The mayors of DeSoto County’s two largest cities are adding their voices to a growing call for a Mississippi kratom ban. Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite and Olive Branch Mayor Ken Adams are urging state action against the herbal product, which is sold openly in many convenience stores, gas stations and vape shops, after two University of Mississippi students died in separate incidents in Oxford last month.
The push was reported Oct. 1 by the DeSoto Times-Tribune, which also spoke with Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill, Hernando Mayor Chip Johnson and a pediatric emergency physician about the risks.
Why DeSoto County Leaders Want a Mississippi Kratom Ban
Kratom comes from the leaves of a Southeast Asian tree, Mitragyna speciosa. At low doses it can act as a stimulant, while larger doses can produce sedative, opioid-like effects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned that kratom use carries a risk of dependence and serious side effects.
Adams did not mince words about the product being sold over the counter. Selling it, he told the newspaper, is “like giving them a bullet in a loaded gun.”
Tannehill, whose city banned kratom in 2019, offered a similar warning, saying taking the substance is “really rolling the dice on death.”
Dr. Rudy Kink, a pediatric ER physician quoted in the report, noted that about 80 percent of deaths associated with kratom also involve other drugs, a reminder that mixing substances can sharply raise the danger.
Ole Miss Deaths Put Kratom in the Spotlight
The renewed attention follows the deaths of two Ole Miss students on Sept. 21. Kratom packaging was found at both scenes, according to the report, and Oxford police have since warned the public against using the product. In a separate case, Metro Narcotics investigators seized more than 500 kratom units from an Oxford tobacco and vape store.
Those cases have also prompted state Rep. Lee Yancey to renew his call for the Legislature to take up a statewide ban, or at least move kratom onto the state’s controlled substances schedule. Bills to ban or reschedule kratom have stalled in past sessions.
Where Kratom Is Already Banned
Mississippi does not ban kratom statewide. A law that took effect July 1, 2025, instead set labeling and sales rules and limited purchases to customers 21 and older. That leaves bans up to individual cities and counties.
Hernando already has a local ban on the books, making it the DeSoto County city that moved first. “I do think it was smart of us to get ahead of that,” Johnson said.
Oxford and Madison are among the other Mississippi cities with local bans.
Tennessee and Arkansas, which border DeSoto County, both ban kratom statewide.
What Happens Next
Any statewide ban would have to come from the Mississippi Legislature, which convenes its 2027 regular session in January. In the meantime, cities can adopt their own ordinances, as Hernando and Oxford have done. Residents who want to weigh in can contact their mayor, aldermen or state legislators.
Anyone struggling with substance use can call the national SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-4357, which is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day.
