OPINIONS VARY ON CLUB-DRUG USE AMONG PLANO TEENS

Drug use and abuse is nothing new. America has waged a war on drugs with
slogans such as "Just Say No" and commercials with catch phrases such as
"This is your brain on drugs."

Editor's Note: This is part one of a two-part series.

Even Hollywood has done its part in fueling awareness with movies such as
"Rush," "Blow" and "Traffic." From marijuana in the 1960s to crack cocaine
in the 1990s, drugs have characterized the decades of American youth
experimentation.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, "club drugs" such as
ecstasy, GHB, and Special K are the current drugs of choice among teens and
young adults.

Ecstasy, also known as MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a synthetic
drug with psychoactive properties. It is also referred to as Adam, XTC,
Hug, Beans, the love drug, X, and E.

Other club drugs include GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) which is known as G,
liquid ecstasy, and Georgia Home Boy; Rohypnol, the date-rape drug, known
as roofie or roche; ketamine, known as Special K or K; lysergic acid
diethylamide, known as LSD or acid; and methamphetamine, known as meth,
ice, chalk and speed.

A National Institutes of Health ecstasy monitoring survey, taken in 2000,
showed that 4.3 percent of all eighth-graders, 7.3 percent of 10th-graders
and 11 percent of 12th-graders have used ecstasy at least once.

For Plano, these figures translate to approximately 240 eighth-graders
(about 22 at each middle school); 265 10th-graders (about 53 at each high
school) and 352 12th-graders, about 117 at each senior high school that
have "ever used" the drug ecstasy.

Rick Hooker, Safe and Drug Free School program coordinator for Plano public
schools, said Plano campuses don't see much drug use.

"In anonymous surveys, we've found that drug use is down," Hooker said,
"and we feel confident our surveys are accurate."

Hooker said students are also aware that action will be taken with regard
to drug use. Each case is treated independently. Possible punitive actions
include suspension and expulsion.

"It all depends on the incident, the type of drug and the intent," said
Hooker. "The schools are here to educate and provide information, and we
deliver this message from elementary on up. We try to empower students to
make appropriate decisions and think through the consequences of their
actions."

Hooker noted that issues of peer pressure and mobility add to the stress
and accessibility associated with drug temptation. He urges parents to look
for changes in their child's behavior.

"There are a variety of physical and emotional changes that parents can be
aware of such as behavioral changes, changes in interests, hobbies and peer
groups," he said.

Dr. James Touchy, director of emergency medical services at Medical Center
of Plano, said the hospital doesn't keep specific numbers regarding teen
drug abuse. However, Touchy said that every urine drug screening that comes
out positive is reported to the state.

"We don't really get a lot of these cases, but we have had a couple of
deaths in the past couple of years as a result of hyperthermia, which can
result from ecstasy use," Touchy said. "These young adults were DOAs, and
the ecstasy use was determined after an autopsy."

In addition to hyperthermia, an elevated core temperature, Touchy said
ecstasy is a stimulant and a hallucinogenic. And while it will cause the
user to experience euphoria, long-term effects may cause severe brain
damage and even death.

"It is not a safe drug," said Dr. Derek Farley, director of Plano Minor
Emergency Center. "They are changing their brain chemistry and their brain
function in ways we don't even know about."

He said drug use is subversive.

"We deal with it when young adults come in who are depressed for a long
period of time and are taking several medications and sometimes they happen
to be taking ecstasy," said Farley. "It coexists and exacerbates mental and
emotional problems such as mood disorders, depression and anxiety."

Farely said that ecstasy use is probably underreported and misunderstood by
young adults and that young adults most likely have a misconceptions with
regard to the ecstasy's long-term effects.