"We're simply asking that we apply the same standard to salvia that we apply to cigarettes," he says.
The bill will be discussed Tuesday in a hearing of the Senate Public Safety Committee.
The bill is opposed by the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, a statewide organization of criminal defense lawyers, which is against outlawing salvia until more data can be collected about its effects.
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."
"There appears to be no scientific basis for this to be deemed a crime and for people to be put in custody and lose their liberty because of it," says Jeffrey R. Stein, an attorney in San Luis Obispo and spokesman for the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice on the proposed salvia legislation. "We think creating new crimes should be done in a serious-minded and justifiable way."
At least four states -- Delaware, Missouri, North Dakota and Illinois -- have already outlawed salvia. Meanwhile, the DEA lists salvia as a drug of concern and is "in the process" of looking into the drug to determine whether it should be declared a controlled substance, says Rogene Waite of the DEA's public affairs office.
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Herb's healing potential
Most people involved in the debate agree that more information is needed about the drug. But the few attempts to better understand salvia have been part of research on its potential as a therapeutic.
The drug is unique in that it acts on kappa-opioid receptors, cell proteins that bind to specific molecules, which are widely distributed throughout the body, Mendelson says. The function of kappa-opioid receptors is generally not well understood, but medications that activate or block them could have therapeutic effects. Animal studies indicate substances that activate this receptor may block pain without the addictive effects caused by opiates. Some researchers suggest that such compounds could be used to treat opioid dependence and appear to have some antidepressant effects.
Mendelson has received funding from the National Institutes of Health to study similar psychoactive compounds, such as Ecstasy. In an Internet survey of 500 salvia users published in 2004 in the journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, he found a low potential for abuse or dependence but noted that 4.4% of users reported negative effects, usually anxiety, lasting up to 24 hours after taking the drug.
The downside of making the drug illegal is that the substance may then be much less attractive to pharmaceutical companies, Mendelson says. "This is a very fertile area of research and it would be foolish to cut off pathways of commercial development with unthinking legislation."
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shari.roan@latimes.com
