f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\A little rundown on Brew.TXT
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	Historically hops, yeast, malted barley, and water have all played the greatest and most important role in society.  For almost 8000 years these ingredients have been mixed and have been appreciated by all classes of society in almost all  civilizations.
	The old cliche ³accident is the mother of invention² is a phrase that definitely holds true in the world of beer.  The discovery was made way back when the Mediterranean region was the seat of civilization and barley flourished as a dietary staple.  The climate of the Mediterranean was perfect for the cultivation of barley, and was used as the primary ingredient in breads, cakes, and other common food products.  A farmer during this period discovered that if barley become wet, germinates, and eventually dried, the resulting barley would be sweeter and would not be as perishable as the original state of the barley.
	There is not any first hand knowledge on how beer was discovered, but we can imagine the incident step by step.  When the farmer discovered that his barley crop was wet, in order for him to salvage the crop, he probably spread it out to dry in the sun.  Chances are that germination had already begun, and the grain had therefore malted and developed a much sweeter taste.  The sweet result of what the farmer considered a disaster is now modern-day malted barley.  This malted barley gave a sweeter taste to breads, cakes, or anything which had previously been prepared with unmalted barley.  After a while when barley malt became a common ingredient it is thought that a loaf or bowl of this malt was accidentally left in the rain.  When wet, the dissolved starches and sugars in the malted barley became susceptible to wild yeast, which started spontaneous fermentation (5).  The discoverer of this new mix probably tasted it and realized how good it was.  Unbeknownst to this ancient farmer, he had brewed the first beer ever.
	Sumerian clay tablets dating from 6000 B.C. contain the first ever written recipes for beer.  The tablets also detail specific religious rituals that one had to perform before he could consume the beverage.  The Sumerians also left the first record of bureaucratic interference when their governments taxed and put tariffs on beer distribution.  	
	Some anthropologists say that ancient strains of grain were not  really good for making bread.  Early wheat  made heavy, pasty dough.  Flour made from barley made crumbly, lousy bread. It was determined that humankindıs first agricultural activity was growing barley.   Forty percent of the grain harvest in Sumeria was converted to ale.
	The laws pertaining to beer in ancient times were very strict.  The Code of Hammurrabi in Babylon proved to be more harsh than our laws today.  Establishments that sold beer receive special mention in those laws, codified in 1800 B.C.  Owners of beer parlors who overcharged customers were sentenced to death by drowning.  Those who failed to notify authorities of criminal elements in their establishments were also executed (1).  Many of the beer makers and bartenders in the ancient world  were women who sold ale under the supervision of the goddess Ninkasi, ³the lady who fills the mouth.²  These Babylonians brewed at least sixteen styles of beer with wheat and malted barley.
	Egyptians paid their workers with jugs of beer, and Ramses II was said to have consecrated over half a million jugs of it to the gods.  In the Nile region beer was flavored with lavender, date, cedar, nutmeg, sugar, and probably hops.
	The bibleıs references to unleavened bread suggest that the isolation and deliberate use of yeast was known at the time of Moses.  A professor even wrote that beer is mentioned in the book of Exodus as one of the unknown leavens, and when Moses told Jews to avoid leavened bread during Passover in Exodus 12, he also meant that they should avoid beer.  King David of the Jews was a brewer, and in early days of Christianity the Jews carried on the art of brewing and often introduced it to many other cultures.
	The classical Greeks and Romans learned the art of brewing from the Egyptians.  The word beer comes from the Latin ³bibere² meaning simply ³to drink.²  The Latin word for beer is ³cerevisia,² a composite of ³Ceres,² the goddess of agriculture, and ³vis,² Latin for ³strength.²
	Beer was carried by many barbarian tribes in Western and Northern Europe, and by the nineteenth century, hops was cultivated for brewing purposes in France and Germany.  Even though hops give beer is refreshing properties it was neglected by many countries for centuries.  Instead beers were flavored with woodruff, juniper, or grenadine, and can still be found in some European beers today.	
	In the Renaissance period brewing was mostly done by kings and monks.  Home brew was the drink of mostly lower classes.  It wasnıt uncommon for children to drink beer on a daily basis.  The fermentation process was very useful to destroy many malignant microorganisms in the distinctly undrinkable waters of most villages (7).
	As the reformation came around, the church spent more time on religious matters than on brewing.  At this time commercial brewers started to pick up the slack and were licensed under kings, queens, dukes, and earls.  During this time queen Elizabeth I had a brew so strong that none of her servants could handle it, even though they received two gallons per day.
	The New World exploration began and Elizabeth oversaw that no ship left port without a large cargo of beer.  Beer provided a clean supply of water, some food value, and a good protection against scurvy, the lack of Vitamin C.  Another extraordinary example of beerıs influence on history is the case of the Pilgrims.  They had first proposed to sail to Virginia but were forced to land at Cape Cod instead because they were running low on beer.  When the Pilgrims arrived they saw the the Indians too had discovered their own beer made of maize, rather than barley.  The Indians had learned the art of brewing from their Aztec and Mayan neighbors.  
	Beer was being brewed by Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam as early as 1612.  Harvard College ran a brewhouse on campus in 1674, and the Harvardıs first president was ousted because he failed to supply enough beer and food rations (5).  Beer was valued so high in the Colonial economy that Harvard students were allowed to pay school tuition in wheat and malted barley.  Students were rationed two pints of beer a day until the end of the 1700s when they stopped brewing.
