Col. Scott Chambers, installation commander, issued the order earlier this month, banning its use among civilian employees, contractors, military dependents and all other ''guests'' to the base. Possession and use by members of the military was banned in January.

Chambers said salvia use on the base is not a problem, but the ban is an effort to keep it from becoming one.

The Drug Enforcement Administration isn't quite sure what to do about salvia divinorum, which is sometimes called ''magic mint.''

''It's something we have under analysis right now to see whether it can or should be controlled,'' said Rogene Waite, spokeswoman at the DEA headquarters.

Waite said salvia divinorum abuse and its effects, including medicinal ones, are being researched. The dried leaves, ingested or inhaled, can cause hallucinations.

''I want to emphasize, just because something isn't illegal doesn't mean that it isn't dangerous,'' she said. ''And people should be extremely careful about what they experiment with and put into their bodies.''

There are hundreds of types of salvia, including three - azurea, nemorosa and officinalis - common to gardens in Utah. Many salvia plants produce a stalk of purple or violet flowers.

''None of these are hallucinogenic, to my knowledge,'' said Heidi Kratsch, a Utah State University professor who specializes in ornamental horticulture.

If anyone tried to smoke one of the three common Utah varieties, it would likely cause serious lung irritation and provide no kind of high, she said.

Some salvia plants are native to Utah, grow in the wild and are drought-tolerant.

At Hill Air Force Base, use or possession of salvia divinorum could result in disciplinary action, including being banned from the base, Chambers wrote.

''Such use could also seriously undermine our mission and negatively impact the morale and discipline of the installation and national security,'' he wrote.