Here's a fast story synopsis: Jammin 95.5 has a morning show called the Playhouse. The General Manager said a listener called and got them started talking about this legal herb called Salvia Divinorum. If you smoke it, it can cause hallucinations. So, the Playhouse had one of its crew smoke it this morning to see what would happen. They talked about it on the air... and eventually the guy did smoke it. He said it didn't do anything.

So, what's the big deal? It's legal, right?? Well, that's why we ended up doing a story today.

Here's some background. I did a story on Salvia Divinorum a while ago when the Oregon Poison Center was getting calls from parents and doctors about it. We talked to them and teens and interviewed some other folks by phone (to include the Portland Police Bureau and the DEA). Pretty much everyone in that story had concerns about Salvia because of its unpredictability and hallucinogenic effects. Their point was that even if it is legal that does not make it safe or smart to smoke. People who want the herb kept legal say it is not addictive and not harmful.

The herb has a place among Mexican Shamans who use it in thier healing rituals. A few years ago people started advertising it on the internet as a "legal" alternative to LSD or other hallucinogenic drugs.

We found that even if the websites said "18 and older" many of the sites would sell it to anyone. And one of the high school students we talked to said he bought it regularly from a downtown Portland store that doesn't check ID.

The enforcement agents we spoke to said that many illegal drugs are, in fact, legal for a time.. either when they first hit the scene or are first created (think LSD). It takes a while for the law and Congress to catch up and put it on the Controlled Substances Act. They expect the same will hold true for Salvia Divinorum.

Flash forward to this morning.

That's when the managers said to me (at 9:45am), "go right now to Jammin 95.5 and see if they'll talk to you when they get off the air". I thought odds were 50/50 the Playhouse would talk. PK is the host and he did decline an interview. I then requested one with the General Manager who agreed to speak with me.

Now, one of the challenges of reporting is that we are racing the clock. My producer could not give me a second more than 1:30 for this story, which is why I directed you here.

The GM believes the Playhouse did not realize what Salvia was all about and would NEVER promote drug use. They just figured it was legal, so it must be no big deal.

Here are a few extra excerpts from my interview with the GM and with the DEA agent I spoke with today. I also talked to a doctor and the Portland Police Bureau but did not include any of that in my story tonite.

Jammin 95.5 General Manager Tim McNamara

I asked him how our conversation would be different if the guy who smoked it had a bad reaction or started to hallucinate:

"That would have been something we would have had to address if that happened. It's like anything if you're walking on the edge of the entertainment wall-- you're gonna stumble. And I'm willing to take those risks. We want to be responsible obviously but when you are taking risks sometimes things happen. In this case that didn't happen."

I asked him what he thought the message was to the listeners:

"We try to make sure that we give the right message. We're not out here to promote the drug message and get high. We more were challenging a listener who was saying this stuff is cool. When you are doing entertainment and stunt radio you are walking a fine line- we realize that. And I take every measure to monitor it. And it's not something we take lightly. We promoted that this is stupid so the word that was out was that this is stupid. Could it have gone a lot of different ways? Yeah, but it didn't."

I asked him how the Playhouse felt about the bit this morning:

"Oh they feel terrible. I think you're informing me, too. I didn't know about a lot of this. As a result of this I'm gonna make sure they talk about it more on the air tomorrow and if we could maybe get someone from ftc or whoever would handle this.. poison control.. and educate kids more.. if this is as bad as people say it can be. The Playhouse is a show I am proud of and I wouldn't be proud of it if I didn't know how much hard work went into it and how responsible they do act. In this case I hope something good comes out of it. If we can inform kids that this is bad then we're doing something good."

DEA Assistant Special Agent In Charge Tim Magee

"The DEA looks at Salvia as a substance that's placed on our items to watch list. And it is a dangerous substance. It does have hallucinogenic properties and is extremely dangerous to the user. It's already outlawed in several countries throughout the world and several communities as well."

I asked him what he thought about the fact that it didn't do anything to the guy who smoked it.

"Any drug reacts in a different way to different people. That's number one. And number two: with what happened on the radio station today.. I think the media whether it be the print, or video or sound have a journalistic responsibility to the public to use common sense. I don't really see what happened today on the radio as using common sense. I wonder how many young people will go out and smoke [it] just to see if they can match what happened today on the radio station. I find it ridiculous and quite simply very irresponsible. Any substance right now that is illegal was legal at one time and as society determines what is good for you and what is bad for you... these laws take time to get caught up. I think it's very important for them to understand that. Even thought it is legal right now does not mean it is good for you and it can still be very dangerous."

Anyway, that's some of what I didn't get to put in my story tonite because of time constraints.

As always, feel free to email me: sstricklen@kgw.com