A total of 28 counties and cities in northeast Mississippi have criminalized the possession and sale of kratom, a legal but unregulated herbal product.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports the governments are being urged on by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and a Columbus-area anti-Kratom group.

Bills to ban the substance statewide failed this year in the Mississippi Legislature.

Kratom is produced from the leaves of a tropical tree and variously consumed as a powder, a liquid or as capsules.

Supporters of kratom say it provides safe, non-addictive pain relief and can also combat anxiety disorders. Some kratom users also say it manages the withdrawal symptoms of potent opiate drugs.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said the substance may be addictive and prone to abuse.