Youth and Drugs

i By CRIS LEYKAUF
' FASHION. It dictates clothing

style, the right music, the right

shoes. Teens more than any other
group are subject to the demands
of fashion. What brand name is
in, What kids ae popular. And
: ' What drugs are popular,
7 “LSD — both the blotters and
tabs — has been here for a few
years. But it’s making some sort
o£ of comeback. In the last six
> months it’s been around more
! than usual,’’ says Greg McQuar-
rie, use addictions counselor for
‘the Northwest Alcohol and Drug
Commission.

A Suspected overdose of LSD is
what landed four teenagers in the
cE: hospital on May 21 — one 13-

t year-old boy in a coma, A week

later, on May 28, another teenage
girl. found hemelf in Mills
Memorial hospital, also suffering
from a drug overdose,

p ~. “LSD is a very popular recrea-
/ ° tional drug among kids,’? says
i _ Cpl Rob McKay, head of the
j ‘Terrace RCMP serious crimes
and drugs unit. ‘‘But normally
you don't hear of many LSD
overdoses in this town. Over-
_ doses are a new aspect of the
problem.”
‘While LSD isn't usually associ-
- ated with overdose problems the
way heroine or cocaine are, it is
still classified as a dangerous hal-

lucinogenic. Dr. Elaine Wirrell, a

pediatrician who attended some

of the teens admitted to hospital,
wams there is no safe amount of
-LSD.

|. “Our latest statistics
|, say LSD is seliing for
|. $5-10 a hit,” says
a McKay. “That’s proba-
‘i’ bly why school kids are
4 getting Into it.”

| LSD overdoses cause concern

“LSD can make the heart beat
very rapidly, can cause cardiac
arrhythmia (a disruption of the
rhythm of the heart) and can
cause seizures,’” says Wirrell.

Another danger to using LSD is
oa, Combining it with other drugs,
Ho ° “16 kids mix LSD with other

| drugs such as inhalants, or Lysol

or gas, they’re probably going to
end up in the hospital,” says

_ McQuarrie,

While. the use of LSD is not
restricted to teenagers, its in-
expensive price makes it very ap-
pealing to that age group.

.' “Our latest statistics say LSD is

. selling for $5-10 a hit,’ says
|.» McKay. ‘That's probably why
ip School kids are getting into it.’”
a Sometimes the LSD dealers will
aes

i

offer the first hit free in order to”
gain. more customers,
McQuarrie.

“The use of LSD is spreading,
and it’s being used by a younger
and younger kids,” he says.
“You talk to any of the kids at
school, and they’ll tell you any-
thing is available tothem.” |

The police confinm that state-
ment

“‘T’m hearing that the drug is all -

says

ACCORDING TO use addictions
counsellor Greg McQuarric, one
hit of LSD (Lysergle Acid
Dicthylamide) can give a 12-14
‘hour high, But is itworth it?

An overdose of LSD or any
other drug can put you in the bos-
pital, And if that drag causes you
to have seizures of go into a
coma, you can end up in the
resuscitation room with Dr, Phil

~ Lyn, the ancsthesiclogist at Mills
Memorial Hospital,

It’s his job to stabilize patients,
and determine what their condi-
tion might be, and if they're suf-
‘fering from a drug overdose.

.. "We usually strip patients
’ down in order to work on them...
They lie there like a slab of
“meat,” says Lyn.

If they aren’t breathing he has
to open an airway with a large
metal itstument. Then a tube
gets pushed down the throat.

“'There’s also a very real risk

A trip to the e

THIS IS WHAT TO EXPECT — When

patients are admitted ‘to the hospital for drug overdoses or

drug induced comas, they can expect to end up with a lot of different tubes and needles sticking.

into them, Dr.
equipment,

Phil Lyn sits on the emergency room resuscitation bed, surrounded by some of this

over town,” says McKay.

Currently the police feel there
are two or three key people who
are selling LSD in Terrace.

‘We have an idea who did it,”
says McKay. ‘‘But knowing who
did it and being able to prove it
are two different things,’*

They’re hoping that tips to
Crimestoppers will help them
find the seliers, and. provide
enough evidence to press charges,
such as trafficking in restricted
drugs,

Search and seizure rules are
very strict though, he says, and
it’s difficult for police to take ac-
tion on anonymous information.

