Salvia Divinorum: Ohio's First Bust Came Day Before Law Went Into Effect
An Ohio law criminalizing the possession of salvia divinorum went into effect Tuesday, but that didn't stop an over-eager Butler County sheriff's deputy from arresting a man for it Monday or Butler County Sheriff Rick Jones crowing about being the first to bust someone under the new law. Jones sent out a press release touting his coup at 11:00am Monday, but had to retract it before the day was over.
Google ads for salvia on web page reporting salvia arrest, North Dakota, April 2008
The bust came when Deputy Tim Andrews pulled over a Virginia man in a traffic stop Monday morning. After spotting a bag of marijuana in the vehicle, Deputy Andrews searched the car and found another bag marked "salvia divinorum." The Virginia man was charged with felony drug possession for the salvia, misdemeanor drug trafficking for a small amount of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia for having a scale. (Under Ohio law, possession of up to a quarter pound of marijuana is decriminalized.)
But shortly after the press release went out, a sheriff's detective questioned whether the charges were premature. The detective was correct, and the felony salvia charge was dismissed. The man's marijuana and paraphernalia charges remain.
"I don't have a whole lot (of sympathy) for this guy," Chief Deputy Anthony Dwyer told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "He was coming from one place to another. He admitted selling a bunch of dope in Michigan. It's not like salvia was the only thing he got arrested for."
Yes, but it wasn't a crime when he got arrested for it.
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Handguns take far, far more innocent lives than drugs ever will.
Comment posted by Blackhorse 70V on Sun, 04/19/2009 - 3:36amI am a counselor and EMT with more than 25 yrs experience in drug-crisis intervention among difficult populations. I have yet to see my first Salvia client or patient.
It is far too easy for legislators to vote down a drug, especially if they buy the hype and want to keep their children safe and constituents happy. I know far too well the terrible misfortune suffered by those who become addicted. Salvia can be a therapeutic tool that may serve to help some of them; it will not bring me more clients. Of all drugs the hallucinogens have the least propensity for addiction and seem to be self-limiting when abused. How often have we heard, "Your Honor, the reason I broke into my neighbor's house and stole his TV was to feed my LSD (or marijuana) habit"?
This will be great news for illicit dealers and bad guys who want cops' attention diverted from keeping us safe.
I still can't get over the idea of making a plant illegal; often supported by churchgoers. I mean, it's good enough for G-d, but not for man? WTF?