OPIUM AT BRANDEIS, BEYOND THE RUMORS

Opium: The word conjures up images of 19th century Chinese dens with
simmering pipes or scenes from movies such as "The Quiet American." While
heroin, an opium derivative, was widely publicized as the "chic" drug of
waifish supermodels in the early 1990s, opium itself has been popularly
portrayed in the media as an exotic drug. But according to Brandeis
students and administrators, opium has made an appearance on campus among a
portion of the student population, joining other non-marijuana drugs of
choice such as mushrooms, ecstasy and Ritalin.

Students Speak Out About Opium

*Student names have been changed.

David*, a Brandeis junior, has used opium and mushrooms, in addition to
marijuana and alcohol. He tried opium for the first time last semester. "I
mixed opium in with marijuana," he said. "The high was a lot like pot but
more clearheaded."

He said he was nervous before trying opium for the first time. "I was
really worried," he said. But after trying it, he said he found opium to be
"a fun diversion."

David is not alone. According to the 2002 Brandeis senior survey that every
graduating student must complete before commencement, 8.9 percent of
Brandeis students had tried hallucinogens at some point.

Tim, a sophomore, said he had done some drugs other than marijuana in high
school, such as mushrooms and ketamine, but has also used opium since
enrolling at Brandeis. "I use drugs as a sort of recreation, like one might
use art or athletics. For me, they are an excellent means of broadening my
view on life and allow me to consider varied perspectives on both emotional
and creative fronts," he said. "More importantly, they are fun." He added
that he is particularly interested in psychedelic and dissociative drugs.

Alan, a senior, said he believes non-marijuana drug use has increased
during his time at Brandeis, based on personal observations. "The groups of
classes have been coming in and seem to be getting more and more in tune
with drug use around parties," he said. "When I was a freshman, it was just
weed and just drinking and it wasn't anything else. By sophomore year,
enough people had been out partying that they were using ecstasy."

As for opium, Alan said that "hippies" who smoke marijuana also tend to use
opium. "Opium is just as common as weed in a sense. On the market it is
cheap, but hard to come by," he said. "When it does come through, you'll
hear people paying ridiculous prices for it."

David said he believes the opium used by students on campus is relatively
weak. "What you get is not exactly the highest quality opium you can buy,"
he said.

Not all non-marijuana drug users on campus have picked opium as their drug
of choice. According to Andrew, a sophomore who has used ecstasy, mushrooms
and Vicodin but not opium,"a lot of opium gets used around here." He added,
however, that he does not know where students obtain the drug.

James, a senior, said he only started hearing about opium this year, even
though he lived with a drug dealer who sold ecstasy and mushrooms along
with marijuana during his sophomore year.

David also said opium was not mentioned on campus until this fall, but has
since become accessible to him and others. "There's definitely a scene at
Brandeis of people trying things other than pot. People are interested in
going to school and expanding their experience," he said. "A lot of people
who really enjoy the buzz and the high (of marijuana) sometimes go beyond
that."

Administrators Hear Rumors Of Opium Use

Alwina Bennett, assistant dean of student life, said she is aware that
opium is being used on the Brandeis campus. "Opium seems to be making a
comeback," she said. "Opium was big when I was in college. I don't know
why. But I have heard about people using opium again."

Shawn McGuirk, director of student development and judicial education, said
he has heard rumors about opium use on campus, "but nothing concrete."
"(This) actually kind of surprises me," he said. "But I don't really have
any concrete information related to that." He added that this year, there
was one situation brought to his attention in which opium may have been
involved, although that was "more hearsay than anything else."

Brandeis police have heard similar rumors of opium use. Director of Public
Safety Ed Callahan said he hasn't seen any definitive information proving
opium is being used at Brandeis. He added, however, "I imagine a large
percentage of people who abuse drugs don't wave it in front of the eyes of
the police."

Bennett and Callahan both said Public Safety receives many calls about
marijuana odors emanating from dorm rooms. As for opium, he said, "It is
tough to discern what is an opium smell versus a marijuana smell."

According to Bennett, opium does produce a distinctive smell. "Opium does
smell, but it doesn't smell like marijuana. It has a different odor,"
Bennett said. She added, however, that non-users may not be able to detect
opium's odor, as it is similar to incense.

Mixing School And Drugs

The students interviewed said that drug use had not affected their
schoolwork. Jake, a junior, said he had actually used Ritalin and
Adderrall, drugs traditionally prescribed to those with Attention Deficit
Disorder, without a prescription to help him better focus on his class
assignments. He added that he only uses other non-marijuana drugs about
three to four times a semester, having little impact on his academic career.

David said his grades have improved during the semesters he has used drugs.
"The semesters where I've smoked more pot, my schoolwork has actually gone
up, because I've been paranoid about it going down because of pot," he
said. He added that he only uses drugs such as opium and mushrooms
recreationally a few times per semester.

