Correlates of Salvia divinorum use in a national sample: Findings from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2011)

Salvia, a hallucinogenic plant legally available in most of the United States, has become a widely discussed drug in the media. The extant research on Salvia use relies on non-probability samples and studies of college students. There is a clear need for research that identifies the correlates of Salvia use using data from a large sample that is nationally representative. The current study fills this important gap in the literature by using data from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. This survey includes data from nearly 70,000 respondents ages 12 and older living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Due to survey design, separate analyses are conducted among adolescents and adults. Findings indicate that 1.66% of adolescents (respondents ages 12 to 17) and 5.08% of adults (respondents ages 18-34) report the use of Salvia at some point in their lifetime. Correlates of use among adolescents include age, gender, income, peer and parent attitudes toward substance use, and other forms of drug use. Correlates of use among adults include age, gender, race, religiosity, marital status, criminal involvement, and other forms of substance use. Implications of the findings and limitations of the current study are discussed.
Highlights:
• The current study analyzes data from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
• 1.66% of adolescents and 5.08% of adults report lifetime use of Salvia.
• Age, gender, income, peer/parent attitudes, and substance use are correlates among adolescents.
• Age, gender, race, religiosity, marriage, crime, and substance use are correlates among adults.