CASE OF NO ONE TAUGHT THEM TO SAY 'NO'

Can the drugs awareness level really be so low among third level students,
our Education Editor asks?

The level of drug taking reported in the USI survey will hardly come as a
great shock but what is surprising is the reported level of awareness or
lack of it among the brightest and best of our young people.

Two thirds of the sample of over 1,000 students said they had had
information prior to taking drugs but a third said they had received no
information which is a very high percentage. Even David Hanley was moved to
exercise a skeptical response on Morning Ireland yesterday when USI
president Colman Byrne quoted the figure.

SCHOOLS PROGRAMME

In a more detailed response 28pc said they had read about drugs, 24pc said
they received information from friends, 23pc said they got information from
school. Again, this figure for school information is surprisingly low, given
the extent of the awareness campaigns mounted by successive administrations
in schools over the past few years.

The schools' programme entitled ''On my Own Two Feet'' has been found to be
one of the more successful information campaigns in recent years and has
reached a wide audience. It may need to be adapted to particular
circumstances, and additional information about heroin given in high risk
city areas, but research has shown that overall it has been effective.

Research into the effectiveness of ''On my Own Two Feet'' which was carried
out by Mark Morgan, Ruby Morrow, Ann Marie Sheehan and Miriam Lillis, found
that the reaction of teachers and students to the programme and materials
were favourable.

Contrary to what some third level student leaders seem to think the
programme does not rely simply on scare tactics about the dangers of drugs.
Rather it focuses on influences relating to decisions to use various
substances. There are five major parts of the programme dealing with
identity and self-esteem, understanding influences, the development of
assertive communication and feelings, while the aim of the fifth section on
decision making is to help young people develop decision making skills.

That apart, the USI survey is useful as an indicator of the extent of
illicit drug taking among our third level student population. Its findings
that friends, rather than dealers introduce them to drugs, are consistent
with the results of a major international study.

The USI study found that 65pc were introduced to drugs by their friends,
10pc by their brother or sister, and 5.5pc by dealers. Seven per cent of
respondents asked people where to get the drugs.

Half of those who took the initial drug continued to take drugs. They cited
five reasons: relaxation, enjoyment/for the buzz, peer pressure,
affordability, own choice.

Those who cited affordability said smoking cannabis was cheaper than alcohol
and the effects were better.

A small minority said they were ''probably addicted to it''. Other reasons
for continuing to use drugs included relieving pain and psychological
dependence. The majority of respondents who used ecstasy exclusively did so
for the extra energy achieved.

Other reasons cited were a love of dance music respondents said ecstasy put
them on the same wavelength as the music and they could become part of the
music and atmosphere. The reasons cited for ceasing to use drugs were loss
of interest, growing out of the practice, effect on study/motivation,
paranoia/reduced concentration and the fact that the initial experience was
a one-off.

What is particularly alarming is the high number of students who said they
had had a bad experience with drugs. Bad experiences with ecstasy included
hyperactivity, jaw and tongue spasms that moved into shoulders after half a
tablet.

BAD EXPERIENCES

Negative comedown included extreme paranoia, palpitations, sweats and terror
of friends.

Loss of aptitude, feelings of weakness and breathing difficulties often
lasted into the following day. Bad experiences with magic mushrooms included
paranoia lasting several weeks.

LSD caused one respondent to damage his accommodation while on a ''trip''
that lasted up to 12 hours and ''flashbacks'' that lasted three to seven
hours. No surprisingly 77pc of respondents believed that some drugs mostly
cannabis should be decriminalised. Only four per cent felt that ecstasy,
heroin or speed should be legalised. Eleven per cent felt that all drugs
should be decriminalised.

THREE QUARTERS of respondents felt there should be testing of ecstasy at
clubs. USI last year called for an investigation of this issue but its
controversial suggestion elicited no response from any official quarter. It
repeated its call yesterday but the suggestion is again likely to fall on
deaf ears, despite the fact that many students are taking ecstasy tablets of
varying impurity and at considerable risks to their health.

Checked-by: "Rolf Ernst"