Drug Facts
With so many voices and opinions out there, it’s important to understand the facts.
Fact is that while you’re a teen (and even into your early 20’s!), you’re still growing and developing, and drug abuse during these years in particular can have a lasting impact. Another fact to consider: the brain is much more vulnerable to addiction during these years. 90% of Americans with a substance abuse problem started smoking, drinking or using other drugs before age 18.
When it comes to drug use, individual reactions and experiences vary, so it’s important to understand the usual risks and effects, both short- and long-term. Knowledge can be the key to making your own best decisions.
Information provided isn’t to prevent anyone from seeking medical treatment under the advice and care of their doctor. A variety of substances offer potential medicinal value, but that doesn’t negate their risks, especially when abused.
- Adderall
- Alcohol
- Bath Salts
- Benzos
- Cocaine
- DXM
- GHB
- Hallucinogens
- Heroin
- Inhalants
- Ketamine
- LSD
- Marijuana
- MDMA
- Meth
- Mushrooms
- Over-the-Counter
- Prescription Drugs
- Rohypnol
- Salvia
- Spice
- Steroids
- Tobacco & Nicotine
- Xanax
- Adderall
- Alcohol
- Bath Salts
- Benzos
- Cocaine
- DXM
- GHB
- Hallucinogens
- Heroin
- Inhalants
- Ketamine
- LSD
- Marijuana
- MDMA
- Meth
- Mushrooms
- Over-the-Counter
- Prescription Drugs
- Rohypnol
- Salvia
- Spice
- Steroids
- Tobacco & Nicotine
- Xanax
Salvia
Salvia divinorum can cause you to hallucinate. Unable to tell the difference between fantasy and reality, it’s a state of mind that always leaves you vulnerable to serious situations or fatal accidents.
AKA
Salvia, shepherdess’s herb, diviner’s sage, seer’s sage, Maria pastora, magic mint, Sally-D
What is it?
There are many types of salvia plant, but salvia divinorum is the particular breed that, when ingested or smoked, can cause hallucinogenic effects.1 Hallucinogens like salvia divinorum make it nearly impossible to tell the difference between fantasy and reality. It can cause you to see, feel and hear things that don’t exist.
The Risks
People who abuse salvia generally experience hallucinations or episodes that mimic psychosis, meaning a complete loss of contact with reality. In this state of mind, you may lose all normal coordination, feel anxious and experience tremors, numbness, memory loss and nausea.
Long-Term Effects
The long-term effects of salvia have not been studied, but experiencing a hallucination or a psychotic episode can make simple activities, like driving or swimming, fatally dangerous.
The Bottom Line
Your brain works tirelessly to process and respond to external information and to keep your body functioning efficiently. Hallucinogens like salvia divinorum are always risky because they can disturb the normal functioning of your brain. When you hallucinate, your brain loses the power it has to protect you, which is always a dangerous state.
- National Institute of Drug Abuse. DrugFacts: Salvia.
Revised April 2013. Retrieved May 2013.
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