NETTLETON, Miss. (WTVA) — Nettleton city leaders are looking to ban the sale of kratom and nitrous oxide, or whippets, within city limits.

The substances are already illegal in part of town because Lee County has banned them. In the half of the city that sits in Monroe County, the products can still be purchased.

The board of aldermen is set to vote on an ordinance to bring the city under one uniform rule.

Mayor cites concerns over both substances

Mayor Phillip Baulch said kratom has had a noticeable effect on some residents, particularly younger people.

“Kratom is one thing- you know, it’s unreal what that stuff does to some of these people, especially the younger ones,” Baulch said.

Baulch said nitrous oxide has also become a problem in the city.

“Nitrous oxide, you really don’t know that you have that such a problem until you get out and start cleaning the streets,” Baulch said.

Residents react

Resident Bobby Allred said he supports restricting access to kratom.

“I could understand if it was something that somebody just had to have, that maybe they could go get a prescription at a drug store or something, but some kind of drug to just go in and mess them up, I don’t think it ought to be something they could just walk into a store and be able to get,” Allred said.

Baulch said a recent citywide cleanup effort highlighted the extent of nitrous oxide use in Nettleton.

“We just had a major street town cleanup citywide last week, and we picked up a considerable number of those bottles up and down, just up the streets around town, around the edges of the roads and stuff,” Baulch said.

Ordinance would not take effect immediately

If city leaders pass the ordinance, it will not take effect immediately. Store owners on the Monroe County side of town will be given a 15-day notice to remove the products from their shelves.