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Salvia Divinorum

NCJ Number
201084
Date Published
April 2003
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This report provides background and abuse information on Salvia divinorum (S. divinorum), a plant that contains the hallucinogen Salvinorin A, as well as information on its availability, efforts to regulate it under Federal law, and the outlook for its abuse and regulation.
Abstract
S. divinorum is a perennial herb in the mint family that resembles sage. The plant is native to certain areas of the Sierra Mazateca region of Oaxaca, Mexico, but it can be grown in any humid, semitropical climate as well as indoors. Within the United States, the plant is cultivated primarily in California and Hawaii. Salvinorin A is the active component of S. divinorum. Abusers ingest Salvia divinorum by using various methods of administration. Like tobacco, it can be smoked or chewed. It can also be brewed and ingested as a tea. Immediately after ingesting the drug, abusers typically experience vivid hallucinations, including out-of-body experiences, sensations of traveling through time and space, and feelings of merging with inanimate objects. Some abusers experience intense synesthesia, an effect that causes the abuser's senses to become confused. The long-term effects of S. divinorum abuse are unknown, since medical studies have focused only on short-term effects. Long-term effects may be similar to those produced by other hallucinogens such as LSD, including depression and schizophrenia. S. divinorum is most often distributed via the Internet and at some "head shops" in California, Hawaii, Missouri, New York, Washington State, and Wisconsin. The distribution and abuse of S. divinorum are becoming an increasing concern for law enforcement officials in the Northeast, Midwest, and Pacific regions of the country. Neither Salvia divinorum nor Salvinorin A is federally regulated in the United States or controlled in any other country except Australia. HR 5607 (the Hallucinogen Control Act of 2002), introduced in Congress on October 10, 2002, contains provisions to regulate S. divinorum and Salvinorin A. The bill was not acted upon when the 107th Congress adjourned, but is expected to be reintroduced during the current session. Increasing numbers of young adults and adolescents are likely to experiment with S. divinorum, since the drug is currently unregulated and readily available. Proposed Federal legislation to control S. divinorum and Salvinorin A may impact its availability. 9 references