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Bridgeburner
Not spiritual at all.




Registered: 09/16/06
Posts: 20,010
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Hallucinogen is legal; that may change
#7967756 - 02/02/08 07:16 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/301991.html
It's been called the most potent naturally growing hallucinogen on the planet. And it's legal.
Salvia divinorum, a species of sage, isn't banned under the federal Controlled Substances Act, but more than a half dozen states have made the drug illegal through state law. At least 12 more states, including Alaska, are debating whether to do so.
Sen. Gene Therriault, R-North Pole, has been leading the charge here. Therriault said the drug's effects, which are similar to LSD's, are too powerful, dangerous and unpredictable to leave it unrestricted.
"What I'm trying to do here is be proactive instead of reactive to the newest drug on the scene," he said.
Users often experience effects typical of hallucinogens, including visual distortions, hallucinations, inability to speak, uncontrollable laughter and out of body sensations, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. Unlike LSD, however, Salvia's effects generally last only about a half hour.
"My friend and her boyfriend and I melted into the wall," says one user, describing the experience at the Web site Salvia.net. "We were just objects with no meaning, being born into the universe at this very instant, emerging from Play-Doh or something. I was thinking, who is she? What are people?"
Salvia, which is listed on a DEA "drugs and chemicals of concern" list, is cheap and easy to find online, and at least a handful of tobacco stores and head shops sell it in Alaska.
The Black Market downtown is one of several stores in Anchorage that sell Salvia under the brand name Salvia Zone, starting at $15 for a one-half-gram box -- enough for five uses.
The box, replete with cautions about the drug's use, touts it as a "tool for self discovery and introspective understanding." The Black Market's owner and manager didn't want to discuss Therriault's bill, but manager Jamie Allen said the product is a big seller at the store, which requires customers to be at least 19 years old.
Reports of problems stemming from the plant's use are rare to nonexistent in Alaska, said Lt. Andy Greenstreet, deputy commander of the Alaska Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Enforcement.
"It's popped up down south, but it hasn't been much of an issue here yet," Greenstreet said. "It's probably just a matter of time."
Its use while driving is of particular concern, he said, but driving under the influence laws already encompass all drugs.
Senate Bill 38, introduced last January, remains in the Finance Committee. Therriault said he hopes it will be addressed this session. Last session, a similar bill never made it to the Senate floor.
The bill didn't progress last time because it got buried behind higher-priority bills that needed to be heard in Finance, said Miles Baker, legislative assistant to Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, who co-chairs the committee. The bill has not yet been scheduled for a hearing this year, but Therriault said there has been little vocal opposition.
If passed, the bill would list Salvia divinorum and Salvinorin A, the psychotropic chemical in the plant, as Schedule IIA controlled substances under state law -- the same category as LSD, mescaline, peyote and psilocybin, the active chemical in hallucinogenic mushrooms.
One problem facing lawmakers is that the drug is undetectable in humans, an issue that's being addressed at the state crime lab, where analyst Jack Hurd is studying the drug and working to develop a test for it.
"We're in the initial stage, here in Alaska, researching it," Hurd said. "If you're going to say this is against the law, you've got to make sure the active ingredient isn't in other (plant) species."
There are some indications that Salvia could have legitimate medical applications, and Therriault's bill allows for an exemption for prescriptions, said Dave Stancliff, a legislative aide to Therriault.
"The jury's still out because there's not been a lot of study," he said. "But whenever there's uncertainty with a substance of this potency, there's a need to prevent injuries."
The major issue with the drug is its potency and unpredictable nature -- having a bad trip is fairly common, Stancliff said. The DEA reports adverse physical effects include lack of coordination, dizziness and slurred speech.
But some relatively minor side effects should not mean the drug needs to be outlawed, said Jack Degenstein, with the Alaska Libertarian Party. Degenstein opposed Therriault's bill in a Senate hearing last year.
"This is absolutely not a public safety risk," he said in an interview this week. "It is the most powerful natural psychedelic, but just because it's powerful doesn't mean it's dangerous."
Many people are turned off by Salvia the first time they try it because of its potency and the uncomfortable feelings they get, he said.
The drug has been linked to at least one death.
According to news reports, a 17-year-old Delaware boy killed himself in 2006 after reportedly smoking the drug several times over a period of months, saying in a suicide note that the experience had convinced him life was pointless. A medical examiner eventually ruled Salvia use was a contributing factor to his death.
The coroner didn't make that connection until well after the boy's death, however, Degenstein said.
"That was actually quite a controversy because about a year after the fact the coroner changed his death certificate," he said.
For Degenstein and other opponents of the bill, the question is one of personal freedom and what consenting adults should be allowed to do in their own homes.
Although he doesn't advocate drug use, Jason Dowell, chairman of the Alaska Libertarian Party, said people should have the freedom to choose, especially when the choice is about a plant that has had traditional medicinal uses in Mexico.
"It's ridiculous that they would try to make plants illegal," Dowell said. "It's just a recipe for disaster. They're going to send innocent people to prison and invade their privacy."
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truffleupagus



