Screening and approval program for retail sale of products containing certain substances; establish.

HB 1639 would have created a state program requiring Mississippi’s Department of Health to screen and approve the over-the-counter retail sale of products containing substances with potential for recreational use or abuse (like bath salts, kratom, or tianeptine). It would directly affect retailers and manufacturers of such products, requiring state health officials to approve or deny sales based on available evidence, with a 30-day appeal process to the State Board of Health. The bill also allowed local governments to maintain existing restrictions on these products enacted before 2026. This bill died in committee in February 2026 and did not become law.