What Is Salvia?

What Is Salvia?

Salvia divinorum, commonly referred to as Salvia, is a psychoactive plant native to the cloud forests of Mexico. It contains salvinorin A, a potent kappa-opioid receptor agonist responsible for its hallucinogenic effects. While often used recreationally for its unique and intense psychedelic experiences, Salvia has also been used traditionally by Mazatec shamans for spiritual and healing rituals.

History

Salvia has been used for centuries by indigenous Mazatec people in Oaxaca, Mexico, primarily for divination and spiritual healing. It was introduced to the Western world in the 20th century, gaining popularity in the 1990s and 2000s as a legal hallucinogen. Unlike other psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin, Salvia’s effects are short-lived, typically lasting only a few minutes to an hour¹.

Is Salvia Legal?

Salvia’s legal status varies widely across the globe:

-United States: Legal in some states, while others classify it as a Schedule I controlled substance. Federal regulations remain ambiguous².

-United Kingdom: Classified as a Class B drug under the Psychoactive Substances Act³.

-Canada: Legal to possess but controlled for sale or distribution without proper authorization⁴.

-Australia: Prohibited under the Poisons Standard⁵.

-European Union: Some countries, such as Germany and Italy, have banned it, while others allow its use with restrictions.

What Does Salvia Look And Smell Like?

Salvia leaves are green and ovate, resembling mint plants. The dried leaves, commonly used for smoking or brewing tea, have a faint herbal aroma with a slightly earthy undertone. Extracts often appear as dark, resinous materials with an intensified odor⁶.

How To Make Salvia

Salvia products are typically derived from the leaves of Salvia divinorum, which are dried, crushed, or extracted to create concentrated forms. The extraction process involves soaking the leaves in solvents like ethanol or acetone, evaporating the liquid, and collecting the concentrated resin. This resin is often infused back into dried leaves for increased potency⁷.

How Long Does Salvia Last?

Salvinorin A is absorbed rapidly through mucosal tissues or the lungs, depending on the route of administration. It bypasses the blood-brain barrier efficiently due to its lipophilic “lipid loving” nature.

Metabolism occurs primarily in the liver through hydrolysis, and its metabolites are excreted via urine.

The effects typically peak within minutes and subside within 30 minutes to an hour⁸.

Pharmacodynamics

Salvinorin A is unique among hallucinogens as it acts as a selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist.

Unlike classical psychedelics that target serotonin receptors, Salvia induces dissociative and hallucinogenic effects through this opioid pathway⁹.

Routes of Administration

-Smoking: The most common method, using dried leaves or extracts in a pipe or bong.

-Chewing: Fresh leaves are chewed and held in the mouth for sublingual absorption.

-Oral ingestion: Less common due to reduced bioavailability when swallowed.

-Vaping: Increasingly popular, especially with concentrated extracts¹⁰.

Effects of Salvia

Salvia’s effects are potent but short-lived. Users often report:

-Visual and auditory hallucinations.

-Dissociation and out-of-body experiences.

-Distorted perception of time and space.

-Emotional shifts, ranging from euphoria to fear.

Adverse effects can include confusion, anxiety, and dysphoria, especially at higher doses¹¹.

Speed of Onset

Salvia’s effects begin almost immediately when smoked or vaped, often within 30 seconds.

Sublingual administration leads to a slower onset, taking up to 10–15 minutes, but with milder effects¹².

How Long Does Salvia Stay In Your System?

Salvia is rarely included in standard drug panels due to its unique chemical structure. Advanced methods like liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) are required for detection.

Salvinorin A is detectable in the blood for up to 12 hours and in urine for up to 24 hours after use¹³.

Supply Chain Precursor/Sources/Locations

Salvia is primarily cultivated in Oaxaca, Mexico, where its traditional use originated. It is also grown in private gardens and greenhouses worldwide. Commercially, it is sold online or in specialty shops as dried leaves, extracts, or seeds¹⁴.

Street Prices For Salvia

-Dried Leaves: $10–$20 per ounce.

-Extracts: $25–$50 for 1 gram, depending on concentration (e.g., 10x, 20x, 40x).
Prices vary by region, potency, and availability¹⁵.

How Much Is A Typical Dose?

-Low Dose: 0.25–0.5 grams of dried leaves.

-Moderate Dose: 1 gram of dried leaves or 0.05 grams of 10x extract.

-High Dose: Over 0.1 grams of concentrated extract. Potency can vary significantly¹⁶.

Who Are The Main Users Of Salvia?

-Age: Predominantly used by individuals aged 18–30.

-Gender: Slightly more common among males.

-Geography: Higher usage rates in urban areas and among college students.

-Motivations: Curiosity, spiritual exploration, and the search for a legal alternative to other psychedelics¹⁷.

Feedback on Salvia User Satisfaction/Experiences

User experiences with Salvia vary widely:

-Positive Feedback: Reports of profound spiritual and introspective experiences.

-Negative Feedback: Descriptions of fear, confusion, and unpleasant hallucinations.
The intensity and unpredictability of Salvia often leads to mixed reviews¹⁸.

