LEGAL HALLUCINOGEN CONCERNS POLICE

Saskatoon 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. It's 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 it is banned in Australia. Several U.S. states are considering a
ban.

Saskatoon police admit they haven't had any specific problems with
Salvia and can't do anything about it, but they 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 Saskatoon 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 says the long-term effects of
the hallucinogen are unknown.

According to Health Canada, it has been known to cause unconsciousness
and short-term memory loss, but the department is 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," says Health Canada
spokesperson 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, says Salvinorin A,
Salvia's active hallucinogenic compound, is unique and activates a
different brain receptor than other drugs, such as LSD. He says that
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 hemp store on Broadway Avenue. "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." A student
user in British Columbia described the experience of using Salvia as
"reality shattering" and says he "found God" on his lunch break.

Kunka says his store only sells Salvia to people 18 or older and
includes a warning label that tells users they may experience mild
headaches and insomnia.

The store sells roughly five or six grams of Salvia a week, according
to Kunka.

"It's not a party drug," says an employee at B.O.B. HeadQuarters, who
says he's tried Salvia around 10 times. "I always warn people not to
trick friends into smoking it.

"I don't agree with Salvia being banned. That's only going to force it
underground and create a black market."