SALVIA DIVINORUM BASICS

Salvia Divinorum botany

Salvia Divinorum is a species of sage (the genus Salvia). There are approximately 1000 species of sage worldwide, but Salvia Divinorum is the only vision-inducing species known. Salvia is a member of a very large family of plants known as the Labiatae. Because mint is a well-known member of this family, Salvia Divinorum is sometimes referred to as the mint family. Salvia Divinorum makes a beautiful house plant, and it can be grown just for that reason, but most people who grow Salvia Divinorum are interested in its fascinating psychoactive effects.

Salvia Divinorum tradition

The name Salvia Divinorum means "Sage of the Diviners". Under the right conditions, taken in the right way, Salvia produces a unique state of "divine inebriation". For hundreds of years, Salvia Divinorum has been used in religious and healing ceremonies by the Mazatec Indians, who live in the province of Oaxaca, in Mexico.

Salvia Divinorum legality

At present (jume, 2003), neither Salvia Divinorum nor its active principal, salvinorin A, are controlled substances in most countries. Exceptions: Australia and Norway. Salvia Divinorum is completely legal to grow, buy, and sell. In the near future Salvia Divinorum will be a scheduled drug (read: illegal drug!) in the US. The DEA considers Salvia Divinorum as a 'drug of concern'.

Salvia Divinorum effects

The effects of Salvia are very different from those of alcohol; but like alcohol Salvia Divinorum impairs your ability to drive and decreases your coordination. Driving under the influence of Salvia would be extremely dangerous and
could prove deadly.

Salvia Divinorum is unique

In many ways Salvia Divinorum is in a class by itself. No other herb or drug, is really very much like it. It is misleading to compare Salvia Divinorum to other psychoactive substances. Salvia is not "legal pot". Salvia Divinorum is not "legal acid". Salvia is Salvia. Salvia Divinorum is a truly unique visionary herb. Salvia leaf is physically quite safe. It is very gentle on the body. No one has ever died from a Salvia overdose. Salvia is not a stimulant, Salvia Divinorum is not a sedative, Salvia Divinorum is not a narcotic, Salvia Divinorum is not a tranquilizer. Like many entheogens, Salvia Divinorum can induce visions, yet it is quite different from other entheogens. No one knows how salvinorin works in the brain. We do know Salvia Divinorum works differently than any other known substance.

Active compounds of Salvia Divinorum

Salvia contains a chemical substance called salvinorin A (often referred to just as salvinorin). Salvinorin is responsible for Salvia's mind-altering effects. It is not chemically related to any other psychoactive drug. Unlike most visionary compounds, it is not an alkaloid. Although it is not habit forming, pure salvinorin is extremely strong. Doses of only several hundred micrograms (millionths of a gram) will have an effect, and doses above 1 milligram (1/1000 of a gram) are too much for most people to handle comfortably. Fortunately, Salvia leaf is hundreds of times weaker than pure salvinorin; therefore, Salvia leaf can be used much more safely than pure salvinorin.