Well, it’s not true as I sit here writing this, but, it begs the question: how far away are we from such a headline?

My best guess is we’re looking at a few years.

I’d say even as early as 2010, Salvia will be illegal everywhere or nearly everywhere in the States.

Just last month 3 more states – Virginia, Kansas, and Florida – banned this unique plant, used traditionally in Mexico for something in the vein of oh – a few thousand years – and more recently since the mid 19990′s by psychoactive seeking westerners.

There is definitely some sensationalist hype floating around the media on Salvia, yet I can’t help but blame some of the people – some of them clearly idiots – filming themselves on Salvia, and releasing it on the net.

I was at a bar a few months ago when one of the Salvia segments came on TV. With no sound but only a view on the TV of person after person hitting a pipe or a bong, and then zoning out, or laughing, or doing something embarressing – this caught my eye quickly. What the fuck were they talking about? Crack?

OHHHH – wait, it must be on Salvia Divinorum!

Dammit!
And I was hoping it was about a new crack epidemic sweeping America, because at least crack is already illegal.

Seriously though, watching these pieces on the news about Salvia, it’s pretty frustrating. These films people are making are being used against Salvia, and it’s just too easy to do so, especially when you’ve got rather immature kids smoking the stuff and filming it.

I’d also say you can shoot some blame for it becoming illegal on certain vendors; Salvia is definitely not a marijuana substitute, and I’ve heard that it’s sometimes marketed as such. (Can you imagine expecting to get a nice weed high and then – wait – oh god, what is happening.) 

But mainly it’s just going to get banned because we have no sensible relationship to drugs in this country, and as a whole, we are not interested in changing that relationship, only reinforcing it. (Heck, take a look at Loiusiana State Act 159, which recently banned dozens of plants, most noticable Salvia Divinorum, but also so wide reaching as to ban Calea Zacatechichi, AKA dream herb! WTF…)

Is there anything to be done to keep Salvia from becoming illegal soon in the USA?

My somewhat pathetic but realistic answer is: I think not.

The more sensible counter attack would be to purchase plants from vendors like Bouncing Bear or I Am Shaman, keep them growing, and spread the plant-love amongst your friends.

This might mean goodbye to quality extracts, but at least this would keep natural plants readily available for their caretakers and their friends.