BREAKING: CITY OF RIDGELAND BANS KRATOM EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY 08/22/24)

Below is from WLBT's website story about the city of Ridgeland banning Kratom effective immediately

RIDGELAND, Miss. (WLBT) - Another municipality is joining the long list of cities and counties that have banned the use and sale of Kratom.

On Tuesday, the Ridgeland mayor and Board of Aldermen approved a measure banning the drug in the city limits.

Because the measure was passed unanimously, it goes into effect immediately, Mayor Gene McGee said.

“It can be something that can be dangerous, particularly for young people not knowing what they’re getting into. We really needed to get it off the shelves,” he said.

McGee said in about 10 days, the Ridgeland Police Department will begin working with businesses to pull the substance.

“A week or two after they ask them to do that, then if someone continues to have it on their shelves, selling it, that sort of thing, they’ll be written tickets,” he said.

Meanwhile, officials in the city of Madison say they’re likely going to take action to ban Kratom as well.

“I anticipate the city of Madison will put an ordinance before the board very soon,” said City Attorney Chelsea Brannon. “We were waiting to see what the Legislature did to make sure we didn’t do anything contrary [to state statute].”

Kratom comes from a tropical tree in Southeast Asia. Based on the dosage, the consumption of Kratom leaves can serve as a stimulant or a sedative. The substance largely is sold at convenience stores, vape, and CBD shops, according to Drug Enforcement Agency data.

At least a dozen counties and more than two dozen cities have banned the substance across the state, including Gluckstadt back in 2022.

Since implementing the ordinance, Gluckstadt Police Chief Barry Hale said the city has had few violations.

“We did have one store that we found was [selling] it. We went and talked with them and worked with them, and they took it out, but as far as having to cite anybody or anything like that, we have not,” he said.

Despite being banned on the local level, Kratom is not banned in the state.

Months following a WLBT investigation, at least eight pieces of legislation were introduced during the 2024 legislation session to address the drug, but none of them passed.