Comprehensive Guide to Salvia

[rex8000]

Very informative guide on effects, usage, history, controversy involving Salvia; so if you're curious and would like to learn more about it, this is the place to start. Includes good links to wikipedia articles and such. (Download PDF for links)

Salvia Divinorum

Salvia divinorum, also known as Diviner’s Sage, ska María Pastora, or simply by
the genus name Salvia, is a psychoactive herb which can induce strong dissociative
effects. It is a member of the sage genus and the Lamiaceae (mint) family. The Latin
name Salvia divinorum literally translates to “sage of the seers”.

Salvia divinorum has a long and continuing tradition of religious use as an entheogen by
indigenous Mazatec shamans, who use it to facilitate visionary states of consciousness
during spiritual healing sessions. The plant is found in isolated, shaded, and moist plots
in Oaxaca, Mexico. It grows to well over a meter in height. It has hollow square stems,
large green leaves, and occasional white and purple flowers. It is thought to be a
cultigen.

Its primary psychoactive constituent is a diterpenoid known as salvinorin A, which is
a potent κ-opioid receptor agonist. Salvinorin A is 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 laughter to
much more intense and profoundly altered states. The duration of effects is much shorter
than that of other, more well-known psychoactive compounds; the effects of smoked
Salvia typically last for only a few minutes. The most commonly reported after-effects
include an increased feeling of insight, an improved mood, a sense of calmness, and an
increased sense of connection with nature—though, much less often, it may also cause
dysphoria (unpleasant or uncomfortable mood). Salvia divinorum is not generally
understood to be toxic or addictive, and as a κ-opioid agonist, it may have potential as an
analgesic and as a therapeutic tool for treating drug addictions.
Salvia divinorum is native to certain areas of the Sierra Mazateca in Oaxaca, Mexico,
where it is still used by the Mazatec. While it is primarily taken to facilitate shamanic
visions in the context of curing or divination, it is also used remedially at lower dosages.
For example, it is prescribed as a diuretic and to treat ailments including diarrhea,
anemia, headaches, rheumatism, and a semi-magical disease known as panzón de
borrego, or a swollen belly (literally, “lamb belly”). Salvia divinorum was first
recorded in print by Jean Basset Johnson in 1939 while he was studying Mazatec
shamanism. He later documented its usage and reported its effects through personal
testimonials. It was not until the 1990s that the psychoactive mechanism was identified
by a team led by Daniel Siebert.

The history of the plant is not well known, but there are three possibilities as to its origin.
Since it is found in one small area and only one indigenous group uses it, it is either
native to this area, is a cultigen of the Mazatecs, or is a cultigen of another indigenous
group.

Flowering Salvia divinorum

Gordon Wasson tentatively postulated that the plant could be the mythological
pipiltzintzintli, the “Noble Prince” of the Aztec codices. Wasson’s speculation has
been the subject of further debate amongst ethnobotanists, with some scepticism coming
from Leander J. Valdés, and counterpoints more supportive of Wasson’s theory from
Jonathan Ott.

The identity of another mysterious Aztec entheogen, namely that of poyomatli, has also
been suggested as being Salvia divinorum. Here too there are other candidate plants,
notably Cacahuaxochitl (Quararibea funebris), again suggesting that there is no overall
consensus.

Salvia divinorum has become both increasingly well-known and available in modern
culture. The rise of the Internet since the 1990s has allowed for the growth of many
businesses selling live salvia plants, dried leaves, extracts, and other preparations.
Medical experts as well as accident and emergency rooms have not been reporting cases
that suggest particular salvia-related health concerns, and police have not been reporting
it as a significant issue with regard to public order offences. Despite this, Salvia
divinorum has attracted heightened negative attention lately from the media and some
lawmakers.

