MANY TEENS ARE TURNING TO WEB AS DRUG ENCYCLOPEDIA

Over The Past Decade, The Number Of Sites Glorifying Drug Use Has Surged.

Four years ago, curiosity about marijuana brought an Idaho teenager
named Nick to a popular online drug encyclopedia.

Now 18 and in a rehabilitation program, Nick said he became obsessed
with the Web site's offerings -- particularly the vaults filled with
information about hundreds of mind-altering chemicals, herbs and
plants. The site, which the journal Pediatrics reported receives
250,000 clicks daily, also has thousands of posts from users, mostly
twentysomethings, about their substance experiences.

"I was so fascinated," said Nick, whose last name is not being
published because the drug charges he faced were juvenile charges. He
added that the information emboldened him to experiment with many
substances. "The fear, the taboo of using ecstasy and crack -- you
really start to doubt that fear when someone tells you there's a
healthier way. I would never have done a lot of the drugs I did if it
wasn't for that Web site."

An increasing number of teen users are turning to the Web to feed or
develop their habits, say counselors, drug abuse prevention experts
and those in law enforcement. There has been little research into how
the Internet enables teens to find new -- and cheap -- ways to get
high, but all 12 of the adolescents in rehabilitation programs
questioned for a study published last year said information they
found online guided how they experimented with drugs.

Experts say it's another danger of unmonitored and unfettered access
to the Internet for teens, with the same simple solution -- parents
keeping a closer eye on what their kids do online.

Over the past decade, the number of Web sites glorifying drug usage,
providing step-by-step recipes for homemade highs and pushing
products through questionable online storefronts has increased
exponentially. And tech-savvy teens, undetected by their
less-informed parents, are flocking to these sites, using them to
score drugs, swap stories and further their habits.

One study found only 6 percent of Web sites selling prescription
drugs require prescriptions, making "these drugs as easy to buy over
the Internet as candy," said Bo Deitl, chairman of Beau Dietl and
Associates, which did the analysis with the National Center on
Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.

It's not just access to drugs that's troublesome -- misinformation
also plays a role.

"To me, that's the bigger danger," said Brian Spitsbergen, director
of youth assistance for Growth Works, a Plymouth, Mich.-based agency
that helps those with chemical dependency.

"You can find Web pages that tell you how to make ... name it,
recipes for methamphetamine to hallucinogens to anything else. It's
all over the place. But the recipes may be poison. You find a recipe
for meth . that may be instant death."

To address the problem, the Office of National Drug Control Policy
published an open letter to parents last month with tips on
monitoring teens' digital activities.

"Technology has created an environment for kids where they can really
stay under the surface -- right under adults' noses," Spitsbergen said.

Now, he added, finding drug dealers can be as easy as logging onto
MySpace.com -- and obtaining the drugs as simple as sending a text message.

"Anytime you want drugs, it's a call or a click away," said Nick, who
used to go through 3,600 minutes monthly on his cell phone.

Though keeping up with technology may seem daunting, experts advocate
simple strategies for parents to stay abreast of teens' activities.

Among them: checking cell phone records, Internet chat buddy lists
and Web page view histories.

"The job of parents is to know where their kids are whether it's in
the real world or the virtual world," said Jennifer DeVallance, a
representative from the Office of National Drug Control Policy. "It's
a matter of safety."

Keeping Kids Safe

Computers record a history of recent Web sites viewed, which can be
used to detect where your teen has surfed. Generally, you can view
this history by clicking on "My Computer" from the desktop; selecting
the "C" drive; selecting either "History" or "Windows" and then
selecting "Temporary Internet Files."

Web Monitoring Tips

Limit your teen's time spent online, and put computers in a common
area of the house so you can more easily monitor use.

Know the people who are listed in your teen's electronic phone book
and check the cell phone manual to learn how to review stored
pictures, recent calls and text messages. If a strange number appears
on the monthly bill, ask about it.

Visit your teen's Web site or personal blog. Review your teen's
profile, pictures, video and music uploads. Also check out the links
that your teen includes on his or her page. Check out the network, as
well, and what type of information is on your teen's friends' sites.

Remind your teens that the Internet is a public space and anyone,
including college admissions offices, potential employers and even
predators, can see what they're posting online.