Policy · 2026-07-29
North Dakota Governor Armstrong Moves Toward Special Session to Ban Kratom Statewide
Source: North Dakota Monitor
Why it matters
North Dakota would become the tenth state to impose a full kratom ban if the special session succeeds, continuing the rapid expansion of state-level prohibitions that has accelerated since 2025. A special session is an unusual procedural step that underscores the urgency state leadership is attaching to kratom policy.
The big picture
North Dakota's 2025 legislative session declined to ban or regulate kratom, instead commissioning a study — but that study was never selected as an interim topic. Gov. Kelly Armstrong is now moving to force the issue through a special session, with Senate Majority Leader David Hogue confirming the governor's intent in a caucus invitation. The session would also address a funding shortfall for the state Military Gallery, but kratom is the primary driver. The DEA's July 1, 2026 action targeting 7-OH has given state legislators additional political cover.
Key findings
- Gov. Kelly Armstrong told Senate Majority Leader Hogue he is "intent on calling a special session to consider banning the sale, possession, and distribution of Kratom"
- Republican senators received a videoconference invitation from Senate Majority Leader David Hogue on July 29 to discuss a Sunday caucus meeting on the session
- A special session requires a minimum of three days; an early September date is described as fluid
- North Dakota's 2025 legislature chose not to ban kratom, instead passing a study bill that was never assigned a topic
- The DEA's July 1, 2026 announcement to temporarily schedule 7-OH added federal momentum to state-level action
What they say
"The Governor is intent on calling us into a special session to consider banning the sale, possession, and distribution of Kratom," wrote Senate Majority Leader David Hogue in a caucus invitation shared with the North Dakota Monitor.
Bottom line
North Dakota Gov. Armstrong is actively pursuing a special session to ban kratom — a reversal from 2025 when the legislature chose study over action, and a move that would make North Dakota the tenth state to prohibit the substance.