By: Jeff Beach (ND Monitor)
The path of kratom legislation took another turn in the North Dakota Legislature Tuesday as the Senate changed a bill that sought to regulate the plant and turned it into a study.
Kratom is a plant native to Southeast Asia that is related to the coffee plant. Some people consider it an energy booster, like caffeine, or use it to manage pain. Kratom also has been used to wean people off drugs such as fentanyl and heroin with some people reporting withdrawal symptoms.
Earlier this session, lawmakers considered versions of legislation that proposed to ban kratom, require state regulation by two different agencies or various study proposals.
On Tuesday, Sen. Jeff Magrum, R-Hazelton, proposed an amendment to turn House Bill 1566 into a study by Legislative Management.
The amendment and the final bill passed on 31-15 votes.
The journey isn’t over yet for the kratom bill. It will be returned to the House, which passed a version giving the Agriculture Department regulatory authority and about $600,000 for two employees.
Magrum said the wide-ranging attempts to regulate kratom by the Legislature, with its members largely unfamiliar with the plant, showed that a study made more sense.
Kratom-related products are available to consumers, largely through online sales.
Sen. Todd Beard, R-Williston, opposed the study amendment, noting that the kratom industry is advocating for regulation to combat adulterated products.
Some products that contain kratom also include synthetic ingredients that enhance the opioid-like effects of kratom.
The North Dakota Board of Pharmacy advocated for adding mitragynine, derived from kratom, to a list of controlled substances under state law.
The proposed study would look at potential uses for kratom and potential regulations on the production and sale of kratom products.
Magrum said after the vote that he has used kratom on a couple of occasions to treat back pain.
He said the first time he made the mistake of taking it on an empty stomach, which made his stomach hurt so much he forgot about his back pain, he joked.
“At least people are learning about it,” Magrum said.
