PSYCHEDELIC SALVIA BANNED IN OHIO

Gov. Ted Strickland signed a law yesterday that will add the
hallucinogen Salvia divinorum to Ohio's controlled substance list.

The law, which takes effect in 90 days, classifies salvia as a
Schedule I controlled substance alongside drugs like marijuana. Ohio
joins at least nine other states to ban the use, possession or
distribution of salvia.

State Senator Jimmy Stewart, R-20, said the law will be enacted in the
same way as previous additions to the Schedule I controlled substance
list.

Stewart, who was the state representative for the 92nd district from
2003-2008, voted in favor of the bill when it passed through the Ohio
House of Representatives in December.

Salvia, an herb native to Oaxaca, Mexico, causes a five to 10 minute
high that produces psychedelic effects, such as the perception of
vivid colors. The herb is not known to be addictive.

Former State Representative Thom Collier, (R), sponsored the bill.
Collier was prompted to take action to regulate the plant after a
Loudonville boy was killed by a friend who had used the herb, though
it is not certain if the drug was directly involved, Collier said in
an interview at the end of the year.