Posted by Bryce on Apr 8 2008 9:56PM - This is not a drug and should not be illegal. It's been used in many different ways for thousands of years. Even priests use to use it for spiritual journey's. People should be educated before making things illegal and especially before posting things on You Tube.

The effects of salvia only last around 5 minutes, at the most. This substance has helped many peoples lives, and now has been made illegal by educated people. Way to go North Dakota!

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Posted by Facists on Apr 8 2008 9:59PM - This is so stupid, why destroy this kids life. He was the "sacraficial lamb" to the facist drug warriors. Why don't your arrest Pfizer for pushing drugs that cause people to kill, commite suicide, and other bad things. People, its time to rise up against this. Why not regulate the plant to minors and stop wasting money on a plant that has done no harm. You wonder why our nation is falling apart, we focus on nonsense and not the real issues. Look people, the sky is falling, the sky is falling, be afraid of a plant that has been used for thousands of years and done no harm but down the bottle of Klonipin. Sure it destroys your brain, but they give us allot of money so its all cool.

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Posted by Beau Knerr on Apr 8 2008 11:57PM - http://holmesdp.com/?p=51

Not only was it the first salvia arrest in ND, it might have been the first salvia arrest anywhere.

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Posted by randy candy on Apr 9 2008 10:22AM - this is one of the stupidest things i've ever heard of. these clowns that made it illegal, i can almost guarantee have never even tried it. they have just heard it's bad from some other person that says it's bad. they have no idea that the effects last around 5 minutes, tops. i can't believe what is happening in this state and this country. apparently they think this is more dangerous then alcohol. now this dude that was arrested is going to face criminal charges for something that he probably thought was legal. i think that this state may lean a little too far to the right.

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Posted by juxtapostle on Apr 9 2008 1:10PM - Kenneth Rau is yet another victim of a society sick with Intolerance. His actions hurt nobody. His actions should have been protected by his right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. You might not agree with how Kenneth derives life, liberty, or happiness, but it is your civic duty to tolerate it, so long as he is not committing violence or denying the freedom of another. You do not have the right to deny Kenneth's freedom.

1/3 of Americans support decriminalizing cannabis.
A majority of Americans do not support decriminalizing cannabis. The resulting injustice is a tyranny of the majority. Families are being torn apart, and peoples lives are being ruined by bad law.

The Bill of Rights is failing us here.
The root of the problem is a lack of tolerance related to non-violent consentual acts. For non-violent consentual acts that have been deemed 'crime' by the legal system, there must be a defined [u]level[/u] of tolerance at which point the act cannot be punishable. Currently, that [u]level[/u] of tolerance is a 'majority', and this is the problem. 1/3? 1/10? 1/25? Put it in writing. A Legal Level of Tolerance at which point the government can no longer punish a [i]non-violent[/i] consentual act. A Legal Level of Tolerance clearly defines the level of the people's approval/disapproval at which point the government can no longer punish a [i]non-violent[/i] consentual act. Polls will show it. Votes will confirm it.

From 1919 to 1933, alcohol was prohibited.
Intolerance.

From 1873 to 1936, the Comstock Act prevented distribution of literature or products related to birth control.
Intolerance.

From 2003 to 2007, Genarlow Wilson served 3 years of a mandatory 10 year sentence because he committed an act of 'oral sex'. Had the act been sexual intercourse, he would have walked away with a misdemeanor. Until 1998, Georgia's anti-sodomy laws made oral sex punishable by up to 20 years in prison (even between husband and wife).
Intolerance.

This sad list goes on-and-on.

America's massive incarceration numbers are due to intolerance toward many non-violent consentual acts, and to the collateral violence resulting from this intolerance.

Demand a Legal Level of Tolerance.

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Posted by Titus on Apr 11 2008 9:11AM - So when are we going to arrest the little old white ladies, who plant sage flowers in their garden. Lets have some racial, class and age equality in who we pick to jail.

