EDUCATION IS PARENTS' BEST DEFENSE AGAINST DRUGS

Dear Ann Landers: As the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) and a parent of three teenagers, I am extremely
concerned about the problem of Ecstasy and the look-alike 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 less than 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 a lot 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.

Write to Ann Landers, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., No.
700, Los Angeles CA 90045.