Lee County’s kratom ban to go into effect this week  (index.html)  (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/15/lee-countys-kratom-ban-go-into-effect-this-week/?outputType=amp)                               (../../../../../webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtva/favicon.ico@d=592&mxId=00000000)  (../../../../../webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtva/favicon-16x16.png@d=592&mxId=00000000)  (../../../../../webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtva/favicon-32x32.png@d=592&mxId=00000000)  (../../../../../webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtva/favicon-48x48.png@d=592&mxId=00000000)  (https://webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtva/apple-touch-icon-57x57.png?d=592&mxId=00000000)  (https://webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtva/apple-touch-icon-60x60.png?d=592&mxId=00000000)  (https://webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtva/apple-touch-icon-72x72.png?d=592&mxId=00000000)  (https://webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtva/apple-touch-icon-76x76.png?d=592&mxId=00000000)  (https://webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtva/apple-touch-icon-114x114.png?d=592&mxId=00000000)  (https://webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtva/apple-touch-icon-120x120.png?d=592&mxId=00000000)  (https://webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtva/apple-touch-icon-144x144.png?d=592&mxId=00000000)  (https://webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtva/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png?d=592&mxId=00000000)  (https://webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtva/apple-touch-icon-167x167.png?d=592&mxId=00000000)  (https://webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtva/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png?d=592&mxId=00000000)    (../../../../pf/dist/components/output-types/default.css@d=592&mxId=00000000.css)  (../../../../pf/dist/components/combinations/default.css@d=592&mxId=00000000.css)  (../../../../pf/resources/dist/__global/css/style.css@d=592&mxId=00000000.css)  (../../../../pf/resources/dist/wtva/css/main.css@d=592&mxId=00000000.css)  (../../../../../cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/6.7.2/css/all.min.css)     (index.html#main) Skip to content (https://www.wtva.com/)        (https://www.wtva.com/)     (https://www.wtva.com/livestream) Watch Live  (https://www.wtva.com/news) News  (https://www.wtva.com/weather) Weather  (https://www.wtva.com/sports) Sports  (https://www.wtva.com/video-gallery/news) Videos  (https://www.wtva.com/about-us/contact-us) Contact Us              (https://www.wtva.com/homepage) Homepage   (https://www.wtva.com/livestream/) Watch Live   (https://www.wtva.com/news) News   (https://www.wtva.com/content/news/local/) Local   (https://www.wtva.com/content/news/mississippi) Mississippi   (https://www.wtva.com/content/news/alabama/) Alabama   (https://www.wtva.com/content/news/national/) National      (https://www.wtva.com/weather) Weather   (https://www.wtva.com/weather/alerts) Alerts   (https://www.wtva.com/weather/radar) Radar   (https://www.wtva.com/weather/maproom) Forecast Maps   (https://www.wtva.com/page/list-of-local-storm-shelters/) Storm Shelters   (https://www.wtva.com/community/user-content/) Submit Weather Pictures/Videos   (https://www.wtva.com/weather/closings) Closings   (https://weathercallservices.com/wtva-nexgen) WeatherCall   (https://www.wtva.com/weather/cams) Cameras   (https://www.wtva.com/weather/junior-weather-authority) Junior Weather Authority   (https://www.wtva.com/weather/elijah-experiments) Elijah Experiments      (https://www.wtva.com/sports) Sports   (https://www.wtva.com/content/sports/high-school/) High School   (https://www.wtva.com/sports/friday-night-fever) Friday Night Fever   (https://www.wtva.com/sports/scoreboard/) Friday Night Fever Scores   (https://www.wtva.com/content/sports/college) College   (https://www.wtva.com/content/sports/national) National   (https://www.wtva.com/2026/05/14/wtva-air-several-atlanta-braves-games-throughout-regular-season/) Atlanta Braves on WTVA      (https://www.wtva.com/page/download-our-apps/) Download WTVA Apps   (https://www.wtva.com/newsletter/) Receive Email Alerts   (https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/wtva/browse) Obituaries   (https://www.wtva.com/community) Community   (https://www.wtva.com/community/senior-fair) Senior Health Fair   (https://www.wtva.com/community/studio-9) Studio 9 with Tanya Carter   (https://www.wtva.com/2026/06/04/tickets-2026-tupelo-st-jude-dream-home-giveaway-go-sale-june-25/) Tupelo St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway   (https://www.wtva.com/video-gallery/community/johnny-stars) Johnny D. Talks to the Stars   (https://www.wtva.com/community/made-in-mississippi-americas-music) Mississippi Made: America’s Music   (https://www.wtva.com/community/ask-the-experts) Ask the Experts   (https://www.wtva.com/community/medical-minute) Medical Minute   (https://www.wtva.com/community/legally-speaking) Legally Speaking   (https://www.wtva.com/community/calendar) Community Calendar      (https://www.wtva.com/contests) Contests   (https://www.wtva.com/about-us/contact-us) Contact Us   (https://www.wtva.com/about-us/meet-the-team) Newsroom