An I-Team Investigation

What would you say if you learned it's not always illegal to do drugs here in Alaska? We're not talking about marijuana, but a powerful hallucinogen some are comparing to LSD.

The drug is called salvia; and you can buy it at some local stores here in Anchorage. The I-Team found someone who uses salvia, to try to understand why it's becoming so popular.

Someone who smokes or chews salvia will be sent on a hallucinogenic trip, unlike anything they've experienced before. The I-Team found an artist in Anchorage who has taken salvia several times.

"I think it's an incredibly powerful tool for exploring the way that we see the world. It

presents a very different side of quote/unquote 'reality' than what we're used to," said an unidentified Anchorage salvia user.

And many times, it's not a pleasant experience. A lot of young people have videotaped themselves taking salvia. In some of the videos, they don't seem to be having much fun at all.

However, users claim there are benefits, insights into yourself and the universe: a religious-like experience.

"It just takes you over and there is this incredible feeling of movement and gravity and things start to spin. You can hallucinate. You can see people and talk to them. It's like a key to the spirit world (chuckles)," said an Anchorage salvia user.

Drug abuse expert Anna Baughman is skeptical.

"My thought on that is there are a lot of Eastern religions that experience this very same out-of-body experience these people are discussing. They do it without chemical assistance. If you have to use a chemical to achieve that experience, then are you really gaining insight?" said Dr. Anna Baughman, psychological resident.

Salvia is legal here in Alaska. But Senator Gene Therriault (R), North Pole, wants to change that. He's worried about kids being enticed to use it.

Dr. Anna Baughman, Psychological Resident

"Yeah certainly young people have a communication network that a person of my age barely knows exists. But you don't have to do too much digging around on the Internet to find some of these sites. And some of the information and postings that are put on that system are frightening," said Senator Therriault.

One of the dangers of salvia is there is not a lot of research into its long-term effects. Dr. Baughman isn't sure what that means for a young person.

"The brain continues developing until age 25. So anything you ingest that is going to affect your brain, which this drug does . It's like playing Russian Roulette; you just don't know what's going to happen," said Dr. Baughman.

For adult users, salvia is considered a window into the soul; and they don't want the government making it illegal.

"I think it's unjust. I don't think the government should regulate live plants," said an adult salvia user.

This is a debate that's just beginning, here in Alaska. Salvia is illegal in just a handful states. Senator Therriault says his bill to outlaw salvia in Alaska has been stalled in the Senate Finance Committee for a year, which he says is "inexcusable." He's confident, though, if it reaches the floor, it'll be hard for legislators to vote against his proposal.

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If you have a story for the I-Team that you want me to look into, you can call the I-Team hotline number at 273-3111.