Pubdate: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 Source: Phoenix, The (MA) Copyright: 2010 The Phoenix Media/Communications Group Contact: http://www.thephoenix.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4243 Author: Valerie Vande HIGHER EDUCATION: HOW TO DO DRUGS IN BOSTON If you choose to partake, at least do it right The leaves are changing color, and it's not because you ate a special mushroom pizza. The air is crisp, the nights are getting longer, and you're drinking coffee at 4 am. It's fall, and time to go back to school. Before you set up your new MacBook and stake out your dorm room claim, take a moment to educate yourself on the local drug scene. You don't want to get kicked out of a head shop, land in the local lock-up, or buy crappy drugs. Unspoken rules Marijuana is decriminalized in Massachusetts. That means you can possess up to an ounce of marijuana and you can't be arrested for it - -- though you may be slapped with a $100 ticket, and your pot and gear could be confiscated. So don't mess it up. Be nice to the cops. Don't have that ounce in more than one bag, and don't carry a scale with it - -- you don't want to make them think you're a dealer. And for goodness's sake, don't sell it to an undercover officer. Pot might be decriminalized, but there's a good chance your school has a different idea about it. Every college has a student guide or handbook with the rules you're supposed to follow. So before you think you can flaunt that ounce on your campus, learn the rules. You might not get arrested, but you could get suspended. Same goes for drinking alcohol on campus, even if you are over 21. Read your student handbook! Paraphernalia is not legal. That means when you go into a store that sells bongs, you must refer to them as "tobacco water pipes." In other words: never say you are going to use something for illegal drug use. If you do, you'll get kicked out of the head shop, and maybe even arrested. The paraphernalia laws in Massachusetts are based on intent: your intended use makes the crime. And it goes beyond pipes and bongs - -- it applies to spoons, balloons, and blenders, too. So keep your verbalized intent in check. Do not dose your friend without their consent and full knowledge of what you are giving them. If they've never taken the substance before, tell them the good, the bad, and the ugly, and let them decide if they want to do it. If you decide to surprise them, or dose them with out their knowledge, it is mind rape. Not cool. Not funny. Don't do it. Do not drive or bike under the influence of alcohol, or anything else that disrupts your perception of time-space-motion-speed-balance-relation-to-the-box-truck-next-to-you continuum. Know what you're taking -- that means knowing your dealer and asking questions. You'll want to know the purity of the drug you're taking, what it's been cut/sprayed/made with, and if there are any warnings your dealer has. Potency is also good to know. If your dealer doesn't have the answers, gets sketched out by your questions, or if you suspect you've been given tainted or altered drugs -- find a new dealer! You can also check out ecstacydata.org to learn about MDMA (ecstasy) pill quality, and go to erowid.org to learn about all sorts of different mind-altering substances, how they work, and user experiences. Be aware of drug testing. Consider if you're willing to be drug tested for a job, or for your future career. If you are not prepared to let anyone judge you by your urine rather than the quality of your work and content of your character, the National Workrights Institute can help at workrights.org. Places to shop The Hempest (two Boston-area locations at Harvard Square in the Garage, and at 207 Newbury Street) has an amazing selection of hemp clothing products -- fashionable stuff that isn't too burlapey. They also carry a selection of other things hemp, including accessories, oils, and even shoes. Buried Treasures (two Boston-area locations at 28 Haviland Street, Back Bay, and 377 Cambridge Street, Allston) has a select offering of quality counter-culture attire, knick-knacks, and accessories. They also have an array of functional glass art and for-tobacco-use-only products. Lucy Parsons Center (549 Columbus Avenue, Boston) carries eye-opening, mind-expanding books, newspapers, and magazines you won't find at Barnes & Noble or the Coop. They also sell T-shirts, pins, posters, and bumper stickers. And they host events -- including music, movies, readings, and discussions. Oh, and they're a volunteer-run collective, so their prices are cheap and no one will yell at you for hanging out all day. Things to do Check out the MassCann Awards, Friday, September 17, at the Middle East Downstairs, sponsored by High Times magazine, NORML, and Stingray Body Art. Featuring Onyx and Prospect Hill. Must be 18-plus, and buying tickets in advance is recommended. Sure, the party's all about pot, but don't smoke in the club! Do your thing before you go in or duck out to a place where you won't disturb the neighbors. Every cannabis enthusiast must attend the largest pot fest on the East Coast -- the 21st annual Boston Freedom Rally, held on Boston Common at high noon on September 18. Roll your joint in advance, leave your pipes at home, and be aware that you can be given a ticket for possession of an ounce or less -- so keep only a small amount (one bag) on you. Volunteer with the Criminal Justice Policy Coalition. Their mission is the "advancement of effective, just, and humane criminal-justice policy in Massachusetts" -- that includes drug policies. Good. Join your school's chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. This is the largest student organization in the world devoted to drug-policy reform. If there's not a chapter on your campus, start one! HELP Sober up You think you might have a "problem." You've been snorting a lot of Adderall, prepping for the MCATs while taking 21 credits. You haven't slept in four days and the Ambien has stopped working. Or maybe you live a block away from a hipster-laden bar, and somehow your hangovers have taken precedence over your 8 am molecular-biology class. If you're alleviating the stress of being a student with recreational drug use, or using high amounts of pharmaceutical drugs to expand your brain power and get your work done, and that use is interfering with your health and school work -- it might be time to get some help. There are 12-step programs located throughout the city, and even if you don't think you have a problem, it might be beneficial to check out a meeting. * Alcoholics Anonymous: 617.426.9444 or aaboston.org. * Narcotics Anonymous: 866.NA.HELP.U or newenglandna.org. * Marijuana Anonymous: marijuana-anonymous.org. If you don't want to go the 12-step route, most schools have counselors with whom you can speak. * MIT - Office of Mental Health Services: 617.253.2916. * Harvard - Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Services: 617.496.0133. * BU - Student Health Services: 617.353.3569. * BC - Alcohol and Drug Education Program: 617.552.3470. It is important that you do your own research to find the help that's right for you. We offer some suggestions here -- but you are ultimately responsible for your own treatment. If one system or call does not work for you, keep looking until you find one that does! Get out of jail You had that ounce of pot in seven different bags, and the cops busted you with a triple beam too. Now, you need an attorney. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws has an excellent legal referral service. You can also check to see if your campus has a student legal assistance program. MIT refers students to Mass Legal Help at masslegalhelp.org. Harvard refers students to the Harvard Defenders, 617.495.4413, or the Criminal Justice Institute at Harvard Law: 617.496.8143. BU has a Legal Assistance Bureau, while not specifically for students, they may offer you some direction: 781.893.4793. BC has a number for students to call for legal help: 617.353.2326. Like substance abuse, legal help is a personal decision. Make sure to find an attorney you trust and with whom you are comfortable. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt