The acclaimed mind-blowing powers of Salvia divinorum made the herb salvia a taget by lawmakers concerned that the inexpensive and easy-to-obtain plant could become the next marijuana.

"As soon as we make one drug illegal, kids start looking around for other drugs they can buy legally. This is just the next one," said Florida state Rep. Mary Brandenburg, who has introduced a bill to make possession of salvia a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Eight states have already placed restrictions on salvia, and 16 others, including Florida, are considering a ban or have previously.

Native to Mexico and still grown there, Salvia divinorum is generally smoked but can also be chewed or made into a tea and drunk.

Called nicknames like Sally-D, Magic Mint and Diviner's Sage, salvia is a hallucinogen that gives users an out-of-body sense of traveling through time and space or merging with inanimate objects.

Unlike hallucinogens like LSD or PCP, however, salvia's effects last for a shorter time, generally up to an hour.

No known deaths have been attributed to salvia's use, but it was listed as a factor in one Delaware teen's suicide two years ago. According to reports, the autopsy found no traces of the drug in his system, but the medical examiner listed it as a contributing cause.

Salvia's short-lasting effects and the fact that it is currently legal may make it seem more appealing to teens, lawmakers say.

An ounce of salvia leaves sells for around $30 on the Internet. A liquid extract from the plant, salvinorin A, is also sold in various strengths labeled "5x" through "60x."

A gram of the 5x strength, about the weight of a plastic pen cap, is about $12 while 60x strength is around $65. And in some cases the extract comes in flavors including apple, strawberry and spearmint. 

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