The stuff tasted awful and the thick smoke was hard to take in.

I laid the glass pipe on the table and sat back into the couch. Within seconds, I began to feel dizzy and gravity seemed to pull me toward the floor. I laid my head back and let my mind wander.

I was drifting through nonsensical thoughts when someone asked me a question.

I opened my eyes and quickly remembered where I was, not entirely aware that I had forgotten. The question wasn’t supposed to be funny, but I started laughing — and couldn’t stop.

I was laughing hysterically while trying to describe the experience to my co-workers. I had hoped to not look stupid during this experiment, but it seemed unavoidable. I continued to babble until my giggling subsided and my head began to clear. The incident lasted less than six minutes. Within 20 minutes the effects had completely worn off, and I felt just as I had before.

This was my first experience smoking Salvia D — and it was completely legal.

Legal issues:

Salvia divinorum is a type of sage that grows in Central America. The Mazatec Indians have long used Salvia in healing and religious practices and consider the plant sacred. Shamans used the plant when they believed a patient’s illness could be diagnosed in the supernatural world. The cure would be found in the shaman’s vision. This is still practiced today.

Salvia has recently gained popularity in the United States as an intense and legal high.

YouTube has thousands of video uploads, with reactions ranging from hysterical laughter to hallucinations and, in some cases, a catatonic-like state. Though many of the people trying Salvia for the first time seem impressed, others on camera appear to be most entertained by watching.

Salvia D is banned in Germany, Finland, Japan and Norway. Although Salvia is not considered a controlled substance in the United States, some states including Florida, Illinois, Delaware

and Oklahoma have placed restrictions on the mind-altering herb.

A bill to nationally ban Salvia was introduced in 2002. The bill failed after Congress members received information from researchers who feared a ban would hurt research of the mysterious plant. Advocates warn that the legal status of Salvia is being threatened and could change in the near future.

Currently, the Drug Enforcement Administration intends to analyze Salvia to determine whether it should be considered a controlled substance, according to the DEA’s Web site.

All of this information can easily be found online. There are a number of Web sites either selling Salvia or advocating its use to achieve a heightened state of consciousness.

Salvia is legal in Washington state and can easily be found in smoke shops. Smoke shops in Washington state don’t allow minors into the store, due to the strict tobacco laws. However, there is no indication that Salvia itself has the same legal restrictions.

Potency:

The first stop in my Salvia search proved fruitful in a local smoke shop on Pacific Highway in Federal Way.

Displayed in a glass case among the discounted pipes were two varieties of Salvia D. Potency levels ranged from 10x to 60x, with prices starting from $19.99 plus tax. I pointed to the 10x while the sales clerk unlocked the case.

Will I do it again? I can’t say for sure. I have some left, but I’ve read that each time is different. Although laughter always feels good, the idea of hallucinating doesn’t interest me. Besides that, spending $20 on a five-minute buzz doesn’t seem like a smart move financially.

----

Brett’s Law

Brett’s Law is a name commonly given to a Delaware statute generally prohibiting use of the psychoactive herb Salvia divinorum. The law was sponsored by Delaware Sen. Karen Peterson, and signed into law three months after the death of teenager Brett Chidester. The law classifies Salvia divinorum as a Schedule I controlled substance, making possession, use or consumption of the drug punishable as a class B misdemeanor.

Brett Chidester committed suicide in January 2006. Chidester’s parents have argued that the herb played a major role in the teenager’s death.

Source: Wikipedia

Federal Way Mirror Reporter Beth Elliott can be reached at belliott@fedwaymirror.com or (253) 925-5565.

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