Bios   (https://www.wtva.com/page/advertise-with-us/) Advertise with WTVA   (https://graymedia.com/careers/#graymap) Job Openings   (https://www.wtva.com/page/wtva-noon-show-studio-9-interview-request/) Schedule Noon/Studio 9 Interview   (https://www.wtva.com/page/wtva-station-tours) Station Tours   (https://www.wtva.com/page/wtva-accepting-news-weather-and-sports-internships) Internships   (https://www.wtva.com/about-us) Station History      (https://www.wtva.com/programming/schedule) Programming Schedule   (https://www.wtva.com/page/nextgen) NextGen TV   (https://www.wtva.com/powernation) Powernation   (https://www.investigatetv.com/) InvestigateTV   (https://www.aginguntold.com/) Aging Untold   (https://www.wtva.com/watching-your-wallet) Watching Your Wallet   (https://www.localnewslive.com/news/national/) Local News Live   (https://graymedia.com/assets/pdf/Gray_AI_Policy.pdf) Gray AI Policy    (https://www.facebook.com/wtva9news)   (https://www.x.com/wtva9news)   (https://www.instagram.com/wtva9news)   (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGZ3rWmXAfs4iZi-Hr2Ahgg)   (https://www.tiktok.com/@wtva9news)      (https://www.wtva.com/weather/alerts/) 3 weather alerts in effect                 Lee County’s kratom ban to go into effect this week        Lee County’s kratom ban takes effect Wednesday.    By (https://www.wtva.com/authors/wayne-hereford/) Wayne Hereford    Published: Sep. 15, 2026 at 2:09 PM EDT | Updated: 10 hours ago     Share     (https://google.com/preferences/source?q=https://www.wtva.com)  Add Us On Google Add as a preferred source on Google      TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) — Lee County’s kratom ban takes effect Wednesday.  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ4HytyF_j4) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ4HytyF_j4) The Lee County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the ban in February.  However, an appeal to stop the ban prevented it from going into effect immediately.  The board’s attorney, Gary Carnathan, told supervisors on Tuesday morning that the appeal had been dismissed in court, paving the way for the ban to go into effect on Wednesday.    Kratom is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. Consuming its leaves produces stimulant and sedative effects and can lead to psychotic symptoms and psychological and physiological dependence, (https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Kratom-2020_0.pdf) (https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Kratom-2020_0.pdf) according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) .  Lee County businesses that sell the product have until Friday to remove it from their shelves.  Tupelo, which is in Lee County, already has a kratom ban in place. Guntown and Saltillo also have bans.  Carnathan said he expects other municipalities in the county to follow suit now that the kratom appeal has been dismissed.   Copyright 2026 WTVA. All rights reserved.            Most Read   (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/14/bill-introduced-reduce-workweek-32-hours/) (FILE - Workers assemble Ford trucks at the Ford Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, Ky.)      (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/14/bill-introduced-reduce-workweek-32-hours/)   Bill introduced to reduce workweek to 32 hours       (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/14/23-million-bottles-sour-childrens-candy-sold-walmart-recalled-heres-why/) (More than 2.3 million bottles of Sour Crush rolling liquid candy were recalled because the...)      (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/14/23-million-bottles-sour-childrens-candy-sold-walmart-recalled-heres-why/) 2.3 million bottles of sour children’s candy sold at Walmart recalled. Here’s why       (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/15/he-died-trying-protect-others-father-son-killed-crash-i-65/) (56-year-old Cornelius Dixon and his 22-year-old son, Jamari Dixon were killed after being hit...)      (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/15/he-died-trying-protect-others-father-son-killed-crash-i-65/)   ‘He died trying to protect others’: Father, son killed in crash on I-65       (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/14/man-accused-death-tasia-fortune-denied-bond-pleads-not-guilty/) (Jarques Ratliff)      (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/14/man-accused-death-tasia-fortune-denied-bond-pleads-not-guilty/)   Man accused of Tasia Fortune murder denied bond, pleads not guilty       (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/15/3-arrested-after-grandfather-infant-found-dead-following-reported-dog-mauling-police-say/) (James Smith and his 3-month-old granddaughter died after being attacked by the family's dogs...)      (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/15/3-arrested-after-grandfather-infant-found-dead-following-reported-dog-mauling-police-say/)   3 arrested after grandfather and infant found dead following reported dog mauling, police say       (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/14/lane-kiffin-downplays-emotional-ole-miss-return-ahead-top-10-showdown/) (Lane Kiffin says LSU's trip to Ole Miss will generate plenty of attention around his return to...)      (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/14/lane-kiffin-downplays-emotional-ole-miss-return-ahead-top-10-showdown/)   Lane Kiffin downplays emotional Ole Miss return ahead of top-10 showdown       (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/14/supreme-court-rejects-trump-mail-ballot-restrictions-now-ahead-midterms/) (FILE - Election worker Wendy Wimer looks through vote-by-mail ballots for the presidential...)      (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/14/supreme-court-rejects-trump-mail-ballot-restrictions-now-ahead-midterms/)   Supreme Court rejects Trump mail ballot restrictions for now ahead of midterms       (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/14/inmate-serving-life-sentence-dies-ummc/) (Weldon Leagea)      (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/14/inmate-serving-life-sentence-dies-ummc/)   Inmate serving life sentence dies at UMMC         Latest News   (https://www.wtva.com/video/2026/09/16/lee-countys-kratom-ban-go-into-effect-this-week/) (Lee County’s kratom ban takes effect Wednesday.)      (https://www.wtva.com/video/2026/09/16/lee-countys-kratom-ban-go-into-effect-this-week/) Lee County’s kratom ban to go into effect this week       (https://www.wtva.com/video/2026/09/16/mhp-16-kids-two-adults-injured-school-bus-crash/) (A serious crash involving a school bus left 18 people injured.)      (https://www.wtva.com/video/2026/09/16/mhp-16-kids-two-adults-injured-school-bus-crash/) MHP: 16 kids, two adults injured in school bus crash       (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/16/fresh-new-options-available-students/) (A new deli bar is now an option at Itawamba High and Middle schools.)      (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/16/fresh-new-options-available-students/)   Fresh new options available for students       (https://www.wtva.com/video/2026/09/16/fresh-new-options-available-students/) (Itawamba County students are getting a fresh new choice when it comes to school lunch.)      (https://www.wtva.com/video/2026/09/16/fresh-new-options-available-students/) Fresh new options available for students       (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/16/att-store-parking-lot-shooting-head-grand-jury-columbia-police-say/) (Police say the case of a shooting in Columbia on Sept. 8 will be turned over to a grand jury.)      (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/16/att-store-parking-lot-shooting-head-grand-jury-columbia-police-say/)   AT&T store parking lot shooting to head to grand jury, Columbia police say       (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/16/family-escapes-house-fire-rankin-county/) (Family escapes house fire in Rankin County)      (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/16/family-escapes-house-fire-rankin-county/)   Family escapes house fire in Rankin County        (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/16/dch-heart-surgeon-marks-100th-surgery-tuscaloosa-hospital/) (Dr. Jerome McDonald (left) recently performed his 100th heart surgery at DCH, and that 100th...)      (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/16/dch-heart-surgeon-marks-100th-surgery-tuscaloosa-hospital/)   DCH heart surgeon marks 100th surgery at Tuscaloosa hospital       (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/16/man-arrested-miami-connection-with-2024-birmingham-homicide/) (Julian Taylor Morris has been arrested in connection with the 2024 homicide of Deundray...)      (https://www.wtva.com/2026/09/16/man-arrested-miami-connection-with-2024-birmingham-homicide/)   Man arrested in Miami in connection with 2024 Birmingham homicide                    (https://www.wtva.com/news) News  (https://www.wtva.com/about-us) Station History  (https://www.wtva.com/programming/schedule) Programming Schedule  (https://www.wtva.com/newsletter/) Receive Email Alerts  (https://www.wtva.com/news/national) National  (https://www.wtva.com/about-us/meet-the-team) Newsroom Bios  (https://www.wtva.com/news/aging-untold) Aging Untold  (https://www.wtva.com/community/user-content) User Content  (https://www.wtva.com/weather) Weather  (https://www.wtva.com/about-us/contact-us) Contact Us  (https://www.wtva.com/livestream/) Watch Live  (https://graymedia.com/careers/#graymap) Careers  (https://www.wtva.com/sports) Sports  (https://www.wtva.com/page/advertise-with-us/) Advertise With Us  (https://www.wtva.com/contests) Contests    WTVA 1359 Beech Springs Rd. Saltillo, MS 38866 (662) 842-7620        (https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/tv-profile/WTVA?id=74148) Public Inspection File  (https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/manager/download/44b0393b-6e1d-d077-2286-c4dce8204a03/e419083c-81a2-421f-8307-ef9e06a9d5cf.pdf) EEO Report  (https://webpubcontent.gray.tv/gdm/fcc/wtva-fcc_applications.pdf) FCC Applications  (https://www.wtva.com/page/closed-captioning/) Closed Captioning/Audio Description  (https://www.wtva.com/terms-of-service/) Terms of Service  (https://www.wtva.com/privacy-policy/) Privacy Policy  (mailto:traffic@wtva.com) Traffic Contact Email  (tel:662-842-7620) 662-842-7620  (https://www.wtva.com/advertising) Advertising    (https://gray.tv/uploads/documents/Gray-AI-Policy.pdf) Click here to learn more about our approach to artificial intelligence.  A Gray Local Media Station © 2002-2026