Kratom, an herbal extract, is raising addiction fears. Ascension is the 1st parish to ban it.

Ascension Parish will become the first parish in Louisiana next month to ban the sale of kratom, an unregulated “herbal supplement” that has raised concerns about addiction.

But officials backed away from wider restrictions that would also have made it illegal to possess or consume the product, waiting for clarity on what actions state or federal regulators might take.

Sold in smoke shops and gas stations around the parish, primarily in tablet or capsule form, the Southeast Asian herbal extract has been promoted for its energy boost and pain relief. But it has drawn criticism for its opioid-like effects that some former users and their family say ruined their lives in addiction.

Six states have banned the product, including Arkansas, though some are rethinking those bans.

Read the full story at The Advocate