Kratom enthusiasts often look up on the internet about its legality in a state because it is better to beware than face legal consequences. As the FDA has not fully accepted the herb as safe, its consumers have to be vigilant. Especially if you are traveling, you must know the latest legislation of the destination state.
For example, if you are traveling to Mississippi, you must acquire sufficient knowledge on “Is Kratom legal in Mississippi” before taking it along. Certain states can be a little tricky. They legalize Kratom on the state level, but certain cities or counties in them ban the herb. You need to know everything from minimum limits to legal consequences to save yourself from any embarrassment in these states. Unfortunately, the only state that gets federal funding to grow and research the medical properties of marijuana is a little too conservative about the consumption of Mitragyna speciosa.
If you are planning on a trip to Mississippi or live there, this article will help you a lot in getting an insight about the kratom ban in Mississippi and the overall status of this South Asian plant.
Has Mississippi Completely Banned Kratom?
There is good and bad news for the inhabitants and travelers of Mississippi who want to carry Kratom on the go or know the places to buy kratom in Mississippi. The good news is that Mississippi has not banned Kratom nationally, but the bad news is that there are various areas in the state that have reverted from the national policy. The FDA does not regulate kratom on a federal level. That is why every municipality, city, and state has the right to decide about the legality of the herb.
Kratom users find themselves amidst muddles and confusion in states like Mississippi because whereas it is completely legal in one city, others strictly forbid the use. That is why consumers have to remember and learn the complexities of every city. Currently, there are 33 counties and towns in Mississippi that forbid the sale and consumption of the herb. In addition to that, many other counties are on the verge of banning it.
Consequently, all those looking for an answer to the question “Is kratom legal in Mississippi?” may hear a yes and no and a lot of exceptions between the two extremes.
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What Is There To Know About Kratom Laws In Mississippi?
The earliest efforts to ban the herb in the state date back to 2018. Under the umbrella of the statement of Senate Bill 2475, the state prohibits any form of mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine. In the context of the bill, any product containing these active compounds will be classified as schedule 1.
By luck, the bill did not pass and died. But this was just a start to the miseries of kratom consumers. The Senate issued another bill in the same year as House Bill 974. Nevertheless, fate still kept Kratom alive, and this bill failed again.
Though looked in favor of the herb, these failures allowed the cities to take matters into their own hands. Resultantly several cities and municipalities individually started banning the herb. Unity County and Columbus City were the first states to experience these bans. Both of these areas have referred to Kratom as a synthetic substance, whereas it is a natural herb. This situation is synonymous with what happened in Sarasota County in Florida and San Diego in California.
In the backdrop of this situation where every city has its own stance on Kratom legality in Mississippi, asking “is kratom legal in Mississippi” is not enough, you must know city-related information too.
The Era Of Kratom Bans In Mississippi
In 2019 several cities banned the herb, and thus 2019 was a very tough year for Kratom in the state. In March 2019, Caledonia banned Kratom. According to The Dispatch, “Caledonia Mayor Mitch Wiggins provided notice to stores in the town of a new ordinance banning the sale or possession of Kratom.” A week later, a wave of kratom bans engulfed several other counties, including Lowndes County.
The Lowndes Community Foundation’s Crime and Addiction Task Force said there had been 11 deaths in Mississippi related to Kratom, and an overdose death was also reported in Columbus.
The Crime and Addiction Task Force established that if it catches anyone within the County with Kratom, they will face a misdemeanor charge with a $1,000 fine or six months in jail. A ban in one area opens doors to several others, a similar pattern was followed by the kratom ban in Mississippi’s various areas. Following Lowndes, Monroe County, and Alcorn County also criminalized Kratom.
It was not the end; TiKratom is legal in most of the Mississippi Stateshomingo County and Itawamba County also criminalized the herb later in the same year. Alcorn and Tishomingo are the two most popular cities that sell synthetic, addictive drugs. The ban leads people toward these drugs rather than finding a resort to natural solutions.
Without legal access to the natural herb, the residents became prone to addiction to various drugs of abuse largely found in these cities. This situation is pretty similar to what happened in Arkansas.
Bills To Criminalize Kratom In 2020 And 2021
Kratom aficionados of Mississippi often refer to 2019 as the dark year for the herb since there were so many bans in the same year. Buying and selling kratom in Mississippi became more complicated.
They conducted various efforts to schedule Kratom; the most obvious of them was when Senator Charles Younger proposed a bill to make Kratom a Schedule I drug. Following this bill, there were two others, House Bill 1287 and House Bill 1284. These two were too intended to schedule Kratom. Luckily all these bills failed to pass.
