Kratom is, without a doubt, a substance that has been in the news often as of late. It is a substance that is getting a lot of attention from both politicians and lawmakers around the world. There are already a number of cities, states, and countries that have moved to ban the substance, while there are others that boast about its medical benefits. The reason Kratom is so highly controversial is that it is considered to act as an opioid. This means that it latches on to the opioid receptors in the brain when consumed, which is not unlike heroin. It is this very reason that another Mid-South city has voted to outlaw the sale and use of the plant. As of right now, Kratom is illegal in Mississippi, but it looks like the city of Senatobia wants it completely gone.
Taking Place In 30 Days
It looks like the Board of Alderman unanimously voted to ban the sale of Kratom in Senatobia. This is an ordinance that is set to take place in 30 days and is much less harsh than the original. The original ordinance prohibited the use, purchase, possession, distribution, and sale of the substance. However, the ordinance now just applies to sales. An agent at the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics was happy to see this come into fruition, as he has been saying for years that there need to be better regulations on the sale of Kratom. The agent is now hopeful that the legislature will have no choice but to address this.
A Shot From The Hip Or Not
Jeff Thompson works at Vapors Choice just a couple of blocks from the City Hill and says that this is a shot from the hip reaction. As of right now, neither the CDC or the FDA have made any major rulings regarding Kartom. Thompson even went on to stat that Kratom does disorient you, it gives you focus. Thompson’s shop also sells a lot of CBD products and smoking accessories. Now that Senatobia has successfully outlawed the substance they will become the 28th county and city to do so in Mississippi. The possession or sale of Kratom in these 28 cities and counties are considered a misdemeanor.
A Gateway Drug
The main concern that the government has right now is that Kratom is a gateway drug. Thompson, who has been selling Kratom and CBD products for a number of years now, has said that he has never seen anything like this in his customers. In fact, he considers the substance an alternative. There have been several news stations and independent crews that have tried to talk about the ordinance with the alderman or City Hall and no one has responded. No one is consenting to an interview or willing to answer anything about Kratom. It was just stated that the city began considering this ordinance in 2019 when an agent with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics expressed his concerns over the deaths related to the substance.
The Ordinance And Penalties
Well, it doesn’t look like the city was willing to stop with Kratom. This ordinance will also ban a number of other synthetic drugs as well. Just the possession of Kratom in an illegal area can lead to thousands of dollars in fines and a potential six-month jail sentence. Most citizens see this as the city’s way of taking everyday, average people and throwing them in a class of criminals and drug users. One media outlet interviewed a number of local residents and they hadn’t even heard of the ordinance. Many even looked over the law and had mixed reviews.