	Many of the Statesmen had a love for beer.  William Penn had a malt house and a brewery on his estate in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  Samuel Adams had the same set-up in Massachusetts.  Benjamin Franklin kept very accurate records of his household expenses which allowed orders of twenty gallons of beer per month.  George Washington developed his own recipes for the beer and made thirty gallons of beer at a time.  Thomas Jefferson built his own brewery at Monticello in 1813 and maintained it until his death in 1826.  His beer was considered by many to be some of the best in the young country.
	In the 1800s a boom of breweries swept across the nation.  In 1810 there were 132 breweries in the United States.  By 1850 there were 431 breweries, and by 1860 there were 1,269 breweries.  New York and Pennsylvania dominated the industry, brewing eighty-five percent of the countryıs beer.
 	During the mid-1800s, millions of immigrants were pouring into the United States from Europe.  Many of these new Americans bringing along their art and science of brewing lager beer.
	Lager is made with a different kind of yeast than ale.  They ferment at the bottom of the barrel and have a drier, cleaner finish than ales.  Lagers provide a clearer brew that is less prone to sour in the days before refrigerators.  But lagers needed to be stored for weeks, or even months, in cold caves where low temperatures helped mature the beer.
	The mid-nineteenth century brought the discovery of the refrigerator, allowing lagers to be made virtually everywhere.  Louis Pasteurıs studies of yeast cultures and fermentation help brewers brew lagers on more of a scientific level in the united States.  He discovered the efficiency of heating liquids after they were packed in a bottle in order to prevent microbial contamination (5).  The process, called pasteurization, was discovered by Louis because he was trying to preserve beer- not, as most believe, milk.
	The lager-brewing breakthrough, coupled with a new wave of German immigration, produced a golden age of brewing in America.  Between 1870 and 1919 American brewers rivaled their European counterparts in both quality and quantity of beer products.  By 1890 there were seventy-four breweries clustered in Philadelphia alone, seventy-seven in New York City, and thirty-eight in Brooklyn.  This was not just an East Coast phenomenon either.  Chicago had forty-one breweries, Cincinnati, twenty-four, Buffalo, twenty, and St. Louis, twenty-nine.  Milwaukee was an important brewing center in the upper Midwest, and San Francisco, with twenty-six breweries, was the brewing capitol of the Pacific Coast.  This explosion of breweries gave beer drinkers a wide variety of beers to choose from.
	On July 1, 1919 the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution went into effect.  Know as prohibition, the law forbade the manufacture or sale of any beverage with more than one-half percent alcohol. 
	Throughout the days of Prohibition, some breweries managed to stay in business selling soda water, ice cream, and malt beverages.  Others took advantage of gangsters and corruptible police officials to keep production going.  Many breweries survived prohibition by selling malt syrup, which works quite nicely for home brew.  Flavor, taste, and appeal do matter, but with thousands of breweries shutting their doors, quantity, rather than quality, became what really mattered.
	When Prohibition was repealed by the 19th Amendment in 1932, the entire face of the brewing industry had forever changed.
	The beer can was introduced in 1935, America entered a new era of brewing.  The can was lightweight, no deposit, no return container that could be shipped anywhere.  Radio, and later television, meant national advertising on a scale unheard of before.  Beer became a national product instead of a local one.  By 1940 there were over six hundred breweries nationwide.  By 1980 that number had dwindled to forty.
	The beer renaissance got its start in 1978 in the United States Congress.  That is when the lawmakers legalized beer making at home.  When Prohibition ended in 1933, Congress intended to legalize the home brewing of both wine and beer.  Homemade wine was legalized, but the stenographerıs omission left the words ³and/or beer² out of the Federal register (1).  Home brewing of beer was technically illegal forty-seven years after Prohibition ended.  Jimmy Carter erased that glitch with the stroke of his pen in February 1979.  Now it is legal for every adult in a household to brew one hundred gallons of beer a year.  Today the the American Homebrewers Association counts twenty-seven thousand members, and their numbers are growing drastically.
	Now the microbrewery industry is in its second decade, and the number of breweries in America has jumped from eighty to almost five hundred in less than 10 years.  The microbreweries are doing great and are here to stay.  In 1992 sales for microbreweries have increased more than 44 percent.  In 1993 the story was quite the same when sales increased yet another 40 percent.
	Recently Becks beer has done some brewing experiments aboard the space shuttle to study zero gravity brewing.  So you can bet that by the time we take our vacation to the moon we will have a beer waiting for us there.
	Beer has been through a lot in its over 8000 years on this earth, and by the looks  of the beer market it may continue to be one of the oldest beverages in the world. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\A Report on Pharmacists.TXT
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Being a pharmacist is much harder than what you probably thought it was.  Pharmacists in a hospital have many, many responsibilities.  They must be very careful that they have measured the medication correctly, because one little mistake can be potentially fatal.
Pharmacists must know what many of the medications do, and if there are any side effects and incompatibilities with other medications the patient might be on.  For example, a person might be taking a medication for another problem, and if the physician and pharmacist don't notice that condition, the prescribed medication might cause a deadly interaction.  This does not happen with all drugs, but it happens with a few, and you certainly don't want a result like that.  The pharmacist must also make sure that the patient does not have any allergies against that type of medication.
Pharmacists should also know generic brands of medication that might save the patient's money.  They must know any differences between the brand name and the generic name, such as drug interactions, side effects, and how it should be taken.
