LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Miley Cyrus’s salvia smoking is sparking sales of the herb. Yet the Miley Cyrus salvia debate over salvia divinorum’s effects continues its second week today. Miley Cyrus salvia divinorum usage is legal in California which, like other jurisdictions, as battled over whether the herb should be regulated.

Salvia divinorum is a hallucinogenic that has an immediate effect. The first five minutes are exceptionally intense during which the person will either experience uncontrollable laughter or panic. Cyrus experienced the laughter. The effects slow in the next ten minutes. Within thirty minutes after use, salvia’s effects have ended.

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine recently determined salvia caused no short term harm but could result in long term damage. But, researchers were concerned over the experiences detailed by their subjects. Those subjects say that they left reality in the first five minutes. Subjects described their experience as “other worlds or dimensions,” “contact with entities,” and “mystical-type” awakenings. The same study found that industry research on salvia is lacking.

Salvia is part of the mint family. It carries names like “diviner’s sage” and “magic mint.”

Anthony Adams, a former State Assemblyman for California, had attempted to ban salvia in 2007. “It’s time for state and federal governments to renew their push toward an outright ban.” Health officials are worried that they lack data on how prevalent salvia usage is currently .

Scientists are also worried about the active ingredient salvinorum A. Salvinorum A was only introduced into the salvia herb in 1990s as a purifying ingredient. Researchers confirm that it’s salvinorum A, specifically, that causes the effects exemplified by Cyrus. Scientists are concerned whether the salvinorum A active ingredient could be inserted into other herbs if not regulated.

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LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Miley Cyrus was caught smoking the salvia herb “Salvia Divinorum”. But Miley’s smoking of salvia divinorum was both legal in California, and not harmful short-term, says experts.

While Miley today brought national news attention to  “salvia divinorum”, the salvia herb has been used for decades. It was utilized by religious leaders for healing rituals and was especially prevalent among Indians tribes in Mexico, reports the LA Times.

The smoking of salvia divinorum is legal in California and many other states. But DEA and experts have battled over the herb’s use for some time. While it remains unclear where Cyrus got possession of the salvia divinorum, the herb is readily sold in tobacco and smoke shops around Los Angeles County.

But what exactly is salvia divinorum?

The herb is part of the mint family, the species salvia, and is often known as sage, confirms news Friday.  The chemical at issue in the salvia is salvinorin A. When burned, and smoked, the salvia herb creates an immediate hallucinating result that lasts less than 30 minutes.

“Okay, I’m about to lose it now …. having a little bit of a bad trip….”What the h–ll is that? Is that my boyfriend? Is that me tripping?” says Cyrus on the news video released today. The herb is used the same way as tobacco is utilized. Users smoke leaves that have been dried or chew the plant’s leaves. Cyrus smoked her leaves.

But is it harmful?

Johns Hopkins University studied the herb in 2001 in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health. Their study found no short-term harmful effects. But the report did not look at the long-term effects. The report also called for more studies on the herb.

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LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Dad Billy Ray Cyrus took to Twitter to issue an apology over Miley Cyrus’ video. Billy Ray Cyrus wrote on twitter today that he had no idea that his daughter Miley had been involved in the episode recorded in a new leaked video.

“Sorry guys. I had no idea. Just saw this stuff for the first time myself. Im so sad. There is much beyond my control right now.”

Billy Ray Cyrus himself has been battling his own divorce in peculiar fashion. Less than a week after divorced wife Leticia Finley (Tish) Cyrus, he took to NFL’s Monday Night Football to sing the national anthem.

Cyrus turned 18 on November 23. Miley along with Braison, 16, and Noah, 10, are currently of minor age are hence subject, at least currently, of custody claims in the divorce.

In January, Miley had revealed she would live at home until age 20. In April, she indicated that she had “got out of that” , convincing her parents to allow her to move out.

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CORAL GABLES (LALATE) – Is Miley Cyrus leaving Los Angeles? Miley Cyrus is moving to Walton County, Florida (Fort Walton Beach), claims a news report Thursday. Cyrus’ reported move to Walton County (map below) comes less than a year after Cyrus told news about her inner family struggles about her living situations.

Cyrus had repeatedly told news that she had promised her parents to live at home until age 20. But in April 2010, Cyrus revealed to news that her parents had given in and agreed to let her move out.

But Cyrus didn’t go very far.

In April, the pop singer said her new Toluca Lake home will be close by to her parents current home in the same community. She even told fans “so my door is always open for anyone who wants to come in. It’s a just a loving place.”

What prompted the change?

Cyrus never explained why her parents agreed to allow her to move out. But she told PEOPLE in April this year “I got out of that [living at home until age 20]! I’m actually buying a place. I haven’t moved in yet. I’m still reconstructing and stuff.” She added that mom Tish Cyrus was helping with designs on the Los Angeles home.

But today, TMZ is reporting that Cyrus is reportedly leaving Los Angeles and heading to Walton County. Cyrus, now 18, will soon leave near Panama City.

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LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – The Miley Cyrus leaked photo today was neither leaked … nor Miley Cyrus. An iPhone 2010-snapped picture claimed by websites to be Miley Cyrus before sunrise was retracted by the same websites by evening.

It’s just a “Miley look-a-like.”

Of course, to critics the news was no surprise. Miley Cyrus has been the subject of at least four allegedly leaked photo scandals since 2008. But despite that, a few snaps of someone who dresses like Cyrus and uses the same iPhone 4 appeared to convince a lot of news sites Thursday. It’s not Cyrus. It’s not even a teeenager. It’s rather a Canadian woman trying to look like Cyrus, and “accidentally” getting a lot of news coverage of herself out of it.

If Cyrus isn’t the subject of fake Liam Hemsworth marriage reports (November 2010), she is the subject of fake pregnancy reports (July 2009) or of fake bus crash (November 2009).

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