Legal status of Salvia divinorum

Salvia divinorum is legal in most countries and, within the United States, legal in the majority of states. However, some politicians have called for its prohibition. Most of these proposals have not made it into law, with motions having failed, stalled or otherwise died, for example in the United Kingdom, at national level in the United States, and at more local level within states such as Alaska, California, Oregon and Wyoming, though the situation is subject to further change depending on the outcome of more recent bills as yet still at the proposal stage.

A reason for Salvia's favorable legal status so far is that there's been little real evidence to suggest that its use is problematic. Salvia divinorum is not a newly discovered or synthesized drug. It has been revered for perhaps centuries by the Mazatec people of Oaxaca, Mexico as a sacred plant, capable of facilitating spiritual experiences. It is a plant that has been available in the States and other countries since the 1990s, following the experiment and report of Daniel Siebert and others. The rise of the Internet since the mid-1990s saw the growth of many businesses selling dried Salvia leaves, extracts and other preparations. During the 10-15 years in which it has become more available in modern Western culture police have not been reporting it as a significant issue with regard to public order offenses. Medical experts, accident and emergency rooms have not been reporting cases that suggest particular health concerns. Salvia divinorum is not generally understood to be toxic or addictive.

Despite this, some have succeeded in pushing though their anti-Salvia laws, such as in Australia (the first country to ban it), and in a few American states. To justify prohibition some politicians have argued that Salvia effects are "LSD-Like" and that this alone is sufficient to raise alarms about its safety. Many Salvia media stories also headline with comparisons to LSD. However, while LSD and Salvia's active constituent salvinorin A may have comparative potencies, in the sense that both can produce their effects with low dosage amounts, they are otherwise quite different. LSD is a synthesized drug not found in nature whereas Salvinorin only occurs in nature and has yet to be manufactured in a laboratory. The two substances are not chemically similar or related. They are ingested in different ways. They produce different effects, which manifest themselves over different timescales. The effects of Salvia when smoked typically last for only a few minutes as compared to LSD, whose effects can persist for 8-10 hours. News stories typically do not mention this significant difference in timescale and in particular fail to report Salvia's much shorter duration of effect.

Another argument made against Salvia, while conceding that not much is known about it and that it may not be a particular problem at the moment, is that legislation may be needed to stop it from becoming a problem in the future. For example, Senator Randy Christmann (R) stated that "we need to stop this before it gets to be a huge problem not after it gets to be a huge problem" and Assemblyman Jack Conners argued that "Salvia divinorum use may not be a runway epidemic, but it certainly is a phenomenon that warrants attention. We should take preventive steps now to prevent wholesale problems later on...". 

There also seems to be the implication that because a few other states or countries have banned Salvia divinorum then it follows that there must obviously be a problem with it. For example, in October 2005 MP John Mann raised an ultimately unsuccessful Early Day Motion calling for Salvia to be banned in the UK, saying — "The Australians have clearly found a problem with it. There's obviously a risk in people taking it."

While not objecting to some form of legal control, in particular with regard to the sale to minors or sale of enhanced high-strength extracts, most Salvia proponents otherwise argue against more prohibitive measures. Some countries and states such as Missouri have imposed the strictest Schedule I or equivalent classification against Salvia divinorum even in its natural and untreated form.

Salvia's supporters argue that such extreme measures are mainly due to a particular cultural taboo about certain altered states of consciousness—an inherent prejudice rather than the actual balance of evidence. They point to inconsistencies in attitudes toward other more toxic and/or addictive drugs such as alcohol and nicotine.

Those advocating consideration of Salvia divinorum’s potential for beneficial use in a modern context argue that more could be learned from Mazatec culture, where Salvia is not really associated with notions of drug taking at all and it is rather considered as a spiritual sacrament. In light of this it is argued that Salvia divinorum could be better understood more positively as an entheogen rather than pejoratively as a hallucinogen. Other entheogenic plants with traditions of spiritual use include peyote (and other psychoactive cacti), iboga, virola, ayahuasca (an admixture of plants containing DMT + MAOI), and various types of psychoactive fungi. In fact, US legislation specifically allows two of these to be used in a spiritual context. The Native American Church is allowed to use peyote and Uniao do Vegetal is permitted ayahuasca. Although not consistently granted (again varying from state to state), the principal grounds for such concessions are Constitutional, with further grounds following from the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

There haven't been any publicized prosecutions recorded under any Salvia laws. Legislation may prove difficult to police. The plant has a nondescript appearance; the leaves are not distinctive and it does not have a distinctive odour like cannabis. Salvia divinorum looks like and can be grown as an ordinary houseplant without the need of special equipment such as hydroponics or high-power lights.

Australia
As of 1st June 2002, Australia became the first country to ban Salvia and salvinorin. According to the Australian Drugs and Poisons Committee, salvia had not yet shown evidence of damage or threat to public health/safety but had potential to be abused. In a statement which has been criticized as self-negating the committee said, "there was no evidence of traditional therapeutic use other than in shamanistic healing rituals". 

Denmark
With effect from 23rd August 2003, Salvia divinorum and salvinorin A were classed as 'category B' drugs in Danish law. Category B includes psilocybin mushrooms, cocaine, amphetamine, and several others substances that are only legal for medicinal and scientific purposes. Possession carries a penalty of up to 2 years in prison.

Finland
Finland passed legislation in August 2002 making it illegal to import Salvia divinorum without a prescription from a doctor.

Sweden
Salvia divinorum and salvinorin A were added to Sweden's list of controlled substances with effect from 1st April 2006.

Spain
The sale of Salvia divinorum has been illegal since February 6 2004. The law only prohibits commerce. It does not make possession or use a crime.

Italy
In August 2004, the Italian government decreed salvinorin A "a substance with hallucinogenic properties that may cause conditions of abuse and can manifest latent psychiatric pathologies like acute psychosis and depressive psychosis even in an irreversible way" and put it and the plant Salvia divinorum on their ‘table I’ of outlawed psychotropic substances in March 2005. The Italian government referred to an evaluation of Salvia made by the Italian National Health Institute, assessing it as "a powerful natural hallucinogen" to justify their decision. The Italian Ministry of Heath Decree (in Italian) (Google translated into English). Cultivation of the plant or the possession of more than 0,5 mg of Salvinorin A carries a penalty from 6 to 20 years in prison.

Canada
There has been media interest drawing attention to Salvia divinorum's availability in Canada, but there are currently no plans to regulate the herb.

United Kingdom
In September 2001, in answer to a parliamentary question from Ann Widdecombe MP, asking the Secretary of State for the Home Office "what plans he has to review the legal status of the hallucinogen Salvia divinorum", Bob Ainsworth, a parliamentary Under-Secretary for the UK Home Office, stated that there were "no current plans to review its legal status". 

Following a local newspaper story in October 2005, Bassetlaw MP John Mann raised an Early Day Motion calling for Salvia divinorum to be banned in the UK (EDM796). The motion only received 11 signatures. It has not been debated or further escalated.

United States
In late 2002 Rep. Joe Baca (D- California) introduced a bill (Congress bill HR 5607) to schedule Salvia as a controlled substance at the national level. Those opposed to Joe Baca’s bill include Daniel Siebert, who sent a letter to Congress arguing against the proposed legislation, and the Center for Cognitive Liberty & Ethics (CCLE), who sent key members of the US Congress a report on Salvia divinorum and its active principle, along with letters from an array of scientists who expressed concern that scheduling Salvia divinorum would negatively impact important research on the plant. Baca’s bill did not pass.

Despite this a number of states have proposed their own legislation. Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Delaware, Illinois and North Dakota have so far passed laws prohibiting Salvia divinorum. Louisiana has provisions that allow possession of the plant when it is not intended for human consumption and in Oklahoma natural strength Salvia divinorum is legal—only extract-enhanced leaves are prohibited. Salvia divinorum remains legal in all other states. However, though some bills have died during session, the situation is subject to further change depending on the outcome of more recent bills as yet still at the proposal stage.

The DEA has indicated on its website that it is aware of Salvia divinorum and is evaluating the plant for possible scheduling. Daniel Siebert claims he was informed on July 20, 2007 that the DEA had initiated an Eight Factor Analysis of Salvia divinorum. The Controlled Substances Act requires that this analysis be performed before a substance can be scheduled as a controlled substance. The eight factors considered are:


 * Actual and potential for abuse
 * Pharmacology
 * Other current scientific knowledge
 * History and current pattern of abuse
 * Scope, duration, and significance of abuse
 * Public health risk
 * Psychic or physiological dependence liability
 * If an immediate precursor of a controlled substance

Based on the results of the analysis, the DEA may recommend that Salvia divinorum be scheduled as a controlled substance. This analysis will probably take several months to be completed. Siebert said "Given that there is no compelling evidence to suggest that Salvia divinorum presents a significant risk to public safety, I am hopeful that the DEA will be reasonable and not criminalize this beneficial plant unnecessarily. If they do decide to criminalize 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."

State summary
This table summarizes the status of various state proposals for Salvia legislation, with links to following detail state by state.

Alaska
On April 5, 2006 Senator Gene P. Therriault (R) proposed adding Salvia divinorum to Alaska's list of Schedule IIA controlled substances. The bill died in committee. On January 16, 2007, he proposed another bill (Senate Bill 38). The bill has not yet come up for vote.

California
On February 5, 2007 Assembly Member Anthony Adams (R) proposed Assembly Bill 259. The bill wording was amended on March 12, 2007 to include salvinorin A. The bill proposed adding Salvia divinorum and salvinorin A to Califorina's list of Schedule I controlled substances.

The bill was referred to the Committee on Public Safety with a due date for public hearing on March 27, 2007. The bill analysis indicated that opposition to the bill was registered by, among others, Daniel Siebert and the Drug Policy Alliance. The bill was defeated in Committee by a 3-2 vote. A reconsideration was granted but no date has yet been set.

Delaware
On January 23, 2006 Delaware teenager Brett Chidester took his own life by climbing into a tent with a charcoal grill where he died of carbon monoxide poisoning. In an essay found after his death, he wrote "Salvia allows us to give up our senses and wander in the interdimensional time and space…Also, and this is probably hard for most to accept, our existence in general is pointless. Final point: Us earthly humans are nothing." Although being written earlier, Brett’s notes have subsequently been presented in media reports as if they were part of his suicide note. Brett's suicide note did not mention Salvia. There are arguably more relevant factors, with the extent and significance of Brett’s use of alcohol being a matter of contention, and with it being reported that Brett had been suffering from depression. Given the details of Brett's suicide, in particular its premeditated nature and slow method, it is unlikely that he was immediately under Salvia divinorum’s influence at the time of his death. There have been no other reported cases of Salvia related suicides anywhere else in the world. Also, Brett had told his parents that he had actually ceased his experimentation with the plant.

Despite the doubts that have been expressed about the lack of evidence against Salvia in this case, Senator Karen Peterson sponsored Senate Bill 259, "Brett’s Law", which passed as state legislation classifying Salvia divinorum as a Schedule I controlled substance.

Senator Karen Peterson and Brett’s parents Kathy and Dennis Chidester have subsequently continued to campaign for and support Schedule I legislation beyond their home state of Delaware. 

Georgia
On March 8, 2007 Senator John Bulloch, (R-Ochlocknee), filed Senate Bill SB295 which proposes that "It shall be unlawful to knowingly produce, manufacture, distribute, possess, or possess with intent to produce, manufacture, or distribute the active chemical ingredient in the hallucinogenic plant Salvia divinorum A" (sic). 

Violation of the proposed law would be considered a misdemeanour under Georgia's code. It would not apply to "the possession, planting, cultivation, growing, or harvesting of such hallucinogenic plant strictly for aesthetic, landscaping, or decorative purposes". Sen. John Bulloch reportedly saw a report on an Atlanta television news station about the increased use of Salvia divinorum. He was quoted as saying - "I thought, 'Why hasn't somebody already jumped on this?'" before filing Senate Bill 295. "''I hurriedly got legislative counsel to draft the bill…Everything that I read about it is it's considered to be a hallucinogenic drug…A lot of the reading that I've found on it says that it gives a quicker and more intense high than LSD.". Senator Don Thomas (R-Dalton), a physician and member of the reviewing Senate Health and Human Services Committee, was reported as saying—"I just know about the publicity of the dangers of it, and the use of it, so my first impression is to ban anything of that nature''". 

Illinois
On January 19, 2006 Senator John J. Millner (R) introduced Senate Bill 2589 to the Illinois State Legislature. This bill sought to add Salvia divinorum to that state’s list of Schedule I controlled substances. The Bill failed to pass as the session ended sine die (adjourned with no date set for resumption).

