The haze craze
Salvia is one of the most controversial, expensive and hallucinogenic drugs on the market right now. And in Michigan, it’s not controlled — yet, that is
Staff Writer
“I thought my arms were melting away,” recalled Brian Koscielniak. “I was so freaked out that they were on fire, so I tried to put it out. That didn’t do anything, so I tried to wait it out. I was in a completely different universe at that point.
What was it that caused Koscielniak, a 21-year old graphic arts student at Washtenaw Community College, to hallucinate? Mushrooms? Cocaine? LSD?
It was salvia divinorum — derived from the old domestic herb Salvia, the name most people refer to it as. In recent years, more and more users have discovered it becomes a psychoactive herb when smoked or chewed. Far more potent than the marijuana plant, salvia is sold legally in Michigan and various states, specifically in head shops like Stairway to Heaven and 42 Degrees, both in downtown Ann Arbor.
“You’re no longer in reality. You see things, hear things, become paranoid,” Koscielniak said. “ . . . Your senses are heightened and you don’t even realize you’re out. . . . You could harm yourself or others.”
What to expect
The use of salvia has been controversial from the start due to its ability to take over the user’s body. Although the high only lasts a fraction of the time a high from pot does, for example, the feeling is significantly more intense. Typically, the user will hallucinate for about five minutes then slowly regain coherence after 15 minutes or so.
Many salvia smokers remember an overwhelmingly heavy downward pull on their limbs, often making it nearly impossible to maintain any kind of balance. And if that isn’t enough to handle, users claim they experienced vibrant hallucinations of patterns and colors, uncontrollable laughter, slight drooling and a rise in body temperature, which occur without any warning. The only treatment is to wait out the high.
The kind of “trip” somebody has on salvia largely depends on three things: the potency of the dose; how much is inhaled; and the mind frame the user is in at the moment. The numbers printed on the packages increase with the strength of the contents. Potencies range from a mildly high 5X-160X. Holding the inhaled salvia smoke in the lungs for an extended period of time permits a mesmerizing high as well.
When users are under its spell, salvia has also been known to enlighten them about pertinent life struggles. After the obvious high wears off, they say they can feel a sense of discovery and have a new outlook on things. This sensation can last for several days after the trip.
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“When I took a hit, it felt like a shudder ran down my lungs. All of a sudden I imagined shooting into the sky and meeting a bubble. From there, I ended up at Walden Pond, surrounded by trees,” said Matt Alpin, 21, of Brighton, referring to the place in the classic novel. “I just felt really happy and satisfied.”
There is no way of knowing what kind of experience salvia can bring when it is smoked. It’s a flip of a coin when it comes to a positive or negative trip. This erratic element is why some avoid the drug completely.
Having nostalgic or imaginative dreams (also called “breaking through”), laughter and amplified senses have all been said to be results of a satisfying experience, while side effects such as paranoia and panic are associated with a depressing trip. Alpin has had a few of those, too.
“The first time I tried (it), I was alone. Everything was vibrating and alive,” he recalled. “I tried it again and it was even worse. I felt like my friends were staring at me and judging me. I couldn’t even look them in the eyes.”
Because the actions salvia inspires can be unpredictable, salvia smokers recommend that first-time users should not smoke it alone. More importantly, they say, a person under the influence of salvia should never get behind the wheel.
Legal aspects
“Salvia can be compared to prescription drugs or alcohol. All of them are legal to buy, but if they’re abused while driving, the person can be fined for impaired driving,” said Ypsilanti Post Sgt. Tony Cuevas. “ . . . In the same regard, a person can be fined for disorderly conduct if they smoke salvia and act unfavorably in public.”
Even though buying, distributing or in taking salvia is not a crime, basic laws still apply. And if someone is caught breaking them, they’ll want to brace themselves for heavy fines and possible jail time.
In fact, laws on the drug vary across the country. As of now, legislative bills proposing regulatory controls are pending not only in Michigan, but in New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin.
Nine other states in the U.S. have placed the drug or its main constituent (salvinorum A) into Schedule I of State Law, meaning it has a high potential for abuse and has no place in medical treatment.
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One of those states, Delaware, has banned the drug by enacting what has been called “Brett’s Law” after a teenage salvia user committed suicide. His parents believe the suicide was directly linked to his regular salvia usage but that cannot be proven.
A reason for the diverse laws is the conflicting elements of the substance. For example, there is no history of addiction or health risks associated with salvia. In fact, it was used ages ago by the Mazatec Indians as a medicinal and ritual herb, according to The Drug Enforcement Administration.
It does not contain THC — which is what pot smokers are liable to test positive for — and is so chemically different from other drugs it doesn’t show up on standard drug tests. Some tests can be operated to trace rare substances such as salvia, but it doesn’t originally trigger anything,” said Doug Sund, a forensic chemist of the Northville Crime Lab.
Loopholes galore
People are aware of its extremely intense high, however. The most popular distributor, Purple Sticky Salvia, prints the warning, “FOR INCENSE USE ONLY” on all its packages. The company is technically not breaking the law by mass-producing salvia, but printing the warning is a way to keep the government off its back with too much investigation, Ted “Trip” Pixley, a former head shop employee, speculated.
Both owners of Stairway to Heaven and 42 Degrees are vocally against advertising their availability of salvia and specifically asked that their names not be printed. They admitted they’re morally against the highly potent drug because the trips are so unpredictable. If that’s the case, why are they selling it? Money.
42 Degrees offers salvia potencies of 20X- 140X at a price range of $20- $140. Each container consists of a mere gram of Purple Sticky Salvia. One gram is usually equivalent to four uses.
Foggy Bottom Bayou, the only head shop in Ann Arbor that doesn’t distribute salvia, is standing its ground on the subject and has not yet spent the necessary money for a state license to distribute it.
“As far as a smoke shop, we come from a different angle. Our number one priority is selling pipes and glass blowing,” said Scott Antworth, one of the storeowners. “Salvia is too controversial.”
Employees of the shop are outwardly accepting of the substance, ironically more so than at other places that actually sell it. Foggy Bottom Bayou’s free-mindedness is reflected in the store’s aesthetics and psychedelic artwork, which was created by Pixley.
Trip explained he learned a lot about salvia and other drugs by researching them online first. Even videos of smokers having out-of-body experiences on YouTube, which have been referenced by congressmen nationwide lobbying to ban the drug, acted as helpful eye-openers, he explained.
Since salvia was discovered, there have been trends of usage. For a short time in the mid-90’s it was. Then most people lost interest and now it’s making a comeback, according to Pixley. There is no specific reason for this yet quite popular
“An interesting little mind freak” is how Pixley described salvia, but he’s done with it now, seeing all he needs to see.
“I’m at that point in my life where I’m pretty much done using psychedelics. There’s nothing more to be learned from them, and so I treat them with respect,” he said. “Salvia is a chemical that should really be respected.”
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