DRUGS ON CAMPUS: THE HIGHS AND THE LOWS

For many students there exists a genuine curiosity about illegal drugs and
the issues surrounding their use and abuse. In terms of defining narcotics,
many sources fail to provide meaningful insight into drug issues and
exhibit a bias in either a positive or negative direction. Here's some
straight talk about the issue.

You're Caught

Should a student decide to partake in the drug experience, The University
of Regina campus may not be the place he would want to do it. Patricia
Patton, manager of Campus Security, says that "if a person was caught
smoking marijuana, or found to be in possession of narcotics, we would
report it to the Regina Police Service." Patton goes on to say, "if it's
against the law in the city of Regina, it's against the law at the
University. Part of life is learning to live within the confines of the
law, and being responsible citizens is something that we're trying to teach."

A student may also face an internal discipline process at the University if
he is caught using or possessing narcotics. Dr. Robert McCulloch, Associate
Vice President (Administration) and University Secretary, says, "The first
thing is, we have to respect the laws of the land. This would first be
dealt with from a police perspective, and then would typically be referred
to the Dean of the student's faculty. The Dean may choose to refer the
matter on to the council discipline committee, who have the authority to
either suspend or provide other discipline. The council discipline
committee does their best to consider all of the circumstances and tries to
come up with a reasonable course of action."

Both on campus and off, experimentation with drugs is illegal. If someone
is caught using drugs within the community, he can expect harsh penalties.

Mix And Match

Drugs and school don't mix for everyone. Pat Baumet, the owner of Vintage
Vinyl and Hemp Emporium, recalls, "When I was in school, some people could
smoke pot and continue their studies; others couldn't. It's a personal
thing. Marijuana smoking doesn't really go hand in hand with studying. I
would never promote pot smoking if you're a serious student."

Many people using drugs are actually trying to escape emotional or physical
distress. Sharron McStay, R.N. at the University Health Clinic, says "There
are a lot of non-chemistry ways to prevent stress.

"If you're going to get onto a pill, you're defeating the purpose. You may
relieve your stress for the short-term, but you can also become dependent
on [the drug], alter your perception, and have a lot of physical side
effects. If you are truly depressed, which your physician can diagnose,
both of you can agree on something that will help you. But for short-term
stress, a pill isn't the answer." McStay adds, "You'll find that, instead
of relieving stress, drugs are going to add to your stress, because you'll
find yourself craving a feeling of well-being that you can't get naturally."

"If a student is coming from a background with a lot of pain, then a
euphoric experience is very welcome, and consequently it's also addictive,"
says Dr. Paul Antrobus, professor of Psychology and adjunct professor of
Religious Studies at Luther College. "Until you get to know what kind of
experience you're going into with a drug, it's risky," continues Antrobus.
"[The experience] is not possible to predict with certainty-what's going to
happen or what you will feel like doing. If you haven't been paying really
close attention to your life history, what a drug causes to surface out of
your life may surprise you."

Baumet says, "there are certain drugs out there which can be extremely
harmful. People have to realize that they're playing with their lives. You
run into problems when you take drugs that you don't know about."

Getting Off The Merry Go Round

For people who use narcotics, there's a high probability of negative
consequences in addition to the positive ones. When drug use becomes
problematic, there are places to turn to for help. If a student has a drug
problem, he should seek medical advice. "What goes on [at the university
health clinic] is confidential," explains McStay. "If, however, a student
were looking to drop a class, there would have to be an ongoing documented
timeline of the problem in order for our office to evaluate it. We do not
report to the faculty unless the student wants [us to]."

"If people are finding that drug use is a problem on campus, or that they
are being pressured, then we need to be made aware of it," says Patton.

Denis S., a worker at the Regina Detox Center, gives his personal advice:
"If you think you have a problem with drugs or alcohol, try going a few
days without them, or try limiting yourself to three uses a day; no more,
no less.S It takes anywhere from seven to ten days [to detoxify] depending
upon the drugs used, and the degree they were used.

"The Detox Center helps people to detoxify, as most people can't do it
alone. If a person has a problem, one of the first steps is to come into
the centre, or visit your doctor and assess the problem. If the problem is
bad enough, come into the center. It's free, and there is usually no
waiting list. All we ask is that you bring in your health card and a couple
changes of clothes."

Natural High

For people looking for a clean, natural alternative to narcotics,
endorphins may be the key. Baumet says, "I always try to promote sports. It
not only enables you to develop as a person, but also to find friendships
which can continue for years. Sports in itself is a drug-you get high on
it; you get a rush off it; it's fun, and it takes up a lot of time when you
might otherwise be getting into trouble."

McStay recommends trying to "maintain a sense of humor. When you laugh,
endorphins are released and it's a natural high. That's why people enjoy
laughing so much, because there is a chemical reaction. There are also such
things as Yoga, and progressive relaxation."

She adds, "A lot of people also turn to alcohol for relief, and that's not
a good lifestyle choice either, because if you start doing that now,
chances are you're going to when you're working also."

Denis S. says, "One thing you'll notice at Narcotics Anonymous or
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings is the amount of laughter. Using alcohol or
drugs to escape is just a temporary escape. You still have to face the
situation, and all you're doing is postponing it."

"If drugs are just for a joyride, people are asking for a lot of unexpected
experiences," says Antrobus. "I don't use drugs, and I don't recommend
them. I've worked with Stanislav Grof, who teaches a breathing technique
that has been used in just about every culture in the world.

"Grof performed research with LSD over a twenty-year period as a
psychiatrist, and when it became less politically acceptable, he switched
over to a breathing technique. Grof's conviction is that a good two-to
three-hour session of specially-trained breathing will do anything for you
that LSD will do, and be as valuable as fifteen years of psychoanalysis."

Antrobus continues, "It used to be thought that endorphins were produced
only by the brain, but they're also produced by the skin. Endorphins are
produced anytime you upset your balance organs, the semi-circular canals in
your inner ear. Endorphins promote dendrite growth in the brain, allowing
your brain to become more competent, diversified, and complex. Dancing,
jumping on a trampoline, jogging, massage, skin contact, spinning until
you're dizzy, going on a swing-all these activities release endorphins
naturally. It's a great time and you don't need external drugs to do it."

The Bottom Line

The issues surrounding narcotics use are highly individualized and
personal. For many, narcotics use is acceptable behavior. In the eyes of
the law and many others, narcotics use is highly unacceptable.

The choice to use or not use narcotics is yours alone. For people feeling
pressured to use narcotics, Denis S. suggests, "Remember the phrase 'Not
today, maybe tomorrow.' There's always tomorrow.

"Focus on living sober for today. Problems often sneak up with no intention
of serious consequences."

Baumet says, "Drugs are a problem which isn't going away. There's right
ways and wrong ways to do things, should you choose to experiment with
drugs. Many people use drugs because of problems at home-they haven't been
active, or had a healthy environment. Parents who have used drugs and hide
it from their kids is something that I'm against. Don't lie to your kids.
If you have used drugs, you should be able to tell your kids. If you can't,
you shouldn't be doing it."

Antrobus says, "Although different drugs produce different experiences,
essentially we end up experiencing ourselves. Taking drugs to get out of
ourselves is a mistake. We often end up going into parts of ourselves that
we haven't learned how to deal with.

"If you choose to experiment, have somebody with you who is not on the
drug. Make sure that you don't hurt yourself, and if your perceptions get
distorted, don't do anything that's risky or dangerous. When doing any
drug, it's really important to have somebody around who's stone cold sober,
instead of stoned."

For people who want to get the most out of life naturally, Antrobus
recommends, "Learn how to be free, and learn how to enjoy life. For some
people, the drug journey is a very serious one; they really want to find
out what drugs are about, but thousands of people have made the journey
without drugs and have found it equally rewarding.

"For safety and the enhancement of human consciousness, look for other
techniques than the use of drugs. Drugs that are psychoactive are mimicking
drugs produced by the body in a somewhat different form. Why not learn how
to produce your own narcotics internally, ones that your body has learned
to live with? I like the idea of the natural high. Our bodies are made for
it. Why fight it?"