Some responsibilities of the pharmacist include making intravenous solutions and operating the TPN, which takes intravenous solutions and adds vitamins such as amino acids.  They also refill storage bins in the Emergency Room, where doctors can get them if a patient needs them immediately.
Charles Rudolph Walgreen Sr. Is the founder of Walgreens.  When he was twenty, he borrowed twenty dollars, and moved from Dixon, Illinois to Chicago.  Throughout pharmacy school, he worked for pharmacies in the day and went to school at night.  When the United States went to War with Spain in 1898, Walgreen was enlisted as a private.  There were many diseases in Cuba, and Walgreen fell sick.  The doctor was so sure that Walgreen was going to die, that he put Walgreen's name on the casualty list, and newspapers told of his death!
When Walgreen returned from the war, he worked as a pharmacist for a man by the name of Isaac W. Blood.  He later bought out Blood's pharmacy.  Customer service was very important to Walgreen.  Often, he would answer the phone himself, then tell the delivery boy what the prescription was and where to deliver it.  He would converse with the customer, so that usually the prescription would come before the customer had hung up the phone.
In 1909, he purchased one of the busiest pharmacies in Chicago with a partner, Arthur C. Thorsen.  He made attractive displays and showcased windows, which was much different that the other dull pharmacies.  He also started manufacturing his own medications, which ensured him high quality at an excellent price.  He later added various items that attracted business, such as an ice cream fountain, and during the winter time, they served sandwiches and soup.  Before 1916, each of Walgreen's seven stores operated independently, so Walgreen decided to make it more efficient, so in 1916, Walgreen merged all of his stores into one company, Walgreens.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Acid.TXT
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	LSD or lysergic acid diethlamide is a commonly used drug of
teens. LSD is a hallucinogenic drug which effects the nervous
system.  The drug is ingested in many different ways, absorbed
through the skin, taken orally or absorbed through the eye or ear. 
This drug was originally developed by the government of the United
States as a treatment for psychological conditions such as
alcoholism and drug addiction.  In Canada, where experimentation
is not heavily restricted, LSD has been used to reduce the suffering
of terminally ill cancer patients.  The drug was tested for the effects
it would have on autistic children.    This drug induces a
physiological response that is consistent with that of a central
nervous system stimulant.  Little is known about the effects of LSD,
but what is known shows that it is harmful to the nervous system. 
Physically, there is an increase in heart rate, an increase in blood
pressure, dilation of the pupils, and some facilitation of the spinal
reflexes.  
	Once ingested, LSD takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes to
fully onset and the effects last anywhere from six hours to four
days, depending on the dosage.  If taken in large enough amounts,
one can die of an overdose of LSD.  
	Psychologically, LSD has a tremendous effect on a person. 
LSD is an unpredictable drug in which the effects are different each
time it is ingested.  A person under the influence of LSD ifs flooded
with visual experience, as much when the eyes are closed as when
open.  Light is greatly intensified; colors are vivid and seem to
glow; images are numerous and persistent, yielding a wide range of
illusions and hallucinations; details are sharp; perception of spaced
is enhanced; music may evoke visual expressions, and light may
give the impressions of sound.  Quite often, mood swings occur
with unpredictable actions of the person under the influence of the
drug.  A feeling of awareness of one's self is greatly enhanced.  The
lapse of time may slow down or time may pass faster than it literally
is.  A rare occurrence is a feeling of immortality.  This has been
documented in cases where individuals have jumped out of
buildings or jump in front of cars, perhaps to test the feeling of
invincibility.  
	Recent studies have begun to show that LSD may cause
chromosomal damage which could, in future generations, cause
deformation or genetic illnesses.  The studies, done on animals, do
not conclude that LSD could cause deformations, but the possibility
is present. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Against the Illegalization of drugs.TXT
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AGAINST THE LEGALIZATION OF DRUGS
	
     Everyone agrees that something must be done about the tremendous physical and emotional health problems that drug abuse causes.  Concern about the abuse of drugs is so widespread that recent polls indicate it to be one of the most serious problems in today's world, threatening the security and freedom of whole nations. Politicians, health experts and much of the general public feel that no issue is more important than drug abuse. America's other pressing social problems- disease, poverty, child abuse and neglect, and corruption- often have a common element; that is drug abuse. The use of illegal drugs such as cocaine, crack, heroin and marijuana cause extensive harm to the body and brain. Yet, even after knowing this many people want illegal drugs to be legalized in every aspect. The last thing we need is a policy that makes widely available substances that impair memory, concentration and attention span; why in God's name foster the uses of drugs that make you stupid? The campaign for drug legalization is morally disgusting.The number of people who are addicted to illegal drugs or are users of these drugs is quite shocking. Drug abuse is clearly an injurious and sometimes fatal problem. The leaders of the international economic summit in Paris in July 1989 concluded that the devastating proportions of  the drug problem calls for decisive action. On September 5, 1989, President Bush called upon the United States to join in an all-out fight against drugs. The United States Congress reports an estimated 25 to 30 million addicts of illegal drugs worldwide. Not all users are addicts, but some of the 26 million regular users of illegal drugs in the United States are addicted. Reports of child abuse to New York social services tripled between 1986 and 1988 and most of the cases involved drug abuse. Approximately 35 percent of the inmates of state prison were under the influence of illegal drugs at the time they committed the crimes for which they are incarcerated. In some parts of the country, that percentage is as high as 75 to 80! Another fact that hits people hard is that out-right deaths from illegal drugs have quadrupled in the last ten years! The proportion of  19 to 22 year olds who were at risk from using illegal drugs rose from 44 percent in 1980 to 69 percent in 1987. Among 17-18 year olds the shift over the same interval was from 50 percent to 74 percent (Williams 226)! The abuse of illegal drugs is very threatening to America's future. These drugs are the cause of many problems and crimes. Among these many drug users exist some people who continue to resist drugs and have been called the real heroes of the drug war (Hyde, 372). Although, drug abuse is a serious and threatening problem today, it can be brought under control with acceptable means. 
