Salvia Divinorum

A friend recently told me about this little herb, Salvia Divinorum.

Its primary psychoactive constituent is ... salvinorin A.. unique in that it is the only naturally occurring substance known to induce a visionary state this way. Salvia divinorum can be chewed, smoked, or taken as a tincture to produce experiences ranging from uncontrollable laughter to much more intense and profoundly altered states. The duration is much shorter than for some other more well known psychedelics; the effects of smoked salvia typically last for only a few minutes. The most commonly reported after-effects include an increased feeling of insight and improved mood, and a sense of calmness and increased sense of connection with nature—though much less often it may also cause dysphoria (unpleasant or uncomfortable mood).[10] Salvia divinorum is not generally understood to be toxic or addictive. As a κ-opioid agonist, it may have potential as an analgesic and as therapy for drug addictions.

I'm not usually inclined to like or encourage any sort of drug or psychotropic, as I think they hinder more than help. However, they can be a useful tool for some people. (If you've read all Carlos Castaneda books, this may ring a bell.)

The point is, this is, as far as I can tell, a pretty harmless, non-addictive little plant and possibly beneficial to some people. It's not a party drug.

However, idiotic use (mainly by young air-heads) combined with hysterical media, parents and politicians are causing it to be outlawed. What will this cause? Create a black market, make it more likely for youngsters to want to experiment (and view it as a "party drug", regardless of its real effect and potential), send more people to jail for non-violent crimes... It just seems way worse than just leaving it alone.

If you think your spiritual path requires drugs, you should probably re-examine your life, but if you think it's necessary to outlaw every single mind-expanding substance or method, you should examine your head.

Arpie