By RACHEL DAVIS

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rdavis@gctelegram.com

It's marketed as a spice or herb and has gained popularity in spirituality stores and online.

It's called Salvia, and as of May 1, in Kansas, it's illegal.

Garden City police Sgt. Mike Reagle said Salvia is a member of the sage family and long has been used to flavor beverages, as a mood enhancer, or as a spice for cooking.

But the spice is not as harmless as it seems, police say.

Reagle said it's a powerful hallucinogenic, comparing it to LSD, and at one point was readily available in grocery stores, convenience stores, health food stores and spirituality stores, but not anymore.

Monday, police officers visited such stores locally to educate store owners about the law change and to confiscate any packages containing the spice. No owners were cited.

Reagle said at least 15 packages were found during Monday's search, and officers will continue searching store shelves until all of the businesses have been checked.

He said residents should be aware even though Salvia may be legally purchased in other states, it cannot be brought back to Kansas. In the state, it is illegal to purchase, sell or possess.

Reagle said if anyone has purchased the drug in the state before May 1, they can bring it to the Law Enforcement Center, 304 N. Ninth St., and police will destroy it.

He said if a resident does bring the drug in, he or she will not be fined for possessing it.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Agency, Salvia is imported to the United States from Mexico and Central and South America and is marketed on the Internet toward teens through testimonials showcasing the "high" effect on the user.

According to the DEA, Salvia may be smoked, chewed or ingested and how it is used determines the length of the high.

In Garden City, Reagle said, Salvia has not been marketed toward teens and the items found in local stores were located in the spice and herb aisle.

Even though small amounts have been found here, Reagle said, parents should be vigilant and monitor their child's activity on the Internet.

He said promotions of Salvia are typically Internet-based, and it is up to each state to outlaw the drug.

Reagle said officers have not had any problems or received any reports of people using Salvia in Garden City.

Reagle said the drug also is known as Divine Sage and Magic Mint.

The DEA states on its Web site, www.usdoj.gov/dea/index.htm, that neither Salvia divinorum nor any of its constituents, including salvinorin A, are controlled under the federal Controlled Substances Act. The drug also has not been approved for medical use.

According to the site, Kansas joins seven other states that have banned the drug, including Louisiana, Delaware, Missouri, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Maine and North Dakota.

Other states, such as Alabama, Alaska, California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Texas, have pending legislation proposing regulatory controls on Salvia and salvinorin A.

For more information about the drug, visit the DEA Web site listed above.