Extent of use Salvia divinorum

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) for Teens, 1.5 percent of 12th graders say they use salvia.

People mainly obtain salvia through “head” or tobacco shops, and internet sources.

Individuals report using salvia for various reasons, including:

  • curiosity
  • relaxation and better mood
  • getting high
  • the spiritual effects

Street names for Salvia divinorum

Here are some common street names for salvia:
  • Diviner’s sage
  • Maria pastora
  • Ska pastora
  • hierba (yerba) Maria
  • Sally-D
  • Magic Mint
  • Shepherdess’s herb
  • Leaf of Prophecy
  • Lady Salvia
  • Lady Sally
  • Sage of the seers
  • Purple sticky
  • The female
  • Incense special

In some places, salvia is a “legal high,” a recreational drug that does not fall under any of the government classifications of illegal drugs.

However, like other legal highs, it may not be safe or legal. In some states in America, the law considers salvia a Schedule I drug and does not permit its sale. Furthermore, inhalation of any smoke when consuming a drug is damaging for the lungs.

Benefits of Salvia divinorum :

Salvia divinorum is  known as a natural kappa-upload agonist. This means it can remedy or reduce the dependency of certain substances; such as: morphine, alcohol, cocaine, and nicotine. Salvia is known to help treat:

  • Headaches
  • Upset Stomachs
  • Colds
  • Diarrhea
  • Migraines
  • Sore Throats
  • Addiction
  • Depression

Effects

Salvia is a hallucinogenTrusted Source. This means it causes the user to see or feel things that are not really there.

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Salvia can trigger an elevated mood.

Some of these hallucinations and sensations are dream-like. A person may not be able to tell the difference between things that are really there or not.

Effects of taking salvia include:

  • visual distortions of bright lights, vivid colors, and unusual shapes and patterns
  • cartoon-like imagery
  • improved mood
  • feelings of detachment or disconnection from one’s self and the environment
  • uncontrollable laughter
  • recollection of memories, such as revisiting places from childhood
  • sensations of motion, or being pulled, twisted, stretched, or flipped
  • talkativeness
  • merging with or becoming objects
  • distortion of time and space, such as the feeling of being in several locations at once
  • out-of-body experiences
  • contact with entities or other dimensions
  • an overall sense of uneasiness
  • loss of contact with reality

Risks

The most common side effects of salvia use are:

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The unwanted effects of salvia include nausea, dizziness, and difficulty focusing.
  • nausea
  • dizziness
  • lack of coordination
  • difficulty concentrating
  • confusion
  • slurred speech

Additional effects can include:

  • tiredness
  • loss of memory
  • flushing
  • spatio-temporal dislocation, a sensation that may be disturbing

Spatio-temporal dislocation is where the user feels transported to an alternative time and place, or has a feeling of being in several locations at once.

Disruption of space and time can be a frightening experience and can lead to serious psychotic disturbances in vulnerable people.

To date, there are no known hangover effects for salvia use once it has worn off.

Salvia also has a low addiction potential, and people have not reported overdoses.

However, people do not know what the long-term effects of salvia use might be. For this reason, it is not appropriate to consider it a safe drug.

Possible medical uses

Salvia does not currently have any medical use, but research is underway to investigate its possible use.

Because of the way the active ingredient affects the brain, some scientistsTrusted Source believe salvia could have implications for developing a therapy, for example, for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.