GEORGIA KRATOM COMMITTEE: PACK THE ROOM ON JUNE 17 — REGISTER NOW

Georgia has created a special study committee on kratom, and it is chaired by one of the most outspoken kratom critics in the state legislature. The committee's first meeting is Wednesday, June 17 at 9:00 AM in Atlanta, and kratom advocates need to fill that room. You do not need to testify. Just being there sends a powerful message to every lawmaker in that room. Here's what you need to know and how to get involved.

Register Now

Even if you are not sure you can attend, register today to receive the latest updates, talking points, and any important changes.

• 📅 Wednesday, June 17 at 9:00 AM ET

• 📍 Room 505, Coverdell Office Building, 18 Capitol Sq SW, Atlanta, GA 30334

• 📝 Register and get details: protectkratom.org/georgia

• 🔗 Committee details: legis.ga.gov/other-committees/house/2026/youth-exposure-to-kratom

• 👕 AKA will provide t-shirts and stickers for supporters to wear at the event

You do not need to testify. Simply showing up and wearing your support sends a clear message to lawmakers that natural kratom consumers are real people, not statistics.

What Is This Committee and Why Does It Matter

House Speaker Jon Burns appointed the House Blue-Ribbon Study Committee on Youth Exposure to Kratom and Retail-Available Substances in May 2026. The committee's stated mission is to "evaluate the impact of these products on minors to strengthen protections, reduce access and create healthier outcomes for Georgia's youth."

On its face, that sounds like a consumer protection effort. But the details of who is leading this committee tell a very different story.

Rep. Rick Townsend (R-Brunswick) was named chairman. In his own words: "Substances like kratom pose serious health risks to young Georgians. These substances are often marketed as natural products and are easily accessible to minors; however, the long-term effects these products have on young, developing minds can be detrimental."

Townsend's framing lumps natural kratom leaf together with dangerous synthetic products, a distinction that the FDA has explicitly drawn and that responsible kratom advocates have been fighting to preserve. The AHPA has similarly warned against conflating 7-OH with natural kratom. A committee chair who starts from that position is one who needs to see, in person, that natural kratom consumers are responsible adults who deserve to be heard.

The full committee membership appointed by Speaker Burns includes:

• Chair: Rep. Rick Townsend (R-Brunswick)

• Rep. Jordan Ridley (R-Woodstock)

• Rep. Michelle Au (D-Johns Creek)

• Rep. Steven Meeks (R-Screven)

• Rep. Tyler Paul Smith (R-Bremen)

• Rep. Danny Mathis (R-Cochran)

• Rep. Dar'shun Kendrick (D-Lithonia)

• Rep. John Corbett (R-Lake Park)

What's at Stake for Georgia Consumers

Study committees like this one exist to inform future legislation. What this committee hears, and who it hears from, will shape the proposals that come before the Georgia General Assembly. A room full of engaged, responsible kratom consumers on June 17 tells every committee member that this issue has real human stakes.

The concerns about youth access and unregulated products are legitimate. But the answer is not a blanket ban. It is the kind of targeted regulation that 18 states have adopted through the Kratom Consumer Protection Act. Age restrictions, lab testing requirements, clear labeling, and limits on synthetic alkaloids protect consumers without criminalizing responsible adults. As research discussed on the Huberman Lab podcast and confirmed by an FDA study makes clear, natural kratom leaf and dangerous synthetic 7-OH concentrates are fundamentally different products. The committee needs to understand that distinction before it makes any recommendations.

The Bigger Picture

Georgia is at an early stage in this conversation, which means there is still an opportunity to shape how it goes. States that have chosen regulation over prohibition have consistently produced better outcomes for consumers and public health alike. Showing up on June 17 is how Georgia advocates make sure that message reaches the people who will write the next chapter of kratom policy in the state.

Register now at protectkratom.org/georgia. For the latest on kratom legality in Georgia and other states, visit our kratom legality map.