POLICE POWERLESS AS PSYCHEDELIC HERB REMAINS LEGAL

OTTAWA -- An easily available herb that packs a powerful psychedelic
punch has some federal health officials recommending strict controls.

But Health Canada says it can't regulate the use of salvia divinorum
until there's more evidence of its dangers.

Department documents obtained by The Canadian Press under Access to
Information law say salvia is being used by adolescents and young
adults for its hallucinogenic properties.

Salvia divinorum is difficult to grow outside of its native habitat
in southern Mexico, but the plant's leaves and extracts of salvia's
active ingredient in pill form are sold in Canada.

A December 2005 report by the marketed health products directorate,
an arm of Health Canada, recommends that salvia be placed under the
Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Department spokesperson Jason Bouzanis said salvia has been known to
cause hallucinations, outof-body experiences, unconsciousness and
shortterm memory loss. But that's not enough to declare it illegal.

"We can't make any recommendations to place salvia under the
Controlled Drug and Substances Act schedules until we have sufficient
scientific and empirical data that concludes it has the potential for
misuse and abuse," Bouzanis said.

Australia is one of few countries that has made it illegal to
possess, distribute and consume salvia, also known as Sally D, the
diviner's sage, or the sage of seers. It is a species of sage, which
belongs to the mint family, and is most commonly found in Mexico,
where indigenous Mazatec shamans have used it for centuries for
spiritual journeys.

Salvia leaves are most commonly dried and smoked. Extracts of
salvinorin-A, salvia's active ingredient, are available in tablet
form. Pill prices can range anywhere from $30 to $80 in Canada
depending on the potency desired. Most online sellers of salvia
advertise the herb as a natural health product.

An October 2006 report by the natural health products directorate of
Health Canada, which is responsible for assessing safety among all
marketed health products, highlights four cases of adverse reactions to salvia.

One case involves a 16-year-old Canadian boy who reportedly became
incoherent, suicidal and threatened to kill police officers after
taking a single tablet of salvia in March 2005.

Despite being aware of salvia's potentially harmful effects, the RCMP
can't crack down on the herb because it's legal.

"As far as including salvia included under the Controlled Substances
Act, that's Health Canada's responsibility," said Sgt. Nathalie Deschenes.

"The RCMP is always concerned about any substance or product that may
put the safety and security of Canadians at risk." The U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration lists salvia as a "drug of concern" but it
has not been banned by the U.S. federal government.

Missouri and Louisiana have criminalized the herb and there are
proposals to make it illegal in Alaska, Illinois, Oregon and Wyoming.

Dr. Bryan Roth, a professor of pharmacology at the University of
North Carolina, Chapel Hill, is very concerned about the availability
of the herb.

"Salvia is the world's most potent naturally occurring hallucinogen," he said.

"You wouldn't want to be driving a car, or you wouldn't want to be on
a balcony in a high building so the concern is that if individuals
were to take a sufficient dose, they might get themselves or others
into trouble.

"The distribution is totally unregulated so unsuspecting teens or
even children younger than teenage years might chance upon it and
that's a recipe for disaster."