Community Guidelines

Welcome to The Mitra Project community. We are an independent, science-backed platform dedicated to kratom transparency, consumer safety, and harm reduction. Our community connects consumers, vendors, researchers, and advocates who share a commitment to evidence-based information and honest discourse.

Whether you are a long-time kratom consumer, a curious newcomer, a vendor seeking to build trust through lab-verified transparency, or a researcher contributing to the growing body of kratom science, you belong here. We ask only that you engage with the same respect and intellectual honesty that you would expect from others.

These guidelines exist to protect every member of this community. They are not suggestions — they are the standards by which all participation is measured. Please read them carefully before posting.

Every member of this community deserves to feel safe and respected. We expect all participants to uphold the following standards:

• Treat all members with respect and empathy. Disagreement is welcome; personal attacks are not. Critique ideas, not people.
• No harassment, bullying, or intimidation. This includes sustained unwanted contact, following a member across threads to antagonize them, or coordinated pile-ons.
• No discriminatory language. Slurs, bigotry, and language that demeans any individual or group based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or any other characteristic will result in immediate removal.
• No doxxing. Never share personal information about another member — including real names, addresses, phone numbers, workplaces, or photos — without their explicit consent.
• No threats of any kind. Threats of violence, legal action used to silence criticism, or threats to reveal personal information are grounds for an immediate permanent ban.

The Mitra Project is built on lab-verified data and evidence-based discussion. We hold all community members to a standard of scientific integrity:

• Claims require evidence. If you make a specific health or pharmacological claim, provide a citation or source. Anecdotal experience is valuable and welcome — but it should be clearly labeled as personal experience, not presented as medical fact.
• Misinformation will be removed. Content that contains demonstrably false claims about kratom safety, pharmacology, or interactions — especially claims that could endanger community members — will be removed and the poster warned.
• Medical claims are prohibited. Kratom is not approved by the FDA to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Language that frames kratom as a medicine, treatment, or cure violates platform policy and may trigger our automated content filter.
• The Science Contributor role exists to help. Members with demonstrated expertise in pharmacology, chemistry, or related fields may earn the Science Contributor badge. Their contributions help the community evaluate research and separate evidence from speculation.

Verified Vendors are valued members of this community. Their participation is subject to additional rules to ensure the integrity of the platform:

• No unsolicited promotion. Vendors may not create threads or replies for the primary purpose of promoting their products. Promotional content belongs in the Vendor Announcements category and is subject to pre-approval.
• No shill posting or fake reviews. Creating fake accounts to post positive reviews, or paying others to do so, results in a permanent ban for the vendor account and removal of all associated reviews.
• Vendors may respond to reviews. Vendors are encouraged to engage with reviews of their products, including critical ones. Responses must be factual, professional, and non-promotional.
• Transparency is non-negotiable. Vendors who misrepresent COA data, lab results, or product composition face immediate suspension pending investigation.

The Mitra Project does not advocate for or against kratom use. Our mission is harm reduction: providing accurate, evidence-based information so that individuals can make informed decisions about their own health and well-being.

• Dosage information must include context. Individual responses to kratom vary significantly based on body weight, tolerance, alkaloid sensitivity, and other factors. When sharing dosage information, always note that what works for you may not be appropriate for others.
• Never encourage escalating use. Advising someone to significantly increase their dose, combine kratom with other substances without discussing risks, or dismiss concerns about dependency is not permitted.
• Support members seeking to reduce or stop use. Members who express a desire to taper or discontinue kratom use should be supported, not discouraged. Our Taper Calculator and crisis resources are always available.
• Crisis resources are always accessible. Every harm reduction thread includes links to professional crisis support. If you see a member in distress, point them to these resources.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, experiencing severe withdrawal, or needs immediate support, the following resources are available 24/7:

You are not alone. Reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

We are committed to fair, transparent, and consistent moderation. Here is how reports are handled:

• Reports are reviewed promptly. Our moderation team aims to review all reports within 2 hours during active hours. Content reported for illegal activity or content targeting minors is escalated immediately and the associated thread is locked pending review.
• Graduated response. Moderation actions follow a graduated scale based on severity: verbal warning, post removal with explanation, temporary ban (7 or 30 days), or permanent ban. The severity of the action matches the severity of the violation.
• All actions include a stated reason. When a post is removed or a member is warned or banned, the reason is clearly communicated. We do not take action without explanation.
• Moderators follow these guidelines. Moderators are community members who have agreed to uphold these standards. They are not immune to the rules. If you believe a moderator has acted improperly, you may submit a report or appeal.

We believe in accountability — including our own. If you believe a moderation action was incorrect or disproportionate, you have the right to appeal:

• Submit an appeal. Members who wish to contest a moderation action may do so by sending a direct message to any moderator or admin explaining why they believe the action was incorrect.
• Independent review. Appeals are reviewed by a different moderator than the one who took the original action. This ensures impartial evaluation.
• Timely response. Appeals are reviewed within 48 hours. The reviewing moderator may uphold, modify, or reverse the original action.
• Final decisions. The decision on an appeal is final. Repeated appeals on the same action, or harassment of moderators regarding a decision, may result in additional moderation action.

The following content is never permitted on The Mitra Project, regardless of context. Posting prohibited content may result in immediate permanent ban without warning:

• Content that facilitates, encourages, or provides instructions for illegal activity
• Sexual content of any kind
• Content that targets, exploits, or endangers minors
• Spam, unsolicited promotion, or affiliate links
• Content designed to manipulate product ratings, reviews, or grades
• Impersonation of other members, vendors, moderators, or platform staff
• Content that violates another person's privacy, including sharing private messages or personal information without consent
• Malware, phishing links, or any content designed to compromise user security