Medical experts are contending that studies have shown ketum, a tropical tree whose leaves have been used as a therapeutic agent, is not harmful to users.

Universiti Malaya Specialist Centre's (UMSC) senior psychiatrist Dr Rusdi Abd Rashid said the planting and the production of the ketum plant should nevertheless be regulated so that it is not misused.

According to him, based on his six-year experience working in Kedah, as well as research in the northern states, ketum users have not been found to display any aggressive tendencies.

"All those years in Alor Setar and Yan, I have never had a patient come in with ketum addiction. The only problem is when they use other drugs along with ketum.

"Only then, they complained about the drugs, and not ketum. When I asked them why they used ketum, they said it is to wean them off the addiction to drugs such as methamphetamine and heroin," he said at a talk titled ‘Ketum - Use or Abuse’ at Universiti Malaya yesterday.

Rusdi also said that based on his research, the majority of ketum users were senior citizens who used it to combat joint pains and they have not experienced any negative effects.

According to him, ketum only produces ill effects when it is mixed with other drugs or substances, such as mosquito coil, for the "extra oomph".

Therefore, it is unfair to classify ketum as a dangerous drug without further studies...