When was salvia first discovered

For many users, the first time they witnessed someone undergoing the effects of salvia was because of the internet. In addition to websites promoting salvia, hundreds of videos depicting teenagers and young adults using salvia have been posted on the popular website YouTube Miller et al.

For those young adults that acquired the plant, smoking extracts of salvia appears to be the most common form of use of the drug among recreational users, similar to smoking cannabis Gonzalez et al. Although as of right now it remains illegal in most states, there are a few states where people are still able to purchase S.

Most students that were asked what they knew about Salvia had no idea about Mazatec Indians or that it even originated in Mexico. Many young users who have experimented with the plant claimed to have been seeking a safe method for meditative soul-searching and most believe that salvia was a safe alternative to marijuana after reading websites citing many scientific articles Sumnall et al.

However, the way that S. When asked about why someone would be more likely to use S. Although there is a growing interest in Salvia in the United States, Kelly discovered that data presented from an ethnographic project to provide a qualitative profile of salvia use among young adult researchers, found that only Therefore, although there is an increasing trend in S.

When looking at college campuses, a place where students tend to have the most experimentation with drugs, it is particularly popular among the subpopulation of students who use Salvia that they also report using other illicit drugs, such as ecstasy and mushrooms Khey et al. Self-reported depression and anxiety were also associated with recent salvia use. Former S. A survey conducted by Khey et al. This is a very different profile to the Mazatec Indians in the Oaxaca region of Mexico who still remain one of the primary users of the S.

Compared to the United States, there is not as much of a heavy use of S. Similarly to the past few years in the United States, Mexican teenagers would purchase the dried leaves and smoke them as a replacement for marijuana Marushia, Many Mexican youths believe that it is too much of a hassle to acquire a large number of fresh leaves, usually , that are required in order to obtain the intense experience of S.

Also, once the fresh S. Lastly, the effects of S. Also in Mexico, one of the more popular hallucinogens, among all ages, is cannabis. When interviewing cousins in Mexico for the purpose of this paper and asking what were the most commonly used recreational drugs, the top three answers given were cannabis, magic mushrooms, and cocaine.

When asked if they knew anyone who used Salvia, none of them knew anyone who had even tried it. Most agreed that cannabis was definitely the most popular, due to its easy accessibility and price.

One of the interviewees responded that the only time she had heard of Salvia being used in Mexico, by people who were not Mazatec Indians, was for tea. She explained that the tea would not be as potent as the potion mixed during the religious ceremonies and it had more of a calming effect then hallucinogenic.

She did have knowledge, however, that Salvia was considered a sacred plant to the Mazatec Indians. As mentioned before, many of the users who have undergone a shaman ceremony with the Mazatec Indians have experienced visions of the Virgin Mary and white-robed spirits Marushia, This again touches on the religious connotation the salvia plant has.

Having such a huge Catholic population could be a huge reason behind why there is less use of S. To use a plant that is associated with the Virgin Mary so commonly and recreationally would be seen as a form of disrespect to such an important aspect of Mexican life, the Catholic religion.

Still for many regions in Mexico, medicinal plants are an important element of indigenous medical systems Heinrich et al. Indigenous forms of medical treatment are still important, because there is a lack of biomedical facilities within these indigenous communities as these people distrust medical doctors Heinrich et al.

In order to study many of the plants that the indigenous people use, researchers would need to gain the trust of the indigenous people in order to collect samples to take back to their labs. Outside the Mazatec community in Mexico, currently, Salvia is being looked at in regards to medical research in order to help with various illnesses. Other clinical studies that are occurring in Mexico that involve salvia are examining the use of medicinal plants among patients with diabetes mellitus type 2.

The reason for this is that, even though it is necessary to seek adequate medical treatment for diabetes mellitus type 2, many patients still seek alternative treatment to pharmaceutical treatment Romero-Cerecero et al. This, however, can be dangerous, because there can be different reactions or side effects when mixing medical plants with pharmaceutical medicine Romero-Cerecer et al. Even though this hallucinogenic plant is still up and coming, the use of it as a pharmacological drug is still undefined Marushia, At the moment, S.

Within the United States, there are four categories on how its legal status can be determined. In Mexico, there is no defining law on legality as it is used by the indigenous Mazatec for ceremonial purposes. Legalization of S. The Legal Status of Salvia divinorum. Legality of S. It is well known that usage in the United States can be seen as mostly recreational between youths. Therefore, one would think that there would be more records of recreational use.

Even though researchers have begun to unfold a lot of the secrets that surround salvia, the ethno-botanical and biochemical properties of it are still considerably unknown to the general public.

Although it has become known as recreational drug in the United States, there is a sense of knowledge within young adults in Mexico that the popularity of the natural hallucinogen will soon die down, because of the increased effect to legalize cannabis.

It also has many differences, which may prevent it from becoming a popular worldwide recreational drug similar to cocaine, marijuana, or LSD Marushia, One of the biggest things observed from the historical use of Salvia is that it is not a social drug.

When it was used with the Mazatec Indians, all of the ceremonies were conducted in dark shacks that would only be lit with a bonfire.

Therefore, salvia cannot be used to its full effect in distracting surroundings, such as parties, where hallucinations can soon turn terrifying. Also, because the drug is not addictive, there is no need to use it regularly Marushia, While the drug is still used recreationally in the United States, it will eventually loose popularity as it did in Mexico; although, not for the same reasons.

The NDIC recommends that the higher the extract concentration, the smaller the dose. For example, 0. If you try 10x salvia extract, a safe range may be between 0.

How salvinorin A, the active ingredient in salvia, impacts your brain is unclear. Researchers continue to study the drug to better understand its effects. Salvia studies are few and far between, but researchers are looking to better understand how the drug works and what effects it may have on the body and brain.

Because research is limited, the list of possible side effects and risks is short. However, the possible issues are serious and worth consideration. Salvia largely flew under the radar until when a video of pop music star Miley Cyrus made waves on the internet. In the video, the thenyear-old singer and actress was filmed smoking salvia in a water bong. The video brought the spotlight of attention to this drug, and some state legislators began introducing laws restricting the sale and use of this plant.

That means individual state laws apply to salvia but no federal ones. Today, many states have laws on the books that outlaw buying, possessing, or selling salvia. What is salvia? Extent of use Effects Risks Possible medical uses Salvia is a drug that produces visual hallucinogenic effects similar to those people can experience with narcotics such as LSD. Share on Pinterest Salvia divinorum is a kind of sage that can induce hallucinations. Image credit Phyzome, Extent of use.

Share on Pinterest Salvia can trigger an elevated mood. Share on Pinterest The unwanted effects of salvia include nausea, dizziness, and difficulty focusing. Possible medical uses. Latest news Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes. Adolescent depression: Could school screening help?

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Uses and risks of amphetamine. Moreover, the Mazatecs have a method of consumption that is quite inefficient, which suggests that they are not aware of the enormous psychoactive potency. However, R. Search Search for:.