	The use of illegal drugs such as cocaine, crack, heroin and marijuana have been proved to cause unbelievable damage and harm to the body and brain. As well as we know, AIDS is a deadly disease which people are very frightened of today. When parents bring a child into this world the main concern is that the 
child be healthy. It is an impossible deed for a drug addict female to give birth to a healthy child. Babies who are born with the AIDS virus should thank their mothers who were drug addicts and brought them into this world to pay for their own mistakes! According to Patrick Emmet, author of Drugs in America, when cocaine is smoked, it is absorbed into the lungs and carried to the brain in about 8 seconds (152). It depresses the breathing center in the brain and increases the risk of death from heart failure or overdose. Doctors believe that when a pregnant woman uses crack, the drug can trigger spasms in the blood vessels of the fetus, restricting the supply of oxygen and nutrients, in turn causing problems in development. When a pregnant woman takes large doses of cocaine, the placenta may tear loose, killing the fetus and putting the mother's life in danger. Even one use of crack can cause serious damage to fetus or to a breast-fed baby. Heroin is another illegal drug that causes great harm and can be life-taking too. When heroin is used it reaches the brain via the bloodstream and is transformed into the depressant morphine. Heroin produces feelings of euphoria, mental confusion and drowsiness. In addiction to many other effects on the body, it depresses respiratory function (168). Thousands of heroin addicts die from overdoses each year.  Heroin users are also at great risk of getting AIDS from the used of unclean needles. An estimated 60 percent of heroin addicts in New York City carry the virus, and needle sharing among addicts represents a major potential route for the spreading of the AIDS virus. According to a National Research Council report in 1989, nearly 70 percent of the heterosexual adults infected with the AIDS virus got the virus through an intravenous connection. The U.S. Public Health service predicted about a threefold increase in the cumulative total of reported cases of AIDS among addicts between 1989 and 1991. When marijuana is smoked, about two thousand separate chemicals are produced, and many of the chemicals do not readily pass through the body. Some are stored in fatty tissues of the brain, lungs, and reproductive organs, where they remain for a long time. In a book titled, Drug Policy and Intellectuals, Stephen Thomas points out that one of the areas of great concern about the effect of smoking marijuana is the changes in the reproductive system (156).  Heavy marijuana smoking reduces the level of testosterone, the principal male hormone. It may delay sexual maturation in teenage boys and may possible reduce sperm counts. The use of marijuana also has negative effects on the menstrual cycle of females. Marijuana use during pregnancy increases the risk  of death of the fetus and of abnormal offspring. Some other effects of marijuana are sedation, depression, hormone changes and brain damage. It is certain that the smoking of marijuana leads to as much as a 50 percent short-term increase in heart rate and a possible decrease in blood supply to the heart. It is crystal clear that the use of these illegal drugs causes permanent and serious damage to the body, brain and to innocent babies. Sometimes this deadly "sickness" stops at distorting bodies and brains, but often goes to snatch the lives of their users (Thomas 189).
	Richard Williams explains in his book, Illegalizing Drugs, that the use of illicit drugs causes the user to engage in violent acts. The need and craving of these drugs forces the user to commit crimes such as robbery or murder. They hurt themselves and innocent people usually become victims of such cases. These drugs are addictive which may cause brain damage in the habitual user, and may cause the user to engage in violence or self-destructive acts. Dealers arm themselves with automatic weapons to protect themselves (124). Even the drug abusers of the sixties had a slogan, Speed Kills. Young drug dealers have a good supply of guns, and they do not hesitate to use them. The streets of many inner cities are bloody battlegrounds where crack wars are fought. Bathrooms in shelters for the homeless are transformed into part-time crack houses. Thomas writes that crack pipes are hidden under mattresses next to the beds of people who are only down on their luck (125). Last year one residential area in New York, more than one hundred people were killed and most deaths were drug related. The use of illicit drugs alters the brain's thinking, acting and responding capacity, which results in violent and self-destructing acts. Innocent people are injured or killed simply in order to continue the distribution and the use of these isgusting and correctly illegal drugs (78). 
	After being altered with the effects of the use of illegal drugs on bodies, brains, societies and nations, some people are brave enough to come forward and campaign for the legalization of illicit drugs will reduce the number of addicts and users, crime and deaths (Hyde 29). I disagree with this theory because that is exactly what it is- a theory. Sure, we don't know what's going to happen in the future, but we can use our statistics and be somewhat logical. If illegal drugs were to be legalized, millions of Americans were to be enticed into addiction by legalization. The pushers would cut prices, making more money than ever from the ever-growing mass market. They would immediately increase the potency and variety beyond anything available at any government-approved narcotics counter. Crime would increase if these drugs were legalized. Crack produces paranoid violence. More permissiveness equals more use equals more violence. Alcohol which is now legal, but was once illegal is proof that after legalizing it more alcohol-related crimes and car accidents have occurred. Millions of people, including and increasing number of teenagers, are dependent on what has been called the most dangerous drug on earth: alcohol. Dr. Stephen Cohen writes in his book, The Alcoholism Problem,  "The harm that comes from Drug X (alcohol) is much greater than the harm from heroin from all respects" (151). Why should we believe that the legalization of illegal drugs will reduce the number of users of these drugs? Actually, it's quite logical these drugs would be easily available if legalized, and the number of users will increase because there won't be any breaking of laws that will end imprisonment. Illegal drugs should be kept illegal to secure the lives of those who are not addicts.
