Georgia Lawmakers Hold First Hearing on Kratom and Youth Exposure as Blue-Ribbon Committee Convenes

Why it matters

Georgia lawmakers, law enforcement, and addiction experts met on June 18 to assess whether kratom's widespread availability poses an unacceptable risk to children and teens, with the committee empowered to recommend new legislation.

The big picture

Georgia previously attempted to ban kratom four years ago but failed. Under current state law, kratom cannot be sold to those under 21 and must be stored in areas accessible only by employees. This Blue-Ribbon Study Committee signals renewed urgency from state policymakers — particularly as neighboring states Tennessee and Kansas enacted full bans effective July 1, 2026. The DeKalb County Medical Examiner's office recently began adding kratom to autopsy reports.

Key findings

• Georgia's House Blue-Ribbon Study Committee on Youth Exposure to Kratom held its inaugural meeting on June 18, 2026 at the state capitol.
• Medical experts testified that kratom is increasingly causing new addiction cases in clinical settings, with patients addicted in just the last five to six years.
• A family member testified that her cousin died after overdosing on kratom in front of her own children.
• The DeKalb County Medical Examiner's office recently began adding kratom to autopsy reports as deaths mount.
• Under current Georgia law, kratom sales are restricted to those 21 and older and must be stored behind the counter.

What they say

"Today patients that I'm testing, all of them recently addicted in past five or six years, it's kratom that causes their addiction." — Dr. Anthony Kolodny, Medical Director, Opioid Policy Research Collaborative, Brandeis University

Bottom line

Georgia's first formal legislative hearing on kratom could set the stage for new restrictions as the committee weighs clinical evidence on youth exposure and addiction risk.