ABOUT 60% OF MIDDLE-SCHOOL STUDENTS REPORT TRYING DRUGS

While the message is to "just say no," many El Paso young people are
frequently turning to drugs and alcohol at a younger age than might be
expected.

Almost 60 percent of surveyed middle-school students said they have tried
alcohol, meaning they have had more than a few sips, according to a survey
of 900 East El Paso County students. Almost 20 percent of students have
used marijuana; an equal amount of students have also used inhalants, such
as sniffing glue or empty spray paint cans.

"We're seeing kids start really early, on average between 10 and 12 years
old," said Jim Alba, a counselor at Aliviane Treatment Resources for Youth,
an addiction-recovery program for youths.

The questions regarding alcohol and drugs were part of the Youth Risk
Behavior Survey, designed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
and conducted by the Paso del Norte Health Foundation.

Survey results indicated 70 percent of students had their first drink at
age 12 or younger.

Juan Lucero remembers taking his first drink around age 10. He smoked his
first marijuana joint at 12. By his 13th birthday, he was a full- blown
alcoholic and addict, using cocaine and LSD.

"I totally rebelled against all authority," said Lucero, 34, the youth
pastor at World Victory Outreach, a Christian-based recovery program for
addicts. "I was running with gangs. I just kept getting worse, but I didn't
see a way out."

Drugs are much easier and much cheaper to get on the border, said Officer
Alberto Chavez, community services officer at Central Regional Command for
the El Paso Police Department.

"Even if they can't afford it, it's really easy to get a kid hooked in
order to start using them as a carrier," Chavez said.

Many youngsters involved in drugs or alcohol are looking for a sense of
belonging and become followers whether they realize it or not, Alba said.
Most at-risk children typically are associating with older peers, making
access to these substances easier.

While nicotine used to be considered the gateway drug -- the one that leads
to other, harder drugs, now marijuana is the common high, Alba said. The
top three drugs he is seeing among youths coming in for treatment are
marijuana, alcohol and a combination of cocaine and Rohypnol. Inhalant use
is also on the rise among youngsters, he said.

"It's the cheapest high they can get for those barely starting (to use),"
Alba said.

Inhalants are not considered dangerous drugs by youngsters because the high
comes from common household, legal products, such as nail polish or empty
whipped cream cans. The fumes left in the can are sniffed, also called
huffing, to create a high.

What they don't know is that those fumes can cause permanent brain damage,
Alba said. Because the effects of drugs are different for each person,
sudden death could occur. Other risks include hearing loss, disorientation,
loss of coordination and memory loss, convulsions and damage to the lungs,
bone marrow, liver and kidneys.

Lucero said he quickly graduated from inhalants and marijuana and by the
time he was 23 he was sure he would die a junkie. He was skinny and weak
from all the drugs, and he was suicidal.

His sister told him about the Victory Outreach program. Lucero entered the
residential facility and later became a group leader. He is now the youth
pastor, preaching to troubled youths.

"I talk to them about the choices and decisions they make," Lucero said. "I
tell them every choice or decision is going to have a consequence -- good
or bad."

Though the problem persists, students are getting the message, said Chavez,
who used to work with the DARE program, a drug-education and
addiction-prevention campaign in schools. "They know the consequences are
too high."

Minors caught with tobacco, alcohol or drugs can be stripped of a driver's
license until they turn 21, he said.

Parents also must remember they are responsible for their children through
age 18, he said.

"There are two times you have to take care of your child -- at infancy and
again at middle school," he said. "You have to lead them from the child
phase into young adulthood. If he doesn't know how to make that transition,
you're going to lose him."

[SIDEBAR]

Warning Signs

Watch out for your children and pay attention to any physical or
personality changes that could be a sign of drug or alcohol abuse, El Paso
police Officer Albert Chavez said.

- - Mood swings or personality changes.

- - Personal appearance, not caring about grooming or personal hygiene.

- - Attention span, such as when in school, diminishes.

- - Constant red eyes.

- - Depression.

- - Loss of appetite.

- - No longer socializes with friends.

Get Help

Experts agree a person has to want help before treatment can be successful.
Here are some treatment programs available to youth.

- - World Victory Center: Christian-based outreach for young and adult
addicts. Information: 566-7474.

- - Aliviane Treatment Resources for Youth: Day treatment and outpatient
recovery for youth ages 12 to 18 who are in school. Youth can enter
voluntarily, or are ordered by the court system. Information: 775-2501.

- - Project SAVE: Alcohol awareness and prevention, a program of the Texas
Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Information: 834-5860.