	 The drug problem in our nation today is overwhelming, but can be controlled by numerous strategies. Reducing the supply of  foreign that are causing serious problems in the Unites States is an important part on the war on drugs. Another way the drug problem could be controlled is if drug dealers were punished more severely. Whipping posts, the death penalty, and long jail sentences might be a start. The following suggestions were made at a meeting at a meeting of the Senate Committee Drugs and Crime 
held on April 4, 1989, to reduce the drug problem: put more police on the streets, both to arrest drug dealers and to give people a visible sense of hope; increase the number of prosecutors so that arrests are meaningful: increase prison capacity, perhaps by using army bases  that are being phased out; increase drug education in schools; help the coast guard interdiction; and learn more about drugs from health authorities. No single strategy will win this war, but approach is aimed at preventing drug abuse, treating and rehabilitating a 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\alcholism.TXT
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Alcoholism 



Alcoholism, chronic and usually progressive illness involving the excessive inappropriate ingestion of ethyl alcohol, whether in the form of familiar alcoholic beverages or as a constituent of other substances. Alcoholism is thought to arise from a combination of a wide range of physiological, psychological, social, and genetic factors. It is characterized by an emotional and often physical dependence on alcohol, and it frequently leads to brain damage or early death.
Some 10 percent of the adult drinkers in the United States are considered alcoholics or at least they experience drinking problems to some degree. More males than females are affected, but drinking among the young and among women is increasing. Consumption of alcohol is apparently on the rise in the United States, countries of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and many European nations. This is paralleled by growing evidence of increasing numbers of alcohol-related problems in other nations, including the Third World.
Development 
Alcoholism, as opposed to merely excessive or irresponsible drinking, has been variously thought of as a symptom of psychological or social stress or as a learned, maladaptive coping behavior. More recently, and probably more accurately, it has come to be viewed as a complex disease entity in its own right. Alcoholism usually develops over a period of years. Early and subtle symptoms include placing excessive importance on the availability of alcohol. Ensuring this availability strongly influences the person's choice of associates or activities. Alcohol comes to be used more as a mood-changing drug than as a foodstuff or beverage served as a part of social custom or religious ritual.
Initially, the alcoholic may demonstrate a high tolerance to alcohol, consuming more and showing less adverse effects than others. Subsequently, however, the person begins to drink against his or her own best interests, as alcohol comes to assume more importance than personal relationships, work, reputation, or even physical health. The person commonly loses control over drinking and is increasingly unable to predict how much alcohol will be consumed on a given occasion or, if the person is currently abstaining, when the drinking will resume again. Physical addiction to the drug may occur, sometimes eventually leading to drinking around the clock to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Effects 
Alcohol has direct toxic as well as sedative effects on the body, and failure to take care of nutritional and other physical needs during prolonged periods of excessive drinking may further complicate matters. Advanced cases often require hospitalization. The effects on major organ systems are cumulative and include a wide range of digestive-system disorders such as ulcers, inflammation of the pancreas, and cirrhosis of the liver. The central and peripheral nervous systems can be permanently damaged. Blackouts, hallucinations, and extreme tremors may occur. The latter symptoms are involved in the most serious alcohol withdrawal syndrome, delirium tremens, which can prove fatal despite prompt treatment. This is in contrast to withdrawal from narcotic drugs such as heroin, which, although distressful, rarely results in death. Recent evidence has shown that heavy-and even moderate-drinking during pregnancy can cause serious damage to the unborn child: physical or mental retardation or both; a rare but severe expression of this damage is known as fetal alcohol syndrome.
Treatment 
Treatment of the illness increasingly recognizes alcoholism itself as the primary problem needing attention, rather than regarding it as always secondary to another, underlying problem. Specialized residential treatment facilities and separate units within general or psychiatric hospitals are rapidly increasing in number. As the public becomes more aware of the nature of alcoholism, the social stigma attached to it decreases, alcoholics and their families tend to conceal it less, and diagnosis is not delayed as long. Earlier and better treatment has led to encouragingly high recovery rates.
In addition to managing physical complications and withdrawal states, treatment involves individual counseling and group therapy techniques aimed at complete and comfortable abstinence from alcohol and other mood-changing drugs of addiction. Such abstinence, according to the best current evidence, is the desired goal, despite some highly controversial suggestions that a safe return to social drinking is possible. Addiction to other drugs, particularly to other tranquilizers and sedatives, poses a major hazard to alcoholics. Antabuse, a drug that produces a violent intolerance for alcohol as long as the substance remains in the body, is sometimes used after withdrawal. Alcoholics Anonymous, a support group commonly used for those undergoing other treatment, in many cases helps alcoholics to recover without recourse to formal treatment.
Despite these encouraging signs, estimates of the annual number of deaths related to excessive drinking exceed 97,000 in the United States alone. Economic costs related to alcoholism are at least $100 billion a year. Additional data are needed on various societal costs of alcoholism as well as on the costs of various modes of treatment compared with their actual results.


