Pubdate: Wed, 20 Jun 2007 Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI) Copyright: 2007 Madison Newspapers, Inc. Contact: http://www.madison.com/wsj/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n732/a08.html?61907 Author: Ralph Givens ONCE AGAIN, DRUG CRUSADERS MISGUIDED Before the drug crusaders wheel out the usual hysterical lies in their attempts to outlaw salvia divinorum, it is worthwhile to notice that no serious problems have been associated with salvia divinorum to date. There are no deaths, no desperate addictions and no robberies, assaults or murders connected to salvia. Of course, prohibitionists who advocate a salvia ban need no evidence of risk or harm to spew out dire warnings. If it is a drug and some people like it, it must be dangerous. Never mind that alcohol and tobacco kill hundreds of thousands every year while salvia has yet to cause a single fatality. The drug warriors still want a total ban. The moral morons advocating prohibition never stop to consider that throwing someone in prison has a far more detrimental effect than a lifetime of salvia divinorum use. - -- Ralph Givens, Daly City, Calif. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom