What is Salvia Divinorum?

It would appear that a powerful hallucinogen called salvia divinorum is gaining popularity. This is a herb grown in Mexico which has green leaves along with white and purple flowers. The effects of this herb are very intense and those who have used it report feelings of disassociation, distortion of reality and feelings of what appears to be a heightened sense of awareness.

This herb is actually legal in some states but there are some who are trying to have its use prohibited and banned. The chemical within this herb is Salvinorin A which creates the hallucinogen effect. Even though the experiences are very intense they don't appear to last very long. As far as time is concerned it does not appear that it takes much time for the effects to start no matter how it is consumed.

It can be distributed in several forms including seeds, leaves or as a liquid extract. When someone chews the leaves it only takes several minutes to receive some type of sensation or intense feeling. The effects happen even faster if the dried leaves are smoked in a manner similar to smoking a joint. In this form you can feel the effects in less than a minute. .

What you perceive to be reality is completely distorted. Under no circumstances should someone attempt to drive a vehicle or operate any type of machinery while they are under the influence of this herb.

It's really getting wide spread use and attention in the United States. Its popularity appears to be picking up among students between the ages of 18 to 25. Videos are being played on the internet, which detail the experiences some users have had. In the videos you see some young adults flailing their arms uncontrollably and others appear to pass out from the effects. These videos are gaining popularity with a huge number of visitors tuning in to see what all of the hoopla is about.

In addition to students it appears that those who have a philosophical outlook on life are consuming the herb as well.

No one seems to know if there will be any type of long term damaging effects but what is known is the fact that the short term effects are intense enough. It's easy to see why some states are trying to put a stop to its usage. Time will tell how it all works out. When you look at the internet exposure it's receiving one can only imagine that the percentage of young adults that attempt to experiment with and use this herb is only going to increase.

Source: http://www.salviacenter.com/

Source: http://www.webmd.com/news/20080627/salvia-drug-du-jour-for-some-teens

Source: http://teenhealth.about.com/od/substanceuse/a/salvia.htm