Registered: 02/19/06
Posts: 3,103
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change [Re: Bridgeburner]
#7967782 - 02/02/08 07:47 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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"According to news reports, a 17-year-old Delaware boy killed himself in 2006 after reportedly smoking the drug several times over a period of months, saying in a suicide note that the experience had convinced him life was pointless. A medical examiner eventually ruled Salvia use was a contributing factor to his death."
This is the first time I've heard this much about this particular case. Pretty sad. I'm not sure why salvia would convince anyone that life is pointless but umm... okay. The kid obviously had some stuff going on in his head beforehand.
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Siekoaktiv
version 2.0



Registered: 03/18/07
Posts: 1,337
Last seen: 13 years, 6 months
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change [Re: Bridgeburner]
#7967787 - 02/02/08 07:48 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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At least it ended on a good note...
-------------------- I'm in need of a sterile sporeprint, if anyone wants to do a trade for some seeds or something, or maybe just for free if you have a lot of them............. i'd really appreciate it NuggetPorch said - "YES! YES!!!! Coaster its Faint, but its fucking there YOU see it!!! Perhaps we are both on some sort of unusual wave length associated with unusual neuro-transmitters, mind expansion white light, or something we can not even begin to understand or fathom to conceive because it is a gift of insight or a curse given to us by powers beyond our control, something we are not meant to know."
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Grylls



Registered: 10/15/07
Posts: 394
Loc: East of the Continental D...
Last seen: 1 year, 5 months
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change [Re: Siekoaktiv]
#7967824 - 02/02/08 08:06 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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If anything, the Salvia experience would have shown that kid that life is beautiful and is more valuable than ever before.
How could the medical examiner determine Salvia was in his body? Doesn't the Salvinorins leave immediately and become undetectable metabolites? Is it even possible to detect it period?
-------------------- Alone in the clouds all blue. Lying on an eiderdown. You can't see me, but I can you.
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Chemy
Jesus is Lord

Registered: 10/05/07
Posts: 6,276
Loc: A Church
Last seen: 14 years, 1 month
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change *DELETED* [Re: Grylls]
#7967931 - 02/02/08 09:05 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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Post deleted by ChemyReason for deletion: Reason for deleting?
-------------------- Alcoholics Anonymous Narcotics Anonymous Get help, help is free and available 24/7/365. God bless you all and I hope you receive the help you need to turn away from your lives of sin. Mushrooms and drugs make you gay, you can reverse this homosexual condition with rehab, get help! Stop being gay!
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Bridgeburner
Not spiritual at all.




Registered: 09/16/06
Posts: 20,010
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change [Re: Chemy]
#7967940 - 02/02/08 09:09 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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tolerance towards one illegal drug will branch into tolerance towards other drugs. it will not end with pot. i wouldn't worry about it. either drugs come here to stay legal forever or the current government will go. the two can't simultaneously co-exist, it seems.
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Grylls



Registered: 10/15/07
Posts: 394
Loc: East of the Continental D...
Last seen: 1 year, 5 months
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change [Re: Bridgeburner]
#7967987 - 02/02/08 09:42 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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Time to buy more plain leaf I guess...
-------------------- Alone in the clouds all blue. Lying on an eiderdown. You can't see me, but I can you.
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2859558484
Growery is Better



Registered: 01/10/06
Posts: 8,752
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change [Re: Grylls]
#7968021 - 02/02/08 09:56 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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Dude not everyone is the same, hallucinagens can wreak havock on certain minds. Not myself, im not saying psychedelics arent beautiful... ive never had a bad trip on good psychedelics but you have to realize they have the ability to fuck someones shit up real bad, to the point where they want to kill themselves. by nature these drugs have a different effects depending on that persons life experiences.
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Chemy
Jesus is Lord

