LEGAL HERB BEING USED AS MIND-ALTERING DRUG

Everything old is new again -- including an age-old herb, Salvia
divinorum, that is now being packaged and sold for its mind-altering
qualities.

The plant, a member of the sage family sometimes called magic mint,
has been around for thousands of years. Historically, it is believed
to have been used by members of the Mazatec Indian tribe in Mexico,
who thought it gave users the ability to see the future. A new
generation of users is using the herb to get a perfectly legal high.

"It will cause mild hallucinations," said Dean Parry, director of
pharmacy services clinical programs at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.

In small amounts, when used as a herbal supplement, hallucinations
will not occur

"It's not a normal activity (but) it does have that potential," he
said. "That's part of the problem."

That's exactly what has officials at Susquehanna Valley Women in
Transition concerned.

"It makes you do things you wouldn't normally do," said Heather
Shynder, outreach coordinator at SVWIT.

Staffers at the organization first heard of the herb because it was
beginning to generate some buzz at local high schools and on the
Internet. A Google search yields more than 7.8 million pages devoted
to the topic.

A package, which can purchased for between $15 and $25 in a store in
downtown Lewisburg, advertised the plant as a "tool for
self-exploration."

Sold in a foil outer wrapper, a brown vial in the package contained a
brownish-green, finely ground leaf, looking much like loose tobacco.

Directions said the material in the package was for use only as
incense, but went on to add that the product would not show up in a
drug test. The package also came with a sheet of instructions and
warnings that contained, in bold letters, the claim that salvia would
not show up in urine, hair or blood tests.

It was the possibility that the herb could be abused that concerned
SVWIT officials.

"It seems to be the new craze. We were hearing how great it is because
it's legal," said Ms. Shnyder. "(And) its effects are very, very close
to marijuana. It seems to be coming up through as 'Here's another way
to get high.'"

The sale of salvia, in at least at one local store, was prohibited to
anyone under the age of 18.

However, Ms. Shnyder worried that it would provide curious youngsters
just enough of a mind-altering experience to whet their appetite for
more.

"What if you're a teenager who wants to explore a little bit, but
marijuana is out of your reach?" she said. "My thing is it's
advertised to appeal to these kids as it's legal but you're still
doing something sneaky."

Mr. Parry warned that abusing anything was a bad idea.

"As with anything that can alter your level of perception of reality,
it's probably not a good idea," he said.

The herb can lead to side effects like difficulty urinating, dry
mouth, problems swallowing and in very large quantities convulsions.
It can also cause problems for diabetics who may become hypoglycemic
after using salvia.

"People get the idea that more is better -- that has the risk of
creating some of the more severe effects," he said.

While not physically addictive, Mr. Parry said, use of the herb could
lead to psychological dependence where the user grew to rely on the
plant.

"The potential exists," he said. "I don't know of a lot of reports of
it, but people like it, so they can become dependent."

The Internet has helped the once obscure plant gain a foothold in the
Susquehanna Valley, said Ms. Shnyder, with MySpace used a forum for
many local kids who are experimenting, usually without their parents'
knowledge.

"It's an awareness issue," she said. "Parents turn their backs and say
my kid's on the computer, they're safe, they're in the home. It's just
another confusing thing for parents."

It's also a bit confusing for police.

Lewisburg Police Chief Paul Yost said he was aware that the plant was
being sold in Lewisburg and of its effects but that he was powerless
to do anything about it.

"The problem for us is it's not a scheduled drug," he said. "It's not
a police issue; it's a retail sales issue or maybe a moral issue."

He urged parents to contact their legislators.

"The step for people, if they're concerned, would be to contact their
legislators," the chief said. "Beyond that, technically, there is not
really much law enforcement can do."