On January 26, 2007 Representative Dennis M. Reboletti (R) filed House Bill HB457 which proposed Schedule I classification for Salvia divinorum (including "the seeds thereof, any extract from any part of that plant, and every compound, [...] derivative, mixture, or preparation of that plant"). The bill does not mention the active chemical constituent salvinorin A. Daniel Siebert has criticised this wording as being "absurdly broad in scope, for it implies that any substance extracted from Salvia divinorum (water, chlorophyll, whatever) would be treated as a Schedule I controlled substance under the proposed law."

By May 22, 2007, HB0457 had received support from all 173 members in both bodies of the democratic majority Illinois General Assembly. It was sent to the Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich (D), on June 20, 2007 to be signed..

Reboletti's news of the bill on his website alleged that Salvia is a "powerful psychoactive plant which in appearance looks like marijuana but has the psychoactive properties of LSD". Reboletti said, "As a former Will County prosecutor, I have seen first hand the devastation that drug use has on families and the community. It’s important that we in the legislature are proactive in protecting our children from highly addictive substances" and "For a drug to be classified as a Schedule 1 substance signifies that it’s a highly dangerous and potentially lethal drug for its user. Hopefully, the passage of my bill will bring attention to "Magic Mint" and help law enforcement combat the future rise of this drug." Salvia divinorum article references and other sources indicate however that Salvia does not look like marijuana. Its psychoactive properties are not like those of LSD, and that Salvia divinorum is not generally understood to be either addictive or toxic.

Blagojevich signed HB0457 into law on Friday August 17, 2007. The law comes into effect on January 1, 2008.

Iowa
On January 18, 2007 the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy proposed House/Senate Study Bills HSB133 and SSB1051. These bills propose classification of Salvia divinorum and salvinorin A as Schedule I controlled substances.

Louisiana
Effective from August 8, 2005 (signed into law on June 28, 2005) Louisiana Act No 159 made 40 plants, including Salvia divinorum, illegal if sold for human consumption. It is still legal to own the plants. Simple possession of an illegal form of Salvia is a felony for which the maximum sentence is 5 years; production (even for personal use) or distribution (even for free) has a maximum sentence of 10 years and a minimum sentence of 2 years. In addition, the defendant can even be sentenced to hard labor for either offense.

Maine
In December 2006 Rep. Chris Barstow proposed legislation for the State of Maine. According to reports Barstow believes Salvia "is a drug very similar to LSD" and "We need to have it banned as soon as possible". Barstow's proposed bill proposed that Salvia divinorum be broadly classed the same as marijuana (classified as 'Schedule Z' in Maine). Under the proposed bill possession of Salvia divinorum is a 'Class E' crime, and trafficking or furnishing of Salvia divinorum is a 'Class D' crime.

Barstow's action followed an approach from Kimberly A. Johnson, director of the Maine Office of Substance Abuse, after she had seen Salvia divinorum on sale in her home town of Gorham. Johnson indicated that she would not be satisfied with only the enforcement of age restrictions to control Salvia, asserting—"This drug is just as dangerous to someone who’s 30 as someone who’s 17". 

Lawmakers on the Criminal Justice Committee amended the proposed bill on February 6, 2007. The amendment proposed regulating Salvia only for minors, so that selling or providing Salvia divinorum to anyone under the age of 18 would be a criminal offense. Possession by a minor would be a civil violation, punishable by a fine and community service. Adults 18 and over could continue to legally purchase and use the herb. According to news reports, several committee members at the work session questioned the need to criminalize a drug that hadn't been causing a problem and apparently has little or no addictive potential. The amended measure has yet to go to the full Legislature for debate.

Missouri
On January 5, 2005, Representative Rachel L. Bringer introduced House Bill 165 to the Missouri State legislature. This bill sought to add Salvia divinorum to that state’s list of Schedule I controlled substances. Despite the CCLE sending a letter to Representative Bringer advising of its earlier report to Congress, the following month saw the introduction of House Bill 633, which sought to place Salvia divinorum and salvinorin A in Schedule I and also proposed to add 12 other substances to Missouri’s list of controlled substances. This second bill was introduced on February 23, 2005 by Representative Scott A. Lipke (R) and Representative Bringer. On August 28, 2005 the bill was incorporated into section 195.017 of the state’s drug regulation statutes. Thus, Salvia divinorum became a Schedule I substance in the state of Missouri. Possession is a Class C felony under MRS 195.202, which allows a maximum sentence of 7 years.

