Mitragyna speciosa leaves fetch K200,000 per viss in Arakan State

By Admin 23 Jan 2026

DMG Newsroom

23 January 2026, Kyauktaw

The price of Mitragyna speciosa leaves has reportedly risen to as high as K200,000 per viss in Arakan Army-controlled townships in Arakan State, amid growing use of the leaves as a narcotic.

Local residents say people of all ages in Arakan State are using Mitragyna speciosa leaves to relieve stress.

“One viss of Mitragyna speciosa leaves is selling for K150,000 in some places and K200,000 in others. Smaller portions are sold for between K15,000 and K20,000,” said a Kyauktaw resident. “Recently, prices have increased because the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) has been hunting for and cutting down Mitragyna speciosa plants.”

Mitragyna speciosa plants are commonly grown in townships including Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, and Buthidaung, and are widely used in Kyauktaw and Ponnagyun townships.

The leaves are eaten raw, while extracted liquid from the leaves is boiled and mixed with cough syrup, Coca-Cola, milk or coffee, and sold as a drink.

Restaurants and bars in Arakan Army-controlled areas are reportedly selling the extracted liquid in a manner similar to alcohol, resulting in large numbers of people consuming it. Locals also say the extracted liquid is used by cooking groups preparing donated meals.

Troops from the Department of Law Enforcement and Public Security (DLEPS), working with village administrators, are reportedly clearing Mitragyna speciosa plants.

“Mitragyna speciosa plants were cut down and burned in villages along Peinhne Creek in Kyauktaw Township,” said another local man. “Officials also sprayed herbicides to prevent the plants from growing again. Awareness talks were held, and villagers were warned that effective action would be taken if Mitragyna speciosa plants were replanted.”

Mitragyna speciosa leaves are classified as a narcotic and are banned in Myanmar, but are legally sold and used in neighbouring Thailand.

“We see young people skipping school and using drugs, including alcohol, more frequently. Now they are also using Mitragyna speciosa leaves,” said a resident of Kyauktaw Township. “Heavy use causes young people to go astray, so the ULA/AA’s efforts to clear these plants are a very good thing.”

According to members of the health community, long-term use of Mitragyna speciosa leaves as a drug can lead to physical and psychological changes, liver and kidney damage, memory loss, depression, and cancer.

Young people in Arakan State say they are losing hope for the future due to limited access to jobs and education, and are turning to drugs as an outlet. In recent years, the use of marijuana among young people in Arakan State has also reportedly increased.