There is a new trend among the purchasers of psychoactive substances, specifically the utilization of “herbal highs”. These are plants that contain various psychoactive substances within. Many of these alkaloids have been successfully extracted or synthesized and still remain legal around the world.
Many of these plants have been a focal point of religious ceremonies in various cultures for thousands of years. These natural herbal highs are now sold in most parts of the world where they have no legal limitations. However every year less and less of these gifts from mother earth become legally accessible. As of April 2022, the plants listed here can still be obtained legally at head shops or online in most countries.
This article discusses herbal highs and everything you wanted to know about which plants produce legal herbal highs.
What Are Legal Herbal Highs?
Herbal highs are psychoactive plants that possess various chemical compounds which are legal. Legal herbal highs are plants including herbs or spices which possess psychoactive effects similar to illegal drugs like cocaine, cannabis, ecstasy LSD, etc.
These natural compounds may have stimulatory effects (make you feel energized), sedative (relax the mind) or psychedelics effects (may change perception of reality or cause you to hallucinate).
Many legal psychoactive substances may also be known as “legal highs,” “research chemicals,” “designer drugs,” and “bath salts.” These terms have been used in order to sell these plants while at the same time keep them under the radar of governmental persecution.
Many of these substances imitate the impacts of illegal drugs like cocaine or morphine, but their compounds may vary slightly in chemical composition. These loopholes in legislation often make them lawful. Some of the more popular legal herbal highs include klip dagga, blue lotus, kava kava, salvia, wormwood, kratom, nutmeg, damiana, Salvia, morning glory and kanna to name just a few.
Development of e-commerce and popularity of herbal highs through web forums provided an open opportunity for the curious and adventurous to consume psychoactive drugs legally. However, there is little data about the number of people who are actually consuming these substances.
Legal Herbal Highs
There are some naturally grown, still legal plants which help you feel happy, energized, relaxed or expand awareness.
1. Kratom
Kratom also known as Mitragyna speciosa, is a plant from Southeast Asia and comes with an amazing nutrient profile. This popular substance has been used for recreational purposes by local Asian field workers for ages and is now utilized around the world for it’s medicinal qualities as well.
It contains about 40 beneficial compounds, 25 of these compounds are alkaloids responsible for the health promoting effects of kratom. There are various varieties of the kratom tree, some are more sedating while others are more energizing.
At the moment, kratom is regarded as safe and legal in most parts of the world. The leaves of this highly beneficial tree however have been under attack in the US in recent years. First the DEA and then the FDA unsuccessfully banned the importation and use of this plant. The common belief surrounding this assault on the tree is that the natural pain killing attributes of kratom leaves are a direct financial threat to powerful pharmaceutical companies involved in the opioid trade.
In Thailand where the tree grows naturally and abundantly, kratom has just recently become legal once again after a many decades ban. Similar to the current situation in the USA, the tree became prohibited in 1943 due to the competition it created for powerful groups involved in the opium trade.
2. Blue Lotus
Blue lotus, scientifically known as Nymphaea caerulea, is a psychoactive plant native to Egypt. It has a respectable history of being used as a natural sedative, euphoric drug and aphrodisiac.
Blue lotus extract has beneficial effects in relieving stress, improving sleep problems as well as inducing lucid dreams and relieving erectile dysfunction.
Despite it’s use around the world for thousands of years, the Food and Drug Administration considers the blue lotus flower ‘toxic’. Thankfully the flowers are still legal, they are just considered medically useless and can not be sold as a supplement for ingestion.
3. Salvia
Salvia divinorum also known as diviner’s sage is a plant that originated in Sierra Mazateca of Oaxaca, a mountainous region of Mexico. This plant is native to this region only and does not grow naturally anywhere else in the world. Indians have been using this plant for spiritual benefits and psychomimetic effects for generations.
Salvinorin A, a diterpenoid present in leaves of diviner’s sage, has potential to induce the feeling of terror or ecstasy. A more mild version of sage tea obtained from the dried crushed leaves of salvia can be used as a healing tea.