Media stories generally raise alarms over salvia’s legal status in some places and are
sometimes headlined with scientifically ill-founded comparisons to LSD or other
psychoactive substances. Parental concerns are raised by focusing on salvia’s usage by
younger teens—the emergence of YouTube videos purporting to depict its use being an
area of particular concern in this respect. The isolated and controversial case of Brett
Chidester, a 17-year-old Delaware student who purchased salvia some four months prior
to committing suicide in January 2006, has received continued media attention. Salvia
divinorum remains legal in most countries and, within the United States, is legal in the
majority of states. However, some have called for its prohibition. Most proposed bills
have not been made into law, with motions having been voted down in committee, failed,
died, or otherwise stalled. There exist more recent bills that are currently still in the early
proposal stage, however. Thus far, there have not been many publicised prosecutions of
individuals violating anti-salvia laws in the few countries and states in which it has been
made illegal.

Traditional methods (Consumption)

Mazatec shamans crush the leaves to extract leaf juices from about 20 (about 50g) to 80
(about 200g) or more fresh leaves. They usually mix these juices with water to create an
infusion or ‘tea’ which they drink to induce visions in ritual healing ceremonies.
Modern methods

About quarter gram of 5x to progressively half a gram of a 25x Salvia divinorum extract.
Salvia divinorum is becoming more widely known and used in modern culture. The
National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual US based survey sponsored by the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), for 2006
estimated that about 1.8 million persons aged 12 or older had used Salvia divinorum in
their lifetime, of which approximately 750,000 had done so in that year. Modern
methods of ingestion include smoking or chewing the leaf, or using a tincture, as
described in the following sections.
Smoking

A bowl of salvia divinorum.

Dry leaves can be smoked in a pipe, but most users prefer the use of a water pipe to cool
the smoke. The temperature required to release salvinorin from the plant material is
quite high (about 240°C). A regular flame will work, but the direct application of
something more intense, such as the flame produced from a butane torch lighter, is often
preferred.

Many people find that untreated dried salvia leaf produces unnoticeable or only light
effects. More concentrated preparations or extracts, which may be smoked instead of
natural strength leaves, have become widely available. The enhanced leaf is often
described by a number followed by an x (such as “5x,” “10x,” etc). The multiplication
factors are generally indicative of the relative amounts of leaf used in preparation. The
numbers therefore may also be roughly indicative of the relative concentration of the
active principle salvinorin A, but the measure should not be taken as absolute. Potency
will depend on the naturally varying strength of the untreated leaf used in preparing the
extract, as well as the efficiency of the extraction process itself. Extracts reduce the
overall amount of smoke that needs to be inhaled, thus facilitating more powerful
experiences.

Chewing

The method of chewing the leaves may also be employed. However, salvinorin A is
generally considered to be inactive when orally ingested, as the chemical is effectively
deactivated by the gastrointestinal system. Therefore, the ‘quid’ of leaves is held in the
mouth as long as possible in order to facilitate absorption of the active constituents
through the oral mucosa. Chewing consumes more of the plant than smoking, and
produces a longer-lasting experience.

Using a tincture

Less commonly, some may ingest salvia in the form of a tincture. This is administered
sublingually, usually with the aid of a glass dropper. It may be taken diluted with water
just before use, which may slightly reduce the intensity of its effects, but can also serve to
lessen or avoid a stinging sensation in the mouth caused by the presence of alcohol.
Tinctures vary in potency, and the effects can range from inducing a mild meditative state
to bringing about a more intense visionary one.

Duration of effect

If salvia is smoked the main effects are experienced quickly. The most intense ‘peak’ is
reached within a minute or so and lasts for about 1-5 minutes, followed by a gradual
tapering back. At 5-10 minutes, less intense yet still noticeable effects typically persist,
but giving way to a returning sense of the everyday and familiar until back to
recognizable baseline after about 15 to 20 minutes.

Chewing the leaf makes the effects come on more slowly, over a period of 10 to 20
minutes, the experience then lasting from another 30 minutes up to one and a half
hours.

When taken as a tincture the effects and duration are similar to other methods of oral
ingestion, though may be significantly more intense, depending on the potency of the
extract.

