ECSTASY DRUG'S RISKS DETAILED IN ADVERTISING

WASHINGTON - Ecstasy use is rising among American teen-agers, many of
whom are unaware of its dangers, an anti-drug group said Monday.

The Partnership for a Drug Free America said it is starting an
advertising campaign to warn teens about of the dangers of Ecstasy,
which has been linked to damage to the brain, heart and kidneys.

The group's annual survey found that overall drug use remained steady
last year except for Ecstasy, which became popular during the past
decade at dance parties known as raves. Use of that drug rose 20
percent last year and has increased 71 percent since 1999.

Government anti-drug officials are trying to counter an impression
among teens that Ecstasy is harmless.

Many of the ads in the new campaign feature the parents of Danielle
Heird, a 21-year-old Las Vegas woman who died after taking Ecstasy in
2000.