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Posted by Matt on Apr 11 2008 11:24PM - This is ridiculous. Have lawmakers given a reason for making it illegal besides the fact that it's a hallucigen.
I have not heard of any long term bad side effects of it. Poor guy, probably should have destroyed it, but then again it is quite expensive.

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Posted by anon on Apr 13 2008 10:24PM - I used salvia when it was legal in North Dakota and it is harmless if used in a safe setting by mature adults. Salvia divinorum should be regulated like it is in Maine, where it is legal for adults to purchase and use Salvia divinorum. Maine is the only state where a law that legalizes the use of salvia by adults has been passed and it is working.

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Posted by Irish on Apr 16 2008 1:13AM - Don't forget about Morning Glory seeds. Oh yeah, and bannana peels and a certain alcohol combo.

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Posted by flapps on Apr 16 2008 10:53AM - I never heard of this plant. The government subsidies tobacco farmers and it is a proven fact that tobacco products kill thousands of Americans annually and it is a legal product to sell.

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Posted by delta711 on Apr 16 2008 4:03PM - Actually, the banana peel is myth, but...

The morning glory seeds are very real.

Who is anybody to incarcerate someone for growing ANY herb given to each and every human being by Mother Nature?

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Posted by expositor on Apr 16 2008 8:24PM - Aren't the morning glory seeds illegal, in ND? I clearly recall seeing a vial of them on display at a Law Enforcement temporary kiosk in the Dakota Mall, back in 1987. The word on the street is that they are capable of producing a high similiar to LSD or mescaline.

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Posted by juxtapostle on Apr 17 2008 11:00PM - There are ways to get high, and then there are ways to get high.

If little john boy and friends cannot obtain the non-toxic, mind expanding, psychedelic high's that are provided by Mother Nature, then...

Well, then there is always easy access to the fuel tank, the bottle of glue, the paint can, the list goes on-and-on. One might label these 'death highs' or "lets get f'ed up" highs - like getting drunk, not done for enlightenment or relaxation. Oh, and FYI - little john boy and friends ARE DOING THIS.

You might disagree with psychedelia, but it is a culture which is inspired by life, rather than death.

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Posted by justafollower on Apr 18 2008 7:15PM - Yeh, thy juxtapostle haveth spoken, here the words of juxtapostle. Vow to redeem thyself neasayers for the mushrooms are of great power. Thy shall find a way to get high....thy shall find waays to get high. Read thy words and tremble.
Again I beg, run for president...oh yes run for president.

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Posted by AD on Apr 19 2008 9:57AM - After reading so much ranting against the law makers that criminalized this substance, I'm forced to wonder where you all were when this was on the floor of either house of our legislature...or how about when it landed on the governer's desk to be signed into law??? Not a peep that I remember...but I'm not surprised...how many of ya'll put down your pipes, herbs, substances long enough to keep your minds clear enough to really understand whats comming down...I only see the after effects of what you dont like...by the way ALL substances are from the earth, Mother Nature, ect....that doesnt mean they are safe or should be legal for human consumption. Everything that goes into Heroin is of the earth, Cocaine too. All the ingredients that go into meth at some time were a basic element of a natrually occuring substance...MANIPULATED BY MAN TO BECOME THE POISON THAT THEY ARE...declaring a drug "natural" is no rational argument.

That said...I eagerly await the accusations of intolerance...have at 'er junkies!

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Posted by anon on Apr 19 2008 2:00PM - AD, when salvia was banned it was barely publicized. I never found out about it until after the law was passed. When I searched for information about it, all I found was a news article (I think on this site) that said that the bill was introduced. The legislature should have made this known to us. I live in a rural part of the state and do not get any local tv channels, so if it was on tv news I wouldn't have known. Salvia is safe when used by people who know what they're doing. It should be regulated like in Maine.

The only reason salvia became illegal in ND is some principal in a small town found out that a couple of his students were using it. He contacted his representative and the representative introduced the bill that made it illegal. It was created because of an anti-drug principal.

There is not and there never has been a problem with salvia in this state. Very few people have used it and many of them who have absolutely hate it. Salvia is not an enjoyable drug. It is not a recreational "party drug" and there is no way that it ever can be. Salvia, when responsibly used, is used in small groups or by an individual, usually in a dark room, to explore their mind. Salvia normally lasts 5 minutes, with after effects lasting 10-15 minutes. It is a very strong psychedelic dissociative and is NOT a marijuana alternative like some of the shady Internet vendors advertise it as.

There are no drugs that compare to salvia in effects. Probably the closest thing would be DMT, but that is totally different.

Meth is a schedule II drug which is prescribed for ADD and narcolepsy. Salvia is now schedule I in ND and cannot be used by anyone even though there is ongoing research for use as a medicine, as an anti-depressant if I recall correctly. That is crazy.

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Posted by AD on Apr 19 2008 8:35PM - anon- All new bills are public record and 100% viewable by anyone. One just needs to go to the legisltative website and can read ALL of the proposals in both houses at all stages of the bill's life. Any changes are updated as they are made so anyone can view what is being sent to the other house and ultimately the governer's desk. So quit crying that there wasnt enough attention paid by the media to this particular bill...there was no hush job just to slide it by..your lack of local TV channels would not have helped you anyway...staying out of dark rooms exploring your mind may have...you managed to find your way to a computer..next legislative secession I suggest you take a peek at whats being proposed rather than whimpering about it here...

BTW...I wasnt looking for a pharmecutical lesson here...I am quite aware that some drugs are not as "bad" as others. I am quite aware of the Schedule system...my main point was that most folks scream about intolerance and make declarations of "crazy" about drug laws AFTER they are passed....when in reality if half these zombies could put down their needles, pipes, bottles, tubes, (insert paraphernalia of choice here) and let their heads clear long enough to engage in public discourse then they may find that their dope of choice might have a fighting chance at being legalized...but untill then it cant happen...

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Posted by anon on Apr 20 2008 11:29AM - I know that they're public record and that I can view them online. I didn't do that because I read about a lot of bills in newspapers. It surprises me that salvia was never mentioned. Something like that should be voted on by the people, not by legislature. There are still a lot of people who don't know that salvia is illegal, and it wouldn't surprise me if that guy who got arrested didn't either.

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Posted by AD on Apr 20 2008 4:21PM - Then its your own darn fault for not being more informed...sounds pretty ignorant to me that one would depend on the media, ESPECIALLY newspapers for information so much...especially when ALL the information when it comes to ALL proposed laws are at your fingertips...if infact legislation means so much to you after all...Not only are the bills entirely viewable while in progress, the state bar association takes the time to actually catoagorize them based upon the particular type of legislation the bill is...I bet you're right that Rau might not have known....and his ignorance is no excuse..time for him to cut a deal..

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Posted by anon on Apr 20 2008 6:04PM - I didn't expect them to make salvia illegal, so I wasn't too concerned. In every other state where it became illegal it was publicized a lot, so I figured the same thing would happen if it ever became illegal here. No drugs should be illegal, because it is our right to ingest whatever we want. The government does not have the right to regulate drugs.

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Posted by Dr J Marcus on Apr 21 2008 11:47AM - I sent numerous letters to my representatives, as well as phone calls and in-person visits. What i was told, was that they agreed that Salvia Divinorum was indeed harmless, non-addictive, and had medicinal uses. But they said they didn't want to appear 'soft' on drugs. So off they went, voting to make it illegal. All I received was a sincere apology and the speech about politics.

BTW, Salvia Divinorum cured me of my ADHD, OCD, Anxiety and Severe depression. All of which was not alleviated by common pharmaceutical prescriptions. I was able to finish school and hold down a job to take care of my family due to Salvia Divinorum, of which I use several times per year, as that is all that is required to maintain my near 100% cure. Can't say the same for Zoloft, Prozac, and the numerous other meds I was on that literally made me worse.

I suppose debating natural plants for medicinal or recreational use is like debating religion. Folks want to make anything they are uncomfortable with (homosexuality, drugs, pornography, etc) illegal, regardless if its right or wrong. I just hope some day that mankind can reach the point where we all can understand and respect one another without having to harm or infringe one each other's freedoms.

