DOC ANDERSON WORKS TO OUTLAW SALVIA ON DR. PHIL

Waco's State Representative Charles "Doc" Anderson appeared on
yesterday's Dr. Phil episode on risky teen behavior to share his
expertise on salvia, a popular hallucinogenic drug.

On the show, Anderson told of his efforts to criminalize salvia in
Texas, while helping warn a mother who provides the drug to her
teenage son of the consequences usage can have on developing
adolescents.

"I hope my appearance on the Dr. Phil show will help to educate people
on the dangers of salvia and the nationwide exposure will help lend
more credibility to our testimony," Anderson said.

Anderson filed legislation Monday to make possession of salvia a Class
A Misdemeanor in Texas. He hopes the bill will survive the legislative
process and be signed into law by mid 2009.

Salvia divinorum is a naturally occurring herb with leaves containing
Salvinorin-A, a compound that, when extracted and concentrated,
produces hallucinogenic effects comparable to LSD. It can be smoked or
liquefied, with drops placed in a drink or on a cigarette. It is
currently legal in Texas, but has been outlawed in 12 states and 11
countries.

Videos have flooded You-Tube featuring teenagers smoking salvia and
bursting into uncontrollable fits of laughter, having violent
convulsions or simply passing out in a hallucinogenic daze. Salvia
related Web sites recommend that users have a "trip sitter" or "sober
sitter" with them to prevent any self-inflicted harm.

Anderson warns that while the effects seem funny and harmless, salvia
can cause serious injury to brain tissue.

"It's the fastest known drug to affect the brain, 10 times faster than
cocaine. You can permanently injure your thought process and alter
your moods just by taking one hit. It heightens imaginary senses and
diminishes natural protective instances, like a your sense of pain. A
person could break their arm while on salvia and not realize it,"
Anderson said.

In 2006, Delaware passed Brett's Law, a law banning salvia after
17-year-old Brett Chidester killed himself while high on salvia.

"You have kids think they can fly and jumping out of windows. That's a
public safety concern to me," Delaware Senator Karen Peterson said in
a 2006 CNN report.

"Doc" Anderson started his fight against salvia after he saw its
effects on his community.

"I had a constituent from Robinson tell me about his 16-year-old
daughter coming home hysterical and emotional and he couldn't
communicate with her. He found out she took salvia with a group of
friends. She wasn't into the drug scene and didn't think it was a
problem because it's legal. After that, the more I researched it, the
more severe the problem became," Anderson said.

Anderson says parents unwittingly buy salvia for their kids because
they don't know the effects and it can be marketed to look like bubble
gum or lip balm.

Several Web sites sell it online and, according to the Heart of Texas
Council of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (HOTCAC), it can be purchased in
several Waco businesses.

Wanda Bricker of the HOTCAC accompanies "Doc" Anderson to state
hearings to help fight for the criminalization of salvia. The HOTCAC
says that many drug-related parolees they work with use it as a legal
way to get high.

"Since it's a legal substance, there's not a lot of data available,"
Bricker said. "The people we work with say they use it, but no one has
been seeking treatment for it. It's a very powerful substance and
we're very concerned about it's availability to children."

"Doc" Anderson even showed Dr. Phil how easy it is to buy salvia by
showing him the salvia he purchased on the trip from his hotel to the
studio.

Dr. Travis Stork, an ER doctor and co-host of the daytime medical talk
show, "The Doctors," appeared on Dr. Phil alongside Anderson to warn
against using the drug.

"We don't yet know the long-term effects of taking salvia, but we've
seen the dangers of the short-term effects," Stork said.

Anderson claims to have never seen the Dr. Phil show before he was a
guest, but appreciates Dr. Phil's efforts to help educate the public
on the dangers of salvia.

He was a little apprehensive during the September filming, but thinks
they accomplished their goals of bringing perspective to the issue.

Anderson says Dr. Phil was very personable and told him about his time
living in Anderson's hometown of Robinson while doing an internship at
the Waco Veteran's hospital.