FORUM STRESSES CLUB DRUGS' DANGERS

Those At SU's Schine Center Hear How Misperception Can Make Drugs More
Dangerous.

Drug enforcement officials, drug rehabilitation specialists and people who
have been harmed by drug use spoke about the dangers of Ecstasy and similar
drugs Thursday night at a Syracuse University forum sponsored by the federal
Drug Enforcement Administration.

The dangers posed by these drugs should not be underestimated, said DEA
Special Agent Anthony Placito.

"The level of death and destruction wrought by drugs like Ecstasy and GHB
are unparalleled," Placito said to a diverse group of educators, students,
parents and law enforcement officials in Goldstein Auditorium of SU's Schine
Student Center.

Placito was among three speakers at the forum, which also included a panel
discussion and personal accounts.

One of the problems with combating Ecstasy and similar drugs is the common
perception that they are relatively harmless, Placito said. These drugs are
often called "club drugs" because of their association with rave and club
scenes.

"I'm not worried that my kids are going to stick a needle in their arm and
start doing heroin," Placito said. "But this stuff scares the hell out of
me."

The perception that club drugs are safer than traditional "hard" drugs such
as heroin and crack cocaine makes them more dangerous because more teenagers
are likely to experiment with them, Placito said.

A study by The Partnership for a Drug-Free America showed that one in nine
teenagers has tried Ecstasy at least once and 55 percent of U.S. teenagers
don't see using Ecstasy as taking a great risk, Placito said.

These perceptions do not match the dangers club drugs can pose. Ecstasy can
cause severe dehydration, heatstroke, panic attacks, unconsciousness or
seizures, according to information published by the DEA. Mixing Ecstasy and
alcohol can lead to coma or death.

Club drugs are made more dangerous because it is often impossible for the
user to determine exactly what the drug contains, said Dr. Ronald Dougherty,
director of medical services for Tully Hill Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Center. Dealers pass off other drugs, such as PCP, as Ecstasy or combine
Ecstasy with other drugs, he said.

"What we've noticed about all the people who come in and are taking Ecstasy
is that they all report different effects," Dougherty said. "That's because
they're all on different drugs."

Reducing the use of club drugs depends on the efforts of educators and
medical professionals, as well as law enforcement officers, Placito said.