Salvia banned?
Time is running out for Salvia. More and more states are starting to legislate – or to consider legislating – against the hallucinogen that is more potent than some forms of marijuana. Salvia is currently legal in more U.S. states than those which have banned it or regulated its use and the substance is widely available on the Internet and in its native Mexico.
Salvia is claimed to be relatively harmless (which explains the somewhat lackluster and lethargic approach by the legislators) alternative to marijuana, PCP and LCD; certainly its hour-long effects do not seem to cause as much strain on the body and mind as those of these other drugs. Naturally whether Salvia is harmful or not doesn’t really come into the equation when we’re talking about possible legislative measures: only perception and political points.
Mike Strain was the leading light in Louisiana’s battle to ban Salvia, making it the first state to do so. He claims the move has largely been a seen in a positive light, with only a few hardcore Salvia advocates wishing him moderate ill-will. This, he says, is an inevitable part of his job.