DRUG USE NOT RARE, SAY MONARCH STUDENTS

LOUISVILLE -- Students at Monarch High aren't buying the claim by an
administrator that the drug Ecstasy is a virtual stranger at the school.

"Oh yeah, right," scoffed Jenifer Janicki, 17, a junior. "Probably
everybody I know has someone they know who does it. Personally, I would
never do it -- that'd be stupid. But a lot of people do."

The Boulder County high school was reeling Tuesday, a day after many
learned that Brittney Chambers, a Monarch ninth-grader last year, was in a
coma after taking Ecstasy at her 16th birthday party.

And they were taking exception to the contention by Mack Clark, deputy
superintendent of the Boulder Valley School District, that Ecstasy isn't
prevalent at Monarch.

"I don't believe that," said Chad Rennich, a 17-year-old senior. "If they
say that, our school district is in denial. It's the fastest-growing drug
at our school. And out of all the high schools in the Boulder district, I
bet ours has the worst problem."

Ecstasy is easy to find, said senior Andrew Cooper, 18.

"I could get it right now if I wanted it," he said. "Not at school, but I
could get it."

Authorities are investigating whether Brittney obtained the Ecstasy through
Monarch students. Boulder County sheriff's deputies will question students
this week, according to Sgt. Dan Barber.

Rachel Lampa, 16, who took classes with Chambers in middle school, hopes
that the tragedy will alert her classmates to the dangers of Ecstasy.

Lampa, a sophomore class representative, said drug use is rampant at Monarch.

"I'm around people who do drugs regularly," she said. "It's all over the
place now. It's unbelievable how common it is. Even walking down the halls,
you hear stuff. It just worries me."

Rachel Paton, 15, went to Brit

tany Chambers' birthday party in seventh grade. She lost touch with
Chambers in high school.

"She was really nice, really laid back, she didn't talk much," Paton said
of the tiny blonde girl. "She was super calm."

Paton said a friend attended the ill-fated weekend party, but left the
party early.

"She didn't know it was as serious as it was," Paton said.

"You hear of people doing Ecstacy all the time, but you never hear so much
that they can get hurt from it," Paton said. "You only hear good things."

Paton said she's never done drugs but that she knows "a lot of people who
have."

"It's not something that's hidden," Paton said. "People talk about it. You
don't see people do it at school, but I've seen people do it."

Paton said it's her impression more students may use marijuana, because
Ecstasy is "so expensive."

"I'd say Ecstasy is the second-most used drug," said Hannah Rhee, 17, a
junior. "Marijuana is the first. But drinking is more prevalent than anything."

"There's always alcohol at a party," said Rannich.

But drugs in general are readily available, Paton said.

"We're in the drug outpost of the world -- in hippieville," she said.