Legislature(2005 - 2006)BUTROVICH 205
04/12/2006 02:45 PM Senate HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB313 | |
| SB48 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 313 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 48 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SB 313-SALVIA DIVINORUM AS CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
CHAIR DYSON announced SB 313 to be up for consideration.
DAVE STANCLIFF, staff to Senator Therriault, sponsor, said that
salvia divinorum (salvia) is the most potent natural
hallucinogenic substance known to exist on the planet. He said
that although the Mazatec Indians who originally used the drug
were able to keep it a secret until very recently, there are
currently over 10,000 web sites about the drug today. While the
drug is legal in all but two states, seven countries have placed
strict controls on it or banned it outright.
He said that only 200 micrograms of salvia can induce a
hallucinogenic state and 500 micrograms can induce a serious
loss of mental and physical capacity. He added that some
experienced users of salvia have testified to having horrible
experiences with the drug and have discouraged others from using
the drug to achieve their first hallucinogenic experience.
2:52:58 PM
CHAIR DYSON asked whether the Department of Health and Social
Services (DHSS) has commented on the bill.
MR. STANCLIFF replied that DHSS has not yet commented on this
bill.
2:55:02 PM
CHAIR DYSON said he would have to consult DHSS before acting on
the bill.
2:56:50 PM
SENATOR ELTON referenced a recent news article from the Delaware
News Journal claiming that research on salvia's effects on the
brain might help scientists to better understand Alzheimer's
disease and other forms of organic mental illness. He asked
whether criminalizing Salvia would interfere with that research.
MR. STANCLIFF replied that it would not.
SENATOR OLSON asked what the active ingredient in salvia is.
MR. STANCLIFF replied that it contains two active ingredients,
salvinorum A and salvinorum B. He added that the concentration
of the active ingredients could be increased by a factor of 20
to 40 by soaking the leaves in an alcohol bath.
2:58:08 PM
SENATOR OLSON asked whether metabolites or other chemical
compounds would be affected by this legislation.
MR. STANCLIFF replied no. This drug does not seem to affect the
metabolism the same way as mescaline and LSD. It interferes with
different receptors that affect in the way the brain operates.
SENATOR OLSON asked whether this legislation would increase the
burden on the medical community by affecting similar legitimate
drugs.
2:59:33 PM
JACK DEGENSTEIN, Anchorage resident read a statement saying that
making savlia divinorum an illegal substance is not warranted.
It is not a threat to Alaskan society. However, this bill, if
passed into law, would be a threat to the freedoms of American
citizens.
He related how un-factual media articles and rumors have lead
uninformed people to believe that salvia divinorum is a
dangerous plant and might cause someone to commit suicide or
become depressed. A report by a Dr. Hains indicated that a 26-
year-old woman found relief from depression only by taking self-
medicated does of salvia divinorum.
He said further that Senator Therriault is quoted as saying that
salvia divinorum is believed to cause schizophrenia, but that is
absurd because its cause is not known and is linked to a genetic
brain deformity that develops from birth. It is possible that
the intensity of the experience of salvia divinorum could
trigger it, but no more than any intense emotional or stressful
experience.
3:04:11 PM
MR. DEGENSTEIN said that no long-term affects are known to be
caused by salvia divinorum. Its toxicity level is very low or
possibly even non-existent and the body easily metabolizes it.
A survey of 500 random participants who use the plant found that
the average age of the users was 23.4 years old and the average
use within a 30-day period was 1.5 times. This information
demonstrates that there is a much wider user base than just
youth and that it is not a substance that is used over and over
for recreation such as other things like alcohol and marijuana.
It also doesn't taste good.
3:07:43PM
MR. DEGENSTEIN remarked that while the bill may reduce the use
of salvia within the youth community, it would infringe upon the
liberty of older, more responsible users. There are other, less
intrusive ways of reducing recreational use of the drug such as
banning the sale it or the sale of its extract.
CHAIR DYSON asked him to describe non-recreational uses of the
drug.
MR. DEGENSTEIN replied that some use it for spiritual purposes.
CHAIR DYSON asked him if he has information from medical
professionals to support the claim that this drug is not
dangerous to the general population.
MR. DEGENSTEIN replied that he included three references in his
written statement and added that much of the aforementioned
information is available on the web at Pubmed's central website
and at Sage Wisdome.org.
SENATOR WILKEN asked him if he had read page 3 of the Wikipedia
article in the background information that accompanied the bill.
MR. DEGENSTEIN replied that he had read it.
SENATOR WILKEN asked whether anything would prevent someone
under its influence from attempting to drive a car.
MR. DEGENSTEIN replied that while there is nothing that would
prevent someone from attempting to operate a car, the drug is
unlike alcohol in that it does not remove inhibitions. People
under the influence of salvia divinorum know that they are
unable to safely operate a vehicle.
SENATOR WILKEN said according to the entry, low doses of the
drug could cause spontaneous laughter, closed eye visuals, and a
heightened sense of color and texture. Moderate doses cause a
sense of time distortion, open eye visuals, sensations of
falling, fully formed visions of other places, people and
events, and confusion. High doses can cause out of body
experiences, gravitational distortion, vertigo, and audio
hallucinations. So, he was particularly concerned when he read
that a person will not realize that they have used the drug and
asked whether it is unreasonable to place restrictions on a drug
with such affects.
MR. DEGENSTEIN responded:
It is true that at higher doses the user does forget
that they have taken the drug, but also forget that
they are a person and wouldn't be able to comprehend
things such as driving a car. That is part of the
primary effect, the amnesia. They wear off in five to
seven minutes and then you know what is going on, so
the amnesia is very short-term.
3:14:04 PM
SENATOR WILKEN said that he finds the drug to be rather scary.
CHAIR DYSON said that he would like to hear the opinion of DHSS
on this legislation.
MR. STANCLIFF replied that he would consult with DHSS.
SENATOR WILKEN moved to report SB 313 out of committee with
individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes.
SENATOR ELTON objected to relate a comment. He said he
understood Chair Dyson to say that the sponsor would report the
response of DHSS to the committee.
CHAIR DYSON replied that is correct and added that if DHSS does
not concur with the action of the sponsor, he would ask that the
bill be brought back to the committee.
SENATOR ELTON removed his objection.
There were no further objections and SB 313 was reported from
committee.
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