filed under Daily Dose
Sally D legal Drugs
5:21PM ON
03/24/2008
BY
funkEpunkEmonkE
Eastbayri.com just posted an article about the hallucinogenic effects of salvia divinorum.
Now, I have to tell you that back in college I bought salvia divinorum seeds online and did a little experimentation. I also have to tell you, that it had no effect whatsoever on me. I’m not going to tell you where to get them, but I will tell you that it’s even easier than when I was in college to find the seeds and the plants.
Apparently this plant is supposed to have effects more powerful than any other natural hallucinogenic substance on earth, and it’s not regulated by the FDA. I’m also not going to tell you what I think about this, but I’m sure I feel the same way most of you do and not the same way that the public officials do.
It’s time for you to know a little about me. I’m a successful freelance graphic designer, own a clothing store, have a two year old daughter with another on the way. I don’t smoke. I don’t drink excessively; I don’t do drugs. Salvia divinorum didn’t open up other worlds to me.
Yet, I know the politicians will consider this a ‘gateway’ drug. But isn’t coffee a ‘gateway’ drug if put in the hands of someone with an addictive personality?
link: (Potent drug is legal)
March 24th, 2008 at 5:54PM
raininri Says:
Eh, it had an effect on me, but very short-lived and not very powerful. I can’t say that I’d never drop acid again under the right circumstances, but it’s been many years and I’ve never done anything other than LSD and salvia divinorum. They should worry more about gateway wars, or gateway white-collar crimes.
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March 24th, 2008 at 8:31PM
Tom Says:
Woohoo!
One of my articles got featured on the DailyDose!
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March 24th, 2008 at 8:33PM
Tom Says:
Oh….and speaking of caffeine as a “substance,” check back at Newportthisweek.net on Wed. for more on that topic.
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March 25th, 2008 at 12:29AM
Eric Smith Says:
I once smoked a Skittle in college, just sayin’. Hmm, college…
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March 25th, 2008 at 9:03AM
chiz Says:
i think chris rock said it best that even if all known drugs were wiped out from this earth, people will still find ways to get f-cked up (i’m paraphrasing of course).. i do research with kids and drugs and i’m always surprised to find out what kids use to get high. apparently mucinex does the trick. and so does inhaling dust off.. so yeah.. this war on drugs bidness is a joke
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March 25th, 2008 at 12:18PM
Ken Says:
I’m glad to see the article you linked to made changes to the article after I questioned just WHO was claiming salvia is more potent than LSD, and WHO considers it to be the most potent hallucinogen in the world.
Still, if you’re going to change it from “considered by some” to “considered by some drug experts,” I would at least expect to see that you have interviewed/talked to some of these “drug experts” and quote them in the article. As it stands I have no idea where he got this “information” from, and really no reason to believe it.
I suggest, Tom, that you pick up Kovach & Rosenstiel’s book “Elements of Journalism,” flip to page 78 (I think) and read up on the five principles of journalism.
1. Never add anything that was not there.
2. Never deceive the audience.
3. Be transparent as possible about your methods and motives.
4. Rely on your own original reporting.
5. Exercise humility.
The book is a wonderful resource and I think that it would be a great addition to your library.
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March 25th, 2008 at 10:38PM
Tom Says:
Ken, I frankly don’t know what’s gotten your feathers all ruffled.
To be direct, I spoke with the one of the foremost experts on the subject. I spoke with the DEA in Boston. I cited the National Drug Information Center. I spoke with three people who have used it and two that sell it. I put to paper a feeling held by one of the leading researchers on the subjects and some of its leading proponents. I spoke with local law enforcement, state law enforcement, and Massachusetts law enforcement.
There’s no hidden agenda. No big bad conspiracy to criminalize anything. I’m a libertarian.
I worked on this story for over eight weeks before it saw press, provided citations and names along with the story, and I am satisfied with the final product. Ultimately it came to over 45 inches in length. That’s a lot. Would I have liked to have included more information? Of course, who wouldn’t?
If you’d like to discuss the matter further, please give me a shout over email or feel free to give me a call, but I can assure you I wouldn’t put anything down to press I couldn’t back up and I certainly have no agenda other than to put something down worth the ink it’s printed in.
And as for EOJ, it’s well-worn and sits on my desk.
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October 22nd, 2008 at 2:55PM
salvia divinorum Says:
great post. I wish they would stop trying to ban plants thinking that is the solution. Maybe parents can take some responsibility for their teens? Maybe….
Want to help keep kids from dying? ban alcohol if you really want to stop a large amount of teen deaths.
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October 24th, 2008 at 2:19AM
salvia Says:
Everytime they ban a drug there is someone to claim it has some legal use… right.
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October 24th, 2008 at 4:33PM
Fred F. Says:
Check out what some of the drug treatment centers, especially those out west in CA are saying about salvia being a “gateway” drug. Tons of kids are being admitted because of their salvia use. This stuff is more potent than LSD and changes the part of the brain that controls drug abuse, depression and schizophrenia. Researchers in London announced last month that it can cause psychosis in one single use. How scary is that?!!? Stay away from this stuff.
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