http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/state/article/0,1406,KNS_348_4677818,00.html
Little proof of Salvia madness
Despite its low profile, hallucinogenic herb faces state ban
By ELIZABETH A. DAVIS, Associated Press May 6, 2006
Police and teachers haven't noticed a rush of kids getting hooked on the hallucinogenic herb Salvia divinorum, and federal drug agents say not many people use it.
But that hasn't slowed lawmakers in Tennessee and five other states from seeking to outlaw Salvia this year, following similar bans in Louisiana and Missouri.
There are more than 1,000 kinds of Salvia, or sage, and many flowering varieties are used in landscaping. Salvia divinorum is a rare native of Mexico, where it's known as "Maria Pastora," or "Mary the Shepherdess."
It grows naturally only around Mazatec Indian settlements in Oaxaca state, where the Mazatec use it in rituals and as a healing agent. When smoked or chewed, it can cause effects ranging from a dreamlike state to an out-of-body experience. Some liken it to LSD.
"When something like that is legal, it says to the kids that it's OK to take," said state Sen. Tim Burchett, R-Knoxville, who sponsored a bill that would ban the drug in Tennessee. "It would be nice to close the barn door before the cows got out."
For now, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration has listed Salvia only as a "drug of concern," and it is easily available on the Internet and in stores that specialize in drug paraphernalia. Countries such as Australia and Denmark have already banned it.
Burchett's bill would make it a misdemeanor to possess the plant for consumption. The legislation has already passed in the state Senate and is being debated in the House.
Delaware is poised to become the third state to outlaw Salvia. A bill called Brett's Law - named for teenager Brett Chidester, who smoked the drug and committed suicide - is awaiting the governor's signature.
The measure makes Salvia a Schedule I controlled substance, placing it in the same category as heroin. Similar legislation is pending in New York, Illinois, Oklahoma and Alaska.
Last year, Salvia and 38 other plants with hallucinogenic properties were banned for human consumption in Louisiana, and Missouri added Salvia and 12 other drugs to its list of controlled substances.
The DEA has the authority to make Salvia illegal to buy over the counter and categorize it as a controlled substance, but often it is faster for states to pass their own laws, said DEA spokeswoman Rogene Waite.
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has found very low numbers of Salvia users compared to drugs like marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine.
"If this was something that was popping up on the national radar screen as a national threat, we would be aware of it," policy spokesman Rafael Lemaitre said. "That doesn't mean states shouldn't address this."
There is no evidence to suggest Salvia is addictive, toxic or more dangerous than any other drug. Users say Salvia's effects can be intense but only last several minutes compared to hours for LSD.
Paul Doering, a University of Florida pharmacy professor, said people who have used the drug described it as "not being terribly pleasant."
"They would almost to the person say, 'Been there, done that. I wouldn't do it again,' " he said. "I think the attraction is that it is so easy to obtain."
One Internet seller, Daniel Siebert, cautions that Salvia is not "a party drug" and should not be obtained by people under 18. He proposes regulations similar to ones on alcohol and tobacco.
"It seems a logical thing to do would be to have some controls that discourage irresponsible use, but don't prevent everybody from having access to it. A lot of people get a lot of benefit from Salvia," Siebert said.
Doering, co-director of the Drug Information and Pharmacy Resource Center in Florida, warned of Salvia's dangers several years ago.
But he believes laws against vogue drugs are more likely "knee-jerk reactions" by legislators.
"I'm in favor of people making good decisions," he said. "If people made good decisions, you wouldn't need these kinds of laws."
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"When something like that is legal, it says to the kids that it's OK to take," said state Sen. Tim Burchett, R-Knoxville, who sponsored a bill that would ban the drug in Tennessee. "It would be nice to close the barn door before the cows got out."
So I guess that means that having alcohol and tobacco and pharmaceuticals legal automatically means that they're okay to take.
No of course not, that's why they're regulated with age restrictions.
Come on, you're leading a frickin' country, use some common sense!
-------------------- "What is in us that turns a deaf ear to the cries of human suffering?" "Belief is a beautiful armor But makes for the heaviest sword" - John Mayer Making the noise "penicillin" is no substitute for actually taking penicillin. "This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it." -Abraham Lincoln
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