Friday, June 15, 2007 - It's a powerful and dangerous hallucinogen --- and it's legal.

The herb that's been "flying under the radar," is called salvia.

We spoke with a number of teenagers who told us salvia is the latest drug of choice for experimentation and those who tried it said it was a terrifying experience.

Undercover, we found and legally purchased salvia at a local shop right here in El Paso.

One teenager who tried it told us salvia was more powerful than any drug he's ever tried and that it was the most terrifying experience of his life.

What's even more frightening is that salvia is perfectly legal in Texas. In fact, we went into a local store and bought some.

The herb was in a display case in a variety of potencies costing anywhere from $21 to $80 an ounce.

Local drug researchers we spoke to were surprised we could buy salvia so easily.

Some of the herb's effects -- vivid and horrifying hallucinations, losing touch with reality and extreme paranoia -- are extremely dangerous.

So why is it legal?

"This is an herb that has fallen in between the cracks. There's no question in my mind that it will eventually become illegal at the federal level," said Jose Rivera, a professor at UTEP.

Rivera has been researching salvia and he even helped with a case of a teenage girl admitted to Thomason  Hospital after taking salvia.

"She had what looks to be like a panic attack, and also some feelings of terror - she was terrorized, so her experience was extremely frightening," said Rivera.

While salvia is legal, there's hope people will think twice about experimenting.

Salvia is under review by the DEA and so far, no attempts have been made at a legislative level here in Texas to control it.

Salvia is illegal in 3 states and several others have legislative bills proposing regulatory controls of salvia.