What Is Purple Sticky Salvia?

Identification

• The purple sticky salvia shrub is a member of the mint family and a species of the genus Salvia L., also known as common sage --- the same sage used as a flavoring and cooking additive. While ingestion of Salvia L. fails to alter the mind in any manner, consumption of Salvia divinorum brings about a variety of hallucinogenic effects.

Effects

• Those who smoke or chew the leaves of purple sticky salvia notice both immediate and relatively brief impact. "Effects have been described as intense but short-lived, appearing in less than 1 minute and lasting less than 30 minutes," says the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Intoxication is provided by the chemical ingredient Salvorin A.

Warning

• The United States Drug Enforcement Administration lists Salvia divinorum as a "drug of concern," but, as of November 2010, no federal law exists regulating the cultivation, possession, use or sale of purple sticky salvia. However, a number of states and various countries have enacted legislation to control various aspects of the substance.