In order to help solve the prob-
lem, the Terrace RCMP rely upon
the Prince Rupert subdivision
drug unit. The unit investigates
drug-related crimes throughout
the northwest,

But so far, Sergeant John
‘Schneider who heads the Prince
Rupert drug section, hasn’t
determined why Terrace teens are

they can regurgilate their stomach
contents into their lungs,” he
says.

In that case, a patient’s stomach
must be washed out with a gallon
of water,

“I€ you know they’ve had a
recent ingestion of pills, it’s
mandatory to wash the stomach
out.”

Activated charcoal might also
be forced into the stomach to help
the body to absorb the drugs,

“Tt tastes just like a charcoal
briquette, ”’

If the patient has a full bladder,
he or she might rupture it, so doc-
tors will place a catheter into the
Bladder through the penis or
urethra.

“Then if they’ve really shut
down, we stick a huge contral
venuous catheter into the neck,’’

These tubes are in addition to
any number of large needles a
patient might receive. And it’s

overdosing on LSD.

“Tt could be a bad batch,’”’ says
Schneider. “Or it could be they
just. took a double‘ dose —~ too
many pills or a double hit.’’

He says there hasn’t been any
word on a new or stronger LSD
being manufactured in the area.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean
anything. When it comes to
buying drugs, it’s buyer beware.

Most LSD that comes to the
northwest probably comes from
Vancouver.

“Local traffickers will go down
to Vancouver, pick up a couple
thousand hits and bring it back
home,’’ says Schnieder, Just one
shect can contain a thousand bits
in the blotter form, and can be

“easily hidden,

There is a possibility LSD
could be manufactured locally,
but it requires a sophisticated
type of laboratory equipment, and
an array of chemicals.

If you know any information,
about someone who is trafficking

“1 can honestly say
it's no fun for anyone
who comes in here,”
says Lyn. “You're lying
there naked, with tubes
Sticking out of you, sur-
rounded by a lot of
people.

possible for patients who are still
awake to end up with a large
number of tubes sticking out of
them.

“I can honestly say it’s no fun
for anyone who comes in here,’’
says Lyn. ‘*You’re lying there

naked, with tubes sticking out of |

you, surrounded by a lot of
people. |

“Drug overdoses are very ex-
pensive emergencies to treat.
They're unnecessary and they

LSD Molecular Structure

cH

FN

Cpl. Rob McKa

LSD, or any other drug, phone’
the Crimestoppers tip line at 635-

TIPS, Callers will not be required

to reveal their identity nor testify

in court and may be eligible for a

cash reward.

ws a

mergency room

cost medical services a lot of
money,’’ says Lyn. ‘‘But this is
what they can expect,’’ he says, .
indicated the wide array of tubes
and needles scattered over the
bed in the resuscitation room,

Jf parents or friends are worried
that someone they know is taking
LSD, there are a number of signs
they can look for.

LSD typically comes in two dif-
fexent forms -~ a tiny dot on a
piece of blotting paper, wrapped
in tinfoil, or a minute pill, known
as a microdot.

Short term use caa cause ex-
treme mood swings from utter joy
to complete depression, a change
in eating and sleeping patterns,

and short term memory loss,
Long term use can cause
prolonged depression = and

anxiety, decreased motivations,
spontaneous flashbacks, terrify-
ing hailucinations, paranoia and
even violent, homicidal or
suicidal behaviour,
. During pregnancy the use of
LSD can cause spontaneous abor-
tions and fetal deformities,
Despite the risks, teens are

Using the drug because it’s “‘fun,
‘acceptable

and relieves the
boredom,” says McQuarrie.

Lf parents are concerned about
their children taking drugs, or
‘want to prevent them from taking

- drugs he suggests spending a Jot
. of time with them, and instilling a
:~ sense of trust and safety. ,
~ §It's important: for parents to.
_ ohcourage openness," he says... |

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 7, 1995 - AS —

CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD

The Mail Bag

Attitudes hurt process

Dear Sir;

_ Native studies instructor, Tom Weegar, in his article,
“Reformers still repeat history’? (Terrace Standard, May 17)
claims that the Reform Parly are historical revisionists. Well, so
are the supporters of present land claims,

Both sides are caught in the classic ‘horns of a dilemma’ prob-
lem, One side is caught perpetuating racial attitudes that tend

. lowards supremacist ideology; the other side deny racism in them-
selves: accept racism’s which gives their position advantage.

