"Delaware and Virginia, along with six other states -- Tennessee, North
Dakota, Maine, Illinois, Louisiana and Missouri -- have outlawed
selling and consumption of salvia. Opponents to the ban say there is no
connection between the suicides and salvia use. At least 10 other
states are considering regulation or outright criminalization of the
drug.
Mazatec religious leaders in southern Mexico originally used salvia for rituals but outside use began in the 1930s.
Stone said he only sells salvia to those over 18 and many salvia buyers
from the two remaining Emporium locations are older "hippies" who do
not smoke marijuana anymore because it is illegal.
About 95
percent of young people who try salvia only do it once, Stone said,
because the effects are not good for everyone. Salvia is also a reverse
tolerant, so the more often a person uses it the less they need to
achieve the effects.
