The herb Salvia divinorum, or Salvia, has been getting its fair share of media coverage lately thanks in part to some not-so-positive You Tube videos depicting the herb users psychedelic-like experiences. Opponents of the herb compare its effects to LSD, with some journalists going as far as calling it "the new pot".
What is Salvia?
Salvia is a naturally growing herb, similar to marijuana. It has an extensive history of being used by Mexican Shaman to induce visionary states in the context of spiritual practices. However, unlike marijuana, salvia is categorized as a hallucinogenic. It is the only known naturally occurring substance to cause such hallucinations.
Salvia can be ingested three different ways: by smoking it, chewing it or by using a tincture. Smoking it will result in the mildest effects with the shortest duration, while chewing it and ingesting it in the form of a tincture produce a longer-lasting effect.
What are the Effects of Salvia?
Salvia's main effects are visionary hallucinations and a trance-like state. The duration of the effects of smoked salvia last a very short period of time, usually only for a few minutes. The long-term reported effects are minimal with such symptoms as improved mood and “antidepressant-like effects”. This is likely attributed to the notion that salvia has a low level of toxicity, according to research preformed at the University of Nebraska.
Salvia also boasts potential therapeutic uses. According to Professor Bryan L. Roth, director of the National Institute on Mental Health’s Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, salvia has the capacity to aid primarily in the treatment of diseases such as depression and Alzheimer’s.
The Legality of Salvia
It may come as a surprise to some, but salvia is legal in almost every country. In the U.S. there is no regulation of it under the Controlled Substances Act, however individual states have passed legislation to ban it, with several other states proposing to outlaw it.
Salvia will prove to be difficult to regulate, because unlike marijuana, which has a distinct smell and appearance, salvia is nondescript. It can also be grown without any special soil, minerals or light sources.
The Controversy Surrounding Salvia
Salvia has gained its fair share of attention primarily as a result of Brett's Law, named after 17 year-old Brett Chidester, whose suicide gained media coverage in 2006. Allegedly, several months prior to Brett's suicide, his parents discovered his experimentation with salvia. They attributed his suicide to the salvia-induced depression. As a result, the state of Delaware where Brett lived, passed Brett's Law classifying the herb as a schedule I controlled substance.
Despite the extensive media coverage surrounding Brett's Law, there has been no other documented link between salvia and suicide, overdose or death.
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