 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Alcohol 3.TXT
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WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAAlcohol plays a  major role in society today.  It is constantly being ....... in our minds through advertisements, whether its commercials or billboards, holidays, or even just at the popular social scene.  Alcohol is consumed for many purposes, such as celebrations, to increase romance, out of boredom, or a way to relax.  Alcohol is a drug that is depended upon by the majority of our society.  Nonetheless, alcohol has very damaging effects, not only does it cause  self-inflicted diseases resembling alcoholism or cirrhosis of the liver, but it harms unborn fetuses as well.  Many women drink alcohol when they do not even know that they are pregnant yet.  Alcohol can cause disorders such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects.
	Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, FAS, is a congenital disorder which is characterized by a variety of physical and behavioral traits that result from maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy.  The term Fetal Alcohol Effects, FAE, indicates that alcohol is being considered as one of the possible causes of a patient's birth defects.  In other words, FAE is a less severe form of FAS.  Both FAS and FAE are the results of the use of teratogens, which are nongenetic influences that can potentially complicate fetal development.(Harris, p.85)
	FAS is due to the mother's consumption of alcohol during pregnancy.  Alcohol in the woman's bloodstream circulates to the fetus via the placenta.  There, the alcohol intrudes with the ability of the fetus to receive a sufficient amount of oxygen and nourishment for normal development in the brain and other body organs.  The critical time for alcohol teratogenicity is around the time of conception.
Effects of FAS/FAE
	Although alcohol is the only cause of FAS, there are unfortunately numerous effects.   Infants with FAS may have a weak sucking response and an irregular  sucking pattern early in life.  Some doctors describe them as distracted and fatigued when sucking.  Withdrawal symptoms such as prolonged twitching, jitteriness, sweating, and hyperactivity have also been reported in infants exhibited to alcohol before birth. (Timberlake and Birch, p.1)
   	Prenatal alcohol exposure is one of the leading known causes of mental retardation in the United  States.  Mental retardation is usually mild to moderate, but occasionally it is severe.  Central nervous system handicaps are also present in children with FAS.  A small brain, learning disabilities, short attention span, hyperactivity in childhood, and poor body, hand, and finger coordination are examples of CNS handicaps.(NIAAA, p.1)  Mental handicaps and hyperactivity are probably the most debilitating aspects of FAS.(Streissguth, p.1)
	Children with FAS also suffer from facial abnormalities.  These abnormalities include: small eye openings, drooping eyelids, short upturned nose, thin upper lip, and low set or poorly formed ears. (NIAAA, p.1)  These facial patterns distinguish children with FAS/FAE from normal children, however they are not harshly  malformed.
	A more serious and life threatening symptom of  FAS is organ deformities.  This includes heart defects, heart murmurs, genital malformities, as well as urinary and kidney defects.  Abnormal thyroid functioning and a decrease in the effectiveness of the immune system are also present in infants exposed to alcohol.
	What about paternal alcohol consumption?   Alcohol may affect fetal development through a direct effect on the father's sperm or gonads.  Studies have shown that children with alcoholic fathers  often experience cognitive abilities and have a greater chance of being hyperactive.  These findings were found in adoption cases, where the biological father was an alcoholic and the child was raised by nonalcoholic parents.(Cicero,p.3)
	FAE is a broad term covering a wide range  of success levels, from mild learning disabilities to a less severe form of FAS.  FAE is much harder to detect than FAS and extremely difficult to diagnose at birth.   This is because FAE conditions begin to occur during school years.  These conditions include behavioral problems, short attention span, language difficulties, and hyperactivity. (Timberlake and Birch, p.1)  
Occurrence
	The number of new cases each year of FAS and FAE are significantly underreported, therefore it is difficult to obtain accurate findings.  "The incidence of FAS is estimated at 1-2 per 1,000 live births whereas FAE is estimated to occur in 3-5 per 1,000 live births."(Timberlake and Birch, p.2)  According to the Centers for Disease Control's(CDC), Birth Defects Monitoring Program (BDMP), "FAS is difficult to recognize in newborns for three reasons:  1)Facial stigmata of FAS are often subtle; 2)Some types of CNS deficits in infants are difficult to detect; 3)The birth weight of some affected infants is normal."(Abel and Sokol, p.1)  Symptoms become more noticeable with age.   According to statistics, 44% of chronic alcoholics have affected children:  50% of these children will be mentally retarded and 30% will have physical malformations. (Harris, p.98)  If a pregnant woman drinks 1-2 ounces of alcohol a day for the first three months of pregnancy, FAE will be present in 11% of the births.
Treatments
	There are many needs that call for attention with FAS/FAE.  Firstly, FAS/FAE patients typically have complex medical needs associated with their higher than average congenital anomalies.  Infants with FAS are at risk for CNS problems, therefore, they must be carefully watched.  
	Patients with FAS/FAE are placed in special education classes beginning in elementary school.  A child in a small class room may benefit highly if their is a lot of individual attention.  Even if it does not show an increase in the child's intellectual level, it may prevent further deterioration.  Many patients will reach an academic plateau in high school.  However, it is important that these patients still learn basic life skills, such as safety, money management, and interpersonal relating.  This is where the role of their family comes into play.  Patients with FAS/FAE are at a higher than average risk of sexual and physical abuse, as well as neglect.  They need loving, stable homes with open lines of communication to develop to their fullest potential.(Roots and Wings, p.2)  
	Most FAS/FAE patients will be unable to hold a regular job.  Many will also require sheltered living throughout their entire life.  More functional patients may be able to reside in half-way houses or group homes for developmentally disabled adults, if their own family is unable to give them the proper care and attention they need and deserve.
