LEGAL PSYCHEDELIC CLARITY: A LOOK INTO THE LATEST DRUG CRAZE

To most I would be considered naive, at least when it comes to living
on the edge, so to speak.

I have very little experience with drugs and high-risk activities and
I don't claim to be well-versed when it comes to these topics. So it
was really no surprise that I was outside of the loop on the latest craze.

Salvia divinorum, referred to simply as Salvia, is a legal
hallucinogenic drug that appeared for the first time in western
literature in 1939. It has recently gained more popularity and at the
same time raised quite a few eyebrows.

I decided that even though I don't participate, it couldn't hurt to
learn a little about the drug culture and more particularly about Salvia.

Many who have used Salvia have found the experience to be terribly
unpleasant. I talked to a friend who tried it and while he continues
to use mushrooms and even cocaine, he swore he'd never touch Salvia again.

I also read a user account of a Salvia trip online.

The man said he felt a terrible panic as he spiraled down into a
bottomless black hole and had the strongest sensation that he was dying.

Like all drugs, the experience is dependant on how much of it you use
and the way that you use it. Smoking leaves produces a milder effect
while chewing the leaves or swallowing the extract can be loads more intense.

Fear, panic, and an inability to control muscles are only a few of
the possible side effects.

If smoked, it can also cause soreness of the throat and chest.

So why, if it's so terrible, do people continue to use it?

Like many drugs, there is a perception of insight and clarity.

Users often experience an increased appreciation for sensual and
aesthetic sensations. In layman's terms, things look pretty and feel
good. And of course, the dreamy, ridiculously creative reality that
users of hallucinogens often wish to achieve is another side effect.

I looked on several sites that housed other user accounts and there
were pages of people who thought Salvia was wonderful. The drug also
has a relatively short duration, which most users like because it
allows them more control in their experience. The onset takes less
than a minute and the effects last from 20 minutes to an hour. So,
even if the effects are terrifying, they only last for a short time.
The big question is why is this stuff still legal?

Seriously, if marijuana is illegal, how can Salvia possibly go under
the government radar?

The answer is a loophole, ladies and gentlemen.

Salvia can be sold in two different ways, as a supplement and as a
drug. As a supplement, it is under very little scrutiny.

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 basically
took the government out of the equation in matters of dietary
supplements. Manufacturers, or in this case growers of supplements,
are not required to prove safety or helpfulness of the product.

If, however, Salvia were to be sold as a drug it would be regulated
by the FDA. Anyone in the Salvia market would be smart enough to
label it as an herbal supplement. Therefore, it is under the radar.

But one might also wonder if marijuana is not also considered an
herbal supplement. It's illegal, so again, why isn't Salvia? The
answer is another loophole. The Federal Analog Act requires banned
(analog) substances to be chemically comparable to a substance which
is already federally scheduled (banned). Salvia is chemically unlike
other scheduled substances and is therefore, until further
investigation, legal.

After I discovered why it was legal my next question was, should it
be? There don't seem to be any long-term negative side effects and I
found no reports of dangerous acts being committed while under the
influence of the drug. However, like any mind-altering substance,
certain precautions should to be taken.

All of the websites stressed that driving is out of the question
while under the influence of Salvia. The sites also suggested that
users not take Salvia alone.

They said you should have a "sitter" to monitor you and keep you
under control if panic sets in or if you lose all perception of your
surroundings. Like I said before, I've never had a first-hand account.

One thing, however, is very clear, safety measures should be taken
before indulging.

As to the question of its overall safety and precarious legality?

I don't know that it's for me to say.