Is Salvia the New Recreational Drug?

One of the newer products to hit the recreational drug market is Salvia Divinorum, better known as Salvia. It has only garnered attention recently because of its psychedelic effects, but much to the surprise of many, it is still legal in this country.

Salvia is a psychoactive plant that can induce dissociate effects when smoked or ingested. Recreational use is on the rise, especially among high school and college-aged adolescents. It can be smoked out of a pipe, but is more preferably smoked from a water pipe, as the water has the ability to cool the smoke before inhaling it.

History and Medicine

Salvia was first recorded in academic history in 1939. Jean Basset Johnson was studying ancient shamanism within Aztec and Mazatec tribes. Botanists have been unable to tell whether it is a natural hybrid of two plants, or a cultigen, which is the result of human interference.

Traditional uses can be traced back to divination and healing. It was especially common in spiritual healing sessions, as it is believed to bring the user closer to the spirit world. Healers would generally crush up to eighty leaves at a time and mix the extracted juices with water to make a tea-like drink. It is unclear exactly where the drug originated from, but it is native to areas of Oaxaca, Mexico. While research and testing on the drug are both extremely limited, it is hoped to have some positive medical uses. It has potential as an analgesic, as well as a possible tool for treating severe drug addictions.

Short and Long Term Effects

The effects of salvia are psychedelic and hallucinogenic. The feeling is incredibly intense and only last a few minutes in duration. Videos and reports state that users feel an overwhelming calmness, a strong connection with nature, improved mood, and sensations of insight. While the drug is considered a hallucinogenic, the effects do not appear to last long enough for the mind to take the user to the same place as other drugs such as LSD.

There are many people who use Salvia in a completely different manner. While it does have psychedelic effects, some use it strictly for a spiritual experience, and do not behave in the same manner as those in the Salvia trip videos you can find all over the Internet.

The drug has only been widely available since the early nineties, so there has not been the opportunity to research long-term effects. There has been one case of Salvia being a catalyst for psychosis. It was suspected that the patient was predisposed to schizophrenia, yet the mind-altering substance may have sped up the onset, or increased the severity of the disorder.

Users report no hangover from the substance, which is consistent with the low toxicity level found in Salvia, according to a study done at the University of Nebraska. Studies have reported feelings similar to those of anti-depressants for up to 24-hours after use. Tests on rats show a possibility of long-term depression resulting from extensive use.

Popularity and the Law

Salvia’s popularity has increased greatly over the past decade or so, as the availability to find, sell and distribute the drug has increased tenfold with the help of the Internet. Seeds, leaves, and plants can be bought over the Internet through various sources for prices around the same as marijuana. A gram of 10x strength Salvia will only set you back about ten dollars. Since the effects last only a fraction of the time of weed, some may consider this significantly more expensive.

There have not been any reports of specific dangers associated with Salvia, but concerns for safety, as with any drug, are increasing. The fear stands that users under the influence can cause extreme danger behind the wheel of a car, to themselves and others. Additionally, it is believed that users would be unable to protect themselves in some situations, such as if they were to fall into a pool while high. While medical professionals and emergency room professionals have not reported any excess of drug-related injuries, nor have police mentioned the drug’s relevance to an increase in public order offenses.

One of the main reasons Salvia became so popular is due to social media attention by way of videos posted on YouTube. There are hundreds of videos of people behaving under the influence of Salvia, which not only increased awareness about the intensity of the drug, but also increased the attractiveness to potential users.

It is currently legal in the United States, but some states, such as Florida, have made possession or sale of Salvia a felony. It is uncertain what the future holds for Salvia as a recreational drug or as a spiritual experience, but the media as well as YouTube videos can only speed up its demise.

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This entry was posted on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 10:09 am and is filed under Uncategorized . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.