Policy · 2026-08-03
North Dakota Governor Declares Kratom Emergency, Calls Special Legislative Session
Source: North Dakota Monitor
Why it matters
North Dakota became the latest state to take emergency action on kratom, with Gov. Armstrong issuing a public health emergency banning all kratom products and calling a special legislative session — a move that signals growing state-level urgency as federal regulators also act on 7-hydroxymitragynine.
The big picture
State actions against kratom and its concentrated derivatives have accelerated in 2026, with Tennessee and Kansas also enacting bans effective July 1. The DEA's July 1 announcement of temporary scheduling for 7-OH products provided political cover for states to act quickly. North Dakota's emergency declaration follows 23 deaths tied to kratom compounds in the state since 2019 and a threefold spike in Poison Control calls from 2024 to 2025.
Key findings
- Gov. Kelly Armstrong issued an executive order on Aug. 3, 2026 banning the sale, use, and possession of all kratom products, effective Aug. 5
- The emergency declaration lasts 30 days; a special legislative session is set for Sept. 2 to make the ban permanent
- 23 deaths in North Dakota since 2019 were linked to kratom and related compounds as a primary cause
- Kratom-related Poison Control calls in the state rose from 7 in 2024 to 22 in 2025 — a threefold spike in one year
- Violators face an infraction punishable by up to a $1,000 fine; the governor expressed reluctance to criminalize addicted users
- Attorney General Drew Wrigley displayed 7-OH products with names like "spearmint galaxy" and "strawberry and creme," calling them dangerously appealing to young people
What they say
"Doing nothing is not an option," said Gov. Armstrong at a Capitol press conference flanked by the attorney general and top Republican lawmakers.
Bottom line
North Dakota's emergency kratom ban — backed by 23 deaths and a Poison Control call surge — represents the fastest state-level response to the 7-OH crisis and sets up a September legislative battle over permanent prohibition.