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Salvia: Helpful or Harmful?
By News Desk | September 10, 2008
About a decade ago Salvia, the world’s most potent hallucinogenic herb, was only used in spiritual ways such as seeking revelation under the tutelage of Mazatec shamans in its native Oaxaca, Mexico. But today it is being widely experimented with by many people in the United States. Salvia is not illegal and can be purchased in some head shops and online, but many people want this to change.
Shown in research, Salvia has become twice as common as LSD and almost as popular as Ecstasy. The numbers are likely what is concerning many people but what they don’t understand is the effects of Salvia last not even ten minutes. Although there is no lasting affect such as LSD which can last anywhere from 10 hours to a full 24, the ‘trip’ is more intense and detailed in memory. Such as 27-year-old Christopher Lenzini of Dallas who took a hit of Salvia and thought he was on a boat with little green men and began laughing uncontrollably on the floor. This was filmed and put on youtube, many videos on youtube of Salvia usage is very popular. But these videos may work against their selves by giving people legal proof of what Salvia can do.
There have been links of death and Salvia use in the past. In 2006, Brett Chidester, 17, who was portrayed by his family as the model teenager committed suicide around the time that he was using Salvia regularly. On his file it was noted that Salvia contributed to his psychosis at the time of his death. I’m not sure I buy that Salvia caused him to believe “our existence in general is pointless.” Being a teenager myself I have met many straight ‘A’ students whose parents thought their child was extremely happy but in reality they suffered from severe depression. In the end the Delaware Legislature immediately banned salvia by passing a measure it called Brett’s Law, in remembrance of Brett Chidester.
Even though Saliva has in a way been linked to this tragedy there is virtually no records of ER cases involving Salvia nor are their claims of addiction. Also In 2002, Dr. Bryan Roth, now of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, discovered that Salvinorin A, can concentrate on a single receptor in the brain, the kappa opioid receptor. If the ‘psychedelic’ affects of Salvia could be blocked “there’s good evidence it could treat brain disorders including depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, maybe even HIV,” explained Roth.
I believe we as Americans have a bad habit of wanting to rid what isn’t familiar to us before we even study the affects and with Salvia the affects are over weighing on the helpful side and lacking on the harmful side. Its almost like Marijuana, we were hasty to ban it and later found its amounting medical benefits, such as helping with cancer and now even having antibacterial properties that might even defeat antibiotic-resistant germs like MRSA, which is something I almost lost my life to. I can only hope we open our minds so we can hopefully open our horizon of medical benefits before we ban yet another virtually harmless plant.
Story By: Yovia Blogger, Cortney Smith.
Topics: Discuss Amongst Yourselves |
September 10th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
There are no ER cases involving salvia because there are NO drug tests to detect it’s presence. Probably many cases have come up where docs, paramedics, emts, cops, etc. wondered “What the heck is wrong with this person!?!?!” There’s no way they would be able to figure it out, thus the luxury of using salvia.
And two FYI’s for you-any teen suffering from severe depression is not going to be able to do that in silence, with no outward effects, for very long. School grades would slip, friendships would fall apart, relationships with family members become strained, etc. There are the FACTS of teen depression, not suppositions, which you appear to be making here. Any parent who is the least bit involved with their kid would see these tell tale signs because they would pretty much be socking them in the face.
And you also appear to fall into the “regulation means no scientific research possible.” TOTAL BUNK!! All the salvia laws enacted allow for research to be done by professional scientists, not the idiot savants doing salvia in their basements.
September 10th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
oh man,
Salvia should be illegal because it falls under the category of hallucinogens which are illegal.
Try and keep that legal and youll have to legalize alot of drugs that would be horrible for society.
September 10th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
i think that Salvia is a good medicine for certain people…when it comes down to cancer or even the antibacterial problems…
But as far as banning this product?
Good luck , the taxes that they put on this herb
is too good , and the goverment is stackin up money on those who use this herb…i dont think it will changed
but i love this topic
very good!
September 10th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Steven:
There IS a test that can prove the use of salvia, but the affects of salvia would wear off by the time you even go to the to ER. dont tell me a teen cant suffer from depression and not hide it, that is the most ignorant statement ever, from personal experience and parents better than 90% out there, i am living breathing proof that teens can hide their feelings from their parents. were you EVER a teenager? or are you just that ohsowonderful parent that knows all? right.
“And you also appear to fall into the “regulation means no scientific research possible.” TOTAL BUNK!! All the salvia laws enacted allow for research to be done by professional scientists, not the idiot savants doing salvia in their basements.”
you proved yourself with that tid bit that you didnt really comprehend the article, move along no seriously, just move along.
September 11th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
IN RESPONSE TO MESSAGE #2:
I don’t think Salvia should be classed as a hallucinogenic because what it reveals IS really there (it’s just outside of normal perception). It’s in a class of its own and should remain legal.
November 20th, 2008 at 5:50 am
Great article and keep it all up! I added you court to facebook
November 26th, 2008 at 11:27 am
“If the ‘psychedelic’ affects of Salvia could be blocked “there’s good evidence it could treat brain disorders including depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, maybe even HIV,” explained Roth.”
What kind of doofus would want to block the psychedelic effects?