Salvia divinorum is a controversial plant in most countries, and a sacred medicinal plant to the shamanic healers of the Mazatecs of Oaxaca, Mexico. The heat of the controversy is that Salvia divinorum has psychoactive properties. Some believe these same properties allow the shamanic healers to enter the supernatural world to find the root of an illness. You can enhance the psychoactive properties of salvia divinorum leaf by making it into an extract.
History
Jean B. Johnson was the first to record the use of Salvia divinorum by the Mazatecs in 1938, according to the University of Maryland. The healers of the tribe used the leaves of the plant to prepare a tea. The Mazatecs believe the plant is the incarnation of the Virgin Mary. The plant is often referred to as "ska Maria pastora," which translates to "leaves of the Virgin Mary, the Shepherdess." The healers, or curanderos, have used the leaves ceremonially to divine both the cause and cure for a disease when no other option is available, states Sage Wisdom.
Description
Salvia divinorum is native to the Sierra mountain region of Mexico, and is considered a perennial plant of the mint family. The plant is sometimes cultivated in the United States, as well. There are various types of extracts. The first is a pure extract of the active chemical salvinorin A, which is present in the plant. This extract is then mixed with the leaf, and is typically smoked or vaporized. Another extract is a tar-like crude extract that is mixed into the leaf and smoked or vaporized, according to Sage Wisdom. This type of extract can be more harmful because of concentrated tar and possible harmful components in the salvia leaf. There are also extracts that are made that can be held under the tongue for absorption.
Effects/Uses
Salvia divinorum is a potent hallucinogen. It acts on opiate receptors that regulate human perception. These actions may be useful in helping patients with Alzheimer's disease or schizophrenia, according to an article published by the University of Maryland. Some of the experiences produced from the use of the plant include the feeling of floating, sensations of traveling through space and time and feelings of lightness or heaviness. The ongoing use of Salvia divinorum can produce hypnogogic states and an increased interest in meditation, according to "Maps." A hypnogogic state happens between waking and sleeping, and is typically accompanied by auditory or visual hallucinations. Those who have taken large doses have experienced the feeling of becoming an inanimate object, making a closer connection with nature or gaining intuitive insights.
Side Effects
Salvia divinorum can produce physical side effects such as dizziness, nausea and a lack of coordination. It can also interfere with your speech patterns or cause you to have slurred speech, according to the University of Maryland. Use of the plant can also slow down your heart rate and produce chills in your body. It is also dangerous for you to operate machinery or drive while using salvia divinorum.
Legality
The legal status of Salvia divinorum changes frequently in the United States. There is no federal ban on the plant; however, many states have passed their own laws. In some states, the law failed to pass. It is best to check whether salvia is currently legal in your state before buying, selling or using the plant. Laws can also vary state to state as to whether you can sell, use or own the plant. In states such as Missouri, the plant is a considered a Schedule I drug, and disobeying the law would be a felony. Salvia is illegal in Denmark, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Japan, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Australia. Some countries like Spain prohibit the plant from being sold, but people can possess or use it, according to Sage Wisdom.
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