If you’ve actively navigated to a website called “Summer of Salvia,” you probably already know a bit about Salvia divinorum. But if you’ve stumbled upon my site by accident, and know little or nothing about Salvia, you may be wondering, what is Salvia, and why would someone write an entire book about it?
For people who have randomly stumbled upon my site, this article serves as a basic crash course on the potent hallucinogen known as Salvia divinorum.
What is Salvia?
Salvia divinorum is the world’s most potent naturally-occurring hallucinogenic drug. It’s a member of the mint family — a fact that seems completely at odds with its formidable psychedelic power. It is native to the Mazatec region of Mexico, where shamans of the Mazatec Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico, have used it for centuries.
While the Mazatecs used the drug for divination and healing, the drug was popularized within the last two decades by people videotaping themselves tripping out on Salvia, then posting the videos to YouTube — not exactly the best way to treat an ancient, consciousness-expanding substance.
How to take Salvia
There are several different methods of taking Salvia divinorum. One traditional method is to chew dried Salvia leaves. Another is to steep the dried leaves in hot water to make what is, essentially, a tea.
More recently, highly concentrated Salvia extracts have become available, which can be smoked in a pipe or a bong.
Salvia divinorum is also available as a tincture.
For a more in-depth guide to smoking Salvia divinorum, check out Sage Wisdom’s “Salvia divinorum User’s Guide.”
Salvia divinorum effects
Salvia divinorum is a powerful hallucinogen. Effects can range from mild sedative-like effects to powerful dissociative episodes.
Wikipedia’s article on Salvia divinorum lists the effects of Salvia divinorum as including uncontrollable laughter; revisiting past memories; motion or being pulled or twisted by “forces”; visions of membranes, films, “various two-dimensional surfaces,” and fractal patterns; merging with or becoming objects; and experiencing “overlapping realities,” such as “the perception of being in several locations at once.”
Salvia trips can be intense, and often frightening. For this reason, it’s recommended that you have a “sitter” present when you take the drug, particularly the stronger extracts. See the next section for more information on what a Salvia trip is like.
What is a Salvia trip like?
The experiences people have on Salvia trips can vary, but many people report having similar experiences, such as reliving childhood memories, exploring another dimension, or discovering the illusory nature of reality, to name just a few. Because the experiences are often intense, especially when using the stronger extracts, it’s recommended that you have a sitter there when you do it — someone who can keep a watchful eye on you and take care of you if anything should happen to go awry or you have a bad trip.
One of the best places to read about the experiences people have had while tripping out on Salvia divinorum is Erowid’s “experience vault” on Salvia divinorum.
Another good resource is Sage Wisdom’s compilation of people’s experiences with Salvia.
Is Salvia divinorum legal?
The legal status of Salvia divinorum varies by country. In the United States, Salvia’s legal status varies by state. Wikipedia has a list of Salvia’s legal status in each state.
Sage Wisdom also has a page keeping people up to date on Salvia’s legal status.
According to the website Entheology.org, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is currently studying Salvia and its active component, salvinorin A, to consider whether the drug should be banned on a federal level by placing it on the federal schedule of controlled substances. “Given that there is no evidence that would suggest that Salvia divinorum presents a significant risk to public safety, I am hopeful that the DEA will be reasonable and not schedule this beneficial plant unnecessarily,” the site states. “If they do decide to schedule it, it will take a minimum of 30 days after they give public notice of their intentions (in the Federal Register) before the change of legal status takes effect.”
I’m not sure when the above was written, but to date, the DEA has not moved to ban Salvia. Given recent efforts on the part of the DEA to ban Kratom, however, and current U.S. President Donald Trump’s proclivity for appointing anti-drug crusaders like Jeff Sessions to his administration, Salvia’s legal status in the U.S. could be at risk in the future.
How to get Salvia divinorum for sale (i.e., where to buy Salvia)
Your first consideration when deciding whether to obtain Salvia divinorum is to check whether it’s legal where you live (see the previous section for more information on how to do that).
If Salvia divinorum is legal where you live, then you have a few options you can turn to to get some.
Innumerable websites offer Salvia extracts, including Salvia Dragon and The Best Salvia. Check out those sites, or do a Google search to find one that appeals to you.
For dried Salvia leaves, live plants and even rare Salvia seeds, check out Sage Wisdom Botanicals. The site also sells Kratom, and a variety of other products.
If you’d rather get your hands on Salvia divinorum immediately and not have to wait for it to be shipped to you, your best bet is to call a local tobacco store or head shop. These kinds of stores often carry Salvia divinorum extracts. Searching on Google maps is probably the easiest way to find a shop near you, although you could also try Headshopfinder.com to find a head shop near you.
Note: We make no claims as to the trustworthiness or legitimacy of any of the websites mentioned in this article. Always do your own research and make sure you’re comfortable with a site before making any purchases.
Featured Image Credit: epistis / Flicker – Licensed under Creative Commons
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