2021 was similar in the respect that five more bills, House Concurrent Resolution 45, House Bill 611, Senate Bill 2370, Senate Concurrent Resolution 539, and Senate Bill 2110, were presented against Kratom. Fortunately, all these bills did not pass, and Kratom remained legal in most of the cities of the state.
Later in December, Pearl River County passed a bill to ban Kratom. The House voted on the bill, and it passed unanimously.
Why Have Many Counties Banned Kratom In Mississippi?
The reason why many cities and counties in the state have banned Kratom is that they consider it poisonous and deadly. North Mississippi is more active in banning Kratom. The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics believes links kratom to 12 deaths in the state, including Covington, DeSoto, Hinds, Lafayette, Lamar, Lee, Perry, Pontotoc, Stone, and Union. But all these kratom-linked deaths also involve other drugs.
In oxford county Police Interim, Chief Jeff McCutchen stated in this context stating that Kratom wasn’t “the primary cause, but it was involved.” He issued this statement when he received 11 overdosed case reports involving Kratom. According to the sheriff, the police department does not have much data about what other agents are present in the victim’s blood.
The American Kratom Association believes that it is unfair to ban Kratom when there is insufficient data in this context. Kratom proponents say that the fact that Kratom was found in the victim’s blood does not imply that it was the cause of death.
Ironically, they say it is similar to saying that if there were chicken or soda in the system of some individuals who died of an overdose, they were the cause of the death of these victims.
So overall, kratom advocates in the cities where it is banned called it unfair and are highly upset over it.
Why Do Many People In Mississippi Prefer Kratom Coffee Over Simple Coffee?
In the states where it is legal, residents fully enjoy Kratom. One of the most popular ways of consuming Kratom In Mississippi is sprinkling it over their coffee. They call it kratom coffee. They believe it is a heavenly drink since it combines the stimulating effects of coffee and the goodness of Kratom.
As we all know, the predominant compound in coffee is caffeine, which is well known to kick-start your system and boost energy. Mixing it with Kratom gives the best of both worlds. If you are in the state, ask around “where can I buy kratom in Mississippi? and you might get to know about a few kratom shops in Mississippi.
Kratom can be earthy, bitter, and hard to swallow for starters. On the other hand, there will be hardly anyone who does not like coffee. Thus, kratom coffee can be ideal since it allows you to experience the taste of Kratom as less as possible.
There can be two ways of adding Kratom to your coffee. In the first method, you brew it along with the coffee powder and then add all the ingredients. The second method is a lot simpler.
Prepare a cup of hot steaming coffee as you normally do and just sprinkle the required amount of Kratom, just like chocolate powder. Tada, a hot steaming cup of kratom coffee, is ready to savor.
The best part of kratom coffee is that you can prepare it with any strain and have it anytime.
Why Is It Difficult To Find Pure Kratom In Mississippi?
From all the information regarding the legality of Kratom in Mississippi, you might have an idea that Kratom is a bit too controversial and tricky matter in the state. Therefore, it is no surprise that you might face difficulties finding the strain of your choice in Mississippi.
Still, in states that have not illegalized it, you can find the herb in gas stations, vape and smoke stores, and convenience stores. But there is no guarantee that you will get high-quality products locally.
In addition to that, since there are limited shops that sell the herb locally, expect higher rates than online. Another drawback may be old, adulterated, and contaminated products and no lab test reports to ensure quality.
What is the solution? If you want to buy quality kratom products and are looking for more variety, you can always buy online. Due to a large market and several competitors automatically regulating prices, you can purchase at fairly cheaper rates online.
In addition to that, in order to ensure the quality, they also provide third-party lab test reports. When it comes to shipping, you need to know the legal status of your county or city. Shipping to cities that have banned Kratom is prohibited.
Bottom Line
There is no current bill that bans Kratom in the state overall, but the situation in the state does not suggest relaxing. The state officials have repeatedly expressed support in favor of classifying the herb as schedule 1. It would not be wrong to say that the state can expect a new bill anytime, endangering the legal status.
In these crucial times, the American Kratom Association, one of the biggest advocates of quality Kratom, is trying to surface the positive aspects of the herb.
The kratom Consumer Protects Act intends to regulate Kratom for good. Consumers should always remain in touch with the latest news and updates regarding the legal status in Mississippi since anything can happen.
Disclaimer: Always consult your doctor before taking any herb. This article in no way enforces the use of Kratom for medical purposes. Kratom is a natural herb that FDA does not regulate.
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