LSD TRIP IN KIDS TATTOOS

PARENTS have been warned that children are being offered LSD disguised
as popular stick-on tattoos.

At least nine Brisbane primary schools have alerted parents that the
drug is circulating on novelty tattoos called Blue Star which feature
images of Bart Simpson and Mickey Mouse.

The warning, contained in a bulletin faxed to the schools has
horrified drug workers who say they are already dealing with a
resurgence in LSD use among teenagers.

The hallucinatory drug is usually distributed on "tabs" the size of
postage stamps.

Although drug workers believe the Blue Star warning is a hoax, they
say teenagers are buying LSD for as little as $5.

The Blue Star warning was first faxed to the Grace Lutheran Primary
School at Clontarf, prompting principal Robert Smyth to notify parents.

"I was concerned because even though I was told LSD can't normally be
absorbed through the skin, it's not beyond the realm of possibility,"
he said.

A Year 7 student claimed to have been given two of the Blue Star
designs but had thrown them away.

Mr Smyth said he believed the fax originated from Redcliffe Hospital,
but a hospital spokeswoman said the document and its transmission were
unauthorised.

The bulletin has since been received by six other Brisbane schools
including St Rita's College at Clayfield and state primary schools at
Redbank Plains, Redland Bay, Clontarf Beach, Coorparoo and Camp Hll.

The warning has also appeared on the Gold Coast, with both Labrador
State Primary School and Coomera Anglican College relaying the message
to parents.

Last June, similar bulletins were sent to schools in the United
States, prompting a widespread but fruitless paper chase by the Drug
Enforcement Agency.

Drug Arm spokeswoman Judith Hart said even if the Blue Star panic was
prompted by a hoax, parents should remain vigilant because LSD was
again popular and cheap.

LSD tabs featuring comic book superheroes are being sold in Brisbane
for between $5 and $12.

"There is a flood of evidence that LSD has become popular among upper
primary and high school students over the past two years," Ms Hart
said.

FRIGHTENING EFFECTS

LSD is a highly hallucinogenic drug that can have frightening side
effects.

In children, especially, the drug can lead to seizures, angina-like
chest pains, psychosis and a complete loss of reality and the senses.

But perhaps the most horrifying effect is "flashback" - LSD trips can
recur up to a year after the original use in extreme cases, users can
suffer from chronic depression and psychotic conditions for varying
periods after taking the drug.