	An important person(s) to remember  when dealing with patients of FAS/FAE is the guardian.  This person assumes a responsibility much greater than that of a normal child.  The guardian must  remember  to keep a realistic view point.  They must have reasonable expectations of the child as well.  Because this job is so difficult, social services offer support to prevent the burnout of the guardian.  
Research Studies
	The key questions in FAS research include "How much is too much?", and "When is the fetus at the greatest risk?"(Ernhart, p.2)  A safe amount of drinking during pregnancy has not yet been determined, and all major authorities agree that women should not drink at all during pregnancy. (NIAAA, p.2)  The fetus seems to be at greatest risk during the first trimester. (Kids Health, p.2)   Much of the human research has been epidemiological and for obvious ethical reasons.  Human clinical studies investigating a dose response effect of alcohol during pregnancy are not possible.(Timberlake and Birch, p.2)
	The saddest part of this disease is that it is preventable.  FAS and FAE are the leading preventable causes of birth defects.  FAS accounts for about 4,000 new cases of preventable birth defects in the United States each year.  It has been estimated that the economic cost associated with FAS in the United States is $321 million each year.  A recent survey done by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism(NIAAA), consisted of 23,000 men and women ages 18-44 to determine their perception of FAS.  Only 73% of the women and 55% of the men were familiar with the subject.   Even more  discouraging, most believed  FAS patients were born addicted to alcohol, but had no birth defects.  (Timberlake and Birch, p.3)  
	According to the CDC,  "FAS and other alcohol-related birth defects can be prevented  if women do not drink alcohol during pregnancy or if they use reliable birth control methods when they do not abstain from drinking."  Unfortunately women do not stop drinking until pregnancy   is confirmed.  By then the embryo/fetus has gone through several weeks of critical development.  The alcohol may have already done damage to the embryo/fetus.(NIAAA, p.2)  Pregnant women who drink heavily run a 40-50% risk of causing serious problems to the developing fetus. (Kids Health, p.2) 
	Work has been done to develop innovative strategies to identify the women who are at a high risk of having a child with FAS or FAE.  Two strategies that are currently used, are to help educate these mothers about the threat alcohol has on their fetus, and to help them change their behavior.   Prenatal clinics offer screening , counseling and support services to help achieve abstinence, as well as case management  and follow-ups.  If these methods prove to be effective, they may be inserted into current health care systems. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, p. 2) 	
	In order to reduce the amount children born with FAS/FAE, there must be an increase in the number of women who abstain from alcohol during their pregnancies.  To reach that goal further research needs to continue.  There must be an improvement in public health surveillance methods, a refinement in  methods used for identifying children who have been affected by prenatal alcohol exposure, a demonstration in the effectiveness of primary prevention programs, and an investigation on the effectiveness of secondary intervention strategies, such as foster-care placement and special education strategies.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, p.4)
	Not all women who drink during pregnancy will have an infant with FAS or FAE, but if there is a 40-50% risk of harming the fetus, why chance it?  Women should be more careful when drinking, because drinking often leads to sex even if it is not planned.  The best prevention for FAS/FAE is to either abstain from sexual intercourse while consuming alcohol, or abstain from alcohol while planning a pregnancy.  Therefore sexual partners should use birth control.   Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects are fully preventable and the responsibility lies within the role of being parents.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Alcohol Abuse.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
ALCOHOL ABUSE

	Alcohol abuse is a very dangerous condition in that it can cause many problems in a persons life and affect many aspects of their lifestyle.  Alcoholism (or alcohol abuse) somehow effects everyone's life at some point in time; through a parent, a sibling, a friend, or even personal encounters.  Alcohol abuse, as a medical diagnosis, refers to a pattern of behavior characterized by excessive alcohol consumption.  This consumption can occur at regular intervals, regular weekend intervals, or during binges, which are considered as being intoxicated for at least two successive days.  Difficulty in stopping, reducing the amount of alcohol use, and impaired social/occupational role functioning are all characteristics of alcohol abuse.
	A number of theories in the medical feild are used to explain alcohol abuse.  These are the biologic-genetic model, learning/social model, the psychodynamic model, and the multidimensional model (McFarland 457).  Each different model, for alcoholism have varied explanations as to how and why people use and abuse alcohol.
	The biologic-genetic model states that there is a specific genetic vulnerability for alcoholism.  There has been extensive studies on factors in the genes that could determine or influence the use of alcohol from generation to generation.  However, these studies have shown no hard evidence for an association between alcoholism and inherited factors.  
	The learning and social model  proposes that alcoholism is a process that is slowly developed within a social situation or atmosphere.  This model of alcoholism has also been researched by using both human and animal subjects.  A conditioning model of alcohol tolerance has demonstrated that specific cues from the environment such as odor, sight, and taste, produce a stimulus that results in alcohol consumption.  If ethanol, the addictive ingredient in alcohol , is not supplied, a psychological compensatory response called a craving is produced.
