GET THE FACTS ON ECSTASY PERIL

DEA Official Says Danger For Kids At 'Raves' Is Great

Dear Ann Landers: As the administrator of the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) and the parent of three teenagers, I am extremely
concerned about the problem of Ecstasy and the lookalike killer drug PMA.
Many of your readers are also parents who are not familiar with the "rave"
scene where these drugs are readily available to their children.

"Raves" are parties set up in 'various venues by promoters - in warehouses,
fields, stadiums or 'clubs. They are frequently advertised as alcohol-free
events, giving parents a false sense of security. Promoters hire security
guards so that parties will appear safe, but they instruct the guards to
look the other way when they encounter drug use.

In many cases, Ecstasy and other drugs are sold at raves for $25-$40 a
pill, generating a huge profit for the manufacturers who make these pills
for under 50 cents apiece. Ecstasy is. called the "hug drug" because it
lowers users' inhibitions and makes them crave physical contact and visual
stimulation. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has determined that the
drug can cause permanent changes in the brain's chemistry. Ecstasy use
causes severe dehydration and can raise users' body temperatures to as high
as 108 degrees. Some unscrupulous promoters, looking to sell bottled water
at exorbitant prices, have turned off water supplies at rave venues,
exacerbating the dangers for our children. Promoters have been known to
leave overdosing kids in alleyways outside their premises.

Many kids believe Ecstasy is harmless, but its use has resulted in
thousands of overdoses and several deaths. Parents should look for the
warning signs of Ecstasy use - strange paraphernalia including pacifiers,
Vicks VapoRub, surgical masks and glowsticks. And kids who attend these
raves should know that the hallucinogen PMA is being passed off as Ecstasy.
This drug is marketed under brand names such as "Death" and "Mitsubishi
Double Stack." Last year, three kids died in Chicago from PMA ingestion,
and there have been seven deaths in central Florida attributed to PMA.

There is lots of misinformation about Ecstasy out there, particularly on
the Internet, and some of it gives the mistaken impression that Ecstasy is
harmless and even beneficial. I implore parents to become better educated
about the dangers of Ecstasy and PMA, and ask them to warn their children
about the real nature of the rave scene.

Donnie R. Marshall, Administrator, DEA, U.S. Department of Justice

Dear Mr. Marshall: You have written a letter that could save many young
lives and spare countless parents from a great deal of anguish.

Parents should be aware that there are a tremendous number of substances
available to young people today, and educating yourselves about the dangers
is the best way to protect your children. .

If you have a problem and need advice, write to Ann Landers at P.O. Box
11562, Chicago, IL 60611-0562.