After emotional testimony from families and doctors, committee directs staff to draft total kratom ban and also keep a regulatory bill under review

The Economic Affairs Interim Committee received extensive public testimony and expert comment on competing approaches to kratom policy and voted to direct staff to draft a total ban while also keeping a regulatory draft available for further committee work.

Public testimony: medicine and families

Parents and medical professionals told the committee that kratom has caused addiction, severe withdrawal and deaths. Jay Yeager described his son’s repeated crashes and long treatment after using kratom and extracts, and several other parents and clinicians recounted fatalities and emergency presentations they associated with metragynine or concentrated kratom products. Yellowstone County health officer John Forte urged decisive action and said local enforcement had closed regulatory gaps where harms were identified. Several physicians in the record described kratom dependence, seizures and hospitalizations.

Industry and consumer‑group responses

Representatives of the American Kratom Association and the Montana Kava and Kratom Association urged regulation rather than a ban, arguing that model consumer protection acts in 21 states allow age gating, labeling and testing that reduce harm. The association representatives said federal mechanisms (NDIN/new dietary ingredient notifications and FDA post‑market surveillance) already provide levers for enforcement against violative products and that the most harmful items are chemically manipulated extracts distinct from natural leaf kratom.

Committee action

After a five‑minute caucus, Senator Mark Noland moved that staff draft a bill banning kratom. The motion passed on a roll call vote, 9 ayes to 2 nays. The committee then voted to also direct staff to maintain and refine House Bill 407 (a regulatory approach) so members could have both options available going into the next interim and session.

Vote record (roll call on directing staff to draft a total ban):
- Aye: Ellie Boldman (Vice Chair), Ed Buttry (by proxy), Brian Close, Jamie Eisley, Josh Cashmeyer, Mark Noland, Peter Strand, Morgan Teal, (one additional aye recorded in roll call).
- Nay: Brandon Lehi (Chair), Kenneth Bogner (by proxy).
(Committee-provided roll call recorded 9 ayes, 2 nays.)

Why it matters: the committee’s direction will produce two competing drafts—a total ban and a regulatory framework—that lawmakers will evaluate ahead of the next legislative session. Supporters of a ban said regulation has repeatedly failed to keep pace with high‑potency extracts and synthetic derivatives; industry and some stakeholders warned a prohibition could push product sales underground, arguing stronger controls, age limits and testing were more practicable.

Next steps: staff (Mr. Weaver and legislative services) will draft a statutory ban and will keep HB 407 updated for committee review. The committee scheduled further deliberation in July and August interim meetings.

Sources: multiple public commenters, county health officer John Forte, physicians, industry representatives, and roll‑call recorded in the Economic Affairs Interim Committee transcript.