| Hysteria over salvia divinorum, the fast-acting, | | | | where it has been sitting since May. |
| short-lived psychedelic member of the mint family, | | | | Kentucky: A bill to make Salvia Divinorum a Schedule I |
| continued in state legislatures this year. Although after | | | | controlled substance, HB 228, passed the House on a |
| five years, the DEA has not found a reason to add | | | | 99-0 vote in February and was referred to the Senate |
| salvia to the federal list of controlled substances, that | | | | Judiciary Committee, where no action has since |
| hasn't stopped state legislators from trying. This year, | | | | occurred. |
| four more states joined the list of those that have | | | | Maryland: A bill to make Salvia Divinorum a Schedule I |
| criminalized it, while bills to do the same were | | | | controlled substance, HB 8, died in March after being |
| introduced in seven others. | | | | reported unfavorably out of the House Judiciary |
| Next week, we will conclude our review of drug | | | | Committee. A companion bill, SB 9, died without any |
| policy-related issues in state legislatures with a look at | | | | action being taken. |
| sentencing reform, drug testing, meth-related | | | | Michigan: A bill to make Salvia Divinorum a Schedule I |
| measures, and some odds and ends. | | | | controlled substance, HB 4849, was introduced in April, |
| Salvia Bills That Passed | | | | referred to the Committee on Health Policy and |
| Nebraska: Salvia Divinorum became a Schedule I | | | | promptly went nowhere. Its companion measure, SB |
| controlled substance in February, after LB 123 passed | | | | 570, met a similar fate. |
| the unicameral legislature on a 44-0 vote that same | | | | New Jersey: SB 2436 and its companion measure, AB |
| month. The governor quickly signed the bill. | | | | 1323, would make Salvia Divinorum a Schedule I |
| North Carolina: A bill to prohibit the use, possession, | | | | controlled substance. Both were both introduced at the |
| sale, or manufacture of Salvia Divinorum, SB 138, | | | | end of 2008 for the 2009-2010 legislative session, and |
| passed the House on a 45-0 vote in May and the | | | | neither has gone anywhere. |
| Senate on a 96-15 vote in August. It was signed into | | | | Pennsylvania: A bill to make Salvia Divinorum a |
| law that same month and went into effect December | | | | Schedule I controlled substance, SB 769, was |
| 1. | | | | introduced and referred to the Senate Judiciary |
| Ohio: Salvia Divinorum became a Schedule I controlled | | | | Committee in April. It hasn't moved since. A companion |
| substance in April, 90 days after Gov. Ted Strickland | | | | measure, HB 2037, was introduced in October and sits |
| (D) signed a bill banning the plant that passed the | | | | before the House Judiciary Committee. |
| legislature late last year. | | | | Texas: A bill that would make it a crime to provide |
| South Dakota: Possession of less than six ounces of | | | | Salvia Divinorum to minors, SB 257, was introduced |
| salvia divinorum became a misdemeanor and | | | | last November. It was passed by the Senate Judiciary |
| possession of more became a felony after HB 1090 | | | | Committee on a 30-1 vote in April. In the House, the bill |
| passed the House 67-2 and the Senate 34-0 in | | | | was approved by the Criminal Jurisprudence |
| February. Gov. Mike Round (R) signed the | | | | Committee in May, and has done nothing since. |
| "emergency" legislation in March, and it went into effect | | | | Another bill, HB 126, which would make Salvia a |
| immediately. Curiously, the bill does not criminalize salvia | | | | controlled substance in Penalty Group III (along with |
| sales. | | | | LSD and pentobarbital, among others), was introduced |
| Salvia Bills That Did Not or Have Not Passed | | | | last November, referred to the House Criminal |
| Alabama: A bill to make Salvia Divinorum a Schedule I | | | | Jurisprudence Committee in February, and allowed to |
| controlled substance, HB 475, was introduced in | | | | die there in March. |
| February. It was assigned to the Judiciary Committee, | | | | |