Immediate effects

Psychedelic experiences are necessarily somewhat subjective and variations in reported
effects are to be expected. Aside from individual reported experiences there has been a
limited amount of published work summarising the effects. D.M. Turner’s book
“Salvinorin—The Psychedelic Essence of Salvia Divinorum” quotes Daniel Siebert’s
summarisation, mentioning that the effects may include:

· Uncontrollable laughter
· Past memories, such as revisiting places from childhood memory
· Sensations of motion, or being pulled or twisted by forces
· Visions of membranes, films and various two-dimensional surfaces
· Merging with or becoming objects
· Overlapping realities, such as the perception of being in several locations at once

A survey of salvia users found that 38% described the effects as unique. 23% said the
effects were like yoga, meditation or trance.

Media reporters rarely venture to take salvia themselves, but one firsthand journalistic
account has been published in the UK science magazine New Scientist:
“ the salvia took me on a consciousness-expanding journey unlike any other I have ever
experienced. My body felt disconnected from ‘me’ and objects and people appeared
cartoonish, surreal and marvellous. Then, as suddenly as it had began, it was over. The
visions vanished and I was back in my bedroom. I spoke to my ‘sitter’—the friend who
was watching over me, as recommended on the packaging—but my mouth was awkward
and clumsy. When I attempted to stand my coordination was off. Within a couple of
minutes, however, I was fine and clear-headed, though dripping with sweat. The whole
experience had lasted less than 5 minutes.”
Gaia 2006-09-29 (UK Media)

There have been few books published on the subject. One notable example is Dale
Pendell’s work “Phamako/Poeia—Plants Powers, Poisons, and Herbcraft”, which won
the 1996 Firecracker Alternative Book Award[39] and has a chapter dedicated to Salvia
divinorum. It includes some experience accounts:

“ It’s very intense, I call it a reality stutter, or a reality strobing. I think that having been a
test pilot, and flying in that unforgiving environment with only two feet between our
wingtips, helped to prepare me for this kind of exploration.”
Pendell 1995

Some have written extensive prose and/or poetry about their experiences. Some
describe their visions pictorially, and there exist examples of visionary art which claim to
be salvia-inspired. Others claim musical inspiration from the plant: examples are the
songs “Salvia divinorum” by 1200 Micrograms, "Salvia" by Deepwater Sunshine, and
"Flight 77" by Paul Dereas.

Cautionary notes

Dale Pendell expresses some concerns about the use of highly concentrated forms of
salvia. In its natural form salvia is more balanced and benevolent, and quite strong
enough, he argues. High strength extracts on the other hand can show “a more
precipitous, and more terrifying, face” and many who try it this way may never wish to
repeat the experience.

The “Salvia divinorum User’s Guide” hosted on Daniel Siebert’s website recommends having a sitter present if you are new to salvia, are experimenting with a stronger form, or are using a more effective method of ingestion than you have before.

“ An experienced salvia user who is chewing a quid, may often choose to do it alone, and
may be quite safe in doing so. But having a pleasant, sensible, sober sitter is an absolute
must if you are trying vaporization, smoking high doses of extract-enhanced leaves, or
using pure salvinorin.”

alcohol; but, like alcohol, it impairs coordination. One should never attempt to drive
under its influence.
It also emphasizes that salvia is not a party drug.

“ Salvia is not ‘fun’ in the way that alcohol or cannabis can be. If you try to party with
salvia you probably will not have a good experience. Salvia is a consciousness-changing
herb that can be used in a vision quest, or in a healing ritual. In the right setting, salvia
makes it possible to see visions. It is an herb with a long tradition of sacred use. It is
useful for deep meditation. It is best taken in a quiet, nearly dark room; either alone, or
with one or two good friends present.”


