Local high school students say drugs readily available, used

The Herald-Sun (NC) ^ | Mar 23, 2003 | Tomas Murawski

[MrLeRoy]

CHAPEL HILL -- He’s a local high school student who gave his name simply as "Bob." Bob said he started drinking when he was eight. In recent years, he said, if he wasn’t high, he was trying to get high.

Bob said he had used cocaine, tripped on LSD and other hallucinogens, and spent hours soaring on ecstasy, which he said he easily found at many area high school parties. When nothing else was available, he explained that he got intoxicated with common household substances.

Once, he described using a plastic bag to inhale Freon from the back of an air conditioner. In a matter of seconds, he recalled, he had collapsed to the ground in convulsions.

Moments after his release from the hospital, he said he was, again, trying to get high.

Bob might be unusual in the lengths he has gone to get intoxicated, but experts and parents say he isn’t unique. He is not the only area high school student who has spent a significant part of his life using alcohol and other drugs, they say.

"I honestly believe we have truly reached the phase that we’re talking about a drug epidemic," said Linda Hammock, a substance abuse counselor at Chapel Hill High School. "I find myself regularly joking about what must be in the water around here."

Hammock estimated that 70 to 80 percent of the area’s high school students are using alcohol and other intoxicants on a regular basis; 30 percent are smoking, drinking or otherwise getting intoxicated often enough to affect how they function.

"Some of these kids are very, very bright," she insisted. "They’re white, upper and middle class kids who are bored."

They also aren’t concentrated in any one area high school. An increase in drug abuse has also alarmed Ruby Bugg, Hammock’s colleague at East Chapel Hill High. Bugg said that after years of lagging behind, drug abuse among students at her school has caught up with the situation at Chapel Hill High.

"Every year, we see an increase from the year before," Bugg acknowledged. "But this year, I’ve had as many discipline referrals in two and a half months than in the whole semester last year…I’m seeing an even greater increase in the number of referrals from students for themselves and their friends."

This increase in teen drug abuse hasn’t been lost on Chapel Hill police officers.

Matt Sullivan, an officer in the department’s crisis unit, said that in his experience alcohol and marijuana are the drugs of choice for many adolescents. But a large number of teens are also using so-called club drugs like ecstasy and gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or GHB, which Sullivan said is used to get high rather than in its more sinister incarnation as "the date rape drug."

From what Sullivan has seen, even the most exotic of these drugs are more readily available than parents suspect.

"There is a vast network — an underground network," he explained. "It’s certainly not coming from street dealers."

Bob said dangerous drugs have been traded right under the noses of parents and other authority figures. Even hard drugs like crack, he claimed, are bought and sold on school grounds, out of book bags or lockers. Bob asserted that a wide selection of traditional and designer drugs could be found at a typical high school house party.

"When you go to a party, you see your friends talking, drinking and having a good time," Bob said. "Everyone there has a buzz or is trashed off their a-- and everyone is happy as hell."

Unlike Bob, most local teens don’t betray any outward sign of drug use, say authorities.

More typical of young substance abusers is "Charlotte," a name given by an unassuming 15-year old with wide, curious eyes and plastic novelty bracelets wrapped around her arms. Charlotte said she had used drugs regularly here since she moved from another state less than a year ago.

"The only drugs I’ve done are alcohol and pot," Charlotte said. "When I moved here, I was the only girl in a group of guys , and I always got offered pot and alcohol."

Charlotte said she entered Alcoholics Anonymous after her parents learned about her drug use, and she is now starting to realize the effect that alcohol and marijuana had on her life and her performance in school.

[MrLeRoy]

In our zeal to prevent adults from ingesting what they choose, we've left illegal drug sellers no incentive to not also sell to kids. All hail the War On Some Drugs!

[MrLeRoy]

Wod_list ping

[Wolfie]

Why do you think they call it "High" school?

[Just another Joe]

#1 is coming for any student that does more than sit on their butts in class.
#2 is too much trouble
#3 has already been tried.

A teen can normally sniff out BS faster than a dung beetle.

[KantianBurke]

HOW ABOUT PARENTS PARENT?!?

[bassmaner]

HOW ABOUT PARENTS PARENT?!?

BUMP for common sense!

[Doctor Stochastic]

The Local Police and DEA could confiscate the property of parents of kids who use drugs.

