DESIGNER DRUGS 101

Police Officers Learn What To Look For At Conference

What may appear to be novelties strewn around some teens' rooms may
actually be clues to what they're up to, according to an Illinois State
Police officer who is an expert in designer drugs.

Pacifiers, glow sticks and bags of Skittles could all be evidence that your
child may be experimenting with new synthetic drugs that give them feelings
of euphoria but that could cause long-term damage.

Fifty-two police officers from 35 agencies in three states are in town
learning about these and other drugs and how to combat the drug problem in
a training course offered by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's at the
Hilton Springfield.

George E. Hood, special agent with the DEA and coordinator of the
conference, said the officers are the best of the best of each department
and have to meet certain standards in order to participate in the two-week
conference.

"We know what kind of audience we have so we try to bring in the best
speakers. We want to keep the level of instruction at a high level so the
students will appreciate it and remember it. We strive for quality," he said.

On Thursday, ISP trooper Michael Ross addressed the group about the basics
of "designer drugs." Such drugs include Ecstasy, methamphetamine,
gamma-hydroxybutyrate or GHB, LSD, Rohypnol and ketamine. Many of these are
also referred to as "club drugs."

Ross told the officers of one of the first times he'd come across a girl on
GHB. He was called to a rest stop on a report of a woman exposing her
breasts. When he arrived, the two young boys and the young girl all seemed
friendly and helpful.

One of the boys was wanted on a warrant and was put in the back of the
trooper's squad car. As time passed, the girl kept getting friendlier and
friendlier and then drowsier and drowsier. Eventually, she fell asleep and
Ross said he had a hard time waking her and couldn't feel a pulse.

Fearing for her safety, Ross began to ask one of her male friends if she
was on anything and if so, what it was. The boy's attitude changed. He
didn't want to help.

Eventually, the boy in the squad car began flailing around and smashed the
window out of the trooper's car. A truck driver who had witnessed the whole
episode told the trooper that the youths had been pouring a blue liquid
down the girl's throat.

Police later discovered it was GHB and it was being stored in a mouthwash
bottle in the car. The kids had bought a bottle of the substance over the
Internet.

"They are making these chemicals so fast that they'll put it out on the
Internet, the kids use it and then they'll take it off the market and do it
again," Ross said.

Hood said it's often hard for parents to grasp that their children are
using these types of drugs because they are so easy to hide and because
they are so different than the drugs available when the parents were young.

"The kids are using them and the parents don't understand why," Hood said.
"We need parents' help, too.

"Parents need to be aware. Their kid may be leaving the house with a bag of
Skittles and some lollipops and they think the kids are going to snack all
night. In reality, the pills are hidden in the candy bag and the lollipops
are to ease the chewing sensation they get when they take the drug."

Other seemingly innocent items that might prompt a parent to ask questions
include pacifiers, which are also used to deal with drug-induced chewing
urges and glow sticks, which can be used for psychedelic light shows while
under the influence.

Here are some basics on the drugs:

ECSTASY: Also known as XTC, Clarity or Lover's Speed. It's usually found in
a tablet or capsule form and its effects last three to six hours and
include confusion, depression, sleep problems, sweating, anxiety, jaw
clenching and dehydration. In high doses, it can cause an increase in body
temperature, strokes, seizures and permanent brain damage.

METHAMPHETAMINE: Also known as speed, meth, crystal or crank. It is made
with over-the-counter ingredients and farm chemicals and is usually smoked,
snorted, injected or swallowed. Its effects include agitation, aggression,
excited speech, decreased appetite and in high doses can cause brain
hemorrhaging.

GHB: Also known as G, Liquid Ecstasy, Easy Lay and Georgia Home Boy. It has
been known to be used in "date rapes" and is a central nervous system
depressant that can be homemade. It is found in liquid, powder, tablet or
capsule form and its effects include relief of anxiety, relaxation, sleep,
headache and can be deadly when mixed with alcohol.

LSD: Is also known as Acid, Boomers and Yellow Sunshines. It is a
hallucinogen that can be found in tablet, capsule and liquid forms and can
also be put on blotter paper. Its effects include dilated pupils, higher
body temperature, sweating, and tremors and with long-term use can cause
flashbacks and brain problems.

ROHYPNOL: Also known as Roofies, Rophies and is also used in sexual
assaults. It is tasteless, odorless and dissolves quickly in any beverage.
It can be taken orally or by snorting. Its effects include amnesia,
decreased blood pressure, drowsiness, confusion and can be lethal when
mixed with alcohol.

KETAMINE: Also known as Special K, K, Vitamin K and Cat Valiums. It is
normally used for animals as an anesthetic or tranquilizer. It is found in
liquid form, pill form or as a white powder that is snorted or smoked.
Effects include hallucination, amnesia, inability to feel pain, hearing
failure and in high doses can include delirium, depression and fatal
respiratory problems.

The conference will continue this week with presentations on
methamphetamine, an increasing problem in central Illinois, and on the
psychology of addiction.