Crack Down on Kratom, top health official tells lawmakers
State Health Officer Urges Kratom Compound Scheduling, Emergency Powers
Mississippi's top health official told state lawmakers the state should classify synthetic kratom compounds as controlled substances and give regulators power to act between legislative sessions.
Daniel Edney, the State Health Officer, addressed the House Drug Policy Committee on Nov. 4. "I would recommend two things. One, you do what you did with TNT. You make it schedule three and you kick it to the FDA," Edney told the committee, referring to a method of classifying a substance and referring it to federal oversight.
Edney's recommendation would apply to synthetic kratom compounds, which are currently sold legally at retail in Mississippi. He said the state lacks an expedited scheduling process that other states use to respond quickly when new synthetic products appear.
The proposal would shift some regulatory authority from the Legislature to an executive agency, allowing officials to schedule new substances without waiting for lawmakers to convene. It also points toward possible legislation this session restricting or banning a product currently sold in stores across the state, a change that would affect retailers who stock it.