[MrLeRoy]

Any other ideas?

Relegalize drugs for adults, thus giving sellers an incentive to not sell to kids---namely, the risk of losing their legal adult market.

[Mr Crontab]

I hope you're joking...

[MrLeRoy]

The Local Police and DEA could confiscate the property of parents of kids who use drugs.

Also the parents of kids who drink illegally, shoplift, commit vandalism, etc., etc. What a goldmine!

[biblewonk]

We wish.

[Doctor Stochastic]

You left out smoking and connecting to Forbidden Internet Sites.

[MrLeRoy]

ping

[Manic_Episode]

I was doing much of this in 9th grade in catholic school 25 years ago, except for the stuff that didn't exist back then.
The WoD has only lost ground. It is a complete and thorough failure.
I would suggest legalizing marijuana and tripling the penalty on everything else, or perhaps even the death penalty for those who sell crap that can kill, or those who sell to minors.

If you're gonna fight a war do it right. The status quo is crap.

[vin-one]

like I have said all along, it is easier for Kids, to get drugs than booze

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Whatever happened to "Just Say No?" That campaign was so effective by Nancy Reagan that drug usage dropped significantly.

[Trailerpark Badass]

Any other ideas?

Sure. Turn public schools into boarding schools, make all children wards of the state upon birth, and send "parents" nice letters with photos periodically, like they do with those poor kids Sally Struthers is trying to help.

[Jay D. Dyson]

Hammock estimated that 70 to 80 percent of the area’s high school students are using alcohol and other intoxicants on a regular basis;

Well, that certainly explains half the Liberalism out there...

[newgeezer]

The WoD has only lost ground. It is a complete and thorough failure.

It is a failure.

To have any chance of success, they need to reduce demand. Hit 'em where it hurts: in the wallet. Seatbelt usage went up when they levied fines for noncompliance. It's time to start ticketing users, too. Bigtime.

Start by setting and publicizing the new rules. Then, ensure uniform enforcement. The system is not working when one judge will levy a $25 fine, "and don't get caught again, okay?!" while another will throw you in the pokey for 30 days or a year, depending on her time of the month.

[biblewonk]

Teens think the law applies to adults and that penalties will be less severe for themselves. They're probably right.

[MrLeRoy]

perhaps even the death penalty for those who sell crap that can kill

Like alcohol?

[Protagoras]

Any other ideas?

Kill them, it's for their own good.

[MrLeRoy]

Whatever happened to "Just Say No?" That campaign was so effective by Nancy Reagan that drug usage dropped significantly.

You forgot to close your <sarcasm> tag

[Protagoras]

or those who sell to minors.

The vast majority of those who sell to minors, are minors.

[Rebelbase]

" Put all the students in jail and do an exhaustive background check on each to see who used drugs and keep those who were found to have detained"

Damn, you're worse than Ashcroft.

[MrLeRoy]

It's time to start ticketing users, too. Bigtime.

Why would the threat of a fine work better than the threat of imprisonment has?

The system is not working when one judge will levy a $25 fine

In what jurisdiction is possession subject to so low a fine?

[Protagoras]

Whenever something is proven to not work, it isn't long before someone advocates more of the same thing.

It's one definition of the word insanity.

[Rebelbase]

"The vast majority of those who sell to minors, are minors"

Ditto. My High School son said he could get anything he wanted if he asked the right people, all students themselves.

[MrLeRoy]

My High School son said he could get anything he wanted if he asked the right people, all students themselves.

"Bob" concurs: "Even hard drugs like crack, he claimed, are bought and sold on school grounds, out of book bags or lockers."

[Protagoras]

The only people who have tried to sell my children drugs were other children, and not dupes for dealers either. Just kids who said "hey, I get high, it's great, want some just let me know".

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Here is my solution. This would not happen in a world where parents raise their own children from birth. Parents always need to raise their children boundries, which is not being done now. Teaching them to be independant from peer presure and knowing right from wrong, black from white. In concrete terms. We need to raise kids to know that they are more important to us than anthing money can buy. Then we will have won the war on drugs, not until then.

[dmz]

one of the other definitions of insanity works on the WOD as well, when one does the same act over and over again, but expects different results...