Alan expressed similar sentiments. Despite having tried many different
types of drugs, he said, "I've never had issues with my grades or
anything." He added that most of his friends using drugs have not had
problems with schoolwork as a result of their usage either.

Alan did separate recreational use from habitual use though, having
observed students being negatively affected by regular drug use. "I've seen
people drop out," he said. "They state whatever reason. I've seen kids who
get so wrecked, who go on barrages of 'shrooming like five times a week.
Everybody has their limits."

Bennett said that she was aware of two students leaving the University this
year, both due to marijuana use. She added, however, that the marijuana
these particular students used was likely laced with another drug, as these
students experienced "drug-induced psychotic episodes."

'Not Very Worried' About Getting Caught

James, who lived with a drug dealer his sophomore year, said he ended up
leaving his suite because he was not personally a drug user or involved
with drug sales and did not want to face the consequences of possibly being
associated with such actions. "One of the things that ended up dissolving
the particular suite was we weren't clear of the rules for people living
with possession if they weren't involved in it," he said.

But students who are using opium and other non-marijuana drugs such as
mushrooms said they do not believe they are likely to be caught by Brandeis
police or administrators. "I have never been caught and don't intend to
be," Tim said. "I am not very worried that I will ever be caught or
arrested because I am as careful as I can be. Worrying would just be
additional stress that as a student I don't need."

David said that he believes it is unlikely that another student would turn
him in to the police because of his drug use. "I think people aren't
looking for people to get in trouble," he said. "If I do it in the privacy
of my own room ... I'm not too worried about getting caught."

According to Alan, the Brandeis police could be more vigilant about
tracking down non-marijuana drug use. "If they were on top of their shit,
they should be busting people for stuff," he said.

Consequences Of Drug Possession

The Rights and Responsibilities handbook states: "A student is expected and
required to observe the fact that the on-campus manufacture, distribution,
dispensation, possession, sale or use of marijuana or its derivatives, or
any other illegal narcotic, stimulant, depressant or hallucinogen is
prohibited in or on the Brandeis campus, in vehicles owned by Brandeis, or
as part of any Brandeis activities ... Misuse of prescription drugs is also
prohibited."

The handbook, however, does not describe concrete consequences of violating
Brandeis' no-drug policy. "Nothing is written in stone, because we take
into account: 1. The violation and the circumstances surrounding it and 2.
The person that we're speaking to, which would include someone's judicial
file," McGuirk said. He added that second or third offenses may be treated
differently from a first offense and that possession and distribution could
also carry different consequences.

Bennett said that room searches for drugs are not done unless there is
significant evidence of drug use in that area. "We are very respectful of
people's privacy here, so we don't enter unless we have reason to enter,"
she said. "I wouldn't go search your room; you have rights that protect you
from that kind of search. I have to have a reasonable expectation to
violate your privacy."

Callahan said Brandeis police do not turn students over to Waltham police,
but added, "If there was an investigation and we had probable cause, we
could file a criminal complaint against someone."

"We could technically file a complaint against anyone caught with a
marijuana cigarette," he said. "(But) even though marijuana is against the
law, every police department doesn't arrest everyone for one joint. There
would be a huge backlog." Callahan added that students have their whole
lives ahead of them and that college is a learning experience. He said
Public Safety takes these factors into consideration when deciding whether
to file a criminal complaint.

Matt Harris '04, BEMCo's director of operations, said students who need
medical attention due to drug use should not hesitate to call for fear of
being turned over to the police. "We're not there to report you. We're
there to take care of you," he said. "The most important thing is to find
out what happened. So if you've taken something ... we need to know what
you took so we can treat you and transfer care to the appropriate people."
He added that everything told to BEMCo is kept in "the strictness of moral,
ethical and even legal responsibility."

Perception Of Non-Marijuana Drug Use

Many of the students interviewed said they do not see why marijuana and
alcohol are considered more socially acceptable than other drugs. "If you
drink and smoke pot at college, you are chill and fun, but if you use DXM
or cocaine you are 'ruining your life,'" Tim said. "If people would
question all of the negative attention these substances receive, I believe
this would change."

Bennett said there is often a double-standard where drugs and alcohol are
concerned, even with regard to law enforcement. "Drugs are difficult
because they are illegal, so somebody is clearly violating a law. On the
other hand, there is a wide tolerance for violating the law about alcohol,"
she said.

David said he sees using drugs as an experimental process. "When you get
into college, there are all sorts of experiences that you use to grow, and
it is a maturing thing," he said.

Harris said that only a small number of Brandeis students are using
non-marijuana drugs and that the majority of students exercise good
judgment. "Brandeis is not a raging party school, and the people who do
party tend to party smart," he said. "I don't think there is a rampant drug
problem on campus."