FARGO, ND — North Dakota’s sudden ban on kratom has left Fargo retailers scrambling after Gov. Kelly Armstrong said the substance would be illegal within days. Store owners said they were caught off guard with product already ordered and sitting in storage out of state.
The emergency action covers kratom, 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, and derivatives for 30 days while lawmakers prepare to meet in a special session next month. Vendors face an infraction and a maximum $1,000 fine for possessing, selling or using the products.
How North Dakota’s emergency rule targets kratom and 7-OH
Armstrong said the state was responding to safety concerns around 7-OH, a psychoactive ingredient found in trace amounts in natural kratom leaf. The rule classifies 7-OH as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, putting it on the same level as heroin.
Officials also say some manufacturers have been selling bright, colorful 7-OH products in gas stations and smoke shops, and that the packaging appears aimed at younger buyers. The attorney general’s office later released disposal sites for anyone trying to discard kratom products.
Retailers say natural kratom is being lumped in with synthetic products
Sports Vape owner Zach Johnson said his store sold natural leaf kratom, not synthetic 7-OH, and that he had already ordered inventory before learning of the ban. He said he supports restrictions on 7-OH but считает the wider crackdown an overreaction.
Matthew Lowe of the Global Kratom Coalition made a similar argument, saying officials are confusing the plant with synthetic products made from it. He said natural kratom should be age-restricted rather than banned, and urged lawmakers to focus on the facts when they meet Sept. 2.
Health providers warn the sudden ban could trigger withdrawal and confusion
Recovery workers and clinicians said many people use kratom for pain relief or to try to get off opioids, which could make the abrupt ban difficult for some users. Jacki Gervais of the Ridge Treatment and Recovery Center said withdrawal can be intensely uncomfortable and that some people may not understand what is happening to them.
Dr. Chelsea Traverse of Sanford said kratom is one of the clinic’s top substance-use referrals behind alcohol. She said it can be hard to stop and may quickly become an addiction issue, especially when people are using it to manage pain or mental health symptoms.
State officials and treatment centers prepare for more calls for help
Fargo police said they responded to two deaths in July connected to kratom, and Armstrong said the state has received 50 death reports involving kratom, 7-OH or related derivatives since 2019. The governor’s office said 23 of those were listed as part of the primary cause.
Recovery centers expect more people to seek help now that the issue is getting attention. The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services plans to meet with providers next week to discuss how to respond to kratom addiction and how to educate the public about treatment options.
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