After effects

Short term

After the peak effects, normal awareness-of-self and the immediate surroundings return
but lingering effects may be felt. These short-term lingering effects have a completely
different character than the peak experience. About half of users report a pleasing
‘afterglow’, or pleasant state of mind following the main effects. Researchers (Baggott, et
al) from the University of California Berkeley and California Pacific Medical Center
Research Institute conducted a survey of 500 salvia users which identified that they
‘sometimes or often’ experience certain effects, including:

Increased insight: 47% Decreased insight: 1.8%
Improved mood: 44.8% Worsened mood: 4.0%
Increased connection with Universe or
Nature: 39.8%
Decreased connection with Universe or
Nature: 5.4%
Increased sweating: 28.2% Decreased sweating: 1.6%
Body felt warm or hot: 25.2% Body felt cold: 6.4%
Increased self-confidence: 21.6% Decreased self-confidence: 2.4%
Improved concentration: 19.4% Difficulty concentrating: 12.0%

Other commonly reported effects include:
· Feelings of calmness: 42.2%
· Weird thoughts: 36.4%
· Things seeming unreal: 32.4%
· Floating feelings: 32%
· Mind racing: 23.2%
· Feeling lightheaded: 22.2%

Long term

Differing studies suggest no overall consensus so far with regard to the long-term effects
of Salvia divinorum on mood. It is well-established that some k-opioid agonists can cause
dysphoria in humans, and research using rats in forced-swim tests (where they’re
forced to swim in a narrow cylinder from which they cannot escape) has been used to
suggest that Salvia divinorum may have “depressive-like” effects. However, a report
has been published detailing an individual case of Salvia divinorum use as self-medicated
treatment for depression, and Baggott’s survey of 500 people with firsthand experience
of salvia found that 25.8% of respondents reported improved mood and “antidepressantlike
effects” lasting 24 hours or longer. Only 4.4% reported persisting (24 hours or more)
negative effects (most often anxiety) on at least one occasion.
It has been suggested that the long-term effects of Salvia use may include déjà vu On
the question of addiction the Baggott survey found little evidence of dependence in its
survey population. 0.6% percent of respondents reported feeling addicted to or dependent
on salvia at some point, and 1.2% reported strong cravings. About this the researchers
said “there were too few of these individuals to interpret their reports with any
confidence”.

Most users report no hangover or negative after-effects the next day. This is consistent
with the apparent low toxicity of Salvia indicated by research conducted at the University
of Nebraska.
Therapeutic potential
Aside from individual reports of self-medicated use in the treatment of depression,
research suggests that Salvia divinorum, in line with the studied effects of other k-opioid
agonists, may have further therapeutic potential.

Thomas Prisinzano, assistant professor of medicinal and natural products chemistry at the
University of Iowa, has suggested that salvia may help treat cocaine addiction
“ You can give a rat free access to cocaine, give them free access to Salvinorin A, and
they stop taking cocaine.”
Masis 2007-02-28 (US Media)

Professor Bryan L. Roth, director of the National Institute on Mental Health’s
Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, has said
“ We think that drugs derived from the active ingredient could be useful for a range of
diseases: Alzheimer’s, depression, schizophrenia, chronic pain and even AIDS or HIV.”



Controversy

The relatively recent emergence of Salvia divinorum in modern Western culture, in
comparison to its long continuing traditions of indigenous use elsewhere, contrasts
widely differing attitudes on the subject. Opinions range from veneration of the plant as a
spiritual sacrament or “a gift from the gods”, to the idea of it as a dangerous threat to
society, needing to be banned as quickly as possible in order to “spare countless families
the horror of losing a loved one to the relentless tentacles of drug abuse”.
Many salvia media stories headline with comparisons to LSD. However, while LSD and
salvia’s active constituent salvinorin A may have comparative potencies, in the sense that
both can produce their effects with low dosage amounts, they are otherwise quite
different. The two substances are not chemically similar or related, as salvinorin A is
found naturally in a single plant while LSD is chemically semisynthesized from
lysergamides like ergotamine. They are ingested in different ways and produce different
effects, which manifest themselves over different timescales. The effects of salvia when
smoked typically last for only a few minutes as compared to LSD, whose effects can
persist for 8-12 hours.
Public opinion
Despite its growing notoriety in some circles, media stories generally suggest that the
public at large are still mostly unaware of salvia, with the majority perhaps having never
even heard of it. With regard to their coverage of proposals to make salvia illegal in the
U.S. state of Maine, Bangor Daily News ran an on-line poll in March 2007 which posed
the question “Do you think the state should outlaw the sale of the drug salvia?” to which
approximately 70% of respondents answered "no."[76] While this has over 300 reader
responses, the poll itself says, that it is “not a scientific survey and should not be used as
a gauge of public opinion. It reflects only the opinions of bangordailynews.com readers
who have chosen to participate”. A similar online poll was conducted in connection with
an Indianapolis news channel’s story in November 2007, asking the question “Do you
believe Indiana should regulate salvia divinorum?”. 76% of the poll's respondents were
opposed to prohibition (59% preferring age regulations, and 17% no restrictions at all).
In March 2008 the Miami Herald ran an online poll in connection with its news story
asking the question "Should Florida lawmakers place restrictions on salvia?". Out of
over 670 respondents a majority of 79% voted 'No', against 21% who voted 'Yes'.
Again, although published responses may not necessarily be representative of public
opinion as a whole, some news agencies generally support reader and viewer feedback in
connection with their stories.

