Starkville officials are considering a ban on kratom, a controversial herbal substance that has sparked regulations across Mississippi.

On March 3, Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill, Vice Mayor Roy Perkins and the Board of Aldermen met to consider a motion to hold two public hearings on a potential ordinance banning the sale of synthetic kratom and kratom products in the city of Starkville. The board approved the motion in a 6-1 roll call vote.

“I think we need to move forward very prudently with this matter,” Perkins said in the meeting. “It has been presented to us as having some form of controlled substance. I think it is very important that we take the necessary action to promote the health, safety and welfare of our jurisdiction.”

Spruill said Starkville’s proposed ordinance was modeled after similar measures adopted in other Mississippi cities.

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, Kratom is a plant-based substance sometimes used for pain relief and energy boosts. However, when used in high doses, it can produce opioid-like effects. Columbus was among the first cities to officially ban kratom, passing their ordinance in 2019. More recently, the Tupelo City Council approved a ban on the use, sale, distribution and display of kratom on Feb. 3.

The issue of kratom misuse was also addressed by the Mississippi Legislature in April 2025 with the passage of the Kratom Consumer Protection Act in House Bill 1077. The law, which took effect July 1, 2025, prohibits the sale of kratom — specifically high-concentration synthetic extracts — to individuals under the age of 21-years-old and allows local officials to continue enforcing stricter bans.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “[k]ratom is not lawfully marketed in the U.S. as a drug product, a dietary supplement, or a food additive in conventional food.” As of 2026, the FDA has consulted with the Drug Enforcement Administration but has not yet taken action to classify Kratom as a controlled substance. 

Burrell Cobbs, the director of Pines and Cady Hill Recovery Center, a rehabilitation facility that services the Golden Triangle area, has witnessed kratom’s effect on the Starkville community firsthand and claims that kratom use “has grown to be more prevalent in recent years.” 

Cobbs said that since he started his work at Pines and Cady Hill in 2018, he has seen “a significant increase in kratom use in recent years, whereas before it was relatively uncommon.”   

When asked about a potential kratom ban, Cobbs said it would benefit the Golden Triangle.

“When people are using, sometimes they’re not even thinking about the possibility of an overdose or the adverse effects, as far as it being addictive and being a substance that can have a stimulant-like effect on you,” Cobbs said.

Angela Robertson, a Mississippi State University research professor and coordinator of research and development for the Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program (MAESEP), studies mental health issues within the juvenile justice system.

Prior to MAESEP, she worked in community mental health and substance abuse treatment for 16 years. She said kratom regulation is necessary. 

Robertson said kratom’s consumer appeal often stems from its perceived medicinal properties.

“People use kratom because they are in pain, they are anxious, they are depressed, they are trying to use something to help them feel better or change their mood,” she said.

Robertson also emphasized the importance of public awareness about the substance. She said many people assume kratom is safe because it is widely available for purchase.

“To get the public behind what the city wants to do, they should have some public awareness campaigns and make people aware,” Robertson said.

The American Kratom Association, a national advocacy group, campaigns against kratom bans and promotes the passage of Kratom Consumer Protection Acts in several states, a regulatory framework that allows kratom sales while establishing safety standards.

The association argues that appropriate regulation could allow consumers to continue using kratom to “improve their health and well-being.”

Kratom is expected to remain a topic of debate in the U.S. as consumers continue to push back on bans passed by local and state officials. Debate over kratom regulation continues nationwide as some consumers and advocacy groups push back against local and state bans.

Kratom’s regulatory future could also depend on whether federal agencies classify the substance as a controlled drug. If federal regulators choose to do so, manufacturing, selling or possessing kratom could become restricted nationwide.

The Starkville Board of Aldermen held its first public hearing on the proposed ordinance on Tuesday and the second hearing on April 7. Both hearings will take place at Starkville City Hall and will be open to the public.

The board is expected to vote on the ordinance at the April 7 hearing. If approved, the measure would make the sale, use or possession of kratom a punishable offense within the city of Starkville.