The Advocate and Democrat

In what may have been a first for Monroe County law enforcement, a Tellico Plains woman was arrested after she was found to be in possession of a hallucinogenic Mexican plant Thursday.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Drug Officer Conway Mason said officers had been using an undercover informant to buy methadone pills from Elaine Lofton Ringrose, 54, Steer Creek Road. When they served a search warrant on Ringrose’s home, they found methadone pills in a bottle inside a safe.

Mason said Ringrose admitted she had been selling the pills to help pay her bills.

Also inside the safe were five unopened packages of Salvia and a small bottle that contained another half gram of the plant.

According to the Web Site Wikipedia, Salvia is “found in isolated, shaded, and moist plots in Oaxaca, Mexico. It grows to well over a meter in height, has large green leaves, and hollow square stems with occasional white and purple flowers” and “is a psychoactive herb which can induce strong disassociative effects.”

Salvia Divinorum is the type of plant described above and is not the Salvia plant that can be commonly found in garden centers.

Mason said it is not illegal to possess the plant in Tennessee, but it is illegal to possess the plant for resale or use and Ringrose had allegedly done both.

Officers also found a handgun on a nightstand and a rifle and shotgun behind a door.

Ringrose is charged with possession of methadone for resale, unlawful possession of Salvia and possession of a firearm during the commission of a drug felony.

michael.thomason@advocateanddemocrat.com | 442-4575.

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