Kratom appears to be illegal in Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Burma, Vietnam and, most recently, Australia. Kratom remains uncontrolled in most of the world however. Kratom was first made illegal on August 3, 1943 after Thailand passed legislation making it illegal to possess or sell. Despite harsh sentences, natives and peasants continue to use Kratom. Attempts to destroy wild Kratom trees have had little effect, as the tree is native to Thailand. To this day, Kratom ranks second in illegally used drugs in Thailand, bypassed by marijuana. There are rumors that Thailand may soon eliminate the largely unsuccessful prohibition on the tree.