New Jersey
On April 6, 2006 Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D) announced that she was proposing legislation to ban Salvia divinorum. On May 15, 2006 Senator Stephen Sweeney (D) proposed Senate Bill 1867 to the State Senate. Assemblywoman Stender introduced an identical bill to the State Assembly on May 22, 2006. It is designated Assembly Bill 3139 and is cosponsored by Assemblyman Jack Conners (D) and Assemblyman Herb Conaway (D). If passed, these bills would classify Salvia divinorum and salvinorin A as Schedule I controlled substances in New Jersey. Neither bill has come up for a vote.

New York
New York is considering a bill (S04987) proposed by Senator John J. Flanagan (R) that would place heavy civil penalties on the sale of the plant.

North Dakota
On January 15, 2007 Senators Dave Oehlke (R) and Randel Christmann (R), together with Representative Brenda Heller (R) proposed Senate Bill 2317 to classify Salvia divinorum as Schedule I controlled substance.

The original text of the bill only mentioned Salvia divinorum. The Senate Judiciary Committee amended this on April 5, 2007, changing the bill wording to include salvinorin A and "any of the active ingredients" of Salvia divinorum. Daniel Siebert has questioned this vauge wording - "since it could be interpreted to include many commonly occurring pharmacologically active compounds, such as tannins, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, etc". The amended bill passed in the Senate on February 7, 2007 (ayes: 47, nays: 0). It passed in the House on March 16, 2007 (ayes: 83, nays: 6). It was signed into law by Governor John Hoeven (R) on April 26, 2007. The new law went into effect on August 1, 2007.

Ohio
In May 2007 Representative Thom Collier (R) proposed House Bill 215 seeking to make Salvia divinorum a Schedule I drug in the state of Ohio. 

Oklahoma
Representative's John Nance (R) bill HB 2485 was passed into law in the State of Oklahoma on the May 26, 2006. The wording of the bill—"salvia divinorum [that] has been enhanced, concentrated or chemically or physically altered"—means that its particular focus is on high-strength extracts, rather than untreated natural strength Salvia divinorum leaf or plants.

Oregon
During the year 2003 two bills were proposed to criminalize Salvia divinorum and salvinorin A. Both bills died upon adjournment of the Oregon Judiciary Committee. House Bill 3485 (introduced March 15, 2003) sought to impose particularly severe penalties. If it had passed, possession would have been punishable by a maximum of 10 years imprisonment, a $200,000 fine, or both. Delivery would have been punishable by a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, a $300,000 fine, or both. Senate Bill 592 only proposed to make delivery a crime. If it had passed, delivery would have been punishable by a maximum of one year's imprisonment, a $5,000 fine, or both.

Efforts to ban Salvia divinorum were renewed on January 27, 2007. Representative John Lim (R) introduced House Bill 2494 to the Oregon State Legislature. If passed, this legislation would make Salvia divinorum and salvinorin A Schedule I controlled substances in that state. Possession would be punishable by a maximum of 1 year’s imprisonment, a $6250 fine, or both. Manufacture or delivery would be punishable by a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, a $375,000 fine, or both.

Rep. John Lim has been quoted as saying—"From what I understand this drug is at least as dangerous as marijuana or LSD", and Seth Hatmaker, a spokesman for Lim—"I think it's only a matter of time before we find people addicted to this stuff". There is little or no research evidence to support these views. In fact, the scientific consensus is mostly to the contrary. Salvia divinorum is not generally understood to be addictive.

Tennessee
Tennessee has passed a law (HB2909/SB3247/TCA 39-17-452) that makes knowingly possessing, producing, manufacturing, distributing, or possessing with intent to produce, manufacture, or distribute the active chemical ingredient in the hallucinogenic plant Salvia divinorum a Class A misdemeanor. The law was to originally make it a felony, but it was amended. The Senate Bill was sponsored by Senator Tim Burchett [mailto:sen.tim.burchett@legislature.state.tn.us (email) ] (R-Knoxville). It was signed into law on May 19, 2006 and went into effect on July 1, 2006. Tim Burchett stated, "We have enough problems with illegal drugs as it is without people promoting getting high from some glorified weed that’s been brought up from Mexico. The only people I’ve heard from who are opposed to making it illegal are those who are getting stoned on it."

