Our I-team story on "SALVIA" bounced around like a car with bad shocks on an Anza Borrego desert outing. We started the research, then thought about killing it, then went back to reporting the story. Was it the right thing to do? You decide. First let me tell you about salvia, aka salvia divinorum. Most San Diegans have no idea what it is. It's a bright, leafy green plant found in Mexico. It's smoked or chewed and brings on hallucinations, like "magic" mushrooms or LSD. It's legal in California but banned in other states and countries.

The fact that it is banned elsewhere and so easy to buy in San Diego had a curious. We found it for sale all over the region, and actually purchased some in a couple of shops in the College Area. And it's all over the internet. Go to Youtube and see the salvia performers ingest and then go into a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde routine.

I did an informal survey around our studios on Air Way. Not one person over forty has heard of it. Most under thirty have. I only learned of it after reading about its growing popularity on the east coast and the concerns of health officials about the plant. So doing a story seemed like a slam dunk. We would warn parents who were not aware of salvia divinorum and advise users that the consequences of long term use are unknown.

In researching the story, Steve Atkinson, our reporter and researcher/producer Karin Ingrande had picked up some information that could very well kill the story. Federal and local drug agencies are telling us salvia isn't on their radar-not in San Diego anyway. So we talked about dumping the story.

As each agency came back with pretty much the same response, the Salvia story looked dead in the water. One agency thought any publicity would only spur sales--it is a relatively inexpensive and as I said, a legal drug in this state.

All reasons not to do the story.

HOWEVER-----It has been my experience government agencies often are the LAST to know about what is happening on our streets. It's only after people get sick or die, does the information work its way up the ladder to agencies. And if there is poor communication between agencies (which is more likely than not) there could be a considerable lag time before the agencies catch up with reality.

It bought to mind going through the same handwringing five years ago after we learned about a prescription drug that acts like heroin only is tougher and meaner to shake. Oxycontin. Our calls to local agencies turned up nothing on oxycontin. They had no cases, they hadn't heard of it. But we talked to store fronts, counseling services, half way houses. Not only had they heard of it, they described it as a tidal wave of trouble. It turned out to be just that. And we did the story.

Then, I saw YouTube video mentioned above. The clincher was information our I team developed from an alcohol and drug health educator from SDSU who told us she is seeing a small number of students beginning to use saliant. She fears the number of users could be growing. That did it; I felt the good far outweighs the bad in reporting this.

You consider the factors and try to make the right call.


jwblog@10news.com