Tuesday, February 24, 2026–11:15 a.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
Rome Alcohol Control Commission chair Billy Cooper addresses the Rome City Commission regarding kratom.
The Rome City Commission has approved a resolution in support of proposed state legislation that would outlaw kratom.
House Bill 968 would make the active compounds in kratom Schedule I controlled substances.
According to the United States Food and Drug Administration, kratom is a tropical tree that is native to Southeast Asia.
Products prepared from kratom leaves are available in the U.S. online and in brick-and-mortar stores.
It is often used to self-treat conditions such as pain, coughing, diarrhea, anxiety and depression, opioid use disorder, and opioid withdrawal.
“Kratom has now been implicated in multiple deaths across many states, and the usage continues to rise,” said Billy Cooper, chair of the Rome Alcohol Control Commission. “I can tell you, as a pharmacist, you will not find kratom in any pharmacy in this county. It’s unlikely you will find kratom in any reputable pharmacy in the State of Georgia.”
Cooper read from a lawsuit filed in the aftermath of the death of a Cobb County man.
“For years, a group of people, companies, and industry-fueled interest organizations have been collaborating to unlawfully import kratom from Indonesia to create a market for their known deadly concoctions, and prevent meaningful accountability with tactics ranging from bullying and threats to paying key legislators as consultants,” he said. “There is no place for kratom in our society.”
Rome Mayor Jim Bojo asked Cooper if we had any idea of how many people have been hospitalized locally after ingesting kratom.
“Unfortunately, I cannot really give you a number,” Cooper answered. “I approached the chief hospitalist about this, and he said it is so difficult because kratom gets mixed with other products. So, when they have someone who comes in, and they think kratom is part of the reason that they are there, but they don’t have a test for it.”
You can read the text of House Bill 968 here.
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