Salvia vs. LSD

Salvia and LSD are both psychoactive substances that profoundly alter perception, but their effects and mechanisms of action are significantly different.

LSD, a serotonergic hallucinogen, primarily acts on serotonin receptors (5-HT2A), leading to vivid visual hallucinations, a sense of interconnectedness, and long-lasting trips that can last 8–12 hours. In contrast, Salvia works as a potent kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) agonist, producing dissociative and often unsettling experiences that are more erratic and less predictable.

While LSD trips are typically described as introspective, creative, and euphoric, Salvia’s effects are more intense and dissociative, often involving a complete break from reality. Users frequently report bizarre visions, such as merging with objects or perceiving alternate dimensions. However, these effects are short-lived, typically lasting only 5–20 minutes, compared to the extended duration of LSD trips. LSD is considered less likely to cause the same degree of mental discomfort or confusion during its effects, making it a more “manageable” psychedelic for many users.

Salvia vs. Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms)

Psilocybin mushrooms are a popular natural hallucinogen that is often compared to Salvia.

The active compound in mushrooms, psilocybin, is converted into psilocin in the body and binds to serotonin receptors, producing a calm, introspective, and spiritual experience. Trips on psilocybin are often described as gentle and emotionally profound, fostering deep personal insights and feelings of connection to nature or the universe.

In contrast, Salvia’s effects are far less predictable and much more intense. Users often describe Salvia trips as overwhelming and disorienting, with rapid onset and experiences that can feel alien or surreal. Unlike psilocybin, which allows users to remain grounded while exploring altered states of consciousness, Salvia often causes users to lose their sense of self or connection to the physical world entirely. The short duration of Salvia’s effects (5–20 minutes) contrasts sharply with psilocybin trips, which typically last 4–6 hours, providing a longer window for reflection and emotional processing.

Salvia vs. Ketamine

Ketamine, like Salvia, is a dissociative substance, but the similarities mostly end there.

Ketamine works as an NMDA receptor antagonist, producing effects such as detachment from the body, euphoria, and analgesia. Its dissociative effects are often described as dream-like, with users entering a “K-hole,” a state of profound detachment and introspection. The effects of ketamine last longer than Salvia, typically 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the dose and route of administration.

Salvia’s dissociation is faster and more abrupt, often catching users off guard. While ketamine allows for a smoother transition into its altered state, Salvia’s rapid onset (within seconds of inhalation) often creates a jarring and intense experience that users describe as feeling “pulled” into another reality. Additionally, Salvia’s shorter duration (5–20 minutes) contrasts with ketamine’s ability to sustain its effects for a more extended period, enabling users to process the experience more thoroughly.

Ketamine’s dissociative effects are also typically more euphoric and anesthetic, while Salvia’s are often described as confusing, unsettling, and less pleasant. For this reason, ketamine is sometimes used therapeutically in clinical settings, whereas Salvia’s unpredictable effects have limited its adoption in similar contexts.

Conclusion

Salvia is a unique hallucinogenic substance with a distinct pharmacological profile. Its rapid onset, intense dissociation, and short duration, make it a challenging substance to use recreationally or therapeutically. Continued research is essential to better understand its risks and therapeutic potential.

References

1. National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Salvia Divinorum.” Available at: https://www.drugabuse.gov.
2. European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. “Salvia Divinorum: Legal Status and Risks.” Available at: https://www.emcdda.europa.eu.
3. NIH National Library of Medicine. “Pharmacokinetics of Salvinorin A.” Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
4. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. “Traditional Use of Salvia in Mexico.” Available at: https://www.unodc.org.
5. Seitz, J., et al. “The Pharmacodynamics of Salvinorin A.” Trends in Pharmacological Sciences. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
6. González, D., et al. “Salvia Divinorum: From Natural Product to Human Therapeutic.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
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8. Baggott, M. J., et al. “Psychoactive Effects of Salvinorin A in Humans.” Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
9. Valdés, L. J., et al. “Salvia Divinorum as a Psychoactive Herb in Traditional Mazatec Medicine.” Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
10. Prisinzano, T. E. “Psychopharmacology of the Hallucinogenic Sage Salvia Divinorum.” Life Sciences. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
11. Singh, S. “Adverse Effects Associated with Salvia Divinorum.” Clinical Toxicology. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
12. MacLean, K. A., et al. “The Subjective Effects of Salvia Divinorum in Humans.” Psychopharmacology. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
13. Johnson, M. W., et al. “Human Hallucinogen Research with Salvinorin A.” Journal of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
14. Rothman, R. B., et al. “Salvinorin A and Kappa-Opioid Receptor Interactions.” Neuropsychopharmacology. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
15. Chavkin, C., et al. “Salvia Divinorum and its Impact on Kappa-Opioid Receptors.” Molecular Pharmacology. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
16. DEA. “Drug Fact Sheet: Salvia Divinorum and Salvinorin A.” Available at: https://www.dea.gov.
17. Ranganathan, M., et al. “Cognitive and Emotional Effects of Salvinorin A.” American Journal of Psychiatry. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
18. Highet, A. R., et al. “Prevalence of Salvia Use Among Adolescents.” Addiction Research & Theory. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov..