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| 11 February 2002 Ecstasy Use Skyrocketing Results of New Teen Study Revealed; National Education Campaign Launched SAN DIEGO, CA – Parents know very little about Club Drugs. Their children know just as much about the dangerous negative effects of Ecstasy, GHB, Ketamine and Rohypnol, the newest high across the nation. “Ecstasy use among teens is skyrocketing,” said Teri Christensen, from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. Christensen, together with dozens of public health officials, community representatives and youth, gathered in front of Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest to announce results on the Partnership’s latest teen attitude study on Ecstasy and other Club Drugs. “It is higher than we anticipated.” Ecstasy use among American teens doubled between 1995 and 2000, from 5 to 10 percent. It jumped another 20 percent over the past year, putting lifetime use at 12 percent. This means that nearly 3 million teens across the country have now tried Ecstasy, which puts the drug ahead of or on par with teen experimentation with cocaine, crack, heroin, LSD and methamphetamine. “The perception of risk is very low,” added Christensen, explaining that using Ecstasy is just as socially acceptable as cocaine consumption was in the seventies and eighties. “Back then, very few people thought there was great risk in using the drug.” When the real dangers of cocaine use began to surface, consumption of the drug began to go down. Today, cocaine use has decreased nearly 80 percent from the mid 1980s. Christensen, just like everyone present at the news event, hopes to see the same downward trend in Ecstasy use that was seen with cocaine. With the teen study results, the Partnership also launched a nationwide education campaign on Ecstasy. The new public service announcements, which will be distributed to radio and television stations across the country, feature users of the “love drug” passing out at home and at rave parties and being ignored by the other users. Others tell the tragic story of Elsa and Jim Heird, whose 21 year-old daughter died in July of 2000 from an Ecstasy overdose. “I would have given anything for some warning signs,” says Jim Heird in one of the spots, visibly affected by the loss of his daughter at such a young age. “She tried ecstasy and paid the ultimate price…her life and ours,” states Elsa Heird. Jim and Elsa had never heard of Ecstasy and had no idea their daughter was using this dangerous illegal drug. Just like the Heirds, many parents across America don’t know much Ecstasy or any of its partying friends. They don’t know about GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate), a central nervous system stimulant that has become the rage at many clubs, gyms, “rave,” “circuit,” and even home parties. After taking GHB, a person can pass out in 15 minutes and fall into a coma within half an hour. They also don’t know that Ketamine, Special K, or Kit Kat, as it is commonly called, is an opiate-like anesthetic that when snorted or smoked can cause vomiting, convulsions, paranoia, and aggressive/violent behavior. They might now a little bit more about Rohypnol or roofies, the opiate-like substance capable of producing blackouts and complete loss of memory, from the many campaigns exposing it as a “date rape” drug. Together, these dangerous drugs are known as Club Drugs and are sweeping the nation as the newest high, and San Diego County is no exception. People think these so-called “Fun” or “Love” Drugs are harmless. They are wrong. Club Drugs can produce a range of harmful effects, including death. When used with alcohol, these substances can be even more harmful. “We are particularly concerned about Ecstasy use as new information leads us to believe Ecstasy can cause severe damage to the structure and function of the brain,” said Dr. Michael Sise, Scripps Mercy Hospital Trauma Director. "It is ironic that much of the paraphernalia linked with raves, club drugs and the use of Ecstasy - items such as pacifiers, glow sticks and kids’ backpacks - is associated with childish innocence. In reality, the results of using Ecstasy and other club drugs can be a nightmare," said 3rd Disctrict Supervisor Pam Slater. “People don’t know what they are taking,” said Euna Teresa Ra, prevention expert with Communities Against Substance Abuse. “People are only hearing about the pleasurable effects. Kids and parents should know Club Drugs are not safe. They are not ‘love’ or ‘feel-good’ drugs. People are dying.” Last year, 11 people in San Diego County had Club Drugs in their systems at the time of death; three of those had Ecstasy. Studies have also shown that Ecstasy emergency room cases jumped from 421 in 1995 to over 4,500 in 2000, a tenfold increase nationwide. Locally, hospitals don’t have a good system to collect emergency department data about the use of Club Drugs. “It is hoped that soon there will be a viable data gathering and reporting system in place at the County’s emergency departments to help us track club drug use,” added Dr. Sise. “With this system, we can discover emerging trends and take timely action.” At the national level, in 1998, government officials seized 750,000 Ecstasy tablets. That figure jumped to 9.3 million in 2001. Also, the Drug Enforcement Administration cites 3,500 cases of GHB abuse, overdose, possession and trafficking since 1993. The DEA also reported more than 30 GHB-related deaths since 1995 and 22 sexual assaults since 1996 with GHB used as the sedative. The availability and popularity of Club Drugs is on the rise by as much as 80 percent over previous years. Locally, law enforcement agencies have reported an increase in the manufacture of both Ecstasy and GHB. Four months ago in Escondido, the Drug Enforcement Administration busted what they called “the largest Ecstasy lab in the nation,” capable of producing 1.5 million tablets of Ecstasy each month. And during 2001, U.S. Customs documented four seizures of Ecstasy at the local ports of entry, including 32 pounds of the drug seized in Calexico. This same agency also made 28 seizures of Ketamine during 2001, with seizure amounts ranging from 1 vial to 11,000 vials. Public health officials are convinced the popularity and increased use of Ecstasy and other Club Drugs is due to the fact that the dangers of these drugs are not fully appreciated. At the news event, participants restated five recommendations they made a year ago. They believe they will help combat the problem of Club Drugs:
Marian Novak, from the Responsible Hospitality Coalition, now includes a Club Drug component in all Responsible Beverage Service trainings in San Diego County. “Servers and bar tenders need to know what to look for to prevent any tragedies,” said Novak. “They need to know what the drugs look like, how they are being carried and what symptoms to look for.” Last week, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors established a Club Drug Task Force to deal with this growing problem, especially Ecstasy. Christensen strongly believes the education campaign on Ecstasy will reduce consumption of the drug. “We have no doubt if really flood the markets with Ecstasy information, we will drive down use,” she said. “We saw it happen with cocaine. We must change attitudes about Ecstasy, and we can.” FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ECSTASY AND OTHER CLUB DRUGS:
(Information about Ecstasy, for parents and teenagers, is now available via a toll-free number – 1-866-XTC-FACTS – as well as via the Internet at the Partnership’s Web site, www.drugfreeamerica.org.) |
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