Overview: Salvia divinorum is a perennial herb in the mint family that is abused fr its hallucinogenic effects.

 

Street Names: Maria Pastora, Sally-D, Salvia

 

Looks Like: The plant has spade-shaped variegated green leaves that look similar to mint. The plants themselves grow to more than three feet high, have large green leaves, hollow square stems, and white flowers with purple calyces.

 

Methods of Abuse: Salvia can be chewed, smoked, or vaporized.

 

Affect on Mind: Psychic effects include perceptions of bright lights, vivid colors, shapes, and body movement, as well as body or object distortions. Salvia divinorum may also cause fear and pnic, uncontrollable laughter, a sense of overlapping realities, and hallucinations. Salvinorin A is believed to be the ingredient responsible for the psychoactive effects of Salvia divinorum.

 

Affect on Body: Adverse physical effects may include: loss of coordination, dizziness, and slurred speech.

 

Drugs Causing Similar Effects: When Salvi divinorum is chewed or smoked, the hallucinoic effects elicited are similar to those induced by other hallucinogenic substances.

 

Overdose Effects: Adverse physical effects may include lack of coordination, dizziness, and slurred speech.

 

 

*Above information courtesy of the Drug Enforcement Administration (www.dea.gov)