Hot on the heels of the CBD awakening, kratom is yet another powerful herb shrouded in controversy. Used for centuries in Southeast Asian folk medicine, kratom has long been leveraged for its effects against discomfort — whether physical or otherwise.
But because research can’t keep up with commercial demand, authorities have ended up placing restrictions on kratom despite the overwhelming anecdotal evidence that supports its benefits. So if you were hoping to start a kratom business in Canada, it might help to consider the intricacies of importing your product.
Is Kratom Legal in Canada?
The first and most obvious question to ask would be whether or not kratom is even legal in Canada? The convenient answer is yes. There are presently no laws or regulations that seek to control or prohibit the sale, use, and possession of kratom in the country, so vendors and buyers can freely transact. But there are some rules to abide by.
Although kratom itself isn’t banned or illegal, it’s not approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) as a food product or supplement. That means that vendors have to be particularly careful when labeling their products.
In fact, labeling is almost the only reason that vendors face problems in Canada for kratom sales. Since kratom isn’t ye approved for human consumption, the Canadian government requires that vendors label their products to reflect that. Although it’s no secret that buyers still consume kratom orally, labeling the products simply demonstrates the vendor’s compliance with Canadian law.
How to Import Kratom into Canada
Kratom doesn’t grow naturally in Canada’s climate — it’s way too cold. As a tropical evergreen plant, kratom is endemic to the warm, sunny, and often humid conditions in Southeast Asia. It grows in copious amounts particularly in countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Papua New Guinea.
In most of these countries, kratom is incredibly common. And because it grows naturally without much intervention from farmers, people can get huge supplies of kratom in Southeast Asia at little to no cost. That’s also how suppliers based in countries where kratom naturally grows can price their products exceedingly low.
For Canadian kratom vendors, these ultra-low prices make native Southeast Asia-grown kratom an ideal choice to start a business. But will Canadian customs allow kratom shipments to enter the country from these eastern locations? Well, yes they would.
Even kratom shipments of large quantities aren’t seized at the borders of Canada, and that’s because there are no laws banning or prohibiting it. It’s as good as sending over a load of coffee — no one’s going to question kratom. However, it pays to remember that because kratom isn’t approved by the CFIA, labeling is incredibly important.
Here are some tips to make sure your kratom import doesn’t get delayed on its way to your headquarters:
- Tell your supplier to properly label all of the packages they’re sending. The statement ‘NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION’ should be readily visible on the package.
- Another thing to watch out for is medical claims. Anything that would indicate a medical use for kratom should be avoided. Although they probably already know it, tell your supplier to refrain from labeling the package as any sort of supplement or food.
- Try small batches. If it’s your first time buying a kratom supply from overseas, stick to just 10kg for your first shipment. As with most other countries, Canadian customs tend to get suspicious with exceedingly large or heavy packages. As you establish your reputation, then you can start ordering bigger bulk packages.
- Prepare your paperwork just in case. Of course, the chances of your package getting seized are pretty close to zero since kratom is legal in Canada. But just in case you trip some alarms, it helps to have your business documentation at the ready.
- Finally, always make sure you’re buying from a reputable source. There are loads of overseas vendors out there that can easily scam you and send bad products or total bunk. Just make sure you’re transacting with a reputable, trustworthy vendor that will actually come through with what you talked about.
Sending Kratom Products Outside of Canada
Is it possible to send your kratom products outside of Canada? The short answer is yes, you can. The beauty of running an online business is that you can cater to pretty much anyone from anywhere across the globe. So it’s not impossible to get orders, especially from buyers just south of the border.
But remember — while you might be able to ship products out of Canada with no issues, the locations receiving them might have different laws regulating the shipment of kratom.
Don’t expect to get in trouble though. If you’re shipping your product from a country that allows kratom (in this case, Canada), then you shouldn’t have to worry about being penalized for it. If authorities at the receiving end were to penalize anyone for violating kratom laws, it would be the recipient on the package.
Another thing to remember is that even if you’re shipping to places where kratom is legal, you will still have to indicate the proper labels. It’s a standard practice among kratom businesses to specifically label products as NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION to prevent any problems for customers.
The More You Know
Kratom is a big game in Canada, and the playing field is open to anyone and everyone. However just because the herb is legal, doesn’t mean you can take liberties with shipping and selling the stuff. The CFIA has yet to approve kratom for human consumption as either food or supplement, so proper labeling is key.
If you’re a business hoping to import kratom, or if you’re just a buyer looking to get lower prices for your next kratom haul, then shipping from overseas into Canada might be a smart way to save a pretty penny. Just make sure you consider proper labeling and follow our tips to ensure smooth sailing through Canadian customs.