The Salvia divinorum Research and Information Center - Shroomery

Daniel Siebert Speaks…
the specific materials and doses used in this particular study.
After sharing the results of this study publicly, I received
quite a few surprisingly emotional reactions from people who
insisted that Salvia splendens was indeed quite active and that
my study must be flawed. I got the feeling that people felt I
was attacking their integrity by suggesting that they were
victims of the placebo effect. It is clear that this herb produces
effects in many people when they know that they are taking it.
The fact that many people are convinced of its effects is
compelling. The problem is that the activity seems to
disappear when people don't know what it is they are taking.
The information available suggests that the effects people
have been reporting are probably due to psychosomatic
factors rather than a true pharmacological action of the herb;
however, I don't mean to suggest that this small study in any
way closes the book on the pharmacology of Salvia
splendens. Further research may very well identify some sort
of activity that was not observed in this particular experiment.
Will: Do you think Salvia divinorum will avoid being
scheduled?
Daniel: I'd certainly like to think so. The nature of its effects
are just too profoundly bizarre and ontologically challenging
for it to ever become very popular. It is clearly not habitforming,
nor does it produce any form of dependence. If
anything, it has the reverse effect. The majority of people who
try Salvia divinorum, do so out of curiosity, but after one or
two full-blown experiences decide that there are better things
to do for fun. It will never become widely used or cause the
kind of social problems that have resulted in other plants
becoming illegal. But then again, the scheduling of drug
plants is sometimes unpredictable and illogical. For example,
it doesn't make sense that obscure and relatively benign plants
like Tabernanthe iboga and Catha edulis are illegal, while
other far more available, powerful, and clearly dangerous
plants like the Daturas and other hallucinogenic nightshades
remain quite legal.
It is very important that people who experiment with Salvia
divinorum are properly educated about its effects so that they
can use it intelligently, safely, and hopefully in a way that is
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