To those of you who have heard or read about the hallucinating effects of Salvia Divinorum and are worried about harm or trouble arising by other people, young and old, using it. This Essay w ill hopefully put your mind at ease and save you the stress of having to worry.

To compare Salvia Divinorum with other drugs such as LSD and marijuana is an easy thing to do if you have only heard or read about it and never experienced it for yourself. It can have an hallucinating effect and so does LSD, it is most often smoked in a pipe like marijuana is but that is about the only thing that they share.

I would like to make some comparisons here and also point out the differences.

Looking at the hallucinating effect of LSD and Salvia Divinorum first. LSD is a very powerful hallucinogen, depending on the dosage the hallucinations usually last around six hours and even up to twenty four or more. The user will mostly be aware of their "I" self through most of their experience and also usually know they are under the influence of LSD during the experience (as long as they voluntarily took the substance). There is also a long "come down" that can last around six to twelve or more hours after the hallucination period ends. Salvia Divinorum on the other hand has a very short hallucination time usually around three to five minutes when smoked and up to twenty when the leaves are chewed then the hallucinations wear off. The "come down" time for Salvia Divinorum is about an hour after hallucinations wear off and the user is then back to their normal state provided it was consumed in the right setting.

Marijuana is a narcotic relaxant and pain reliever, the effect of it when smoked comes on almost instantly and may have a peak a few minutes after smoking. When eaten the effect may take twenty minutes to an hour to appear depending on the users metabolism. The "stone" usually lasts around four hours again depending on the dosage before the user comes back to normal thinking patterns. Salvia Divinorum, when smoked, has a quick response time also and may peak for three to five minutes afterwards. When the leaves are chewed it may take twenty minutes to half an hour before the effects are felt and may last up to twenty minutes. A period lasting up to an hour may follow before the user comes back to normal co-ordination and thinking patterns.

Here is a good description of the total effect of smoking Salvia Divinorum by a regular (once to twice a month) user.

Because I had used Salvia Divinorum before, it took a while before I felt ready to use it again. Even though its main effect only lasts a few minutes it is quite powerful and "out there" kind of like the build up you get before you can bring yourself to bungie jump again. It was great and safe last time, a good "rush" and exhilarating, but wow! I think I might wait a while before I do that again. Anyway, I place about one tenth of a gram of five times extract Salvia Divinorum leaves into the cone of a water pipe and burn it with a jet flame lighter while inhaling the smoke and holding it in for a few moments. The smoke tastes very nice not harsh at all as I breath out the smoke I detect a taste of something very familiar. And I feel and see the world around me beginning to swirl around and dissolve

[ the "trip" part of this story has been cut see the Trip Reports Page for examples of what has been removed.]

it was only about three or four minutes after smoking it, I didn't feel great for a minute, almost like throwing up but I didn't, then felt a little out of focus for another but no longer sick. I felt worn out from the experience, a little tired and unco-ordinated I stayed sitting on my layback chair for another fifteen minutes then I was able to go back to doing normal things around the house. I did notice however that my short-term memory was not the greatest for a while though. Around the hour and ten minute mark after smoking it I felt completely back to normal except maybe a little more happier about life in general.

This report is in stark contrast to the usage of other drugs that can be abused and used regularaly. Many Salvia Divinorum users will only ever use it once finding it to much for them. Those that can handle it generally have a deep respect for what it can do and carefully choose the right time and place to consume it. It is defiantly not a party or a dance culture drug. Using it in those kinds of environments would be very uncomfortable for the user or not have any effect at all.

Unlike other drugs, especially alcohol, Salvia Divinorum is not likely to be the cause of any accidents on the road as you just simply wouldn't drive while using Salvia Divinorum. Users normally do so like a meditation more than a thrill and choose a time when they do not have to do anything, especially drive, for quite a while afterwards before they use it. Salvia Divinorum is not an addictive drug, and due to the powerful effect it is not likely to be abused, really, take my word for it.

- Shayman
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