COUNTY YOUTHS SAID TO FAVOR HEROIN, METH

The drugs of choice among young people in Snohomish County are heroin and
meth, one expert said Friday.

Martin McArthur, a drug counselor at the Evergreen Treatment Services
detoxification facility, said results of a new nationwide survey don't hold
true here.

The survey said young people are into anabolic steroids and Ecstasy.

Another local counselor said she has seen some of that, but McArthur said
many young people here use harder drugs.

While most of his clients are ages 18 to 25, he deals with younger teens too.

"We just had a kid in today who was 17," he said. "But he didn't stay
because we wouldn't let him smoke."

Clients stay anywhere from three to five days, up to a couple months, as
long as it takes to get the drug out of their system.

"It depends on the type of drug and amount of use," McArthur said.

He said it's hard to counsel young users.

"If they're just starting to take drugs it's harder to convince them it's
harmful to them," he said.

He said many of them haven't lost enough in life to listen. With adults,
many have lost their jobs, spouses or respect in the community. But with
teens, their biggest issue is being homeless. Once that happens, drug use
often increases.

Another problem McArthur deals with is mental health. Sometimes, he said,
he can't tell if those problems come after or before the drug use starts.

McArthur said drug dealers are tricking young people by mixing cocaine with
heroin.

"Many don't even know they're taking heroin," he said. "We need to educate
them on the issue of heroin addiction."

McArthur said people are getting away from crack cocaine because it is hard
to hide.

"It's so intense. Sleep deprivation with crack can last one or two weeks.

"But with heroin, at least you don't go nuts. There is a physical addiction
to heroin, and you don't even realize you're getting addicted."

Another local expert, Lee Gresko, a registered nurse and drug and alcohol
counselor, said kids don't even think of Ecstasy as a drug.

"They think of smoking weed, alcohol and crank as drugs," she said.
"Ecstasy is just something you do when you go there."

The "there" she is referring to are youth dance clubs called raves. Ecstasy
is a stimulant that provides a prolonged high.

"They get in groups and carry on and enjoy the moment and get crazy,"
Gresko said.

McArthur said he hasn't seen much of that, however.

"I thought the Ecstasy game was over," he said.