Registered: 10/05/07
Posts: 6,276
Loc: A Church
Last seen: 14 years, 1 month
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change *DELETED* [Re: 2859558484]
#7968045 - 02/02/08 10:03 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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Post deleted by ChemyReason for deletion: Reason for deleting?
-------------------- Alcoholics Anonymous Narcotics Anonymous Get help, help is free and available 24/7/365. God bless you all and I hope you receive the help you need to turn away from your lives of sin. Mushrooms and drugs make you gay, you can reverse this homosexual condition with rehab, get help! Stop being gay!
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2859558484
Growery is Better



Registered: 01/10/06
Posts: 8,752
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change [Re: Chemy]
#7968128 - 02/02/08 10:33 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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im not sayin that they should be illegal, just that not everyone should be able to take them.
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rodfarva
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=====-----=-=-=-=-I



Registered: 07/31/07
Posts: 4,982
Last seen: 6 years, 10 months
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change [Re: Chemy]
#7968134 - 02/02/08 10:35 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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theres possible truth to the ghost thing, and that would make me drink..
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BlackPeace
Self proclaimed CEO



Registered: 11/18/07
Posts: 1,069
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 8 months, 22 days
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change [Re: truffleupagus]
#7968152 - 02/02/08 10:44 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
truffleupagus said: "According to news reports, a 17-year-old Delaware boy killed himself in 2006 after reportedly smoking the drug several times over a period of months, saying in a suicide note that the experience had convinced him life was pointless. A medical examiner eventually ruled Salvia use was a contributing factor to his death."
This is the first time I've heard this much about this particular case. Pretty sad. I'm not sure why salvia would convince anyone that life is pointless but umm... okay. The kid obviously had some stuff going on in his head beforehand.
If this guy is like me, he looked at the sky staring at the stars. After a couple on seconde, he understant that humain life is nothing in universe. Psychedelic like Salvia can make him "Feel" this fact. Some people like me don't care and want to enjoy life anyway. Some others get depressed about it when they really believe in it.
sad
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xpl0de
ḆËŦŦЯ_őƑ_Ŧwo ƹvïlz




Registered: 07/14/07
Posts: 2,213
Last seen: 3 years, 10 months
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change [Re: Bridgeburner]
#7968167 - 02/02/08 10:54 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
b0red5tiff said: i wouldn't worry about it. either drugs come here to stay legal forever or the current government will go. the two can't simultaneously co-exist, it seems.
indeed
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robbyberto
Water Boy


Registered: 05/11/06
Posts: 15,499
Loc: Netherlands
Last seen: 1 month, 4 days
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change [Re: 2859558484]
#7968181 - 02/02/08 10:58 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
wowitch17 said: im not sayin that they should be illegal, just that not everyone should be able to take them.
Are you simply talking about regulating it like alcohol or suggesting that certain people, regardless of age, shouldn't be allowed to consume certain psychoactive chemicals?
-------------------- “People say having kids is life changing, well that doesn’t necessarily mean a good thing, does it? I could take one of my legs off. That would change my life.” -Karl Pilkington
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pazzy
Always Hardcore


Registered: 08/24/07
Posts: 1,360
Last seen: 13 years, 2 months
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change [Re: robbyberto]
#7968873 - 02/02/08 02:00 PM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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I think I read that around 50% of people who commit suicide were under the influence of alcohol at the time of their death.
This is one isolated case and was probably due to depression more than anything else. People don't understand salvia so they are afraid of it, sad thing is this will probably be cited as a reason to make it illegal.
-------------------- Are you happy for a miracle?
Absolutely no source checks/discussions.
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Spiritual Seeker
Nothing Matters



Registered: 05/12/07
Posts: 507
Loc: UK
Last seen: 15 years, 4 months
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change [Re: pazzy]
#7969462 - 02/02/08 04:43 PM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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Life is kinda pointless. However i dont think i would kill myself if it was "Showed" to me.
Id most likley live my life doing what I wanted to. I dont know. I feel bad for the kid though
-------------------- "Nothing in the world is a gift. Whatever there is to learn has to be learned the hard way." -Don juan
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KrishnaDreamer
I bleed nicotine...


Registered: 09/23/07
Posts: 4,132
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Re: Hallucinogen is legal; that may change [Re: Spiritual Seeker]
#7971811 - 02/03/08 04:02 AM (15 years, 11 months ago) |
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anyone know how he killed himself?
-------------------- Everybody's a ninja...
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