It's been almost 50 years since a generation of young people were urged to "turn on and tune out" with the aid of psychedelic drugs. But at least one hallucinogenic drug remains legal and widely available -- and it's become popular with today's teenagers.
The drug, an herb called Salvia divinorum, is not new. Historically, it was used by the Mazatec Indians in Oaxaca, Mexico, for religious or healing rituals. But now high school and college students are using salvia for a brief psychedelic high, a trend well documented on YouTube and teen websites in the last few months.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and California state legislators are grappling with the question of what to do. The potentially dangerous herb is offered for sale on websites and at tobacco and smoke shops, head shops and botanical stores, but little is known about the effect of the drug on health and safety, the extent of its use or if it has begun to filter into the culture of younger teens.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Tuesday, April 29, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 44 words Type of Material: Correction
Salvia divinorum: An article in Monday's Health section about the hallucinogenic herb Salvia divinorum referred to a slogan for the use of psychedelic drugs as "Turn on and tune out." The slogan, coined by Timothy Leary, is "Turn on, tune in and drop out."
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Monday, May 05, 2008 Home Edition Health Part F Page 5 Features Desk 1 inches; 46 words Type of Material: Correction
Salvia divinorum: An April 28 Health section article about the hallucinogenic herb Salvia divinorum incorrectly referred to a slogan for the use of psychedelic drugs as "Turn on and tune out." The correct slogan, coined by Timothy Leary, is "Turn on, tune in and drop out."
Some researchers worry that attempts to make salvia illegal or designate it as a controlled substance may thwart studies into the drug's healing properties.
"We have people getting intoxicated on it, and there have been injuries," says Dr. John Mendelson, a senior scientist on addiction pharmacology at California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute in San Francisco. "But scheduling the drug as a narcotic is playing a big, big hand. If you're caught with it, you go to jail. Are we really interested, at this juncture, in making the drug illegal through this mechanism?"
Salvia divinorum is an inauspicious-looking member of the mint family and is one of many species of salvia, also known as sage, some of which are common garden plants in hot, dry climates. (Salvia divinorum itself is not a popular garden plant because it is not considered decorative.) Salvia divinorum contains a chemical, salvinorin A, that causes hallucinations. The dried leaves or concentrated extract, which is often sold as incense, are smoked or chewed and produce a high lasting from less than a minute to about a half-hour. Users report distorted senses, an out-of-body feeling and losing control over their body movements.
