Pubdate: Fri, 24 Aug 2007
Source: Boulder Weekly (CO)
Column: In Case You Missed It
Copyright: 2007 Boulder Weekly
Contact:  http://www.boulderweekly.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/57
Note: Execerpted from longer column
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hallucinogens.htm (Hallucinogens)

THOU SHALT BAN ALL HALLUCINATORY SUBSTANCES

Chemical enhancement is a part of life. It's only a question of 
whether your substance of choice is legal (cigarettes, caffeine, 
alcohol) or illegal (insert your favorite substance of choice here).

Unfortunately, our fondness for drugs is rivaled by our government's 
interest in banning them. Of recent note is the DEA's uptightedness 
about salvia divinorum, a leafy green plant from Mexico that makes 
people briefly hallucinate. Salvia is currently legal because its use 
is somewhat uncommon in the U.S., and it has no known side effects. 
Contrary to LSD, which can produce hallucinations that last for 
hours, the effect of salvia lasts only minutes. Many researchers 
believe that there are some instances like bipolarism and depression 
in which salvia can be highly beneficial.

But this isn't stopping the DEA from making its move and blacklisting 
the drug. States, too, are jumping on the bandwagon to outlaw it. 
Meanwhile, researchers are begging for more time to test the benefits 
of salvia.

For as long as humans have been around, so has the need for 
hallucinogenic experiences. Hey, DEA: It's time to take a chill pill. 
Better yet, how about some salvia?
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom