North Dakota Kratom Ban: Your Presence Is Needed This Wednesday
NORTH DAKOTA KRATOM BAN: YOUR PRESENCE IS NEEDED THIS WEDNESDAY
North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong issued a statewide emergency order banning the sale, possession, and use of all kratom effective August 5, 2026. A Kratom Working Group public hearing is being held this Wednesday — and we need every North Dakota resident who possibly can attend to be there.
Your physical presence matters. Showing lawmakers that real North Dakotans care about responsible access to natural kratom can make an enormous difference in what comes next.
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.
Hearing Details
📅 Wednesday, August 12, 2026
⏰ 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM CT
📍 Roughrider Room, State Capitol, Bismarck, ND
🔗 Take action: protectkratom.org/northdakota
If you live in North Dakota and can possibly attend — please make this meeting a priority.
Take Action Now
Attend the hearing in person on Wednesday.
This is the most powerful action you can take right now. Lawmakers need to see real North Dakota residents showing up to speak for responsible access to natural kratom. Your presence and your personal story are what move the needle.
If you cannot attend in person, contact your state representative today and urge them to support appropriate regulation of natural kratom leaf — not permanent scheduling.
🔍 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
Share your personal story — what natural kratom has meant for your life. Keep your comment respectful and factual. 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 Is at Stake
The emergency order banning the sale, possession, and use of all kratom in North Dakota is already in effect. Responsible adults across the state who used natural kratom legally as recently as August 4 are now subject to criminal penalties simply for possessing a botanical product they purchased legally.
The Kratom Working Group public hearing this Wednesday is a critical opportunity to push back before the North Dakota Legislative Assembly convenes in a special session on September 2 to decide whether to make the ban permanent. The working group hearing is where consumer voices can directly shape the conversation lawmakers take into that special session.
This is not just about access to a product. This is about whether responsible North Dakota adults will be treated as offenders for using a natural botanical that federal regulators have explicitly distinguished from the dangerous synthetic 7-OH concentrates driving legitimate public health concerns.
Why the Emergency Ban Gets It Wrong
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. 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 has the opportunity 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
Wednesday's hearing is the most immediate opportunity to make consumer voices heard before the September 2 special session. Every North Dakota resident who shows up in person at the Roughrider Room this Wednesday is a direct signal to lawmakers that real people are affected by this ban and that responsible regulation is a better path than permanent prohibition.
If you can be in Bismarck on Wednesday, be there. If you cannot attend, contact your state representative today and join the AKA advocacy network at protectkratom.org/join to stay ready for what comes next.
The hearing is this Wednesday. The special session is September 2. Act now.
