STARKVILLE – Citizens could see Kratom, a product commonly sold in convenience stores as a pain relief or energy supplement, criminalized in Starkville as the city considers an ordinance that would ban the use and sale of the product in city limits.
Mayor Lynn Spruill said discussion of a possible ordinance follows recent concerns raised by citizens.
“There are people who swear by it and there are people who say it’s highly addictive and that kids are getting into it,” Spruill told The Dispatch following the board of aldermen work session Friday at City Hall. “… It seems to be a growing chorus of people being concerned about its impact on the community, so I figure we can take it up and if there’s a human cry, then we’ll do something about it. And if not, we may let it ride and do it if it continues to develop. But I expect to have some feedback from some of our citizens.”
Available in the form of tablets, powders, bottled liquids similar to energy shots and e-cigarette cartridges, Kratom is derived from a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia and is alleged to treat ailments ranging from minor pain to anxiety, depression and drug withdrawal symptoms, though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved kratom for any medical use.
The Drug Enforcement Administration has listed kratom as a chemical of concern, citing its addictive properties and reported side effects that can include hallucinations, seizures and weight loss.
As it stands, the ordinance would prohibit the sale and use of all Kratom and Kratom-derived products within the city. Spruill said whether the measure ultimately targets both natural and synthetic forms will be determined through the public hearing process.
If passed, the sale or use of Kratom would be a misdemeanor offense, punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.
Aldermen will vote whether or not to hold two public hearings considering the ordinance Tuesday during its regular meeting at City Hall.
‘You don’t know what’s in that stuff’
Lowndes County, Columbus and Caledonia banned the sale and use of Kratom in 2019.
Spruill said she first began receiving concerns from citizens regarding the “addictive properties” of Kratom in 2021, though she received little interest in taking action from aldermen at the time.
“So without the board being engaged in it at all, then it’s got not a whole lot of traction for us to move forward with it, but now I do,” she said. “Now there’s board members who are … interested in looking at it.”
Spruill said renewed attention to the issue stems in part from recent citizen complaints, including a Facebook post addressing Spruill and Gov. Tate Reeves by name, questioning why Kratom remains legal in Starkville. Spruill also pointed to recent bans enacted in Tupelo and Lee County, as well as a state law passed in 2025 that prohibits the sale of Kratom products to anyone younger than 21.
At the state level, nine bills, one in the Senate and eight in the House, that sought to regulate or criminalize Kratom sales have all died in committee during the current legislative session.
Starkville Police Chief Mark Ballard said the department has received complaints about Kratom’s addictive potential and accessibility, though he is unsure how widespread its use is locally. Addiction recovery programs do not typically track Kratom dependency separately, he said.
Matt Bogue, vice president of Dutch Oil Company, which owns the Sprint Mart convenience stores in Starkville, said his company has opted not to carry Kratom or synthetic variants because of the “unknowns” surrounding products that lack FDA-approval.
“I have concerns about a product like Kratom being available to consumers over the counter in a convenience store just because of the addiction potential,” Bogue told The Dispatch on Friday. “… You could say beer and tobacco are the same way, but there’s very strict regulations around the sale of those products. These newer products that pop up, they mimic opiates in a lot of ways, and they … modify the formulation to make it a little different than what’s regulated. … I think that causes great concern.”
In Caledonia, Mayor Betty Darnell said officials moved to ban Kratom after residents complained it was “readily available” at gas stations near schools. One parent told city leaders her son became financially dependent on the product, nearly losing his vehicle after missing payments.
Since then, Darnell said the city hasn’t seen continued uses.
“We feel like it works,” Darnell told The Dispatch. “… We took swift action to get it off the streets. … People should be aware of what it causes.”
Lowndes County Board of Supervisors President Trip Hairston said the county’s ordinance has helped curb retail sales, even if it hasn’t eliminated use entirely.
“We think (the ordinance) is a good thing, and it gives us another tool in the toolbox when it comes to those types of substances that show up in gas stations or other convenience stores,” Hairston told The Dispatch. “… It’s a dangerous substance … in the gas station. You don’t know what’s in that stuff.”
Neither Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins nor Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtry returned calls or texts by The Dispatch by press time.
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