Pubdate: Fri, 07 Jul 2000
Source: Salt Lake Tribune (UT)
Copyright: 2000 The Salt Lake Tribune
Contact:  143 S Main, Salt Lake City UT 84111
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Author: Heather May
Bookmark: MAP's link to Utah articles is: http://www.mapinc.org/states/ut

HEARINGS PUT SPOTLIGHT ON RISE IN DRUG USE AMONG TEENS

As if parents of teen-agers don't have enough to worry about, here comes a
new danger: club drugs.

Use of ecstasy, GHB and methamphetamine is on the rise in Utah though risks
associated with the drugs are not well understood.

"I'm very worried that before summer is out . . . I'll have to tell some
parents that because of a mistake, a misjudgment, their child is dead,"
said Shari Welch, an ER doctor at LDS Hospital who has treated several
patients on GHB.

A panel discussed the three drugs Thursday in a U.S. Senate field hearing
held at Highland High School. Sen. Orrin Hatch, chairman of the Senate
Judiciary Committee, is also playing host to a hearing today in Cedar City.

Hatch hopes to use testimony from the hearings to persuade House lawmakers
to pass his Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act of 1999. That bill,
which has already cleared the U.S. Senate, would set aside $35 million for
treatment and prevention programs.

Hatch also hopes the testimony will prompt lawmakers to remove gun-control
provisions from the Juvenile Justice Bill, which would send about $1
billion to cities and schools to prevent violence and drug use.

"We need to educate ourselves about these dangers: gangs, teen pregnancy,
teen suicide, drugs and now club drugs," Hatch said. "A lot of Utahns don't
realize how significant a threat this is."

Ten panelists, including parents, law enforcement officers, doctors and a
former drug user, testified on the use and dangers of ecstasy, GHB --
gamma-hydroxybutyrate -- and methamphetamine.

Nationally, ecstasy has grown in popularity among teens and young adults
throughout the 1990s.

Drug enforcement agents partly blame the drug's packaging for its
trendiness. The synthetic stimulant has a reputation for being a feel-good,
"hug drug" because it enhances the senses and users report feeling more
energetic and empathetic.

However, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the drug, also
called "e" or "x" can cause nausea, blurred vision, high blood pressure and
increased heart rate. Some users have died from acute dehydration because
the drug can mask the sense of thirst.

Ecstasy pills cost $20 to $25 and can be white, pink, green or purple. Some
are imprinted with cartoon characters, Nike logos, butterflies and hearts.

"They are clearly, clearly designed to attract young people," said Donnie
Marshall, administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Nationally, the number of 12th-graders who had tried ecstasy rose by 56
percent from 1998 to 1999, according to figures from Hatch.

And local law enforcement officers recently seized 250,000 ecstasy pills
shipped from Spain to Provo.

While the pills were meant for users in California, Utahns pop their fair
share. An anonymous man, who is a former drug user, has worked at clubs in
Utah and Los Angeles and is now an informant for the DEA, testified that
club drugs are "everywhere" in Utah, particularly at raves.

"Dealers walk around saying, 'I have e, I have x,'" the 25-year-old said.
"[How] better could it be to throw a party to sell your drugs? That's
basically what raves are for."

But raves, dance parties that last all night or several days, are marketed
to teens and their parents as being safe. Alcohol usually isn't available
and some rave promoters give discounts to teens who are wearing "Choose the
Right" rings, worn by some members of the Mormon Church, said Colleen
Taylor, president of the Utah PTA.

GHB, one of several so-called date-rape drugs, has also become popular
among Utah youth. In the past year, several girls have been sexually
assaulted or have been taken to the emergency room after taking the
depressant, sometimes unknowingly, at local dance clubs.

GHB is often tasteless and odorless and can cause some users to lose
consciousness, experience irregular breathing and even seizures.

But the biggest drug problem in Utah, agreed the panelists, is
methamphetamine.

Utah busted 266 meth labs last year, garnering dubious attention for having
among the highest number of labs in the nation. The stimulant is highly
addictive and can be easily made with over-the-counter ingredients in homes
and even cars. It causes users to become violent and has been linked to
several crimes in Utah.

Utahn Sherryl Bigelow shared how meth has affected her family. Her
19-year-old daughter became addicted while in middle school. She lost
interest in her friends and family, became violent and attempted suicide.
She was treated, but, as with most meth users, she soon returned to the
drug. She's left home and Bigelow doesn't know where or how she is.

"I miss my sober daughter," Bigelow said, "and I fear for my drug-addicted
daughter."
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MAP posted-by: Eric Ernst