| Salvia is a consciousness-changing herb that can be | | | | too large a dose, it is generally best to avoid smoking |
| used in a vision quest, or in a healing ritual. Salvia is | | | | products containing more than 15 mg salvinorin A per |
| available in its original leaf form an ounce of leaves will | | | | gram of leaf, unless the dose can be weighed |
| set you back around $30 and as an extract from the | | | | precisely. When smoking it is a good idea to have |
| Mexican plant. Salvia is best smoked in a pipe, | | | | asitter present although many smokers do not take |
| preferably water-cooled (bong), but a small sized | | | | this advice. A: salvinorin A does not produce a |
| tobacco pipe will also do. In the United States, salvia is | | | | tolerance effect, so you can extend the experience |
| not regulated under the Controlled Substances Act but | | | | by simply smoking more as soon as the effects begin |
| some states, including Delaware, Louisiana, Missouri | | | | to fade. |
| and others, have passed their own laws. | | | | Research shows that the molecule has no affinity for |
| Extracts reduce the overall amount of smoke that | | | | the serotonin receptor, a key player in other |
| needs to be inhaled, thus facilitating more powerful | | | | hallucinogenic drugs. Aside from individual reports of |
| experiences. Extracts allow one to explore deeper | | | | self-medicated use in the treatment of depression, |
| levels than are available using just the plain leaf. | | | | research suggests that Salvia divinorum, in line with the |
| Potency will depend on the naturally varying strength | | | | studied effects of other k-opioid agonists, may have |
| of the untreated leaf used in preparing the extract, as | | | | further therapeutic potential. |
| well as the efficiency of the extraction process itself. | | | | This research has enhanced understanding of a wide |
| An extract of salvia is usually made by using a solvent | | | | array of human medical conditions including cancer, |
| such as ethanol or acetone. The solvent, which now | | | | drug addiction, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, |
| contains dissolved extracted material, is evaporated | | | | and normal aging and has led to the development of |
| onto salvia leaves, where the dissolved material is | | | | several promising treatment strategies. Other medical, |
| deposited. | | | | biochemical and pharmacological scientists have |
| Smoking is probably the most common method for | | | | published early studies suggesting that research on |
| 'Western' users. Like tobacco, smoking Salvia | | | | Salvia divinorum and Salvinorin A might eventually lead |
| divinorum may involve health risks associated with the | | | | to new drugs that could be used to treat Alzheimer's, |
| inhalation of various products of combustion, such tar, | | | | schizophrenia and other diseases. |
| carbon monoxide, etc. To reduce the risk of inhaling | | | | |