There are two different definitions at work here.

The only plant that will cause a problem is Salvia divinorum. It is just one of over 900+ species of Salvia. You need not fear over any of the other sages.

The teeny bopper drug culture refers to the single species as Salvia. The horticultural world uses the term more properly to refer to the whole genus.

This is a totally unnecessary confusion that is rather annoying to Salvia lovers like myself. We enjoy the variations of all the different species and the hummingbirds they attract.

Thanks,load of my shoulders. Those 3 plants are my favorites.

Ah ha! That's why my blog article "Excitement Over Salvias" gets so many readers! :-)

Cameron

Rich has told it as it is. Salvia covers a wide range of plants and there is only one that can be a problem as you mentioned,, Salvia divinorum. If you do not grow that one then you have no problem. Yes, I have had people react negatively at my simple mention of Salvia as they think only of the one bad apple divinorum and this is upsetting to the many salvia lovers as myself.

As far as I am concerned, Salvia divinorum is not a bad apple. Just a temptation in the hands of the immature, and a victim of the superego-driven who attempt control by demonizing it. I agree that it needs some kind of control, but I don't like the swat a fly with a sledgehammer approach.

Maybe the dominant parts of our culture will develop the means to make rational decisions and function without the need to dramatize as a result of getting a grip on our economic crisis. There is nothing like a grow up or die scenario to sort out functional from useless behavior.

It may not be a bad apple but it appears the goverment or whoever trys to control substance making has a different view of it and if you try and grow it whos to say they wont come knocking on your door. There will always be those and not necessarily the young people who will ruin things for everyone just trying to get high and that will never change. One good example is the allergy medicine that a lot of people use that has psuedoephedrine in it and used to be over the counter now has to be signed for or prescribed because certain people would use that ingrediant to make their own drugs. Recently Ive even been quizzed about buying mineral spirits and I have no idea what they make out of that. OK , Im thru venting.

I agree with both of you.The thing I wish the government would do is control themselves before they tell others what they should and should not do. One the other side is any Pharmaceutical group looking into S.divinorum for medical uses? Rich maybe able to answer better coming from a chemist
background.
Art

I had to fill out a form to buy a single can of Lye to make olives this fall... I guess it's used in some drug-making process.

It is my understanding that some bright minds in the CA legislature are try to get S. divinorum declared an illegal drug. They should get the budget fixed before they do anything else... that should keep them occupied for the next century.

Bye the way, I think Red Devil (old style non liquid) draincleaner is nothing but Lye. I use it to stain cherry. It is getting hard to find. I wouldn't swear by it, and the idea of putting draincleaner in ones pickles is a little daunting. You did not hear it from me. Maybe different grades of lye.

The whole idea of making plants illegal when we have the government experimenting with so many dangerous substances. They get to have all the fun. No, all kidding aside. we can't limit the diversity of the world because we want to teenproof the world . Most will grow up and become contributing members of society. And for the ones that don't, I will shed tears for them but it is pointless, they will get around every road block we put up. It is so futile to outlaw plants.So many have mindaltering characteristics . Our children are smart enough to find another plant and in this global economy, they will find it and get it and grow it. . Where do we draw the line. Many of herbs will get you high if you smoke them. The list is endless. Any fool can google the info on a computer. I am of two minds , I feel for the pain when their experiments shut off a growing inquisitive mind but then I find myself distancing myself cynically recognizing a natural culling of the gene pool. I have found myself researching Datura and finding myself on sights where they are discussing the process of how they take their trips or their preferred natural plant substances and I am amazed at the level of sophistication, knowledge of chemistry and the passion that people direct towards the knowledge about their esoteric shamanistic concoctions. In the long run, it fascinates me and scares the sh*t out of me. I do not think that eradicating every brug and datura will lessen the scopolamine crime in Columbia or make my town any safer.