FORMER STUDENTS: DRUG USE AT WEST UNDERESTIMATED

Some High Schoolers Have Money To Spend And Little To Do, Teens Say

WAUKESHA - Keith started using marijuana in ninth grade, with the belief,
"You should try everything once."

His drug use increased and soon Keith, a former Waukesha West High School
student, was experimenting with mushrooms, dextromethorphan and anything
else offered to him.

Other students at West are doing the same thing, Keith said. He and his
friend Adam, both 18, contacted the Freeman on Friday to elaborate on two
articles recently written concerning drug use in the high schools. The
articles said about 2 percent of West's student body take drugs on a regular
basis.

Adam and Keith, who graduated last year from West, said the number of
students using drugs regularly is much higher than that.

"Rich kids have money from their daddies and buy drugs with it," Keith said.
"Everyone there looks like preppies, but as soon as they get out of school
they are using drugs. The goal is to get out at lunch and get stoned."

Police recently discovered DXM, found in many over-the-counter cough
suppressants, was being sold by two brothers at West High School.

Adam said he purchased the drugs on the Internet for the brothers, who were
reportedly selling it for $5 a pill to students. Police were unable to
charge anyone because the drugs, technically, are legal.

Adam said there are four levels of DXM affects. The first is a body buzz,
which comes from taking about 200 milligrams of the drug.

Next, the person begins feeling intoxicated, then hallucinates, and by level
four, which comes after taking 1 gram to 1 1/2 grams of DXM, the body is in
a "vegetablized" state.

The drugs took a toll on Adam and Keith. Adam is on probation for battery,
and Keith said his parents gave up on him after two failed rehabilitation
stints.

Adam said over the summer he took two grams of DXM and can't remember what
happened for almost two days.

"I couldn't sleep," he said. "Basically, I just sat on my couch the entire
time."

Keith said many teens have stopped using DXM because of the effects the
drugs have on the body.

"What you think you are doing when you are on that stuff is different from
what you are actually doing," Keith said. "There may be 100 pills out there
still, but other than that we're not buying it anymore." The drug is too
strong, he said.

While DXM use has declined, they say, the use of other drugs - including
cocaine - has not, according to the two. Marijuana also remains popular,
they said.

"It's not addictive if you don't think it is," said Keith. "In Waukesha
there isn't a whole lot to do. So you just do drugs."

SoundOff

Do you think drug use at high schools is a growing problem? Or is the use of
drugs by high school students exaggerated? E-mail us at:
soundoff@conleynet.com, and we'll publish your responses at a later date.
Please include your full name, address and a phone number.