In 90 days, the controversial psychoactive plant Salvia will be banned across Ohio and will no longer be available in smoke shops in the university area.
The bill, signed by Gov. Ted Strickland on Friday, was sponsored by former state representative Thom Collier after a boy from Loudonville, Ohio, was killed by a friend under the influence of Salvia.
Salvia is an herb from the mint family with hallucinogenic effects, and is native to Mexico.
Shamans from the Mazatec Indian tribe use it to induce ritual trances.
The bill's passage treats Salvia as a Schedule I controlled substance with the same penalties associated with cocaine, heroin and psychedelic drugs.
GRAPHIC LISA FOUSEK/THE LANTERN
According to Erowid.org, a non-profit educational group, "individuals currently in the midst of emotional or psychological upheaval in their everyday lives should be careful about choosing to use psychoactive drugs such as Salvia as they could possibly trigger even more difficulty."
Salvia can also bring out latent mental problems in people with schizophrenia in their families.
The herb has been available for purchase at various smoke shops in the campus area.
"A lot of people come in just to buy it, or are just interested and want to know more," said Brittany Johnson, an employee at Dream Merchant on High Street.
Johnson said that the ban of Salvia could affect their sales.
"It's a pretty big part of [sales]," she said. "I think there could be an effect, but we would recover."
John Sharvin, who works at Waterbeds N' Stuff, said the store has taken some action to prepare for the ban.
"We've cut our prices back to promote more sales," Sharvin said.
Sharvin, a sophomore in fine arts, does not think the ban on Salvia will hurt the store's sales.
"Quite surprisingly we have quite a couple of people [who] come in regularly and buy it," Sharvin said.
"We sell a lot of it but it's definitely not our number one seller. A lot of people aren't really going to do it."
Sharvin, who is also pro-marijuana, is against the illegalization effort of Salvia in Ohio.
"I don't think it'll prevent more people from doing it," he said.
"Growing Salvia is like the easiest thing ever. No one even knows what it looks like. It's gonna be one of those stupid drug laws. It's just gonna create a black market and then the government doesn't get any taxes, which is really ridiculous."
Johnson shares a similar sentiment.
"I don't think it should be illegal," Johnson said.
"I think it should be up to the person."
According to salvia.net, 10 states have passed legislation against Salvia use.
Former state representative Thom Collier and Dream Merchant owner Nolan Miller were unavailable for comment.
Everdeen Mason can be reached at mason.388@osu.edu.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 21
Zara Axelrod
posted 1/12/09 @ 4:12 AM EST
Noooooo!!! I haven't tried salvia yet, but by God if I'm not going to Puff N Stuff tomorrow and buying their entire supply. War on drugs = BOO!!!! Major buzz kill, man. (Continued…)
Zara Axelrod
posted 1/12/09 @ 4:17 AM EST
Also, way to go Lantern on not including any other details of the boy's death. Just go down to Waterbeds N Stuff and see what the cashier thinks. THAT's some hard-hitting journalism!
James Wade
posted 1/12/09 @ 5:21 AM EST
"... After a boy from Loudonville, Ohio, was killed by a friend under the influence of Salvia." Wow! I sure am glad that nobody has ever been killed by a friend under the influence of alcohol! *Cue The-Price-is-Right "You fail" music*
Neal Hicks
posted 1/12/09 @ 8:28 AM EST
If one person flipping out and killing someone was enough to ban something, then alcohol would have been illegal a long time ago.
Oh wait, we tried that, never mind. (Continued…)
Laura Deeter
posted 1/12/09 @ 9:23 AM EST
I would like to point out that NOT all Salvia will be banned. We have many, many species of Salvia in our gardens that are perfectly legal plants! There are well over 500 species of Salvia with several dozens in cultivation and regularly available from garden centers across the state and country. (Continued…)
Zach Germaniuk
posted 1/12/09 @ 9:26 AM EST
Can we start a petition to request back our tax-dollars wasted on the debate and passage of the asinine law banning salvia divinorum, a drug similar to marijuana? A definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. (Continued…)
Alli Sayre
posted 1/12/09 @ 11:44 AM EST
Good thing no one has ever been killed by alcohol, smoking tobacco, or cars, or else we'd have to make that illegal to "protect the children" too.
It's my body, Governor Strickland! It's very sad that this kid died, but a person killed him, not salvia. (Continued…)
John
posted 1/12/09 @ 1:10 PM EST
Buy Salvia if you live in this state. A bunch of stores already stopped selling it. Online I think the best place is Club13. Have ordered from them alot in the past. (Continued…)
Benbo
posted 1/12/09 @ 2:16 PM EST
How can a plant be illegal? Oh wait, I forgot, I live in the United States--the most FREE country in the world! Freedom!
Keith Morris
posted 1/13/09 @ 12:32 AM EST
In light of this incident and the death of a cyclist on Alum Creek Rd last year, that cars will be banned statewide? Will we even see a mandatory speed limit of 25 MPH within our cities and towns to help prevent more people from getting hit and killed by speeding vehicles? Probably not, but that won't stop me from asking Strickland why one death will cause action, but hundreds of deaths doesn't. (Continued…)
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