Dare County NC Defers Kratom Regulation Vote to August, Targets 7-OH Products Not Leaf

Why it matters

Dare County, North Carolina -- home to the Outer Banks -- is advancing a kratom ordinance that takes a targeted approach, restricting 7-OH products and imposing age limits rather than banning natural kratom leaf outright. The vote was deferred to August 3, giving the county time to refine the ordinance.

The big picture

Dare County's approach reflects a broader regulatory trend where local governments are trying to distinguish between botanical kratom and concentrated 7-OH products. Commissioners heard public testimony from both a kratom retailer and health officials, and chose a middle path -- age restrictions plus labeling requirements -- over an outright ban. The county health director noted that 7-OH is naturally present in kratom leaf only in trace amounts, with dangerous concentrations produced through synthesis or adulteration.

Key findings

• Dare County Commissioners voted to defer an ordinance regulating kratom sales to their August 3 meeting
• The proposed ordinance would restrict kratom sales to adults 21 and older and require proper product labeling
• Violations would be classified as a misdemeanor
• County Health Director Sheila Davies distinguished between naturally occurring trace 7-OH in kratom leaf and adulterated/synthesized concentrated products
• The only public commenter, a local kratom retailer, supported the proposed restrictions and drew a distinction between leaf kratom and 7-OH products
• Commissioners explicitly said they do not want to ban kratom outright, only regulate it

What they say

"7-OH is naturally occurring in the kratom leaf, but it's at a trace amount. The issue is when that is either synthesized or adulterated to increase that concentration, which makes it a very concerning product," — Sheila Davies, Dare County Health and Human Services Director

Bottom line

Dare County's vote, now deferred to August 3, will determine whether Outer Banks communities adopt one of North Carolina's first local kratom ordinances, focusing restrictions on concentrated 7-OH rather than the leaf itself.