE RESEARCH ....................................................................... 27 RESEARCH DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ........................................................ 31 QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS ........................................................................................... 32 Collection of Data .............................................................................................................. 32 Sampling ............................................................................................................................ 34 PARTICIPANTS ................................................................................................................... 36 Coding and Analysis .......................................................................................................... 36 Reflexivity.......................................................................................................................... 38 Limitations ......................................................................................................................... 40 FINDINGS ................................................................................................................................. 42 THE SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE AND LEARNING OF KRATOM .................................... 43 KRATOM AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO DRUGS ............................................................... 48 Alcohol Cessation .............................................................................................................. 49 Kratom: The Perfect Cup of Coffee ................................................................................... 53 Bridge off Opioids ............................................................................................................. 57 Using Kratom to Recover from Pain ................................................................................. 61 Nature’s Adderall: Managing ADHD ................................................................................ 63 Recognizing Kratom as a Powerful Substance .................................................................. 65 Hiding like a Ghost ............................................................................................................ 71 THE CRIMINALIZATION OF KRATOM .......................................................................... 73 SIGNIFICANCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................... 80 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................... 81 APPENDIX A: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR KRATOM USERS ........................................ 83 References ................................................................................................................................. 84 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The journey to attain this Master’s Thesis has made a remarkable impact on my life. I have many people in which I owe gratitude towards. I have many to be thankful for encouraging me and supporting me through this process. If it were for not these people, this thesis would not be possible. I love you all more than you know and more than I could ever tell you. I am humbled and grateful for all my participants. I have the deepest sense of gratitude for sharing your stories with me and experiential knowledge. Thank you to all my participants. To my mom, Tara. I am thankful every day for having such an incredible mother. Thank you for always encouraging me to continue pursuing higher education. I did this for you and work my hardest for you. You have given me the greatest gift of all, and I only want to make you proud. Without your strength and guidance, I would not be where I am today, and I owe it all to you. Making memories with you is one of my favorite things. You have always been my biggest fan and I am eternally grateful for your love. I am forever in your dept. Thank you for always being understanding and patient with me. I love you. To my love, Christian. Without you, this project would have never come to life. Your soul was placed into my life at the perfect moment, not a second too soon. Thank you for the continued strength, support and love you offered me all throughout this process. I am eternally grateful for the love you have given me. I appreciate you as the genuine, loving, passionate, and gentle being that you are. Thank you for always grounding me. I feel blessed for every day I get to share with you. My love for you is constant, intimate, and infinite. To my committee, Dr. Christopher Bickel, you have my sincerest gratitude for your support and mentorship throughout this process. You are the best mentor a girl could ask for. From day one you have shown me nothing, but support and I am truly grateful to have you as my chair. Thank you for the enthusiastic support and helpful comments all throughout the writing process. It has been a beautiful journey growing under your mentorship. Dr. Richelle Swan, thank you for your guidance and suggestions in the process of my thesis. I want to thank you for your unwavering support and encouragement. Thank you for guiding me in the right direction from the start. I am so grateful that our paths crossed. Dr. Xuan Santos, you were the one who encouraged me to stick with my thesis topic and not to let others bother me about it. I am so grateful for all the time we got to spend together. Thank you for holding space and sharing your knowledge with me. To my colleagues; Brittney, Cynthia, Daniela, Laura, Nayeli, Nora, Kayli, and Vanessa. You have all become incredible scholars. I truly enjoyed working with all of you. You have made graduate school an unforgettable experience for me. Off to bigger and better things for all of us. Looking back on these past two years, I can’t believe what we accomplished. I am grateful for the support and long nights we have spent together. We all experienced graduate school while surviving a pandemic. We are a prime example of resiliency. Thank you, my fellow scholars. 2 To my closest friends, (Taylor, Erin, Blythe, Emily, Molly, Dorian and Melissa) Thank you for always being there for me these past two years, your unwavering support means the world to me. You have been there for me since the beginning and I cannot thank each of you enough. Thank you for understanding my needs and crazy schedule. You all have been amazing friends and I would not have been able to do this without you. I am blessed to have you all in my life. This thesis is dedicated to my family, friends, loved ones and the thousands of individuals that have been influenced by kratom. Knowledge is power 3 ABSTRACT This grounded qualitative research study explores the social significance of kratom, reasons for kratom use, and the semi-legality of kratom within southern California. Using the theoretical frameworks of Labeling theory, Symbolic Interactionism, and Grounded theory, I examine how kratom is experienced in people’s everyday lives. This study was conducted in one of the only counties in California where kratom is banned. This work highlights the voices of kratom users
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