JACKSON, Miss.— Mississippi may soon tax kratom products at the same 15% rate that the state taxes smokeless tobacco under House Bill 1896. Kratom is currently unregulated in Mississippi and many other states. More than 30 Mississippi cities and counties restrict or ban kratom, the University of Mississippi reports.
Some gas stations and tobacco shops sell kratom products, which are made from the leaves of the tropical evergreen tree mitragyna speciosa in Southeast Asia. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says kratom can make a person feel similar effects to opioids and stimulants. Many kratom users take the herb to curb cravings from opioids and other substance addictions, the institute reports.
Overconsumption of kratom can be fatal in some cases, though NIDA notes it has a smaller death rate than opioids. Kratom use can cause psychiatric, respiratory, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal problems, the organization says.
Mississippi House Judiciary B Chairman Rep. Kevin Horan, R-Grenada, said he wanted to continue to allow convenience stores to sell kratom “to make everybody happy” when introducing the legislation on the House floor on Feb. 26.
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House Municipalities Committee Chairman Rep. Randy Rushing, R-Decatur, asked Horan if kratom is “basically just as readily available as any other product when you go into a convenience store.”
“At this time, it is. Yes,” the chairman replied.
The House passed H.B. 1896 by a 114-0 vote on Feb. 26, sending it to the Senate for consideration.
MDOT Work Release Program
Incarcerated Mississippians in every county may soon be able to work for the Mississippi Department of Transportation under Senate Bill 2242 as long as they have not been convicted of murder, rape, aggravated assault, robbery or armed robbery.
The legislation says the Mississippi Department of Corrections would create rules for the work-release program, including who can participate and how to pay incarcerated people for their work. MDOC can assign the oversight and management of the program to MAGCOR, the prison industries corporation, if MDOC decides MAGCOR could provide “effective job training” for
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