Salvia: The Legal Hallucinogen

Elmira, NY - Salvia divinorum has many different names, such as Salvia and Diviner's Sage. The name, which is Latin, translates to "sage of the seers”.

Salvia is an herb of the sage genus, and has been used for centuries for healing purposes and to facilitate visionary states of consciousness during spiritual healing sessions. Found in Mexico, it can grow to more than a meter in height.

The herb is said to be stronger than marijuana, and the United States Drug Enforcement Agency reports salvia causes hallucinations and a perception of overlapping realities.

Salvia hadn't drawn a lot of attention until recently, when videos cropped up on YouTube showing teens smoking Salvia, and being filmed during their "highs". Now, the federal government is paying attention.

The drug is not only easy to get, but is also completely legal. It's become the popular drug you've never heard of.

Joyce Tanner, St. Joseph’s Hospital Alcohol and Drug Counselor said that parents have not heard of Salvia, and that until she started working at STARS, she

"wasn't aware of it either.”

Tanner goes on to say that most of the teens that she has met have tried Salvia. It's being sold in the Internet, specialty shops and even in gardens.

“It's legal, it’s easy to access from the Internet, and it's cheap,” said Tanner.

State Senator George Maziarz is working on making this drug illegal, but hasn't been able to get it through the Assembly. The bill would make possession of Salvia a misdemeanor punishable by up to three months in prison.

“I think by sitting back and doing nothing, I think it gains a level of acceptance that it should not,” said Maziarz.

To date, 12 states have laws that prohibit possession of Salvia. In 2002, Federal legislation proposing listing salvia as a controlled substance died in Congress.