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Committee hears divided testimony on bill to classify kratom as Schedule I
Summary
House Bill 1101 would add mitragynine (kratom) to the state’s Schedule I list. The committee heard hours of testimony from treatment providers and the state pharmacy board supporting scheduling and from consumers, advocates and the American Kratom Association urging regulation instead of a ban.
The House Judiciary Committee heard testimony on House Bill 1101, sponsored by Rep. Jeremy Olson, to classify mitragynine — commonly known as kratom — as a Schedule I controlled substance under state law.
Supporters, including some treatment providers and the North Dakota State Board of Pharmacy, told the committee that kratom acts on opioid receptors, has been linked to dependence and, they said, to overdoses and deaths in some cases. Opponents — including kratom consumers, advocacy groups and the American Kratom Association — urged regulation rather than a criminal ban, saying available studies and international reviews do not support an outright prohibition and that regulation would better protect consumers and preserve a tool some users say helped them reduce opioid use.
Rep. Jeremy Olson, the prime sponsor, said constituents at Providence House treatment center in…
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