AGONY AND ECSTASY: TEENS' ABUSE OF 'CLUB DRUG' INCREASING

When a balloon is squeezed in one place, it billows out in another.
That's something like the pattern of drug use among young people in
this country. The federal government has boasted that marijuana use
among youths has decreased somewhat in the past several years. At the
same time, though, according to new figures, the use of the
hallucinogenic drug ecstasy has been increasing.

So much for any chest thumping by those engaged in the so-called war on drugs.

Ecstasy, sometimes called a "club drug,'' can be dangerous. Doctors
say it can lead to psychotic episodes and has been known to induce
schizophrenia. It can cause long-term damage to the brain, studies
show, harming the brain mechanism responsible for learning and
thinking quickly.

A comprehensive survey by Partnership for a Drug-Free America,
released late last month, found use of ecstasy has doubled among
teens since 1995. In the past year, the number of teens who have
tried ecstasy at least once increased from 7 percent to 10 percent.

Richard D. Bonnette, the head of the partnership, said: "We appear to
be turning a very important corner. But as we turn one corner,
troubling developments are coming at us from other directions --
specifically with ecstasy.''

The amount of ecstasy being shipped into and around the county is
huge. In May, U.S. Customs Service agents seized nearly half a
million tablets of the drug that were shipped from France to the San
Francisco International Airport. The bust was one of the biggest on
record and came after a yearlong sting operation. In Chicago, agents
have intercepted more than 150,000 pills so far this year at O'Hare
International Airport. The drug is usually produced in one of several
foreign countries and flown to the United States.

Robert Stiriti, an assistant agent in charge of the San Francisco
Customs office, said ecstasy, which sells for as much as $45 a pill,
"is the drug of choice of young partygoers today.''

Some have suggested that a reason for increased use of ecstasy is
that penalties are more lenient than for other illegal drugs. New
Jersey stiffened its laws this year and other states are considering
similar action.

In Ohio, penalties do not seem overly lenient. While a first-time
user may get probation, someone selling large amounts may face up to
20 years in prison. First-time marijuana users may get probation,
too, but a person who sells 40 pounds of pot will be locked up for
eight years.

Perhaps more effective than harsher laws would be more and better
education. Most ecstasy users feel no immediate ill side effects. But
few are aware that the drug may trigger psychotic episodes.

While marijuana may precipitate a psychotic reaction in someone who
is vulnerable, ecstasy can trigger such a reaction in anyone.

In a country rolling along in good times, teen drug use continues to
be a constant speed bump. There is no magic remedy, but education by
parents, schools and community groups is surely the first line of
defense.