NORTH DAKOTA KRATOM BAN: EMERGENCY ORDER IN EFFECT — ACT BEFORE SEPTEMBER 2

North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong has issued a statewide emergency order banning the sale, possession, and use of all kratom effective today, August 5, 2026. The North Dakota Legislative Assembly will hold a special session on September 2 to decide whether to pass legislation making the ban permanent.

Important Notice for North Dakota Customers

Due to the emergency order currently in effect, we are temporarily unable to ship orders to North Dakota. All active subscription orders for North Dakota customers have been paused until shipping can resume.

We are closely monitoring the situation and will update North Dakota customers as soon as the status changes. We understand how much natural kratom means to our customers and we are committed to resuming service the moment it is legally possible to do so.

In the meantime, the most impactful thing North Dakota customers can do is contact their state representative before the September 2 special session and urge them to support appropriate regulation of natural kratom leaf — not permanent scheduling that would make this ban permanent.

Take Action Now

Contact your state representative today.

The special session is September 2. Every contact made between now and then signals to lawmakers that their constituents are paying attention and that a permanent ban is not supported by the people it would affect most.

🔍 Find your legislators: North Dakota Legislative Find My Legislators

📋 Legislative contact directory: North Dakota Legislative Contact Page

📞 Governor Kelly Armstrong: (701) 328-2200

📋 Join the AKA advocacy network for immediate alerts: protectkratom.org/join

What to Say

Write in your own words and share your personal story. Use this as a guide:

"Please oppose any legislation that permanently bans natural kratom. Natural kratom leaf and dangerous synthetic 7-OH products are not the same thing. Support commonsense regulation for natural kratom leaf — including age restrictions, testing, and labeling — instead of criminalizing responsible adults."

What Has Happened and What Is at Stake

Governor Armstrong issued a statewide emergency order on August 5, 2026 banning the sale, possession, and use of all kratom in North Dakota. Under the emergency order, responsible adults across the state who use natural kratom legally today are now subject to criminal penalties simply for possessing a botanical product they purchased at a licensed retailer.

The North Dakota Legislative Assembly will convene in a special session on September 2 to decide whether to pass permanent legislation enshrining this ban into law. If that legislation passes, the ban becomes permanent — and natural kratom leaf would be treated the same as dangerous synthetic 7-OH concentrates under North Dakota law, despite the fact that federal regulators have explicitly drawn a distinction between the two.

The window between now and September 2 is the most critical period for advocates to reach lawmakers and make the case for appropriate regulation over permanent prohibition.

Why Permanent Scheduling Is the Wrong Approach

Natural kratom leaf and concentrated synthetic 7-OH are not the same product. Federal regulators have explicitly drawn this distinction. The DEA has moved to place concentrated synthetic 7-OH into Schedule I federally. The FDA has specifically recommended that synthetic 7-OH be classified as a controlled substance — not natural kratom leaf.

Kratom advocates have taken this message directly to Washington as well. In a recent Congressional briefing, advocates urged lawmakers to support natural kratom leaf products while warning of the distinct risks posed by synthetic concentrates — reinforcing the same distinction that federal regulators have already drawn. Read more: Kratom Advocates Brief U.S. Congress in Support of Natural Leaf Products, Warn of the Risks Posed by Synthetics.

As research discussed on the Huberman Lab podcast makes clear, natural kratom leaf has a distinct profile that sets it apart from synthetic concentrates. That distinction was further reinforced by an FDA clinical trial — the first of its kind — which examined kratom's pharmacological profile and underscored why natural leaf should not be treated the same as dangerous synthetic 7-OH.

The right approach is commonsense regulation — age restrictions, mandatory third-party testing, and proper labeling — that targets dangerous synthetic products while preserving access to natural kratom for responsible adults. The Kratom Consumer Protection Act framework has already been adopted in 18 states. North Dakota lawmakers have the opportunity on September 2 to choose that model rather than make a blanket prohibition permanent. For the latest on kratom legality in North Dakota and other states, visit our kratom legality map. Learn more about kratom legality and regulation nationwide.

The Bigger Picture

An emergency order is in effect today. The special session is September 2. That means the window between now and September 2 is the most important advocacy period North Dakota kratom consumers have ever faced.

Contact your state representative today. Join the AKA advocacy network at protectkratom.org/join to receive immediate alerts as the September 2 session approaches. Share your personal story with your lawmakers — what natural kratom has meant for your life. That is what legislators remember most.

As soon as additional details about the September 2 special session become available, we will send alerts with meeting information and opportunities to testify. Stay connected and stay ready.

The emergency order is in effect now. The permanent decision is September 2. Act today.