Both reinforce racial revisionism that’s entrenched (and grow-
ing, in my opinion) in supremacy myths, in the Indian Act and
with the present land claims. It perpetuates the past and will wora-
en if there is a land claim agreement with the present assumptions
— particularly the acceptance of racism as part of the process.

Code and constitutional law amguments have a well established
position that lends strong support to the concept of aboriginal title.
There is, though, a parallel tradition, of principled, or natural law,
founded, in the modem era, on individual equality and freedom.

These foundational principles aren’t part of the process and, in
my View, results in the maxim: “‘lex injusta non est lex” (an un-
just law is no true law). The Indian Act is lex injusia and the pres-
ent land claims are, consequently, also, Negotiators in the land
claims may be in agreement in hundreds of pages of detail, but
there will be no setilement with the people in the present scenario
without establishing basic principles.

I see no other way (assuming we want to be rid of racism) for
just claims other than they be. bounded by functioning rights and
respousibilities, ‘‘on original use and occupancy of lands’? to use
Tom Weegar’s definition.

“Original use” implies utilizing lands while preserving a
centering based on natural succession, I suggest. *‘Occupancy’’
implies one is embedded in a natural eco, distinguished from rural
and urban ceuterings, I find this triad division (derived from the
anthropological and ecological sciences), though politically
heretical, quite heuristic as it gets rid of racial revisionism.

It may also serve as a way of reconciling environmental claims,
community and individual claims, and those indigenous peoples:
to the land we all must share. ,

‘ oa Willlam Hayes,
Terrace.

Friendly suggestions .
An open letter to all young people: Sos
Some things to do for teenagers with time on their hands, .
1. Go for a5 or 10 mile bike ride. ae
2. Go roller blading. Lo
3, Get up a game of scrub softball.
4, Hike over the hiking trail.
5. Climb a mountain.
6. Go fishing,
7. Dust the furniture. ce
8. Clean the garage,basement, yard, boulev:
9. Got to church. EE Se
10. Join a church youth group.
11. Go swimming, ;
12, Bake some cookies or biscuits, =
13. Paint a picture for your room. ©
14. Wash the kitchen floor. coe
15, Cook supper for the family once a wee
16. Crochet some granny squares, *:
17. Make a cushion,
18. Learn to knit
19. Help.a neighbour. Ca eeu
20. Visit your grandparents or other relativ
21. Pick up the garbage lying around yout neighbourho
22. Skip rope. ee
23. Go bowling with your family, -
24, Clean your clothes closet,
25. Pray for peace.
26. Write a play. oe
27. Plant some flower seeds or bulbs.» =
28. Sew something, ae
29, Take the dog for a walk,
30. Write a poem about your life ete,
31. Weed the garden,
‘32, Get a job. be
33. Run around the block twice every day.:
34, Play badminton or tennis, ne
35, Mow the lawn.
36, Volunteer at Terrace view. oe
37. Learn to play cribbage and chess... ©
38, Wash the windows. Sy
39, Learn to square dance,
40. Wash the car.
41. Play basketball or volleyball... ~
42, Volunteer to help at Channel 10. °*"..
43. Learn to make soup from a soup bone.
44, Have a weiner roast on Ferry Island.’
45. Research your family history.
46. Geta pen pal. :
47. Do a kindness for someone every
48, Do your homework.
49, Take a First Aid Course. hha
50. Build a bird house and bird feeder
I hope this will be helpful to someone.

day.

THE START IS FOR PEOPLE LEARNING TO READ

The Start

Sheet site looks okay

A CITY COUNCILLOR says the place the Second
Sheet of Ice committee wants to build a mew arena
looks okay. ras

There had been concems part of the hillside would
have to be dug out to fit the building in. But, after

_ looking at the site with recreation superintendent Steve

Scott, councillor David Hull doesn’t think that will be
necessary. a

“I think the site is far more promising than anyone
expected,’’ he said. _ 7

But experts will have to look things over before there
is a final decision. - oe