The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is warning the public against the use of an herb from Mexico which it says is as addictive as marijuana and has dangerous side effects.

Undersecretary Rommel Garcia, vice chairman and permanent board member of the PDEA, identified the herb as “Salvia Divinorum” (SD) which was discovered somewhere in the Teachers Village in Quezon City.

During the weekly Tinapayan sa Dapitan news forum, Garcia said, “SD is also called divine sage in Mexico. We believe that this herbal plant is as addictive as the usual marijuana that is why we are warning the public on the use of such herbal plant.”

Garcia said that a person who sniffed or chewed the leaves of divine sage could experience hallucination and lightheadedness.

He indicated the herb could also be puffed like a cigarette.

“The addictive effect of the said plant will last long if the leaves of the plant will be spread on a person's gums rather than sniffing or puffing it like a cigarette. They say it gives you an uncontrollable laugh trip because the user will see the people as if they were caricatures or cartoons,” he said.

Garcia warned that regular use of divine sage could also lead dangerous side effects, including cancer and irregular menstruation among women.

Like a marijuana, leaves of divine sage is dried under the sun before use.

Divine sage is easier to grow than the marijuana because the plant can easily be planted by cutting a bark of SD and planting that portion in the ground, he said.

“Madali din itong itanim, hindi tulad ng marijuana na itinatanim sa pamamagitan ng buto, kasi ang SD ay maaaring itanim sa pagputol lamang ng mga tangkay at kaya nang magkaugat sa loob ng dalawa hanggang tatlong linggo,” Garcia said.

Asked if PDEA has considered imposing a ban on SD in the Philippines, Garcia said that they are still conducting further study on the plant to determine if it could start a new kind of addiction on people, especially the youth.

“As of the moment, people had not yet been barred from using it,” he admitted.