Can Salvia Get You High?

A videotape of Miley Cyrus' 18th birthday celebration went viral on YouTube Monday. The teen is shown taking hits from a bong, a common way to inhale marijuana smoke. Her incoherence and giddiness in the video was also consistent with marijuana use. However, Cyrus' publicist claims that the substance was actually salvia, a hallucinogenic plant that is legal in California for those 18 and over.

What is salvia? It is a wild plant that originates in Mexico and has been used by Mexican shamans in rituals for centuries. Salvia is related to sage and mint and has psychoactive and hallucinogenic properties when its smoke is inhaled. Shamans used salvia much like peyote to bring about prophetic visions and divine knowledge. Salvia is also used in herbal medicine in low doses to treat headaches and anemia.

Salvia is a popular hallucinogenic in the United States, where it is legal to purchase in most states. It is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration or the DEA, although many health organizations have released warnings on the toxicity of the plant. Young teens favor salvia over other hallucinogens due to the ease with which they can source it. Several YouTube videos instruct users on how to smoke salvia and where to get it.

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, salvia produces a quick and short-lasting high that can appear within a minute and only last a half-hour or less. Hallucinations are often intense and can lead to psychosis-like states where the user is unable to interact with his or her external environment. This can make the situation dangerous if the user is operating a vehicle or is in an unsafe public location. Because it is an "underground" drug and not in the crosshairs of the regulatory agencies, the long-term effects of chronic salvia usage are unknown.

If Miley Cyrus was smoking salvia in the bong, she will not be subject to charges, as it is legal in California. Marijuana use is still illegal in the state, however, and there may be further inquiries by police into the incident.

Sources:

Miley Cyrus' Bong Fires Up Salvia Ban Movement
Miley Cyrus Bong Said to Contain Salvia