OXFORD, MISS. — As our community continues to mourn the tragic deaths of two University of Mississippi students, our law enforcement agencies remain committed to finding answers, protecting the public and following the evidence wherever it leads.
First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers remain with the families, friends and loved ones of these two young men. We recognize the tremendous loss these families are experiencing, and we remain committed to conducting thorough, professional investigations.
We also believe the public deserves an accurate account of what law enforcement has done, what remains under investigation, and what challenges these emerging substances present.
From the earliest stages of these two separate death investigations, investigators recognized the possibility that illegal or dangerous substances may have been involved.
During the investigations, packaging associated with kratom-related products was discovered at both locations. This information prompted law enforcement to issue a public safety warning out of an abundance of caution.
That warning was not a declaration that kratom or any specific substance caused either death. It was a proactive effort to inform the public of a potential danger while investigators worked to determine the facts.
As the investigations continued, information led agents with the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit to a retail business operating within the City of Oxford.
Agents conducted a controlled purchase of a product marketed as SMAX, believed to contain kratom-related substances. During that transaction, agents obtained additional information suggesting illegal drug activity at the business.
Based on evidence developed during the investigation, agents secured and executed a search warrant at Puffs Vape, Tobacco and Beer Store on Heritage Drive.
During the search, law enforcement recovered more than 500 units of products believed to contain kratom-related substances, along with THC products and other suspected controlled substances.
Two individuals were arrested and charged with three counts of possession of Schedule I controlled substances with intent to distribute. Both individuals subsequently appeared before a Lafayette County Justice Court judge and received bonds of $100,000 each.
These investigations are far from over.
We are awaiting the official autopsy and toxicology findings from the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office and associated forensic testing to help determine the cause and manner of each death.
Until those results are received and evaluated, we will not speculate about what substances, if any, contributed to these deaths.
In addition to establishing the medical findings, investigators will continue examining the evidence recovered from both scenes and the retail investigation. This includes determining the actual chemical composition of products, identifying possible sources of distribution and establishing whether any connection exists between the investigations.
We are also working with federal law enforcement partners to evaluate whether the evidence supports additional investigations or criminal charges under applicable federal law.
The conversation surrounding these deaths has brought renewed attention to an important distinction between traditional botanical kratom and manufactured, concentrated or chemically altered kratom-related products.
On August 26, 2026, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration temporarily placed three synthetic opioid compounds into Schedule I of the federal Controlled Substances Act:
Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI)
MGM-15 (dihydro-7-hydroxymitragynine)
MGM-16 (9-fluoro-dihydro-7-hydroxymitragynine)
Federal authorities determined that these compounds presented an imminent hazard to public safety. The scheduling action addresses manufactured opioid compounds and does not impose a general federal Schedule I classification on traditional botanical kratom.
These developments raise important questions about how emerging synthetic substances are identified, regulated and prosecuted at the state level.
To our Mississippi Legislators, the time for waiting is over. Mississippi cannot afford to allow dangerous synthetic substances to outpace the laws designed to protect our citizens.
We are calling on the Mississippi Legislature to address synthetic kratom-related products with the urgency this public safety issue demands. We need immediate legislative hearings, a thorough examination of the state’s controlled substance laws, and clear answers about how manufacturers, distributors and retailers can be held accountable when their actions put lives at risk.
Federal authorities have already taken action to place three synthetic opioid compounds into Schedule I. Mississippi lawmakers must now determine whether our state laws provide law enforcement and prosecutors with the tools necessary to address these substances effectively.
Families deserve answers. Communities deserve protection. Law enforcement deserves clear, enforceable laws that keep pace with emerging drug threats.
We are prepared to bring our firsthand experience and recommendations directly to legislative leaders. This issue demands their immediate attention, a transparent examination of the evidence and concrete decisions about the next steps.
We cannot afford to wait for another tragedy before addressing the dangers these substances pose to Mississippians.
To our community, Oxford and Lafayette County have taken proactive steps for years to address the availability of kratom products locally, including ordinances, education, compliance efforts and criminal enforcement.
These efforts will continue.
We are grateful for the dedication of the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit and the local, state and federal partners assisting in these investigations.
Above all, we remain mindful of the two families at the center of this tragedy.
They deserve answers supported by evidence, and our community deserves a public safety response guided by facts, compassion and the law.
These investigations remain active. We will not make further comment until additional information becomes available and can be shared without compromising investigative integrity.
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