The Maryland legislature proposed a state law banning salvia divinorum, by taking up SB 9, "An Act Concerning Criminal Controlled Dangerous Substances."
Salvia, also known as the "diviner's sage," is a legal plant that causes altered perceptions when smoked or chewed. It is available over the Internet and at several "head shops" in Baltimore and other cities.
Salvia is famous for having been a "contributing factor" in the death of a Delaware honors student who committed suicide in 2006. Since then, a series of state laws banning the sale or possession of salvia has been introduced. Last year, a bill was proposed by Baltimore City Councilwoman Belinda Conaway to ban salvia sales and possession in Baltimore City, but it did not pass.
Matthew Johnson and Roland Griffiths, professors at the Hopkins School of Medicine, study the effects of drugs to look for clues on how the brain works and how it is influenced by drugs. The researchers say salvia offers promise as a useful drug, as a derivative may be used as a medication, such as a cocaine abuse inhibitor.
However, the introduction of the bill banning salvia by state Senator Richard Colburn would limit their research on salvia. The bill notes that use of the substance for research is only possible with a waiver from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, as salvia divinorum is not listed as a Federal Schedule I substance.
The senate staffer answered their anxiety by saying that everyone is concerned about research and that an amendment would be encouraged so that medical research could proceed.
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