Policy · 2026-07-31
23 Deaths Tied to Kratom Since 2019 as North Dakota Considers Special Session Ban
Source: North Dakota Monitor
Why it matters
State-level data showing 23 direct deaths linked to kratom and synthetic 7-OH products since 2019 is giving lawmakers concrete evidence for a potential ban — one of the few states actively pursuing emergency legislative action ahead of the federal August 5 DEA deadline.
The big picture
While the federal DEA moves to schedule concentrated 7-OH as Schedule I, states are pursuing parallel action. North Dakota's governor and attorney general are set to announce kratom enforcement steps Monday, with pharmacy board emergency rules also in development. The state's death toll — 23 primary cause-of-death cases in seven years — mirrors the public health framing federal officials used to justify emergency scheduling. Poison control calls in North Dakota tripled from 7 in 2024 to 22 in 2025 alone.
Key findings
- North Dakota recorded 23 kratom-related primary cause-of-death cases from 2019 through June 2026, per the State Epidemiology Office
- Poison control calls tripled from 7 in 2024 to 22 in 2025, suggesting rapid growth in kratom-related exposures
- Gov. Kelly Armstrong and AG Drew Wrigley announced a Monday press conference to reveal actions protecting public health and safety
- North Dakota's pharmacy board is pursuing emergency rules to ban concentrated 7-OH separately from any legislative action
- The city of Ray (population under 800) already passed an ordinance banning concentrated 7-OH, with Williston passing a public warning resolution
- At least 22 states have enacted age restrictions on kratom sales, while 7 states classify kratom components as Schedule I controlled substances
What they say
North Dakota Board of Pharmacy Executive Director Mark Hardy said reports from treatment professionals and law enforcement indicate "emerging threats and imminent peril" to the public in North Dakota and the nation, with deaths and emergency room visits from synthetic kratom derivatives.
Bottom line
North Dakota's documented 23 kratom-linked deaths and tripling poison control calls have pushed state officials toward emergency action, making it one of the most aggressive state-level responses to the 7-OH crisis.