Texas
On March 3, 2007 Representative Charles "Doc" Anderson (R-Waco) filed House Bill 2347 which proposes the addition of salvinorin A and Salvia divinorum to Penalty Group 2 of the Texas Controlled Substances Act. On March 28, 2007 the Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence held a video recorded public hearing, 56 minutes 30 seconds into which HB2347 was raised.

Concurrently to Representative Anderson's proposed House bill, Senator Craig Estes (R) filed Senate Bill 1796 on March 9, 2007. In contrast to the more restrictive House bill, the Senate bill simply proposes an age restriction—prohibiting the sale of Salvia divinorum to persons younger than 18 years of age.

Utah
KSL's Utah news channel broadcast a story on November 27, 2006 warning its viewers about what it called "this dangerous herb". The next day, on November 28, 2006, the same channel reported House Representative Paul Ray's "immediate response" with proposed legislation to ban Salvia divinorum in the State of Utah, quoting him as saying - "It was upsetting to see we have a drug of that strength that's legal." and "We're basically going to make it illegal to possess or sell. Period." Ray's bill (HB190) proposed Schedule I classification.

On December 12, 2006, KSL editorial director Duane Cardall published a stance against Salvia divinorum on behalf of the news station as a whole. Cardall's piece closes: "In KSL's view, the legislature should take action to control the sale of Salvia Divinorum before the illicit use of the accessible hallucinogen spreads. That wasn't done in a timely way with Meth, and now we have a devastating epidemic. Preemptive action now with 'Sally D' would likely spare countless families the horror of losing a loved one to the relentless tentacles of drug abuse."

KSL news stories and editorials generally support on-line comments from its registered readers. In this case feedback was overwhelmingly in disagreement with the editorial line.

The House Representatives voted unanimously in favour of the bill however. On February 22, 2007 the bill status was 'House/ passed 3rd reading' (Yeas - 68, Nays - 0). But the bill did not get enacted during its legislative session and was instead sent to the House file for defeated bills on February 28, 2007.

The bill was scheduled to be re-introduced by Representative Paul Ray in a Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee meeting scheduled for September 19, 2007.

Virginia
On January 10, 2007 Delegate John M. O'Bannon, III (R) filed house bill HB2844 which proposed that any material, compound, mixture, or preparation, which contains any quantity of salvinorin A be classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. The plant Salvia divinorum was not itself mentioned. The bill failed to pass the initial committee stage. O'Bannon has indicated that he plans to reintroduce the bill.

Wisconsin
On February 15, 2007, the day after a Fox TV local news story on Salvia had aired in Milwaukee, Wisconsin state lawmaker Sheldon Wasserman, who had never heard of it before, spoke to Fox news in a follow-up report about then wanting to make it a Schedule I controlled substance.

On June 18, 2007 the Wisconsin State Journal newspaper ran a front page headline cover story about Salvia, reporting that Representative Wasserman had recently begun seeking sponsors for a bill that would ban the manufacture and sale of Salvia divinorum for consumption in Wisconsin, with a penalty of up to $10,000. Wasserman was reported as saying - "This bill is all about protecting our children" and "I want to stop the Salvia divinorum dealers who are pushing young people to experiment with a potentially dangerous substance."

On August 7, 2007, Representatives Sheldon Wasserman (D), David Cullen (D), John Townsend (R), Mike Sheridan (D), Alvin Ott (R), Jake Hines (R), and Terese Berceau (D) introduced Assembly Bill 477 to the Wisconsin State Legislature. If passed, this bill would prohibit manufacturing, distributing, or delivering the active chemical ingredient in the plant Salvia divinorum (salvinorin A) with the intent that it be consumed by a person.

Wyoming
On February 13, 2006 Representative Stephen Watt (R) proposed adding Salvia divinorum to Wyoming's list of Schedule I controlled substances (House Bill 0049). The bill died without coming up for a vote.

US

 * Virginia.
 * Illinois.
 * Washington.
 * - related story:
 * California.
 * New York. + related story link:"Herb poses dangers to users"
 * Wisconsin.
 * - newspaper's full front page (pdf) + related story link:"Herb is as potent as LSD" + WSJ reader's opinions (as published).


 * California.
 * Massachusetts (Boston).
 * Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana.
 * North Carolina.
 * Vermont.
 * Ohio.
 * Texas.
 * Georgia.
 * Oregon.
 * Illinois.
 * Boston.
 * Michigan.
 * Carolina.
 * New York.
 * Washington.
 * Michigan.
 * Michigan.
 * O’Connor, Seamus. "Air Force bases ban salvia hallucinogen", AirForceTimes (+ArmyTimes+NavyTimes), 2007-02-16.
 * "New Drug Grows In Popularity With Youth", TurnTo23.com, 2007-02-16.
 * editorial. "Military must ban Salvia", AirForceTimes (+ArmyTimes+NavyTimes), 2007-02-12.
 * Gaudiano, Nicole. "Nightmare herb?", AirForceTimes (+ArmyTimes+NavyTimes), 2007-02-12.
 * Gaudiano, Nicole. "Tales from the Salvia dark side", AirForceTimes (+ArmyTimes+NavyTimes), 2007-02-12.
 * Santiago, Jennifer. "Salvia: It's Legal, But Some Say Dangerous", CBS4.com, 2007-02-12.
 * [mailto:mhaskell@bangordailynews.net Haskell, Meg]. "Amended salvia bill limits sales", Bangor Daily News, 2007-02-08.
 * Medenbach, Deborah. "Police warn parents about hallucinogenic mint", recordonline.com, 2007-02-05.
 * "Lawmakers hear about a new drug", KXMBTV, 2007-01-31.
 * [mailto:mhaskell@bangordailynews.net Haskell, Meg]. "Lawmakers hear arguments on salvia ban", Bangor Daily News, 2007-01-23 (story includes online poll).
 * [mailto:mhaskell@bangordailynews.net Haskell, Meg]. "Maine bill seeks regulation of legal hallucinogenic drug", Bangor Daily News, 2006-12-29.
 * - see also "State lawmaker wants to regulate new hallucinogenic drug", The Boston Globe, 2006-12-29.
 * - and "State officials hoping to ban sale of salvia herb to minors", Portland Press Herald, 2006-12-30.
 * [mailto:mhaskell@bangordailynews.net Haskell, Meg]. "Lawmakers hear arguments on salvia ban", Bangor Daily News, 2007-01-23 (story includes online poll).
 * [mailto:mhaskell@bangordailynews.net Haskell, Meg]. "Maine bill seeks regulation of legal hallucinogenic drug", Bangor Daily News, 2006-12-29.
 * - see also "State lawmaker wants to regulate new hallucinogenic drug", The Boston Globe, 2006-12-29.
 * - and "State officials hoping to ban sale of salvia herb to minors", Portland Press Herald, 2006-12-30.


 * [mailto:rlowell@keepmecurrent.com Lowell, Robert]. "Gorham legislator seeks Salvia ban", keepMEcurrent.com, 2006-12-17.
 * Quinones, Todd. "Deadly Dangers Of A Street Legal High", CBS 3 Philadelphia, 2006-11-30.


 * Jensen, Anna. "D-E-A Issues Warning About Herb", ABC News Channel 13, 2006-11-17.
 * Blake, Katherine. "DEA Warns Over-The-Counter Drug Is Like Acid", CBS 4 Denver, 2006-11-13.
 * Edberg, Erika [mailto:erika@abc4.com (email) ]. "Salvia Divinorum: A legal herb, powerful like LSD, and available in Utah", ABC 4, 2006-11-05.
 * Shortsleeve, Joe. "Powerful Hallucinogenic Drug Legal Across Mass.", CBS 4 Boston, 2006-11-02.
 * "NJ to Crackdown (sic) on Salvia Use", WPVI-TV/DT(6abc.com), 2006-05-19.
 * Barnes, Audrey. "New High Can Be Deadly", WUSA9, 2006-06-30.
 * Elizabeth A., Davis. "Tennessee Mulls Ban of Hallucinogenic Herb", abcNews, Tennessee, 2006-05-05.
 * Pederson, Jason. Salvia divinorum, KATV7, Arkansas, 2006-04-27.
 * Cooper, Anderson. "Salvia: Legal but Lethal", CNN, 2006-04-13.
 * - viewer feedback - asx video (save & use media player).


 * "Cheap, Legal And Dangerous -- Salvia Hits Area", NBC10, Delaware, 2006-04-11.