Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr is calling on convenience stores across the state to immediately remove potentially dangerous kratom products from their shelves, while urging lawmakers to strengthen state laws regulating the substances.
Carr made the announcement during a meeting of the Georgia House of Representatives Blue-Ribbon Study Committee on Youth Exposure to Kratom and Retail Available Substances, raising concerns about products containing kratom and 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly known as 7-OH.
“It shouldn’t take legislation or law enforcement to do the right thing,” Carr said. “Every minute these products remain on our shelves, innocent lives are put at risk. This problem could be solved today if all of our convenience stores step up, remove this poison from their shelves, and put safety first.”
The attorney general expressed particular concern about products marketed toward children and teenagers, including tablets, gummies, shots and powders sold at convenience stores, gas stations and smoke shops.
According to Carr’s office, 7-OH is an opioid-like substance that can be addictive and is approximately 13 times more potent than morphine in certain measures of opioid activity. Officials say manufacturers are producing concentrated forms of the substance and marketing them as kratom products.
Carr pointed to several deaths involving kratom products, including the 2021 death of 23-year-old Ethan Pope, who died after consuming a liquid kratom product.
He also referenced the recent deaths of two University of Mississippi students, including one from Georgia. Investigators recovered packaged kratom at the scene, although the investigation remains ongoing and authorities have not established that kratom caused the deaths.
The Georgia Poison Center has handled approximately 543 kratom exposure cases since 2021. According to figures cited by Carr’s office, reported cases increased 66 percent between 2022 and 2025, with the majority requiring treatment at a healthcare facility.
Carr argues that Georgia’s existing Kratom Consumer Protection Act does not provide law enforcement with sufficient authority to quickly remove dangerous products from store shelves.
Although synthetic 7-OH is already prohibited under state law, investigators currently must identify suspected illegal products, seize them, conduct laboratory testing and establish that they contain prohibited substances.
Carr is proposing legislation that would reverse that process by making kratom-related products illegal for retail sale unless specifically approved by the state.
Under his proposal, Georgia would establish a limited public list of approved products meeting requirements such as independent laboratory testing, accurate labeling and federal marketing authorization.
Any kratom-related product not included on the approved list would be considered contraband and could be seized by law enforcement agencies throughout Georgia.
The attorney general compared the proposed approach to previous state efforts targeting counterfeit and illegally marketed cigarettes.
Carr’s latest push comes as his office continues broader efforts to address opioid abuse and illegal drug distribution across Georgia.
Last week, Carr hosted the final meeting of his Statewide Opioid Task Force, an initiative established in 2017. More than 150 representatives from public agencies, private organizations and nonprofit groups participated in the meeting.
Carr’s office says legal action against opioid manufacturers, distributors and retail pharmacies has secured more than $1 billion for Georgia and local governments to support treatment, prevention and recovery programs. Those funds are being distributed over time, primarily through the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust.
Carr has also supported federal legislation targeting fentanyl and other dangerous substances while pursuing criminal cases involving illegal drug trafficking.
His proposed changes to Georgia’s kratom laws would require legislative approval before taking effect.
In the meantime, Carr is urging retailers to voluntarily remove the products rather than wait for additional regulations or enforcement actions.