[Nirvana High]

Good post man but may I suggest just copying the text and give credit to the source or writer. Do that and people are more likely to read it. Maybe a sticky is at hand?

[rex8000]

Originally Posted by Nirvana High

Good post man but may I suggest just copying the text and give credit to the source or writer. Do that and people are more likely to read it. Maybe a sticky is at hand?

Suggestion taken, thanks.

[Nirvana High]

Originally Posted by rex8000

Suggestion taken, thanks.

Wow someone took my advice?! Wow and there was tons more stuff I did'nt scroll down thought it was just a page. +rep Give this dude a sticky! BTW I gave a 4 star rating...

[NYCdeisel]

Very nice, but agree i think more people would be willing to read it all if you just posted it and linked the source at the end

[rex8000]

Originally Posted by NYCdeisel

Very nice, but agree i think more people would be willing to read it all if you just posted it and linked the source at the end

You must have been reading it as I edited it.

[J-Darsh]

Haha looks like someone knows how to copy and paste..

[rex8000]

Originally Posted by J-Darsh

Haha looks like someone knows how to copy and paste..

I'm pretty sure I included the PDF also?

[IvenRossall]

Howdy: I am a new member of GrassCity and I am hoping to learn a lot here and to also be of some help to other's if that is possible.

This post is very informative and I am glad that it is here for all to see.
I do have one slight disagreement with the suggested dose of half a gram of 25x. I would never suggest such a large dosage to someone trying Salvia for the first time.
My advice would be to try about a quarter gram of 5x and see how that goes.
And remember not to smoke it like pot but instead use a hot flame on the substance for the duration of the toke (It takes high heat to vaporize).

I can't imagine someone as young as 12 trying Salvia. This and the too many young adults who use it to "Party" and post U-Tube video's are going to be the ruin of Salvia Divinorum and will lead to people like myself who use it responsibly to no longer be able to acquire it through legal channels.

Anyway, this seems to be a good site and I hope to interact with many of you and have a learning experience.
-Iven

[rex8000]

Originally Posted by IvenRossall

Howdy: I am a new member of GrassCity and I am hoping to learn a lot here and to also be of some help to other's if that is possible.

This post is very informative and I am glad that it is here for all to see.
I do have one slight disagreement with the suggested dose of half a gram of 25x. I would never suggest such a large dosage to someone trying Salvia for the first time.
My advice would be to try about a quarter gram of 5x and see how that goes.
And remember not to smoke it like pot but instead use a hot flame on the substance for the duration of the toke (It takes high heat to vaporize).

I can't imagine someone as young as 12 trying Salvia. This and the too many young adults who use it to "Party" and post U-Tube video's are going to be the ruin of Salvia Divinorum and will lead to people like myself who use it responsibly to no longer be able to acquire it through legal channels.

Anyway, this seems to be a good site and I hope to interact with many of you and have a learning experience.
-Iven

First off, welcome to the city! I'll add in your suggested dosage; yeah in my state it cannot legally be purchased.