# Salvia **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 24, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salvia/183928 "2003-06-24T02:48:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JAPrufrock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@JAPrufrock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JAPrufrock)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salvia/183928/1 "2003-06-24T02:48:36Z")
I heard about this new (well, I guess it’s actually a very old) drug called Salvia. I did some research on the 'Net, and some sites promise a hallocanigenic high, while others claim it has a minimal and brief effect. The drug’s legal pretty much everywhere except Australia, but lawmakers in the States are currently trying to ban its sale. Anyhow, anyone out there ever try it? What’s it like? What are the health risks, aside from the obvious harm that can come from inhaling any type of smoke. I’m interested in hearing someone’s factual, first-hand experience…not rhetoric (positive or negative). Thanks:) ---
**Author:** ![Hayduke\_Lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Hayduke\_Lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hayduke_Lives)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salvia/183928/2 "2003-06-24T03:14:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JAPrufrock \* > \*\*I did some research \*\* But did you use the SEARCH function here? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salvia/183928/3 "2003-06-24T03:26:09Z")
[Erowid](http://www.erowid.org/plants/salvia/salvia.shtml) has lots of factual, first-hand experiences. Including how some people weren’t able to get the full effect at first, and how they achieved “breakthrough.” Its effects can be extremely mindblowing, but the peak effects last for only about 5 minutes or so. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salvia/183928/4 "2003-06-24T03:56:45Z")
[List of Firms Receiving Warning Letters for Marketing Illegal Street Drug Alternatives](http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/ephedra/streetalternatives.html) [Poisonous Plants Database](http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~djw/plantnam.html) The FDA is certainly attempting to scare people, yet they haven’t issued an outright ban, yet. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salvia/183928/5 "2003-06-24T12:14:05Z")
**Hayduke Lives!!** , I did use the search function here for _Salvia_ once, and found that there’s been relatively little discussion about it here so far. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salvia/183928/6 "2003-06-24T12:25:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jomo Mojo \* > \*\*\*\*Hayduke Lives!!\*\*, I did use the search function here for _Salvia_ once, and found that there’s been relatively little discussion about it here so far. \*\* [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=164027](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=164027) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=151947](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=151947) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=140644](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=140644) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=136273](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=136273) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=105806](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=105806) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=77366](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=77366) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54264](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54264) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=50900](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=50900) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=74741](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=74741) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=47188](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=47188) It’s been covered and covered and covered. It’s very powerful and not very fun. DMT is better. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salvia/183928/7 "2003-06-24T12:28:12Z")
Well, some people like it. ---
**Author:** ![chukhung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salvia/183928/8 "2003-06-24T14:31:17Z")
A recent article about salvia appeared in USA Today. Apparently the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency is becoming interested in it. An online version of the article is here, [http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/usatoday/20030623/ts\_usatoday/5265277](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/usatoday/20030623/ts_usatoday/5265277) > [@](#): > > ‘‘It’s not like this substance [salvia divinorum] is overtaking the streets of America, but I could see it becoming a problem as it becomes more available,’’ said Sgt. Rick Gerger, a detective in St. Peters[, Missouri]. > > The Drug Enforcement Administration agrees and is collecting information about the herb’s active ingredients as the first step toward seeking to have it declared an illegal controlled substance. > … > ‘‘It could never become popular like marijuana or Ecstasy,’’ [Daniel] Siebert [who sells salvia over the Internet] said. ‘‘The effects are not desirable for recreational drug users. It’s not something that is fun. It’s more of an existential ordeal.’’ ---
**Author:** ![Lucki\_Chaarms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lucki\_Chaarms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucki_Chaarms)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salvia/183928/9 "2003-06-24T14:35:40Z")
They sell it in local headshops here, so I think it’s becoming something that people know about/are asking for… Anyway, I’ve always been to cheap to shell out for the concentrated versions, and the one time I bought some of the raw leaf, I got a whole lot of nothing. And then there was one time where for like one minute everything looked weird and I couldn’t stop laughing. It wasn’t scary or anything, but it wasn’t fun. Basically it’s more expensive and less effective than lots of… well known alternatives ;). LC