Comments on Cranky Fitness: Shhh: Salvia Divinorum, a Legal Hallucinogen?

This is a very nice site really well put together ...

2009-07-03T20:46:55.555-04:00

This is a very nice site really well put together i like it. I also found this other site it has some great info as well http://www.salviadivinorumblog.com/

Hi Crabby - I'm afraid I'm waaaaaay behind on thi...

2008-03-28T17:21:00.000-04:00

Hi Crabby - I'm afraid I'm waaaaaay behind on this one, but I tried it once at a friend's house and actually had great fun. It was my first experience of a hallucinogen and I had very intense visions for about 5 minutes, accompanied by uncontrollable laughter (of which I wasn't aware). I would it really interesting and a worthwhile experience, although it was very scary for one of the friends with me, who didn't know what to expect.

Hi Emily!Whoa, that does sound scary! I totally a...

2007-09-10T15:07:00.000-04:00

Hi Emily!
Whoa, that does sound scary! I totally agree about the warnings. Information and informed choice about recreational drugs seems a much more sensible approach than either ignoring them entirely or throwing people in jail for life for using them! And thanks so much for reading this very silly blog and leaving a comment.

Hey Crabby- I enjoy spending countless hours at yo...

2007-09-10T14:24:00.000-04:00

Hey Crabby- I enjoy spending countless hours at your site and this is something I HAD to post on. I guess I do fall into the recreational-drug-user-who-also-works-full-time-and-reads-blogs category although I'm growing up rather quickly these days. So yea, salvia- I've never done the stuff, not a fan of hallucinogens, but my husband did and let me tell you that was the WORST thing I have ever seen. He lost complete motor control; we're talking fell out of his chair, could not string coherent sounds together, I thought he was dieing experience. And he's not completely inexperienced in the hallucinogen department so I'm sure this wasn't some abnormal effect. Point being, I'm prolegalization (or anti-regulation?) but we need MORE information before we start legally selling drugs. There was NO such warnings on this s**t! Thanks for letting me put my 2 cents in!

Hi Dirtycooker,Sorry it took a while for me to get...

2007-08-15T17:37:00.000-04:00

Hi Dirtycooker,
Sorry it took a while for me to get back here; hope you're still around somewhere.

So thanks so much for sharing your experience--sounds very intense! That would scare the beejesus out of me, but it sounds like it was fine for you--good thing you had a companion, though.

This post gets googled a fair amount, so others will appreciate you sharing what it was like for you.

Note to Minors: Don't Do Any Drugs Yet! This whole discussion is just for Those Over Eighteen. Your Young Brains are still forming and are too precious to risk messing up with recreational drugs. Ours are already Old and Crappy or we wouldn't even be talking about it.

I have actually used Salvia before, and because th...

2007-08-14T20:55:00.000-04:00

I have actually used Salvia before, and because there seems to be a lot of information and misinformation going around, I always think it's best to share my experiences and let people make their own judgements and decisions. Personally, I would rather know something, than not know something, and one of the things I decided I wanted to know was how Salvia affected me.

I smoked a small amount (1/2 g) of 30 times refined leaf-and-root mixture(the equivalent of 30 leaves, I'm told) through what is known as a gravity bong, (basically an accordion-like bag with a small bowl for burning what your are smoking through), and experienced a powerful, though extremely short-lived (10 minutes and I was more than completely sober, in fact I've hardly ever been more in control of my faculties before) *trip* in which all perception of color disappeared, complete loss of depth perception, in fact I could only see depth side-to-side, an amazingly intense checkerboard pattern on everything I saw, and uncontrollable fits of laughing. Perception of time went out the window. When I closed my eyes, the checkerboard patterns continued, though now they were very colorful. The effects I've described lasted only 5 or 6 minutes, according to my friend who was keeping an eye on me, since I'd never done it before, and I was dizzy and extremely good natured for 5 minutes after that, although I couldn't speak very clearly. I was sober almost instantly afterwards.

I am not a recreational drug user, the only thing I do on a regular basis is drink a few beers after a particularly hard day at work. Sometimes I like to "take a break," as they say, from reality and I'll try something I've never done before, like sky-diving or a drug I've researched and am convinced is safe. I would not recommend Salvia to anyone who does not keep an extremely open mind. I hope my information has been helpful to anyone who reads this. Salvia is not dangerous, nor is it addicting.

Hi Dana,I'm with you--seems really smart not to tr...

2007-07-31T23:33:00.000-04:00

Hi Dana,

I'm with you--seems really smart not to try it. Because it sounds like STRANGE things can happen and people can get into real trouble. Not something I'd do either. Thanks for your comment!

Hey, I'm a teenager who reads your blog! : ]I've a...

2007-07-31T23:21:00.000-04:00

Hey, I'm a teenager who reads your blog! : ]

I've also heard of Salvia Divinorum. Some kid in my area did it and killed himself, so now they're trying to outlaw it. The law will be named "Brett's Law", after the kid who killed himself.

A few other kids I know tried it and said it was really expensive and didn't do anything. Which is enough to make me not want to try it. Oh, and the whole hullucinating thing.

A clear headed "sitter" seems like excellent advic...

2007-07-17T00:52:00.000-04:00

A clear headed "sitter" seems like excellent advice. Thanks, Chris.

Hence the strong advice to only use it in the pres...

2007-07-17T00:29:00.000-04:00

Hence the strong advice to only use it in the presence of a "sitter", or someone clear-headed who can make sure you don't do anything like walk out a window or drive. (And not someone who is going to laugh at you or distract you from the experience unnecessarily.)

Thanks Chris,I think this might be helpful informa...

2007-07-16T18:53:00.000-04:00

Thanks Chris,
I think this might be helpful information for someone thinking about trying it.

I would find that pretty frightening, myself, but some people might not. I'd also worry about people in a temporary waking "dream" state getting behind the wheel of a car or walking through a window or something. Thanks for the info!

And just to be clear ... the weird part is that yo...

2007-07-16T18:42:00.000-04:00

And just to be clear ... the weird part is that you are dreaming while you are still awake!

I've used it a couple of times. Based on my experi...

2007-07-16T18:38:00.000-04:00

I've used it a couple of times. Based on my experience as well as other descriptions on the net, this stuff basically makes you dream while you are still awake. So I would liken it to sleepwalking, sleeptalking, or even a night terror experience.

Some key points that aren't obvious by the phrase "it makes you dream", are the following things that aren't alarming in regular dreams but tend to be frightening in a salvia-induced dream only if you don't treat it as a dream:

They are bizaar (like many dreams)
You accept the experience as real (as you do in dreams, no matter how bizaar).
You have no recollection or awareness of your "real" life during the experience (as is the case with most dreams).

Given this description, it is more a novelty experience than one that people would get hooked on. So I cannot see it becoming a societal problem.

Thanks, Blah blah and Anonymous College Professor ...

2007-07-01T09:28:00.000-04:00

Thanks, Blah blah and Anonymous College Professor for sharing your Salvia info!

Crabby often writes about things she knows nothing about, so it's always interesting to find out what others have heard.

As a College Prof I am privy to this kind of info....

2007-07-01T06:04:00.000-04:00

As a College Prof I am privy to this kind of info.

A student of mine - who had admitted to trying lots of stuff told me that using Salvia Divinorum (5 years ago - not new) gave him the most intense "religious" experience he'd EVER had. If I was still a young man with no wife and kids, I'd give it a whirl.

I personally have not tried it. It's also known as...

2007-06-30T14:46:00.000-04:00

I personally have not tried it. It's also known as the Divine Savior....

I do know a few people that tried it and they told me that the effect really only works if you are in a darkened room and as soon as there is light, the effect is virtually gone.

Hi Meg,Good point about the side effects of legal ...

2007-06-30T09:13:00.000-04:00

Hi Meg,
Good point about the side effects of legal medications, especially when not carefully prescribed! And as you mention, there's a big difference between "there are no side effects" and "we haven't found all the side effects yet." Anything that you take to cause hallucinations is going to do something to your brain! The question, for the well-informed individual, is whether it's worth it for the experience. For the majority of us, it's certainly not!

You know, this makes me laugh somewhat. So many of...

2007-06-30T01:49:00.000-04:00

You know, this makes me laugh somewhat. So many of the drugs that are dceemed "safe" have some horrible, scary side effects but yet we trust the FDA and take those drugs anyway. Obviously Salvia must have some sort of side effects (the article says there are none) because ALL drugs (legal and non, street and prescription) had side effects. So I would think more research ought to be done. But then there's more important things the government should put it's money toward.

I laugh too because I know of psycotrophic drugs, totally legal and "safe" that can cause hallucinations. For that matter if a bipolar person is incorrectly labeled as depressed and just gets an anti-depressant (and no mood stabilizer) then that easily causes manias so extremes that all sorts of hallucinations are involved. I know this from personal experience. And heck, those hallucinations lasted much, much longer than a "few minutes to an hour". So I don't know. whether the drug is deemed safe or not, I would stay away. Why waste your time and money for a high that might only last a few minutes anyway? Natural highs generally last longer than too....

The web has a fabulous resourceswww.sagewisdom.org...

2007-06-29T16:37:00.000-04:00

The web has a fabulous resources
www.sagewisdom.org
for anyone considering using Salvia or just curious about it and it's effects. It is not a party drug in any way shape or form.

Well Dr. J, good thing the Mrs. got the purple flo...

2007-06-29T16:01:00.000-04:00

Well Dr. J, good thing the Mrs. got the purple flower kind of Salvia and not the hallucinogen kind--you don't want the gophers and deer to be tripping out and getting themselves into trouble!

This morning I say to Mrs.J," I was just reading a...

2007-06-29T13:58:00.000-04:00

This morning I say to Mrs.J," I was just reading about a new hallucinogenic plant on the Internet called 'Salvia'." Without a blink, she says," You mean the ones with the purple flowers I just planted last week in the front yard?" HaHa!! Bless her soul, what can I say??
Dr.J

Wow, Geosomin, what a great comment!I appreciate y...

2007-06-29T13:56:00.000-04:00

Wow, Geosomin, what a great comment!

I appreciate your sharing your experience with salvia, too. I totally agree that education and informed choices are key, and that by lying to kids and claiming all (illegal) drugs are deadly and evil, we blunt the messages about the ones that are truly Bad News. Thanks for all your thoughts!

Ah...here's a topic I can go on about...biochemist...

2007-06-29T12:48:00.000-04:00

Ah...here's a topic I can go on about...biochemistry is my thing.

Having been a bit of a late blooming hippyish sort, in college I will say I've tried a few expanding things things including this. Being a biochemist I'd always read up thoroughly on things before taking them, and many things have never passed my lips, as I deemed them to be too dangerous or not work the risk. I have enjoyed many happy experiences on a few mild things and although I wouldn't recommend anything to anyone (everyone is unique), people need to be informed about what they do. I'm constantly amazed that people read all up on their prescriptions when they get them...should they not pay the same attention to the other thigns they consider putting in their body??

Having said that I've tried Salvia once, it was interesting, but not something I'd say I'd want to try again...very intense short burst of things not working properly. Too strong and it was not something I particularly enjoyed.
To me, this drug is a perfect example of the problems with drug regulation right now. All drugs should be treated equal - I balk at when alcohol and cigarettes are legal, and other things less/equally harmful and non- addictive like say weed, LSD is illegal. Sure highly addictive things should be kept from us for good reason...but the kicker is alcohol and nicotine ARE highly addictive - it's a double standard.
Honestly...if someone were ill prepared to try something like Salvia, or ANY drug fro that matterit could be a very damaging thing. Some people's minds are not able to handle altered reality and can't handle hallucinations or other drugs well at all, especially if they (for some reason) were not aware they wer etaking it. Plus, some people are either addictive personalities or they mentally are quite unstable to begin with - not somthing you should add other chemicals to.

And I question the need to try something like this more than once or twice...I honestly wonder what are you getting out of it? Having been there and done that and moved on...I say what's the big deal? There's more to life. I have to say...real life is so much more satisfying on it's own, it really is. I've friends who never moved on and their life is stifled and lopsided because they aren't all they could be. They've never taken on life as it is in all it's greatness and looked for all the natural things in life.

I feel we need to give kids intelligent info about drugs so they'll make intelligent choices- To respect their bodies and what they put into it. To get joy from life in and of itself and not use other things to fill gaps in themselves or to make "fun" out of nothing. For example, if you tell people all drugs are bad and evil and kill you and they smoke a joint they may think -hey that was OK, what else have they got out there? If we're honest and upfront with them they'll actually listen to what we ahve to say, ask us questions and make intelligent choices. They are still forming their personalities and what they want and like...they don't need any drug interfereing with that.
And as adults, if we need that, what does it say about us...?
I hope if I have kids someday I'll be able to be balanced and intelligent. Legalise and regulate, and inform people. You'll get better people in the end I think.
*whew* stopping now.

Sorry all, was out last night and didn't get back ...

2007-06-29T09:56:00.000-04:00

Sorry all, was out last night and didn't get back to reply to the last few comments in a timely fashion.

Thomma Lyn,
Why thank you! I shall visit your place ASAP and see what this is all about!

Saliva/Sylvia--(sorry! :) )
Yes the adsense people were annoying me. So I just switched to Amazon which will probably have equally badly matched choices, but I believe those bad matches will at least have some input from people's own Amazon accounts if they've chosen to sign up with them. (More on that this weekend!) Thanks so much for stopping by.

Appleton!
Thank you so much for that thoughtful and articulate comment. And good point about all the underlying and unaddressed socioeconomic reasons for serious drug abuse.

Lady Rose--
Will visit soon and see what this is about! Thanks for thinking of me.

Talia, hi!
Well I do hope they don't start banning nutmeg on us, as I need my occasional pumpkin pie slice whether or not it makes me hallucinate. Thanks for the visit!

Hi half man,
Well, you make a good point about people who lose control. But I don't think everyone who experiments with drugs necessarily has bad reasons, or is doing a bad thing, depending on what's taken, the circumstances, and how careful they are. I know lots of people who handle their cocktails, marijuana, or even hallucinogens like mushrooms in a way that doesn't threaten the quality of their lives. But there certainly lots of potential for danger there!

"Um, drugs are bad...umkay."I know there are many ...

2007-06-29T09:14:00.000-04:00

"Um, drugs are bad...umkay."

I know there are many reason why people want to lose control of their minds, but that does not make them good reasons. I am not saying I am any better. After all, I lost control of my eating. I have no good reason for doing that either.