Salvia divinorum, commonly known as "diviner's sage," is a member of the mint family that is used to induce visions in religious rituals practiced by the Mazatec people of Mexico. Its reputation as a hallucinogen has led to an increase in the recreational use of Salvia divinorum in the U.S.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Salvia divinorum is not currently regulated by the Controlled Substances Act, though the Drug Enforcement Agency is monitoring the drug closely, and it may eventually be classified under the same legal category as marijuana or LSD.
Depersonalization
Depersonalization is a state wherein the subject experiences the sensation of being outside their own body, as if observing their own actions from an external perspective. Depersonalized individuals feel detachment from their identity. The experiences described by those taking Salvia divinorum frequently include those of depersonalization.
Users of Salvia divinorum report experiencing "a highly modified perception of external reality and the self, leading to a decreased ability to interact with one's surroundings," according to NIDA. The depersonalization effect of Salvia divinorum makes it of special concern regarding the dangers of driving while under its influence.
Psychotomimetic Effects
Mohini Ranganathan, M.D., of Yale University, has stated that Salvia divinorum produces psychotomimetic effects, meaning that a person who has taken this drug may experience symptoms similar to psychosis. These include audio and visual hallucinations, and delusions.
Researchers Timothy Vortherms and Bryan Roth, of the University of North Carolina, have noted that the active ingredient in Salvia divinorum bears a different chemical structure from other hallucinogens. They further state that because of this, Salvia divinorum may prove helpful in the development of new psychotropic medications.
Mood-Altering Effects
Mayo Clinic consultant Jay Hoecker, M.D., describes Salvia divinorum as causing a variety of mood-related effects, including paranoia, confusion, senseless laughter and loss of emotional reactions.
Though Salvia divinorum is most frequently likened to hallucinogenic drugs, questionnaires distributed to users of the drug by the Department of Psychology at Minnesota State University revealed a closer comparison to the effects of marijuana, rather than traditional hallucinogens.
Hoecker notes that Salvia divinorum does not appear to be addictive but warns that safety trials have not been conducted to determine the risks or long-term effects of the drug.
References
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: NIDA InfoFacts: Salvia
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Psychotomimetic Effects of Salvia in Healthy Controls
- Mayo Clinic: Salvia Divinorum: What Are the Risks?
- Molecular Interventions: Salvinorin A From Natural Product to Human Therapeutics
- PubMed.gov: Subjective Effects of Salvia Divinorum
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