[Protagoras]

It's what I was referring to. I paraphrased.

[newgeezer]

Why would the threat of a fine work better than the threat of imprisonment has?

The "threat" of imprisonment is virtually nonexistent (for good reason). That's just the point. There is little effort to curb demand; most of the failed effort is aimed at sellers.

In what jurisdiction is possession subject to so low a fine?

The roulette-wheel system of justice was the point (not the amount of the fine). And, that's when they even bother to haul the user downtown and in front of a judge.

Again, at the very least, if they really want to discourage the middle class (especially kids) from using, they should hit them where it hurts them the quickest, in the wallet.

But, as long as the focus is on supply rather than demand, I remain unconvinced that the so-called WOD is anything but a ruse, mired in corruption. Only a fool honestly believes the supply-side WOD is winnable.

[biblewonk]

One in six people who have "used" alcohol are "dependant" on it, bump.

[metesky]

Spring and the smell of fresh funding is in the air.

[newgeezer]

One in six people who have "used" alcohol are "dependant" on it, bump.

You betcha. After using it just once, I became totally dependant on it for cleaning my tape deck heads, capstans, and pinch rollers.

Plus, there is absolutely NO way I'll shoot up without first sterilizing my old needle with alcohol.

[MrLeRoy]

Only a fool honestly believes the supply-side WOD is winnable.

Agreed. Why should nonfools believe a demand-side WOD would be winnable---given that there are many more users than suppliers, and that personal-use amounts are much easier to conceal than commercial amounts?

[robertpaulsen]

"Relegalize drugs for adults, thus giving sellers an incentive to not sell to kids"

According to the article, "70 to 80 percent of the area’s high school students are using alcohol and other intoxicants." How is (re)legalizing drugs supposed to help here? It obviously hasn't helped with alcohol for these kids.

I say talk to the 20 to 30% of kids and their parents who aren't doing "alcohol and other intoxicants" and find out why not. That's where the answer is.

[headsonpikes]

"Spring and the smell of fresh funding is in the air."

Yep, they empty out the cash drawer into propaganda operations, and then ask for that wonderful, beautiful thing, more money.

But Hell, the investment's worth it. After all, the Feds only spend $25-30 Billion on the WOD. Illegal drug revenues are $300+ Billion. Do the math.

And the sucker taxpayers get to pay for it! Truly Win-Win!

John Walters: "We're making illegal drugs scarce, expensive, and of unreliable quality."

The Czar knows what's what.

[biblewonk]

One in six. So let it be written ( by some really important research group ) so let it be done.

[Trailerpark Badass]

One in six people who have "used" alcohol are "dependant" on it, bump.

Just curious: what do you mean when you use the term: "dependent?"

[newgeezer]

Bah. The research group doesn't have to be important. It's enough that it sounds important.

[biblewonk]

Just curious: what do you mean when you use the term: "dependent?"

You will have to ax mrleroy because it's a stat he quoted on a previous wod thread. The statement is pretty stupid to me but when I suggested that I know lots of people who have "used" alcohol and no where near one is six is "dependent" he thought is silly that I'd dare to question the stat.

BTW you have to have lots of tattoos to be a trailerpark badass.

[MrLeRoy]

According to the article, "70 to 80 percent of the area’s high school students are using alcohol and other intoxicants." How is (re)legalizing drugs supposed to help here? It obviously hasn't helped with alcohol for these kids.

You can't conclude anything about alcohol alone based on alcohol-and-other-intoxicant data.

I say talk to the 20 to 30% of kids and their parents who aren't doing "alcohol and other intoxicants" and find out why not. That's where the answer is.

Better parenting would do more good than relegalization; any idea how we can legislate that?

[philetus]

NO surprise here.

[MrLeRoy]

Just curious: what do you mean when you use the term: "dependent?"

You will have to ax mrleroy because it's a stat he quoted on a previous wod thread.

The conclusion comes from the results of the National Comorbidity Survey (sponsored by National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and W.T. Grant Foundation); the questionaire and other documents for the NCS can be found here.

The statement is pretty stupid to me but when I suggested that I know lots of people who have "used" alcohol and no where near one is six is "dependent" he thought is silly that I'd dare to question the stat.

False; I thought it silly that you'd place greater weight on a small non-scientific sample than a large scientific one.