PARENTS SHOULD WATCH FOR SIGNS OF CLUB DRUG USE

As if modern-day parenting were not challenging enough, a deadly new drug
phenomenon is heading this way. In fact, many experts say that it is
already upon us.

This scourge that I speak of is known as "club drugs." These substances are
also known as "rave" or "designer" drugs. These drugs got their name from
the Rave clubs where they are commonly abused. A Rave is characterized by
loud techno (electric) music, a dark environment with laser lighting, drug
paraphernalia, illicit drugs, massage parlors (for dealing with muscle
spasms typical with ecstasy use) and cool-down areas (a shower, sprinkler
or garden hose) to deal with the high body temperatures associated with
ecstasy use.

Initially, Raves emerged in the United Kingdom in the early 1980s. Within
10 years, Raves were found in major cities throughout the United States.
Originally held in warehouses (often without permission) and dance clubs,
these events can now be found virtually anywhere, including parking lots
and homes in both urban and rural environments.

Some of the drugs in this classification include Ecstasy, GHB, Ketamine,
Rohypnol (date rape drug) and psilocybin, better known as "magic mushrooms
or `shrooms." LSD is also making a comeback and is often categorized as a
club drug.

While these club drugs are often lumped into the same category, they are by
no means the same, as they come in various forms and produce different
effects on the user. Since the scope of club drugs is so large, I will
cover each substance separately in future issues of The Press.

Since ecstasy is currently the most prevalent drug in this category, I will
discuss it first.

Ecstasy (MDMA) is a mind-altering drug with hallucinogenic effects. While
ecstasy can be injected or snorted, it is most commonly found in tablet
form. These tablets can be different colors and shapes and sometimes are
disguised to look like chewable vitamin tablets or various forms of candy.
Ecstasy is often packaged for cultural appeal to youths, thereby making
detection very difficult for parents, teachers and police officers.

Some of the early signs of intoxication are increased energy, a sense of
pleasure, sociability and a feeling of euphoria. Since one of the effects
of ecstasy is exaggerated sensory perception, it is common for abusers to
possess glow sticks and have an interest in special-effect lights, such as
lasers, strobes and multi-color lighting.

A few of the short-term negative effects encountered include sweating,
muscle tension, increased heart rate, suppressed appetite, nausea,
vomiting, blurred vision, anxiety, panic attacks, tremors and
hallucinations, as well as grinding of teeth and jaw pain. Because of the
teeth grinding and associated jaw pain, ecstasy users are frequently seen
sucking pacifiers and in some West Coast rave cultures, it has become
fashionable to attend raves dressed like a baby. While objects such as
pacifiers alone cannot substantiate ecstasy use, they should at the very
least raise a red flag, thereby warranting further investigation.

While these negative effects may prove to be disturbing, they are not as
severe as the effects of chronic use. Following is a breakdown of some of
the more extreme effects ecstasy has on the body:

Mind and behavior: Severe depression, confusion, anxiety, paranoia,
apathy, distortions in perception and memory, insomnia and suicidal tendencies.

Heart and blood: Increased heart rate and blood pressure, possible
cardiovascular failure induced by high body temperature and dehydration.

Brain: Descrution of serotonin neutrons, possible irreparable brain damage.

Lungs: Damage, may cause internal bleeding.

Liver: Jaundice and liver damage.

Kidneys: Kidney failure.

Muscles: Muscle tension, rigidity, breakdown of skeletal muscle.

Other risks: Severe hypothermia, possibly to 110 degrees, convulsions,
sudden collapse, coma, potentially fatal.

At the beginning of this article, I addressed the fact that these club
drugs present a challenge to parents. This challenge is due to the fact
that these deadly substances are advertised on various Internet sites as
completely harmless, an alternative to "the more dangerous" drugs as a
means to get high and feel good. As a result, there is a misconception
among many people that these club drugs are indeed safe to ingest.
Consequently, there are reports of many teens and young adults who pride
themselves as being drug and alcohol free becoming addicted and suffering
the subsequent consequences of ecstasy use.

Moreover, as earlier mentioned, ecstasy tablets are often disguised to look
like vitamins or candy, therefore reducing the perceived consequences while
making detection difficult. In addition, many of the practices of the rave
culture, i.e., pacifiers and glow sticks are often pass off as a craze
without further investigation into the matter.

The bottom line is this...ecstasy is an addictive and deadly drug. I urge
parents to discuss the issues surrounding ecstasy with your children. You
are the first line of defense, and these discussions greatly reduce the
likelihood that your child will experiment with these deadly substances.
Should you need further information, contact me at 419-838-6651, ext. 132.

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of columns by Cpl. Lawson. The
next column will run in next month's Health Section.