The Next Religious Prophet Will Not Come From Lincoln

By: Mr. Wilson on March 11, 2008
5 comments
I was surprised to read this morning that LPD has all but cleaned up The Core, so now they have time to focus on selectively enforcing a ludicrously broad statute designed to keep folks from getting giddy. The focus of LPD's attention is the demon weed Salvia divinorum, or salvia, an herb from the sage family that induces psychedelic effects for a few minutes. So far salvia has not been linked with criminal activity or serious health effects, though it is possible to experience an unpleasant high ("dysphoria"). I can't help but mock Chief Tom Casady's desire to go after distributors of salvia, for two reasons. First, with no connection to criminal activity and no impending health crisis, salvia is all but harmless compared to all of the other things LPD could -- and should -- be working on. LPD effectively had to go to the trouble of creating a crime where none exists. Doing so requires a substantial investment of officer time and resources. And the investment isn't over; now that tickets have been issued, LPD's officers will have to deal with the court process as well. Second, let's take a look at state statute:
28-419. Inhaling or drinking certain intoxicating substances; unlawful. No person shall breathe, inhale, or drink any compound, liquid, or chemical containing [long list of substances], or any other substance for the purpose of inducing a condition of intoxication, stupefaction, depression, giddiness, paralysis, inebriation, excitement, or irrational behavior, or in any manner changing, distorting, or disturbing the auditory, visual, mental, or nervous processes. For the purposes of sections 28-419 to 28-424, any such condition so induced shall be deemed an intoxicated condition.
28-420. Selling and offering for sale certain compounds; use; knowledge of seller; unlawful. No person shall knowingly sell or offer for sale, deliver or give to any person any compound, liquid or chemical or any other substance which will induce an intoxicated condition as defined in section 28-419, when the seller, offerer or deliverer knows or has reason to know that such compound is intended for use to induce such condition.
Statute 28-419 is so ridiculously broad I have a difficult time understanding how it could hold up in court. Take a look at the definition of illegal substances. Alcohol is illegal. Tobacco is illegal. Caffeine is illegal. Many or most medications (OTC and prescription) are illegal. If LPD wants to use 28-420 as their justification for pulling salvia from Lincoln's shelves, they must also explain why our bars, grocery stores, gas stations, pop machines, and pharmacies are all still in business. Perhaps Chief Casady and crew have a good reason for going after salvia. Maybe they have access to medical studies that show its irreversible addictiveness, or maybe they have sociological studies describing the terror we will face from the impending wave of salvia-induced visions. If they have a justification -- any justification -- for their actions I would love to hear it. Or better yet, rather than inventing crimes and wasting time trying to come up with a justification for their misuse of resources, perhaps LPD will instead reassign its officers to deal with real problems. I hear The Core needs some help.

Comments

See what your friends and neighbors have to say about this.

beerorkid
March 11, 2008 at 2:17PM

It seems the LPD did not enjoy Firoz’s quote in the paper.

Thanks for picking up on this article Mr Wilson.  i was pretty bewildered when I read the article this morning.

CS
March 11, 2008 at 2:39PM

Thanks for the analysis. I used to work 3rd in college and listened to Art Bell alot-now I know a lot of his stuff is ‘out there’ depending on the person listening, but he did have some really interesting guests that had done self studies and documentation on alternative herbal substances as a means of inducing trance. Salvia was one of them, DMT was another. I wonder if this interpretation of the statute means my Delta and Theta wave CD’s is illegal, too, or Binaural beat sound files. (mentioned in 402 a few weeks ago)

CS
March 11, 2008 at 2:40PM

Look out, Euphoria. Certain kinds of incense have been known to induce various emotional responses in people as well-in my case and my wife’s,  amorous-sort of like giddy, right?

Dave K
March 11, 2008 at 2:43PM

I can’t imagine how many cops we’d see if people were selling salvia on O Street around bar closing time.

bigal
March 12, 2008 at 10:08AM

oh wait, nevermind.  that was called salival.  but since this scourge may end up becoming this generations nutmeg (god forbid), maybe the lpd should just give someone in kearney a call for some background on sage’s cousin.  word of mouth seems to move slowest from the west, apparently.

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