Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has advised state lawmakers to treat all kratom products as illegal unless their safety can be proven, a recommendation that could significantly impact Valdosta businesses and consumers. Carr, whose term ends in January, presented his counsel to a state House study committee on Friday, October 27, 2026, at the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta, emphasizing the difficulties law enforcement faces under current regulations.
Attorney General Carr called for an initial ban on "all kratom-related products from the beginning," as he stated at the hearing. His proposal suggests that kratom products should only be legal for sale if manufacturers submit advance lab testing demonstrating their safety. To streamline enforcement, Carr advised establishing a registry of approved products that law enforcement agencies across Georgia could consult. Under this system, any product not on the approved list would be considered contraband, subject to immediate seizure by any law enforcement agency in the state. He specified that such a system would remove the need for lab work to prove a product's contents, as its absence from the registry would be sufficient cause for removal from shelves.
Current Georgia law already regulates kratom sales. It prohibits sales to individuals under 21 and requires products to be kept behind the counter or otherwise secured, with violations punishable by fines. However, Carr noted that enforcement has been challenging due to the widespread availability of kratom products in convenience stores, gas stations, and other retail locations, often featuring unclear or inaccurate labeling. He pointed out that officers must currently have a product lab tested before they can remove it from shelves, a requirement that has "stymied enforcement."
Kratom originates from the leaves of a Southeast Asian tree. Historically, people in that region have chewed the leaves for centuries as both a stimulant and a substitute for opium, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which states users take it for opioid-like effects at higher doses. Manufacturers have since learned to extract and concentrate the active ingredients, leading to more potent products now commonly found in stores.
At high enough concentrations, these active ingredients can pose serious health risks. A Mayo Clinic article last week highlighted potential side effects, including high blood pressure, liver damage, and seizures. The article also reported that kratom affects the nervous system, potentially causing confusion, delusion, depression, tremors, and trouble breathing. While kratom has been linked to a relatively small number of deaths, nearly all involved the presence of other drugs or potentially harmful substances, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The concerns surrounding kratom have been echoed in various Georgia publications. The Current, an online news outlet, reported in August on the death of Andrew Wood, a young man who purchased a kratom product at a vape shop in Brunswick. His family indicated he had been consuming the substance for months, believing it to be safe. Following this report, Effingham County subsequently banned kratom, as reported by The Brunswick News.
At prior meetings of the state House study committee, some kratom users have spoken in favor of the substance. A Marietta man testified on Friday that kratom helped him overcome addiction to pharmaceutical opioids. However, Representative Michelle Au, a Democrat from Johns Creek and a member of the study committee, expressed concerns that reducing the availability of kratom could make people less likely to purchase it without understanding the associated risks. She argued that the presence of ample signage for kratom products in gas stations and other retail locations sends an "implicit messaging" that the product is safe. Au contended that consumers often cannot distinguish between a lawfully registered product and one that could be dangerous, and that many buyers reasonably assume products sold in stores have been approved. She warned that in Georgia today, such an assumption can prove fatal.
Even if Georgia were to adopt Carr's stricter recommendations, consumers could still purchase kratom products online, as kratom is not a federally controlled substance. Attorney General Carr's push for a more stringent approach reflects a growing debate over kratom's safety and how effectively it can be regulated at the state level.
