Salvia divinorum is a widely consumed legal herb and is made from a small leafy plant. The way Salvia is consumed varies but is generally smoked or chewed. Salvia can be ingested either as leaves or as extracts.

The product comes in several different potency levels and each level effects people in different ways. The effects of Salvia not only depend on the level of potency but also how sensitive the person is to the plant. Below is a helpful overview of Salvia leaves and Salvia extracts.

Salvia Leaves
Salvia leaves come in different states including normal, high grade, crude extract and standardized extract. Below is some basic information on the types of leaves that are available for smoking.

Normal Salvia Leaves: In its normal state, Salvia leaves are harvested and dried. Salvia leaves can be dried in several different ways and each one provides specific results. One method will produce weaker results over the other and it all depends on personal preference. Regardless, dried leaves should be stored in a sealed jar away from light for long lasting use.

High Grade Salvia Leaves: High grade leaves come from premium Salvia plants. The leaves are much more similar to high quality marijuana.

Dried leaves of Salvia can be smoked in a pipe or can be rolled up in a ball for chewing. For chewing, you can use either fresh or dried leaves, but dry leaves are not as bitter. It is said that chewing Salvia leaves provides stronger effects, however this varies from person to person.

How Salvia is Made Into Extracts
Making Salvia into extracts involves a bit of chemistry. In basic terms, an extract is when Salvia is a solid preparation that involves evaporating a solution of the herb. Extracts can also be made by concentrating a liquid preparation that contains a certain amount of the active elements such as Salvinorin A in Salvia. This is called a fluid extract or tincture.

Salvia extracts have varying strengths depending on how they are prepared. Below are the two main types of extracts.

Crude Extract: The Salvia divinorum extract is made by using a solvent such as ethanol or acetone and the solvent is evaporated on to the Salvia leaves. Here, the dissolved material gets deposited and the active content, salvinorin A, is increased. This extract is also known as “extract fortified leaves” and is usually smoked. Crude extract fortified Salvia is generally sold as 5X, but is available in 6X, 10X and 15X. The number tells you the ratio of extract to leaf. A package of 5X is made by adding crude extract from 4 units of leaf back onto 1 unit of leaf.

Standardized Extract: This extract is made with pure salvinorin A in a specific amount and adding it onto Salvia leaves. This brings the active ingredient up to a specific and consistent level of strength. Standardized extract is much more superior in quality compared to crude. All the impurities of the product, such as tar and carbon monoxide, are eliminated and is much more clean to smoke.

The Advantages of Extracts
It is said that Salvia extracts provide deeper effects and are more suitable for people who are not sensitive to Salvia. Extracts are also easier to consume because the extract is not ingested in large amounts.

Salvia extracts are enhanced forms of the Salvia divinorum plant. This means that the extract should be prepared properly and used the right way in order to be safe. Those ingesting Salvia extracts should be accompanied by another sober individual.