LIVINGSTON PARISH - After talks of banning the controversial drug, Livingston Parish has decided to allow kratom to still be sold. 

Thursday night, Councilman Shane Mack lead the charge to ban the sale of the drug, saying it can lead to people getting hooked on it. 

"The DEA drug fact sheet says that kratom can lead to addiction," Mack said. 

Kratom is already banned in six states in the United States. Back in August, Ascension Parish banned the sale of the drug.

Mack also says a young child in Livingston Parish died after getting a hold of kratom. He said the kratom was mixed with other drugs. 

"The young infant was able to get their hands on the substance and consumed it. Although it appeared it was adulterated kratom, it was still sold as kratom," Mack said. 

But the major disagreement stems from if the drug is safe. 

Mack says it can be dangerous when mixed with other drugs. Others say it's a safe alternative to opioids. One of those people is Dearron Capling, an employee at the Smoke Stop in Denham Springs. 

"It helps them work, it helps them sleep at night," Capling told WBRZ in December. "Some say they are trying to get off of an addiction to opioids."