Most people have never heard of it, much less used it.It’s a substance I contest is infinitely less toxic than 30 minutes in front of the tube. It’s more enlightening than CNN or FOX News, more entertaining than MTV or ESPN and less addicting and threatening than alcohol or nicotine.It’s available for purchase online and in stores, and until recently it was only used by native shamans of the Mexican wilderness as a means of inducing spiritual revelation.This herb, known as salvia divinorum, is not intended for recreational use like marijuana, nicotine or alcohol. It’s different from other drugs and it’s not appealing to many — if not most — people. This is not for minors, or the elderly — indeed, it’s not for many.Some fabricate the myth that salvia is more potent than LSD or DMT, which is complete and utter nonsense. Both their affects and their durations are drastically different. It’s unlike any drug.An overdose and salvia consumption that leads directly to death are very unlikely for many reasons, namely because the depth of the herb’s peak makes use in massive quantities very improbable.Salvia is not addictive or toxic. It’s not a catalyst for festive conduct, nor an agent for sleep or pain relief. The intensity of the substance alone can serve as a buffer from chronic use or abuse, according to a recent New York Times article.Even the Department of Justice admitted in 2003 that salvia “is unlikely ever to become a party drug,” as evidenced by The New York Times.Salvia can be smoked, chewed or consumed in a tincture, each resulting in varying degrees of duration and consequence. Effects can last from 5-30 minutes and include, but aren’t limited to, increased insight and connection with nature, better moods, calmness and uncontrollable laughter. Caution: If you consume this substance you will float, merge with the couch, hallucinate, travel through time and lose your body all at the same time.However, should a student opt to try salvia it’s important to understand, to the best of his or her ability, the affects of salvia before using it. For more information visit Daniel Siebert’s Web site at www.sagewidsom.com.Here are some of the main points to be aware of when using: Don’t smoke alone or in public, but in the comfort of your own home with a few trusted friends. Don’t drive or congregate with children because someone will die. Don’t mistake it as a substitute for alcohol or any other drug, including LSD or marijuana. Find a trusted “sitter” to monitor your and environment at all times to prevent injury.This last point is the most important. First time users, and even experienced users, should find sitters.Medical and law enforcement officials rarely report cases involving salvia because it’s use is limited, if not rare, and the causes of salvia-related crimes and injuries are often uncertain. When used responsibly, salvia results in a peak that lasts up to a few minutes at most and can hardly have any bearing on serious decision-making. There are no known long-term effects. Bryan Roth, director of the Psychoactive Drug Screening Program for the National Institute of Mental Health, suggested salvia may also play a role in the future of medicine. Roth said in a 2006 USA Today article the salvia plant targets a single chemical receptor in brain cells that is involved in consciousness and perception and is located in neurons that function in depression, drug abuse and schizophrenia.The study of salvia has the potential to impact all these areas.Why then, is there such a large push to get salvia banned? As usual, the mainstream media is the culprit at large, responsible for shaping public opinion.Congressional opponents have failed to criminalize it at the federal level, but the Drug Enforcement Administration is currently considering the risks and medical benefits of salvia in an effort to determine its place on the list of controlled substances.Louisiana was the first state and so far one of the only states to impose Schedule I classification, in essence banning a potential medical breakthrough. But it is legal to possess the plant, as long as it’s not intended for consumption.In August 2005, former Gov. Kathleen Blanco signed Act No. 159 into law, thereby criminalizing the possession, manufacture and distribution of salvia divinorum. Penalties carry sentences of up to 10 years and a $20,000 fine. No state senators or representatives opposed the bill prior to executive approval.As a result of the actions of our legislators, students looking for this substance are forced to commute to neighboring states to find enlightenment. A few jackasses abusing salvia on YouTube.com is hardly reason enough to ban a substance with the potential to have a positive impact on drug addiction, depression, schizophrenia, chronic pain, AIDS and HIV.—-contact Daniel Lumetta at [email protected]