United Kingdom

Salvia divinorum remains legal in the UK. In September 2001, in answer to a parliamentary question from Ann Widdecombe MP, asking the Secretary of State for the Home Office "what plans he has to review the legal status of the hallucinogen Salvia divinorum", Bob Ainsworth, a parliamentary Under-Secretary, for the UK Home Office, stated that there were "no current plans to review it's legal status".

Following a local newspaper story in October 2005 Bassetlaw MP John Mann raised an Early Day Motion calling for Salvia divinorum to be banned in the UK (EDM796). The motion only received 11 signatures. It has not been debated or further escalated.

Australia

As of 1st June 2002, Australia became the first country to ban Salvia and salvinorin. According to the Australian Drugs and Poisons Committee Salvia had not yet shown evidence of damage or threat to public health/safety but had potential to be abused. In a statement which has been criticised as self-negating the committee said, "There was no evidence of traditional therapeutic use other than in shamanistic healing rituals".

Denmark

With effect from 23rd August 2003, Salvia divinorum and salvinorin A were classed as 'category B' drugs in Danish law. Category B includes psilocybin mushrooms, cocaine, amphetamine, and several others substances that are only legal for medicinal and scientific purposes. Possession carries a penalty of up to 2 years in prison.

Finland

Finland passed legislation in August 2002 making it illegal to import Salvia divinorum without a prescription from a doctor.

Sweden

Salvia divinorum and salvinorin A were added to Sweden's list of controlled substances with effect from 1st April 2006.

Spain

The sale of Salvia divinorum has been illegal since February 6 2004. The law only prohibits commerce. It does not make possession or use a crime.

Italy

In August 2004, the Italian government decreed salvinorin A "a substance with hallucinogenic properties that may cause conditions of abuse and can manifest latent psychiatric pathologies like acute psychosis and depressive psychosis even in an irreversible way" and put it and the plant Salvia divinorum on their ‘table I’ of outlawed psychotropic substances in March 2005. The Italian government referred to an evaluation of Salvia made by the Italian National Health Institute, assessing it as "a powerful natural hallucinogen" to justify their decision.

Canada

There has been media interest drawing attention to Salvia divinorum's availability in Canada, but there are currently no plans to regulate the herb.

United States

The DEA has indicated on its website that it is aware of Salvia divinorum and is evaluating the plant for possible scheduling.

In late 2002, Rep. Joe Baca (Democrat- California) introduced a bill (Congress bill HR 5607) to schedule Salvia as a controlled substance at the national level. Those opposed to Joe Baca’s bill include Daniel Siebert, who sent a letter to Congress arguing against the proposed legislation, and the Center for Cognitive Liberty & Ethics (CCLE), who sent key members of the US Congress a report on Salvia divinorum and its active principle, along with letters from an array of scientists who expressed concern that scheduling Salvia divinorum would negatively impact important research on the plant. Baca’s bill did not pass. Despite this a number of States have introduced or are proposing their own legislation.

Summary of proposed American State legislation: