Salvia Divinorum: Virginia House Passes Ban
A bill to ban the hallucinogenic herb salvia divinorum was approved by a vote of 98-0 in the Virginia House of Delegates Tuesday, paving the way for the Old Dominion to join the handful of states and localities that have already criminalized the member of the mint family. The measure now moves to the state senate.
Salvia leaves
(photo courtesy Erowid.org)
Salvia divinorum produces powerful but short-lived psychedelic effects. Once obscure, it has become increasingly well-known thanks to Internet-spread word of mouth. While the DEA considers it a "drug of interest," the agency has yet to move to designate it a controlled substance, and it remains freely available over the Internet or at various retail outlets in locales that have not banned it.
Sponsored by Delegate John O'Bannon (R-Henrico), HB21 would move salvia from unrestricted status to a Schedule I controlled substance under Virginia law. O'Bannion said he introduced the bill after receiving suggestions he do so from law enforcement.
"It's really not a pleasant thing to take. It can cause bad trips, dysphoria and sweats," O'Bannon said. [At what dose?]
Which is why, despite all the hullabaloo, salvia has not emerged as a popular drug. Most users are quite happy to limit themselves to using it once or twice.
O'Bannon demonstrated an idiosyncratic view of individual liberties as he discussed his bill. O'Bannon said. "I'm respectful of individual liberties and public good. I think what's happening is this is becoming a drug that can be misused,""Putting it on the Schedule I will not harm anybody," he said, but would make "a reasonable balance between public safety and civil individual liberties."
Of course, putting salvia on Schedule I, where its users would be subject to the same prison terms as the users of other proscribed drugs, would harm those people unfortunate enough to be arrested with it. But O'Bannion and his fellow delegates apparently didn't consider the impact that being caged in jails or prisons for long periods of time has on individual liberty.
John O'BannonDelegate O'Bannon bears false wittness by stating that kidnapping people and extorting their liberties will not hurt anyone.
He further bears false witness on his web site where he claims:
Dr. John O’Bannon is a lifelong Virginian who has dedicated himself to caring for others...He is only caring for the twisted elements who would continue this shameful pharmacratic inquisition.
John is a national leader in improving the medical profession. He is a leader in the American Medical Association where he serves as a member of the Council for Ethical and Judicial Affairs. Here in Virginia, John is a past Chairman of the Board of the Richmond Academy of Medicine. He has also been a past Chairman of the Medical Society of Virginia’s Legislative Committee where he helped pass the Virginia Patients Bill of Rights.
Considering that this is in a State up to its neck in promoting deadly bright leaf cigarettes, this action is just another criminal act of mercantilism.
Virginia with its Delegates voting 100% in favor of such illegalities, is definitely NOT Christian, and is utterly apostate to the values of Thomas Jefferson, who designed the building in which they convene.
Virginia House of Delegates
What can you say when another plant that's native to America is being placed on a list and it's use banned under penalty of law?These people must be really bored and incredibly paranoid.What are they so afraid of?This is just another fine example of the people in power flexing their inadequacies at the expense of every one else.The mentality involved in this kind of display is frightening.It's lucky they found out the banana peel thing was just a joke or we'd be going to jail for them too.
ReplyDeleteHB21: Schedule I hallucinogenic drugs; includes salvia divinorum and salvinorin A thereas.
ReplyDeleteChief Patron
Del. John O'Bannon (R-73)
John O'Bannon (R-73)
Richmond, VA
Served: 2001–
Progress
Yes Introduced
Yes Passed Committee
Yes Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law
Status
01/16/2008: In Committee
View Entire History
* 11/29/2007 Committee
* 11/29/2007 Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 083106664
* 11/29/2007 Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
* 12/05/2007 Impact statement from VCSC (HB21)
* 01/10/2008 Impact statement from DPB (HB21)
* 01/10/2008 Reported from Health, Welfare and Institutions with amendment (22-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
* 01/11/2008 Read first time
* 01/14/2008 Impact statement from VCSC (HB21E)
* 01/14/2008 Read second time
* 01/14/2008 Committee amendment agreed to
* 01/14/2008 Engrossed by House as amended HB21E
* 01/14/2008 Printed as engrossed 083106664-E
* 01/15/2008 Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N)
* 01/15/2008 VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (98-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
* 01/16/2008 Communicated to Senate
* 01/16/2008 Constitutional reading dispensed
* 01/16/2008 Referred to Committee on Education and Health
Summary
Salvinorum A as a Schedule I hallucinogenic. Includes salvia divinorum and salvinorum A, the active ingredient of the salvia divinorum plant, in controlled substance Schedule I as hallucinogenic drugs.
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Comments
Linda Powell writes:
Salvia is easier for teens to access than cigarettes, marijuana, or alcohol and is far more debilitating. Because this drug is not widely known by adults, parents do not know to be on the lookout for it and head shop owners do not hesitate to sell salvia to underage teens. As a parent and a concerned member of the community, I STRONGLY support adding Salvinorum A to the list of Schedule I hallucinogenics.
Posted 26 days ago. #
Waldo Jaquith writes:
Really? Easier to access than cigarettes? Or marijuana? I'd love to see some data supporting that.
Posted 26 days ago. #
Gerbera writes:
I haven't seen salvia in Virginia, but I haven't really been into any head shops here. In my travels, I've seen it openly displayed in North Carolina and know it's available in South Carolina.
The thing about salvia is that most people who try it once never, ever want to come near it again. It's a rare person that wants to experience salvia again and it is NOT a party drug by any stretch. It is literally debilitating.
It is a hallucinogen, but I wouldn't put it in the same class as psilocybin mushrooms.
Posted 26 days ago. #
Tim McCormack writes:
@Linda: Debilitating? More so than cigarettes or alcohol?
Also, from what I understand, most people who try it don't even like it, and never try it again. (Usually produces rather unsettling hallucinations, according to what I read on Erowid.)
Posted 26 days ago. #
Gerbera writes:
It's debilitating in that the user is usually on the floor, unable to move for 30-90 seconds. In their mind, from what I've heard from one person with experience, the user believe that 30-90 seconds was anywhere from a few minutes to an hour...maybe more. I don't think the physical effects last, but I imagine the experience I described does a number on your mind.
Long term, I'd say that alcohol and nicotine have a more profound effect because sustained use is common.
Posted 25 days ago. #
John W writes:
This drug does not belong on schedule I, which is for things with a high potential for abuse and no known medical use.
Salvia divinorum has low abuse potential because no one ever wants to try it again after the first time.
Additionally, adding it to schedule I makes it very difficult to do research on it. It has no known medical purpose, people will say years from now; but of course it has no known purpose if we ban research on it.
It's absurd to ban everything you don't understand.
Posted 21 days ago. #
Nick K writes:
I agree with John W above.
There is no evidence (that I have seen) that there is a potential for abuse (has anyone been addicted to this substance? please come forward), and so does not belong on schedule I. There also has been very limited scientific studies on the active chemical Salvinorin-A and we have little idea of how it acts, let alone if it's useful. Placing salvia on the schedule I list will needlessly hamper any efforts to study this chemical.
Posted 21 days ago. #
Brian writes:
I think there needs to be some actual research on this. They're taking a huge leap based on myths and assumptions. Some places offer it as a marijuana substitute, so why consider this non-addictive and short term substance as a schedule I?
Posted 15 days ago. #
Evan Blackwell writes:
I'm curious as to what exactly will happen to those who currently possess Salvia? Will they have some grace period to dispose of it or will they all immediately be felons?
Posted 12 days ago. #
Andy writes:
Well, I guess we can add one more item to the list of myopic, flawed drug policies in this country. Debilitating? Hardly. Lasting effects? None. Absolutely none that have been proven by any reputable medical authority... or unreputable ones for that matter.
Our nation's drug policy suffers the critical flaw of giving no consideration to any party with first person experience. I have personally explored salvia use on over 15 different occasions over the course the last 5 years and I currently enjoy perfect physical health. At an active dose of less than a quarter of a gram(smoked), that means my entire history of salvia use has placed less smoke and harmful biproducts into my system than one cigarette.
Alcohol causes liver damage, creates physical addiction, and can place the drinker in a state of reckless intoxication for hours at a time.
Salvia, on the other hand, has no potential for physical addiction, no reputation of psychological addiction, introduces less toxins than a single cigarette, and creates a period of "intoxication" for a maximum of 20-30 minutes.
And Ive never heard a single person who claimed the ability to drive while under the influence of salvia, whereas I have friends who have been killed because drunks think they can drive just fine.
Here's the difference between drugs like tobacco or alcohol and herbs like salvia. Alcohol and tobacco are used to curb stress and anxiety, to help one relax and accept the problems of life. Sacred plants, like salvia, cause people to examine existance and question the world that we usually take for granted. Our government has made it clear, time and again, that it doesnt want us to think, or ask questions of our status quo.
Alcohol and cigarettes are the pacifiers of a small-minded populous. They are, in short, tools of control, which is why they will undoubtedly remain legal.
I dont smoke cigarettes and barely ever drink, because I care about my health, emotional well being, and mental functioning. I exercise frequently and stick to a strict vegetarian diet.
Im not the type of person who takes lightly any chemical I ingest.
I am person who sees the danger in overly agressive drug laws, made for the sole purpose of padding the wallets of the profiteers behind the private prison-industrial complex.
Scheduling salvia is not substance control, it's mind control.
Posted 10 days ago. #
Aaron Burr writes:
THIS BILL IS AN OUTRAGE! THE LAST THING WE NEED TO DO IS EXPAND THE SO CALLED "WAR ON DRUGS" TO INCLUDE SALVIA.
Linda Powell's concerns are, of course, baseless and puritanical. Prohibition is not the answer. Why do we always seek to BAN something that we think is dangerous? Why not spend our tax dollars in a positive way like, for example, creating public service announcements or education programs to inform people about the so called dangers from this plant. By labeling Salvia as illegal and akin to PCP and LSD, we create a TABOO which, in fact, guarantees that kids will abuse it.
Remember that we arrived at this point in our history (i.e., wasting BILLIONS UPON BILLIONS of dollars per year on a worthless so called War on Drugs) by listening to mindless nuts like Linda Powell who want to impose their prohibitionist (and likely right-wing religious) ideals on the rest of us.
Get a hobby Linda, take up basket weaving, just do anything except comment on an issue that you obviously no nothing about.
My fellow citizens, time is running out. If you cared enough about this issue to look up this bill, please call your Senator or Governor Kaine and make it clear that this bill should be killed.
Posted 8 days ago. #
Waldo Jaquith writes:
You sure made a lot of assumptions about her based on a single, rather simple comment. It's great to disagree with folks -- that's what we're all here for :) -- but there's no need for all of that.
Posted 8 days ago. #
Aaron Burr writes:
If people like Linda Powell are unable to take the proverbial heat for pushing to undermine our fundamental (and natural law) rights, she needs to get out of the kitchen.
Public shaming and aggressive protest is about the only thing we have left to curb the zeal of those who seek at every turn to have the government fulfill their duty to properly raise and supervise their children.
"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them" - Thomas Jefferson
Posted 8 days ago. #
EROCx1 writes:
Multiple scientific studies and user reports have indicated that divinorum most commonly demonstrates antidepressant effects on the user. These studies also show a significant potential in treating addiction of illegal and harmful substances. I do agree teens should NOT have access to Salvia divinorum. However it should NOT be labeled a dangerous drug as it is not toxic, not addictive and no negative side effects have been scientifically proven. It should NOT be made illegal as it has a unique pharmacology with more potential to benefit mankind, then it has to harm it. Every effort should be made to maintain the legality of this plant and its constituents. Remember that laws such as schedule I means that Salvia divinorum will be no longer available for scientific research, which would be a shame due to its rare constituents.
Salvia divinorum is not addictive. If anyone uses it in an addictive manner they are most likely addicted to perturbing their consciousness or to “escaping” reality. Thus, if a safe, non-toxic, non-addictive plant such as Salvia divinorum is made illegal. These people will just turn to other legal and easy to access dangerous substances such as paint or glue sniffing, prescription medications abuse, DXM cough syrup, binge drinking, computer duster / Inhalant Abuse, Poppy seed tea, etc. Or even worse, turn to illegal drugs which are far more dangerous and could lead to destructive and criminal lifestyles. Regulation of Salvia instead of prohibition is really the best way to go. Ban the sale to minors in a manner consistent with how beer and cigarettes are sold.
Posted 2 days ago. #
Blain writes:
This bill is ludicrous. 1. this is not addictive. 2. No one is going to abuse this stuff. 3. Anyone who does this is likely to have a life changing experience and learn from it. 4. This is a raw plant that grows naturally. I can go pick this freely in nature. You cannot ban nature. 5. What's next? Banning poppy seeds? Banning eagles? Banning rabbits?
The guy writing this bill is a dolt. He obviously has no idea what this stuff is or where it comes from or its history. A drug? Ridiculous. This stuff can make people stop using drugs. You want to put someone in jail for this? Wow.
Posted 18 hours ago. #
Aaron Burr writes:
The realy scary thing is that it passed the VA House UNAMINOUSLY!
Even my own Delegate Admundson, who I previously thought had a brain, voted for this piece of garbage.
If you live in Virginia, you need to call your local state senator and Governor Kaine's office and make your views against this stupid piece of legislation known.
Posted 8 hours ago. #
In the past they have tried to pass this bill to ban salvia and failed. I personally think that the recent renewal in interest is because of the ignorant teenagers posting videos of their debilitating states on you tube. Thousands of videos are there check it out. This in turn caught the Medias attention and they portrayed only the sides of the drug that would threaten parents. Here’s the link to the video: http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3294888n?source=search_video
ReplyDeleteAlso they use the fact that some kid that had used the drug a few times decided to kill himself and now they blame his death on the drug. This is completely false because if the kid was living a completely happy and trouble less life there would be no root of depression from which unhappiness could grow to the point of suicide. They never once show the possible good effects of the drug(anti-depressant, spiritual guidance, mind expanding, and who knows what other potentials the plant holds?) so once the parents see these news casts of salvia they freak out and call there congressman or write a letter to complain and tell how it should be banned. Keep in mind they want it banned because they are ignorant to all of the facts. So then the congressman now has public pressure to pass the bill and they really don't have a reason NOT to ban it. If they pass the bill than they can add to their resume that they are "harsh" when it come to the "war on drugs" but, if they reject the bill then parents, who still don't know all the facts, will continue calling and complaining about it until they do pass it. So overall this is all just my personal opinion, I may be completely wrong but, you cannot reject the fact that this happening is possible. To me this just show how influential and one-sided mass media can be. "Learning the facts is much harder than watching TV." "A democratic government's basic purpose is to protect the people's rights and health from each other and other countries.” So how does protecting us from ourselves fit in? Since when do experienced and knowledgeable citizens like ourselves know less about what is better for us than they do?
just to give yall the link again http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/
ReplyDeletei_video/main500251.shtml?
id=3294888n?source=search_video