POLICE CONCERNED ABOUT LEGAL HERB

SASKATOON -- City police are concerned about a legal hallucinogen sold
in hemp stores and on the Internet. But local users defend the
powerful herbal psychedelic as a mind altering but safe trip.

The herb is salvia divinorum, known more commonly as salvia, magic
mint, or the diviner's sage, an unregulated hallucinogen that is legal
to possess, distribute and consume in most places in the world and can
be bought over the Internet or in hemp stores. In Canada, salvia is
not regulated under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act but is
banned in Australia. Several U.S. states are currently considering a
ban.

Saskatoon police admit they haven't had any specific problems with
salvia and can't do anything about it, but say it may only be a matter
of time before something happens.

"Stores shouldn't be selling it to anybody, period," says Sgt. Jerome
Engele with the city police integrated drug unit. "It's legal and
that's a problem. Unless drugs have some kind of medicinal purpose,
they shouldn't be sold. It's caused epileptic seizures and put people
in comas in other places. Stores that sell the stuff should be held
liable if anyone is injured as a result."

Health Canada has been monitoring the national and international trend
of salvia use but said the long-term effects of the hallucinogen are
unknown. In the short term, it said, it has been known to cause
unconsciousness and short-term memory loss, but they are not aware of
any dependency.

"If it ever came to the point where there was an influx of use and
police and health-care professionals said this substance posed a
threat, then we would take appropriate action," said Health Canada
spokesman Jason Bouzanis. "For now, we're continuing to collect
relevant information specific to this substance."

Salvia has been used for hundreds of years by the Mazatec indigenous
people of Mexico for spiritual trips and is usually chewed or smoked.
Around three years ago it made its way into commercial sale in Canada.
It gives users a short but powerful hallucination, lasting anywhere
from 30 seconds to 30 minutes.

Dr. Bryan Roth, director of the psychoactive drug screening program at
the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, said Salvinorin A,
salvia's active hallucinogenic compound is unique and activates a
different brain receptor than other drugs such as LSD, the
"kappa-opioid" receptor. He said this causes a "profound effect on the
human consciousness."

The price of salvia ranges from $15 to $150 in stores and on the
internet, depending on the potency.

"It's a religious type experience," says Kerry Kunka, owner of B.O.B.
HeadQuarters, a Saskatoon hemp store. "It slows you down and gives you
a chance to really experience yourself.

"In Western society we're getting out of touch with the spiritual part
of life. There are two ways to look at society and some people don't
want to see freethinking in the world and want everyone to conform."