Hi, this is a question to the american folks here. I have heard your goverment is trying to outlaw salvia divinorum. Is this true? How far into the process are they ? Does it seem likely? And if so when will it happen ?
Booooooosh
The state of Missouri has a bill floating around, that seeks to add Salvia to the list of schedule 1 drugs! (Most restricted classification) Seems as if they also have crafted the wording of said bill to make the production/extraction/or compounding of any substance in an attempt to acquire an 'altered consciousness' as an illegal action punishable by years in jail... The thought police are surely on the move.... My guess is Salvia has about 3-5 yrs, before say, half a dozen individual states will have made it illegal... Then, by that time, the feds will step in and make it illegal nationwide............ senorsal
one of my girls lives in Missouri. I guess this means she'll have to stop brewing beer, cuz I know she just drinks it to alter her consciousness :)
I am unaware of any current legislative attempt at the federal level to criminalize Salvia divinorum. But the DEA is certainly aware of use and abuse of that plant, and has been quoted as saying something of along the lines of "we're monitoring the situation".
Other than the Missouri bill, there's a bill in the Louisiana state legislature (//http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/byinst.asp?sessionid=05RS&billid=HB20&doctype=ALL) to outlaw Salvia divinorum along with a damn near every other psychoactive plant. :shock:
It's a pretty ridiculous bill--- aside from banning whole genera of plants that grow wild e.g. Datura spp., I don't recognize quite a few species on the list, and yet it (thankfully!) omits cacti like Trichocereus which you would really expect to make the list.
It does include plants like "Lagoehilus inebrians" [sic], clearly a response to the rampant abuse of that plant in this country. :roll: And you might wonder if the bill's author (or whatever legislative aide drafted this bill) is aware that Tabernanthe iboga is already Schedule I in the U.S. I'm guessing not.
I have a gut feeling this bill won't pass, but I'm disturbed that someone bothered to draft it. As I suggested in another forum, it's probably just some "tough on drugs" posturing on the part of the delegate who introduced it. But if you or people you know live in Louisiana, it might be a good idea for someone to write his or her state representative and let them know what a crappy bill this is.
About the Louisiana bill, it is going to be aimed at vendors who offer the plants and/or preparations with the intent of altering consciousness.
Having one of these plants in the yard shouldn't be a cause for trouble.
Selling the specific plants or preparations solely without other inactive plants will rouse suspicion and trouble if the bill passes.
The result will be fewer vendors available, but traders and a few vendors will be able to cary on. I know of at least one vendor that sells Salvia Divinorum along with all sorts of culinary herbs. This bill would not apply to this vendor.
One flaw I see in the bill (allowing a means of striking the law down should it pass) is defining a plant as hallucinogenic. One person's hallucinogenic plant is another's meditative consciousness enhancer or mood elevator. How is a plant going to be proven to be hallucinogenic? Are trials going to be conducted? If so, where do we sign up? A small dose of many of those plants will not be hallucinogenic, so why ban them?
Quote from: "senorsalvia"Seems as if they also have crafted the wording of said bill to make the production/extraction/or compounding of any substance in an attempt to acquire an 'altered consciousness' as an illegal action punishable by years in jail...
WAITWAITWAIT!!!
Are you saying the acutal wording of the bill would make the altering of conciousness via physical substance illegal? One of the hugest red flags I've ever seen just popped up in front of my eyes. The prohibition of plants and drugs is at least vaguely acceptable by claiming they produce some effect that is detrimental to society (whether the claim is true or not), but to prohibit the altering of one's own conciousness? That scares the blue hell out of me.
Quote from: "Veracohr"Quote from: "senorsalvia"Seems as if they also have crafted the wording of said bill to make the production/extraction/or compounding of any substance in an attempt to acquire an 'altered consciousness' as an illegal action punishable by years in jail...
WAITWAITWAIT!!!
Are you saying the acutal wording of the bill would make the altering of conciousness via physical substance illegal? but to prohibit the altering of one's own conciousness? That scares the blue hell out of me.
===================================================== From an e-mail I recieved about 10 days ago (from either DRC.Net, or Daniel Seibert; can't remember, did not save it That indeed appeared to be the case.... I even followed the link provided and read the bill in its' entirety.... That Missouri bill made it quite clear that they would consider the preparation of plant materials, that when ingested, would alter ones consciousness, to be prima fascie evidence of criminal intent to manufacture controlled substance... It was my feeling that this was a direct attack on the vendor front..... They did however allow peeps to possess naturally occuring plants as a botanical specimen... I will try to find the bill. and post a link.... senorsal
Thanks for the update folks. We fight a war remember, and if you dont feel like you fighting one...why not? Your responses are appreciated, I do indeed hope that the prediction of in 3-5 years half a dozen states would have outlawed it doesn't come true. Other than MAPS, are there pro psychedelic bodies in the U.S.A fighting these issues ? The UK goverments proposal to outlaw magic mushrooms has resulted in a huge effort on the online communities part. We really are making good progress....I hope you guys over the pond can do so also,
Booosh