Health Canada proposes ban on popular hallucinogenic herb salvia

[Deezy]

By Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press | The Canadian Press – Sat, 19 Feb, 2011 6:00 AM EST
.........OTTAWA - The federal government is proposing to ground "pyschonauts" from taking any more psychedelic trips on salvia divinorum.

Health Canada has posted notice of its intention to ban the potent hallucinogenic herb and its active ingredient, salvinorin A.

It is proposing to add both to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, making it illegal to produce, possess, traffic, import or export the substances.

The notice, posted Feb. 4 on the Canada Gazette, gives stakeholders 30 days in which to comment.

Currently, salvia —also known as magic mint and diviner's sage — is considered a natural health product. As such, it is supposedly illegal to sell it without authorization from Health Canada.

Health Canada has given no such authorization but the agency appears to have done little to enforce its regulations.

Salvia is readily available at head shops across the country and through the Internet, touted as a perfectly legal hallucinogen. As recently as last fall, head shops within a stone's throw of Parliament Hill were openly selling vials of salvia extract for $20 to $80 per gram, depending on the potency.

Users of salvia have sometimes referred to themselves as psychonauts on YouTube videos of their trips

Police have long complained they're powerless to halt the sale of salvia, which has been known to produce some adverse reactions, including one case reported by Health Canada in 2006 in which an incoherent, suicidal teenage boy threatened to kill police officers. Police have no jurisdiction to enforce natural health product regulations.

Adding salvia divinorum and salvinorin A to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act would finally "enable law enforcement agencies to take action against suspected illegal activities involving these substances," Health Canada says in the notice.

It adds that salvia has been "reported to be one of the most prevalent herbal products used as an alternative to illicit drugs."

The Canadian Alcohol and Drug Use Monitoring Survey in 2009 found 7.3 per cent of youths aged 15-24 reported having used salvia at least once.

Because the effects of salvia are similar to those of LSD and other controlled hallucinogenic drugs, "Health Canada is concerned that the ready availability and use of S. divinorum poses a risk to the health and safety of Canadians, particularly youth," the notice says.

Other countries, including Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden, have already regulated or banned salvia, as have some dozen states in the U.S.
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I'd just like to know exactly what business does the government have to make any natural substance illegal, when they have made the worst drug of all...tabacco ... legal? It is beyond hypocritical.

 

[Troy]

I have no issue with governments making natural substances illegal if they cause harm to people. There are a lot of dangerous natural substances out there, things like cyanide can be produced naturally and it would be irresponsible of the government to allow something harmful too people to be sold. This herb salvia has serious side effects and hasn't been cleared by Heath Canada so there are some issues with it.

I do believe that tabacco should be made illegal, it would have to be the only legal product where if used correctly it will kill you. I also believe that alcohol should be illegal since it is poison but unfortunately since governments earn so much from both products through tax that is never going to happen.

 

[Deezy]

I'm flabbergasted KFC, I'm a smoker and a drinker. I have nothing bad to say about them, it makes the government money through taxation. Alcohol itself generates atleast 4.4 billion for our country annually, cigarettes around the same. I don't see why they don't do that for other drugs it would garner it more money.

But if it grows in the ground, should be free for all. I don't think a government has the right to tell people what is right and what is wrong. Who wants a nanny state?

 

[Troy]

I don't smoke or drink so it wouldn't bother me if those things were made illegal. It would save a lot of peoples lives and the loss in tax would be offset by the reduction in healthcare costs.

Some things that grow in the ground are dangerous when consumed and so the goverment do have a responsibility to keep people safe. Not so much a nanny state, I don't want that either, but I do expect government to protect everyone.

 

[Deezy]

Making things illegal drive up demand and throw it into the hands of criminals. If prohibition has taught us anything, it's that anything people are told not to do, they will do it. Like teenagers are told by their parents not to do things, they will turn around and do them. A redundant statement I know, but it fits.

Sometimes personal responsibility is the only thing people need instead of constant worry warts telling us what we can and cannot do. It's like having overprotective parents, most of those kids end up fucked up because they don't have a clue about anything. Sometimes a little common sense goes along way.