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Posted by Beau Knerr on Apr 21 2008 5:09PM - Well said, Dr. J!

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Posted by Puh-leeze... on Apr 22 2008 9:23AM - All those kids on YouTube are the "responsible adults" you spoke of? Salvia is already being marketed and cultivated to be stronger and stronger and a "legal high". As long as there are stupid, irresposible jerks who abuse it, the people who WOULD be responsible and use it for its therapeutic purposes are going to lose.

Don't blame the lawmakers, put the blame where it belongs... on the idiots!

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Posted by dyett on Apr 29 2008 3:50PM - Thank you for this report of continuing criminal activity by the North Dakota legislature and the Burleigh County States Attorney, Cynthia Feland. The parties concerned with this law and the prosecution of Mr. Rau should themselves be arrested, tried and convicted of attempted murder and prosecutorial misconduct.

I under stand that Mr. Rau has been charged with possession of psilocybin with intent to distribute, based on his possession of amanita muscaria mushrooms. A. muscaria does indeed have psychoactive properties, but it contains NO psilocybin. In other words, Mr. Rau's prosecution on this charge is specious, and the responsible parties should be removed from office forthwith and tried for their crimes against the citizens of North Dakota.

As for the legislators responsible for the law criminalizing possession of salvia and, no doubt, other substances as well I have one thing to say: You, sirs and mesdames, are guilty of murder and other crimes against humanity, and should be treated like the criminals you are. Others like you are responsible for the death of my stepson, Greg, and you will ultimately be held accountable for your crimes.

Leyt me tell you about Greg. Greg was an intelligent, ambitious, yung man. He graduated cum laude with a degree in mechanical engineering, and was at the head of his class in a mechanical engineering Master's program. Greg was a competitive athlete in skiing and bicycle racing. He held an engineering job, owned a house, a truck and a motorcycle. Greg was also a drug addict.

To the best of my knowledge, he used crack cocaine every day during college, and ultimately used heroin also. But since these addictive drugs are illegal, they are also expensive. Greg was finally unable to afford the price; the house went, then the truck and the motorcycle. Then it was jail; then prison. Unable to get an engineering job with a felony record, and unable to stop using drugs despite more that a dozen treatment programs, he killed himself on his 35th birthday.

The point here is that as long as Greg got his drugs, he held a job, paid his taxes, and was in every way a model citizen. Had his drugs been legally available, Greg would be alive today. Did drug prohibition help Greg? Well, of course not. Prohibition did not prevent him from buying and using drugs; it only priced the drugs out of the ability for normal, working people to obtain drugs of known quality at affordable prices. In effect, prohibition killed Greg. And I hold all of the "tough on drugs" lawmakers responsible for his death. I welcome any of them to dispute these facts, and justify prohibition on any basis. Failing this, I am assuming that they are ready to publicly acknowledge their crimes against humanity, and accept responsibility for them.

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Posted by peacelovetrust1987 on Jul 8 2008 12:41PM - *head desk*
New drug??

Sure, except that Salvia Divinorum has been used for centuries in a variety of religious practices.

Humorously enough, I've actually spotted salvia at the Wal-Mart garden center AFTER they made it illegal!!

Yes, what a bad, bad man.

And garsh, our police officers aren't even aware that amanita muscaria doesn't even contain psilocybin...in fact, amanita muscaria isn't even a controlled substance...

Yet, this man is being prosecuted, and his name is in all of the papers.

Wow, I feel so confident in our law enforcement officers' abilities to protect me...Don't they get any training on identifying illegal vs. legal substances??

I hope he can file a defamation lawsuit, or something along those lines!! They're making the guy look like some hallucinogen-crazed drug dealer!

Gosh, they'll be knocking on my door next!!

I have lots of parsley and oregano in my cupbard!! Uh-oh, I also have baby portabellas in my fridge!!

*rushes to flush entire contents of spice drawer down toilet*

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