Parents: Watch out for Salvia!!!

JimHawkins · Post by **JimHawkins** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 11:25 am

Just thought I'd post a heads up..

Salvia is the latest in LEGAL drugs that are for sale in the USA..

It's a very dangerous drug IMO and causes the user to experience highly dissociative hallucinogenic effects similar to PCP or shrooms.

While the effects are not normally long lasting they can be severe and extremely debilitating..

This stuff is no joke and can cause folks to loose it. If used while driving IMO it would be worse than any of the other recreational drugs out there like pot or alcohol.

There also may be other side effects with excessive use such as depressing vital functions like BP and putting users at risk of death--but I have not seen any studies in this area.

This stuff should be controlled and folks, esp parents may wish to keep a look out and be aware of its easy and LEGAL access and it's rapidly growing popularity among young folks..

Here is a kid attempting to demo how the effects manifest while driving.. The video says it all and trust me he is NOT acting--imagine if he was already driving when he took his hit, or someone passed him a joint.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp2V6NXCkE0

TSDguy · Post by **TSDguy** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 11:42 am

Meh, it's been around for a long long time. There are an infinite number of ways to get high; there are probably dozens if not hundreds of substances in your house alone. Don't worry about specific moves-- er chemicals-- and just teach the principals.

JimHawkins · Post by **JimHawkins** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 11:47 am

TSDguy wrote:Meh, it's been around for a long long time. There are an infinite number of ways to get high; there are probably dozens if not hundreds of substances in your house alone. Don't worry about specific moves-- er chemicals-- and just teach the principals.

What part of the country are you in?

Are folks using this?

I haven't seen or heard of it until recently and the locals here seem to be just gearing up, finding a place as a fad drug. It's also gaining momentum on the net..

Dozens of things in the house that folks ain't smoking. If I were a parent I would want to know about this. It's effects are extremely severe and knowing about it could save a life.

TSDguy · Post by **TSDguy** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:15 pm

Boston. It's a well known hallucinogen, you can find out about it reading National Geographic or what not. Aside from the use by shamans for centuries, it's been popular in the US for as long as I can remember.

If your kids want to get high, they WILL get high. They'll go eat berries in your front yard or sniff markers. Worrying about specific plants is just worrying.

JimHawkins · Post by **JimHawkins** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:35 pm

TSDguy wrote:Boston. It's a well known hallucinogen, you can find out about it reading National Geographic or what not. Aside from the use by shamans for centuries, it's been popular in the US for as long as I can remember.

If your kids want to get high, they WILL get high. They'll go eat berries in your front yard or sniff markers. Worrying about specific plants is just worrying.

I would be interested to hear how parents feel about it....

But I would have to disagree with this minimization..

What do you plan to tell your kids about drugs?

"Just say no."

"Do whacha gotta do.."

Seems to me we need to educate and do so with specific info.

Do you think the effect of this drug is comparable to sniffing markers or the sniffing marker trend?

Is this a reasonable comparison?

Two points:

1. Casual use appears to be up as does interest.

2. Educating ourselves and kids/young folks about such a substance is not "worrying" it's empowerment.

TSDguy · Post by **TSDguy** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:01 pm

Well if you've never heard of salvia, there are probably a lot of substances I can let you on to to get you messed up. It's pretty much impossible to be educated about the various poisons and drugs that can get one high unless you're a pharmacist or chemist. We're talking hundreds of thousands of variants. Hell, even holding your breath will get you 'high'.

A better rule of thumb, in my opinion, is to explain the basic idea. There is all kinds of ##### that will get you high, but that usually involves doing something possibly irreparable to your brain that is not supposed to happen. I have no idea what salvia does to you from a medical standpoint, but I'm not going to go smoke some random chemical because I'm going to assume that will ##### me up. I don't drink windshield wiper fluid for the same reason. I have no idea what's in it or if it would hurt me, but I'm guessing I would feel pretty weird and/or die.

Jason Rees · Post by **Jason Rees** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:56 pm

Salvia comes from the plant, sage. It's been used as a hallucinogenic, among other things, 'forever.' Everything I would say on this has already been said. Teach your kids not to mess with stuff that their 'friends' tell them will get them 'high,' make them feel 'good,' or otherwise 'mess with your head.'

Do you think the effect of this drug is comparable to sniffing markers or the sniffing marker trend?

Its' use stems from the same basic behavioral trend. Same with the deadly inhalation of compressed air gasses. If you can innoculate your kids from doing one stupid thing, you can wipe out a slew of bad choices.

JimHawkins · Post by **JimHawkins** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:49 pm

As I said this particular drug is becoming more popular, yes even over sniffing glue--also the case in the media and on the net.. It's on the radar and should be.

Despite that, many folks don't know about it and what it is and probably would like to know about it--and pending legislation regarding it.

That means, yes, folks need to know--pretty simple.

It's up to parents what to tell their kids.

TSDguy · Post by **TSDguy** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:58 pm

We don't need legislation for banning various chemicals anymore than we need legislation banning various weapons. Like I said, if your kids insist getting high, there is NOTHING you can do to stop them. same as if you really want to kill someone, no one can stop you or you want to wage war on civilians, no one can do a damn thing to stop you. Every parent wants to think they can control their kids, but you can't, and it's counterproductive. Try to pass on your values instead.

Jason Rees · Post by **Jason Rees** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:29 pm

I'm confused as to how legislation is going to stop something like this. Some states still have laws on the books prohibiting swearing in front of women or children. I think a law against using sage in this manner would be about as effective as the anti-cursing laws.

Am I alone in thinking that if government is the answer, it's the wrong answer?

Glenn · Post by **Glenn** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:48 pm

Salvia is a genus of commonly-occurring plant species. This genus includes the common sage, which is used as a spice in cooking. Is there a specific species that is being used as a hallucinigen?

Legal control of a plant that is as widespread in the wild as sage would be difficult at best. As the site below details, various species of sgae have been used for a variety of medicinal purposes for centuries, most recently as a potential therapy for Alzheimer's patients:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia

Glenn · Post by **Glenn** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:56 pm

OK, the link below adds more detail to the issue. Apparently the species is question is Salvia divinorum which is native to Mexico and thus not found normally in the US. Apparently it is usually purchased online. These aspects would make legislation against it more attractive to states, as opposed to trying to control a common native plant that can be picked in any neighboring meadow. And apparently my current state of Nebraska is one of these states:
Psychotropic herb salvia may be illegalized in Nebraska

A new bill put before the Nebraska Legislature by Attorney General Jon Bruning could add Nebraska to a short list of states who have illegalized Salvia divinorum, a powerful psychotropic herb native to Mexico.

Known by its common name of salvia, the herb is readily available for purchase online, where prices range from $10 to $600 depending on the amount and potency.

Most salvia is consumed by either smoking or chewing the plant's leaves. Wayne Briner, a professor of psychology at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, said salvia's effects generally last for 15 to 20 minutes, and users often report laughter, loss of body identity and feelings of becoming an object.

"It's not known for producing auditory or visual hallucinations like LSD, and people who use it report feelings of insights and feeling connected with the universe," Briner said. Briner published a paper in 2003 documenting the health effects of salvia on mice and rats.

Briner's study found salvia isn't addictive and has almost no possibility of overdose. Briner said negative effects of salvia stem from users being unaware of their actions while high.

"In that way it's the same as any other intoxicating substance," Briner said.

The substance has recently become a popular legal alternative to other psychotropic drugs and has received increased attention from public officials and the media because of a large number of YouTube videos showing people high on salvia.

Leah Bucco-White, a spokesperson for Bruning's office, said the attorney general began working on the salvia bill after he saw the YouTube videos and heard about salvia use in Nebraska.

"It's definitely growing at a fast pace," Bucco-White said.

The bill would add salvia to the Nebraska Uniform Controlled Substances Act. Possessing salvia would be a Class IV felony with a penalty of five years in prison, while trafficking salvia would be a Class III felony punishable with as many as 20 years in prison

TSDguy · Post by **TSDguy** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:14 pm

People in office have such a brain-dead response to legislate everything. It's disgusting.

said the attorney general began working on the salvia bill after he saw the YouTube videos

That just makes me want to vomit. ##### off, government.

Glenn · Post by **Glenn** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:30 pm

Keep in mind that legislation does not operate in a vacuum. The writers of bills consult various sources, in this case the medical and legal professions, and get a sense of support for a bill before presenting anything to the floor. And legislating/controlling something that serves no beneficial purpose is not inherently bad. If the use of an altering substance is increasing because it is legal and easier to acquire than restricted altering substances, than it is reasonable to put some legal restrictions on it.

TSDguy · Post by **TSDguy** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:33 pm

Well, considering the COLOSSAL failure of the "war on drugs", I'm going to have to disagree. Drug use is higher than ever, and billions upon billions of dollars are being wasted. It's possibly the biggest failure in the history of the US government . We'll all be better off when it's over, and thankfully we're seeing signs that it is coming to a close every day. Soon marijuana will be legal, and with any luck, that will pave the way for getting rid of all government nonsense concerning ANY drug.

I'm seeing strong relationships between this and the idiot overbearing parents that sent their kids to catholic jr. high. Those same kids did coke behind the bookshelf in my english class.