{"id":2380,"date":"2026-06-09T13:51:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T13:51:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/krakenkratom.com\/resources\/?p=2380"},"modified":"2026-06-09T14:02:30","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T14:02:30","slug":"georgias-new-committee-could-ban-kratom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/krakenkratom.com\/resources\/georgias-new-committee-could-ban-kratom\/","title":{"rendered":"Georgia’s New Committee Could Ban Kratom"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Georgia Lawmakers Are Taking Another Run at Kratom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Georgia just created a special committee to study kratom \u2014 and the timing matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The House Blue-Ribbon Study Committee on Youth Exposure to Kratom and Retail-Available Substances<\/strong> is chaired by Rep. Rick Townsend (R-Brunswick), one of the most outspoken kratom critics in the state. Townsend has tried to ban kratom before. This committee gives him a new platform to build the case for criminalization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The committee meets Wednesday, June 17 at 9:00 AM<\/strong> in Atlanta. Kratom consumers need to be in that room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What the Committee Is \u2014 and Why It’s a Threat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Study committees meet between legislative sessions. They hear testimony, gather data, and make recommendations that shape the bills introduced next session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words: what happens here can become law later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Townsend isn’t new to this fight. He sponsored Georgia’s existing kratom regulations in 2024, then turned around in 2026 to push HB 968 \u2014 a bill that would have made all kratom a Schedule I substance, the same legal class as heroin and LSD. The American Kratom Association pushed back hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This bill abandons smart regulation in favor of mass criminalization.<\/blockquote>\n
\n Mac Haddow<\/span>\n Senior Fellow, American Kratom Association\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

That’s the stakes. A study committee chaired by someone who already tried to ban the plant outright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Georgia Already Regulates Kratom Responsibly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what makes this push frustrating: Georgia already has a Kratom Consumer Protection Act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That law took effect January 1, 2025. It sets age limits, labeling rules, and product standards \u2014 the science-backed approach that protects consumers without cutting off access. It was the right answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A ban throws that out and replaces smart regulation with prohibition. We’ve seen how that story ends in other states. Click here to see the latest state-by-state battles.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prohibition doesn’t make communities safer. It pushes responsible adults toward an unregulated gray market \u2014 the exact opposite of protecting Georgia’s youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How You Can Help on June 17<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You do not<\/strong> need to testify. Just showing up makes a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n