Salvia Divinorum, the naturally occurring hallucinogenic herb that is legal under US federal law, has been blamed for the death of a teen from Delaware. The teen, his parents say, took Salvia heavily before his death. He justified the drug use on the basis of its legality and this, he claimed, meant that it must be okay. The parents of this teen want Salvia banned now.
A number of US States have taken this call to arms very seriously and the past few months has seen a number of new laws being introduced that see Salvia banned in some 11 states. Kansas city Governor Kathleen Sebelius recently signed a law to the criminalize the possession, use and sale of the herb. Oklahoma too has seen recent laws making Salvia banned; perpetrators found in possession of the drug can expect up to ten years in jail, while the sale of Salvia carries penalties of between five years an life in jail. Harsh penalties for something that is entirely legal in most other US states and in almost all countries across the world.
The new laws that see Salvia banned are targeted to gain the votes of people who sympathies with the teen who tragically committed suicide.
2 Responses to “Salvia shipping to Kansas no more”
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June 18th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
[…] these recent attempts to have Salvia banned, it is widely available over the Internet at sites specializing in the […]
June 18th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
[…] While Salvia is very much a legal drug under US federal drug law, several states have taken the legal steps to make Salvia banned or restricted in some way. Something like 20 other states are starting the legal process that will ultimately see the use, possession and sale of Salvia banned. […]