To reap maximum psychoactive effects, the best way to use this herb is in the form potent extracts. When these extracts are smoked, the reality of the user can shatter and fall away. Many people find this experience to be horrifying due to the dramatic and unforgiving power of the plant. Salvia divinorum will open one up to the raw infinite universe with no compassion in regard to the user’s ability to deal with it.
4. Nutmeg
Nutmeg is a popular and widely consumed plant that has been used by many to enjoy mild euphoric effects. It is also an ingredient in kitchen cabinets and used in various recipes.
Also known as Myristica fragrans, nutmeg is a plant loaded with a wide array of biologically active compounds. It is said that the sprinkling of a small amount of nutmeg on egg milk can begin the feeling of euphoria.
However, an interesting thing about nutmeg is that the type of euphoria it induces is totally different from most other plants and is said to not cause any serious side effects to the body even in large doses.
5. Wormwood
Scientifically known as Artemisia absinthium, wormwood is a plant that originated in Europe, Asia and North Africa. It has been used traditionally to induce sedation and psychoactive effects.
Absinthin, a chemical component in wormwood is used as a Bohemian drink to improve mental clarity, focus and motivation. It helps relax the mind and relieve stress and anxiety, uplift mood and promote euphoria.
6. Klip Dagga
Klip dagga, scientifically known as Leonotis nepetifolia, is a plant that originated in Southern Africa. It has been used traditionally as an effective treatment of fever, headache, malaria, dysentery and snake bite. Klip dagga is also known to have calming effects which help relieve stress and anxiety and relax the mind.
Smoking or orally consuming extracts of this amazing herb induces euphoric effects like pleasure, excitement, improved mood and happiness. The flowers are used for smoking and making tea which have calming effects on the body and mind.
Dried petals of klip dagga have been smoked to get sedative effects and used as an alternative or addition to cannabis for a very long time.
7. Damiana
Damiana, scientifically known as Turnera diffusa, is a magic herb native to Central America and Mexico. It has been used as an herbal remedy to treat a variety of health conditions like depression, digestive problems and sexual dysfunction.
Damiana, when inhaled, produces mild euphoric effects like pleasure, improved mood and happiness and excitement. It is suggested to use this drug in moderate quantities to avoid uncomfortable distortions of reality and potential health risks. The effects of damiana, powerful as it is, is still considered a natural herbal high.
Natural or herbal highs are derived from substances which are grown naturally and consumed as they are, or as natural extracts derived 100% from the plants with no additives. For instance, an herb like salvia that is grown naturally is not adulterated with illegal substances and is considered an herbal high which can be smoked or used in tea. The extracts of salvia, blue lotus, klip dagga or any other natural plant is still considered natural because they are simply a concentration of the alkaloids from within the plants themselves.
The word herbal may make you think that these naturally grown herbs are gentler, but many obscure psychoactive plants are extremely powerful.
Why Are Herbal Highs Needed?
Natural psychoactive substances like nutmeg, salvia, blue lotus extract and klip dagga produce sedative effects in the body. These substances are needed to relieve stress and anxiety, sleep problems and various other mental disorders without need for toxic synthetic pharmaceuticals.
We all experience stressful situations at some point in our lives and everybody responds differently in these situations. In some circumstances, we need sedative help to get relief from depression, stress and anxiety, and “legal herbal highs” have played a significant role in combating these illnesses for as long as history can tell us.
Bottom Line
Legal herbal highs are naturally grown plants which possess psychoactive effects. They help relieve stress and anxiety, increase pleasure, excitement, happiness, improve mood or alter perceptions. While the plants listed here are generally legal around the world at this time, laws are changing every day and so research should always be done before attempting to purchase plant material that may be illegal locally.
Many plants that our ancestors had valued have been forgotten in recent times. And many more have been outlawed by our governments. Still, some extremely useful herbal remedies are once again at our disposal due to our connections to each other through the internet. Now is the time to take advantage of this technology and utilize these magical gifts while herbal highs remain legal.