 

[Troy]

True but I have issues with dangerous substances being made legal. I am fine with people abusing themselves, they can do what they want to their body but I don't like it when they then have interactions with others. Whether it be by driving their car, by working with heavy machinery whilst under the influence or just being in a crowded space and randomly attacking people or whatever else. If they do it to themselves and don't involve others cool they can do it and die early.

 

[Prodigy]

I dunno what to say. The thing is I don't think the drug should be made illegal. What's the point? People will smoke it more to look cool and make it harder for government to handle. As far as I'm aware it hasn't killed anyone so if it ain't broke don't fix it. Seriously if anything weed should be legalised because that causes less deaths than tobacco.

 

[Deezy]

True but I have issues with dangerous substances being made legal. I am fine with people abusing themselves, they can do what they want to their body but I don't like it when they then have interactions with others. Whether it be by driving their car, by working with heavy machinery whilst under the influence or just being in a crowded space and randomly attacking people or whatever else. If they do it to themselves and don't involve others cool they can do it and die early.

Allow me to leap to conclusions and say if it doesn't boil down to personal responsibility, then whats to say that things like this wouldn't get even worse? What if someone with bad vision kills someone on the road? Does that mean we ban people who wear glasses from driving? And if someone maims or even kills a guy with a punch does that mean we should ban anyone from making a closed fist? At the end of the day, it's still about personal responsibility in my opinion. Sure there are some idiots out there who would abuse a drug and become a fuckhead who ruins it for everyone else, but there are plenty of more people who can actually function in society.

Besides if it wasn't for drugs, our music and movies and tv shows would suck.

 

[Dademo]

I dunno what to say. The thing is I don't think the drug should be made illegal. What's the point? People will smoke it more to look cool and make it harder for government to handle. As far as I'm aware it hasn't killed anyone so if it ain't broke don't fix it. Seriously if anything weed should be legalised because that causes less deaths than tobacco.

I'm sorry Prodigy, but people don't smoke or do drugs to look cool, unless their teenagers trying to fit in. I have absolutely no idea where your getting this from either. They do it to get a certain effect which clearly either makes them happy, or brings their body up to a neutral position if they have an addicition.

Anyways, All I know is that Salvia has similar Marijuana effects on the brain but it's legal. I agree with Deezy though. Why Tobacco, the most addictive drug ever, (So I've been told) is not illegal and this may be illegal is weird.

 

[Itchweed]

I think this is smart. Salvia is a harsh 'herb'. No fuck that, it's a drug. It's soo much worse then weed, or drinking, yet this is isn't? Personally, I've done salvia, and it makes you feel like a giant pile of shit when your done your trip, which is some either pretty intense, or scary shit. Making this illegal is smart, but with that I think they should make weed legal, because let's face it Canada doesn't really care about weed. Hell, we would of had it legal but the states said nay nay, so we made illegal.

Google it.

 

[Seak]

Anyways, All I know is that Salvia has similar Marijuana effects on the brain but it's legal. I agree with Deezy though. Why Tobacco, the most addictive drug ever, (So I've been told) is not illegal and this may be illegal is weird.

HELL NO it doesn't have similar effects to weed! One is a hallucinogen, one is a depressant.

I think this is smart. Salvia is a harsh 'herb'. No fuck that, it's a drug. It's soo much worse then weed, or drinking, yet this is isn't? Personally, I've done salvia, and it makes you feel like a giant pile of shit when your done your trip, which is some either pretty intense, or scary shit. Making this illegal is smart, but with that I think they should make weed legal, because let's face it Canada doesn't really care about weed. Hell, we would of had it legal but the states said nay nay, so we made illegal.

I smoked it twice, first time I had a bad trip but it wasn't nearly as bad as you said. I saw some fucked up shit and got a headache but that was it. But they say it affects everyone different and I've heard a bunch of horrible trip stories. But the second time was really cool. It gave me some awesome visual and audible shit and felt like what a trip should feel like.
I haven't done it since though, weed is still my drug of choice.

 

[Dademo]

Well then I must have heard wrong then. I've never smoked Salvia, but I thought it had similar effects as Marijuana. That does remind me of knowing a comedian who has a couple of videos that documented his first time smoking Salvia and having bad trips.