The Ohio House of Representatives has unanimously passed a bill to ban the psychoactive herb Salvia divinorum, calling it "one of the most potent, naturally occurring psychoactive compounds," the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported April 16. "It is truly a mind-altering herb," said Representative Thom Collier, the bill's sponsor.

Small amounts of the herb -- sold under the name Holy Smoke -- can be found for sale on the Internet with varying degrees of potency. The dried leaves can be smoked or chewed and result in intense hallucinations and out-of-body experiences lasting up to one hour, similar to the effects of LSD though of a considerably shorter duration.

The effort to ban the substance was prompted by the death of a 12-year-old boy who was killed by a friend who had smoked Salvia. Collier said the bill will put Ohio "on the cutting edge of ensuring the safety of its young people."

If the bill receives Senate approval and is signed into law, Ohio will become the sixth state to make the possession, purchasing or selling of the drug illegal.