Prohibitionists have halluciongenic herb in the crosshairs

 

​Ever since smoking/writing about the legal--and very potent--hallucinogenic plant salvia divinorum a year and a half ago, we've been keeping casual tabs on the herb's status outside our fair state. (It's currently banned in 16 states). Today comes news, via the the Washington Post, that a resort city in Maryland has gone so far to pass "emergency legislation" to prohibit the strange little mint.

What caught our attention more than anything was the stated impetus for the crackdown. The Ocean City City Council deemed swift action was in order "after police reported multiple instances in which officers had to restrain people under the influence of salvia."

We can't help but wonder as to the accuracy of those police reports. As anyone who's ever smoked the herb will tell you, salvia puts one in a state of mental confusion-- but it also physically incapacitates the user. On the rare occassion that a salvia-addled body is able to get off the couch, the only activity possible is, at most, a brief fact-finding stagger around the immediate surroundings. Hoisting a half-full 12 oz. can to one's lips is suddenly a herculean task. Also it's important to remember that the high usually lasts between 5 and 10 minutes. Obviously there's risks involved; no denying that. But the idea that a rash of super-energized, cop-resisting salvia-smokers are wreaking havoc on the public is simply preposterous.

Or maybe our sample size is too small. Share your salvia stories in the comments section below. We're particularly interested to know if any of you or any of your buddies have ever gone totally apeshit (physically speaking) on salvia.