WORDS OF CAUTION ... NEW ILLICIT CHEMICALS ECLIPSE THE DANGER OF OLDER
DRUGS, EXPERT SAYS

TWIN FALLS -- This isn't your old hippie uncle's dope.

The newest wave of illegal drugs is easier to smuggle, cheaper and
potentially far more dangerous than anything law enforcement, medical
professionals and the public at large have seen so far, an expert in
illicit substances said during her visit to Twin Falls Wednesday.

"GHB is the drug from hell," Trinka Porrata told an audience of local law
enforcement officials, medical personnel, clergy and other professionals.
"These drugs are 10 times, 50 times, 100 times more dangerous than marijuana."

Porrata, a retired Los Angles Police Department narcotics officer, spent
much of this week talking to audiences in southern Idaho about the dangers
of "club," "rave" and "designer" drugs. She will wrap up her visit with
presentations today in Hailey.

GHB is one of the common names for gamma hydroxy butyrate, which is just
one of the latest wave of illicit drugs already prevalent in America's
large urban centers, Porrata said.

GHB cuts across many boundaries of age and social class because it has been
hawked as a health supplement and anti-aging compound, she said. It's also
gaining popularity among teens and young adults as a recreational drug.

Although many sites on the Internet might portray it as harmless -- or even
beneficial -- GHB has been known to cause heart problems, possible brain
damage and even death, she said. It usually comes in the form of a clear
liquid and can often be passed off as water. And because of its stupefying
effects, GHB is also sometimes slipped to girls and young women as a "date
rape" drug, Porrata said.

But while GHB and its chemical cousins might be unlike any other drugs
society has dealt with, the best method of curbing their toll on society is
still the most old-fashioned, Porrata said. Involvement and intervention by
enlightened parents, relatives and other adults is the best tool against
drug abuse, she said.

"Just telling young people, 'Don't do drugs, drugs are bad,' won't work.
Kids want knowledge," Porrata said. "The truth is all it usually takes to
scare them. You don't need to make things up or exaggerate things."

One of the most active venues for the latest drugs is at "raves" --
all-night dance parties featuring pounding soundtracks of techno music and
elaborate light shows.

Raves are often promoted as "alcohol-free" events and draw children as
young as elementary-school-aged, Porrata said. They also draw people trying
to sell drugs such as "Ecstasy," "Special K" or LSD. Some young people like
to use such drugs at raves because they can enhance sensitivity to music,
lights and touch. But they can also have grave side effects, such as raised
body temperate, strain on the heart and other organs and total loss of
judgment, Porrata said. There are increasing cases of fatal or permanently
damaging overdoses with these drugs, she said.

Eric Foster, the school resource officer with the Kimberly Police
Department, said it isn't likely a full-blown rave scene will develop here,
but he has heard rumors of the drugs Porrata talked about starting to emerge.

Some students have expressed concern and a desire for better education
about Ecstasy and similar drugs, Foster said.

Jerome County Sheriff Jim Weaver said he hasn't seen any evidence of club
drugs popping up yet in his jurisdiction, but he plans to use the
information Porrata passed on to help keep an eye on things.

"Knowledge is power," Weaver said.

Times-News reporter Mark Heinz can be reached at 735-3238.

[SIDEBAR]

News Link

For more information on GHB and some other rapidly emerging illicit drugs,
visit the Internet site sponsored by Trinka Porrata's organization,
www.projectghb.org.

Talks in Hailey:

Porrata, a retired Los Angeles Police Department narcotics officer, will
give two talks today in Hailey:

* Seminar for professionals -- 3-5 p.m., in the band room at Wood River
High School.

* Presentation for the public -- 7-9 p.m., in the auditorium at Wood River
High School.

For more information, call Marlene Yardley at the Idaho Department of
Health and Welfare office in Twin Falls, 736-2177.