	The psychodynamic model of alcoholism proposes that problematic child rearing practices produce psychosexual maldevelopment and dependence/independece conflicts.    It is believed that while habitual alcohol use is in process, the habitual drinker may use behavior such as exaggeration, denial, rationalization, and affiliation with socially deviant groups.  Results of these behaviors may include decreased work efficiency, job loss, alienation of friends and family, or even hospitalization.
	The multidimensional model of alcoholism combines the interaction of biological, behavioral, and sociocultural factors.  These three factors contribute together to make the strongest model, in which most alcoholics fit.  The biological model relates to the progression from occasional initial relief drinking, to the increase of tolerance, and from loss of memory during heavy drinking periods to an urgency of drinking.  The behavioral model is helpful in the identification of high-risk situations, in which alcoholics are most likely to be ritualistally drinking.  Sociocultural factors are present in peer interaction around drinking as a primary activity for entertainment.  This can lead to the preference of drinking for social interaction.  Ideas such as this are influenced greatly, and shaped by media through commercials, television portrayal of alcohol use as a coping skill, and the belief that the use of alcohol to reduce life's stress is socially acceptable.  Another area in which alcohol is looked at as all right, comes during the aging process.  The death of a spouse, job relocation, retirement, or loss of health put older people at risk of alcoholism and is identified as having late-onset alcoholism (McFarland 458).  
	Alcoholism can be divided into several subtypes.  Gamma alcoholism applies to binge drinkers who alternate periods of sobriety and drunkenness.  An example of gamma alcoholism would be a college student who engages in heavy binge drinking.  In contrast, beta alcoholism is manifested by physical complications of chronic alcohol use such as cirrhosis, weakening of the liver, heart, stomach, and esophagus.  An example of a beta alcoholic would be a housewife who is a maintenance drinker and experiences withdrawal symptoms.  A number of issues also arises among characteristics of alcoholism.  Behavioral problems are often visible signs.  Poor school grades, rambling speech, disciplinary problems, excessive fighting, truancy, vandalism, and hyperactivity are all possible signs of alcoholism.
	Alcoholism is a disease that is very serious and complicated.  The curing of alcoholism is a difficult process which requires accepting the presence of the condition, self realization, and support.  As a person begins to achieve control over their drinking problem, by implementing new coping strategies, and increasing a sense of competence and hope, a new phase of life is entered.   








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\alcohol.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

ALCOHOL

	Alcohol is a widely used substance for both science and in technology.  Its name
comes from an Arabic word al-kuhl meaning " a powder for painting the eyes".  The term
was later applied to all compounds that contain alcoholic spirits.  

	To most people alcohol is considerd a downer that reduces activity in the nervous
system.  Some of the things alcohol effects you is, the alcohol intoxicated person exhibits
lose muscle tone, loss of fine moter coordination,and often has a staggering "drunken"
gait.  The eyes may appear somewhat "glossy" and pupils may be slow to respond to
stimulus. At high doses pupils may become constricted.  At intoxing doses, alcohol can
decrease heart rate, lower blood pressure and respiration rate, and result in decreased
reflex and slower reaction times.  Skin may be cool to touch but to the user may feel
warm or normal, profuse sweating may accompany alcohol use.  Loose muscle tone, lose
of fine motor coordination,odor of alcohol on the breath,and a stagging "drunken"gait.

	The effects of alcohol intoxication are greatly influenced by individual variations
among users. Some users may become intoxicated at a much lower Blood Alcohol
Concentration (BAC) level that I am about to show you.  Along with drinking their are
different levels to it:

0.02-0.03  BAC: No loss of coorination,slight euphoria and loss of shyness.  Depressant
effects are not apparent.
0.04-0.06 BAC: Feeling of well-being, relaxation, lower inhibitions, sensation of warmth. 
Some minor impairment of reasoning and memory, lowering of caution.
0.07-0.09 BAC: Slight impairment of balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing. 
Judgement and self-control are reduced, and caution, reason and memory are impaired.
0.10-1.125 BAC: Signficant impairment of moter coordination and loss of good
judgement.  Speech may be slurred; balance, vision,reaction time and hearing will be
impaired.  (It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle at this level of intoxication.)
0.13-0.15 BAC: Gross motor impairment and lack of physical control.  BLurred vision
and major loss of balance. Euphoria is reduced and dysphoria beginning to appear.
0.16-0.20 BAC:  Dysphoria (anxiety,restlessness) predominates, nausea may appear.  The
drinker has the appearance of a "sloppy drunk."
0.25 BAC: Needs assistance in walking; total mental confusion. Dysphoia with nausea
and some vomiting.
0.30 BAC: Loss of consciousness.
0.40 BAC and up: Onset of coma,possible death due to respiratory arrest.	
	
	WHAT IS CONSIDERED A DRINK:

	A drink that contains a half-ounce of alcohol or more.  The amount you would
problibly find in a 12 ounce can of beer, 4 ounce glass of table wine, 1 ounce shot of
100% destilled spirits such as whiskey or vodka. Generally this is the amount of alcohol a
person can metabolize in about an hour.  But of course it also depends on other stuff.

	The way to see the amount of alcohol in someone is the Blood Alcohol Content.
The Blood Alcohol Content is measured in milligrams percent.
For example, a BAC of 10 means that one-tenth of 1% of your total blood content is
alcohol.This means that a BAC of 0.5 and below may give you a little buzz;a BAC of .50
or greater may cause death.
	
	Blood Alcohol Content depends on two things size,the bigger you are the more
blood you have to delute the alcohol, and it also depends on how fast you drink it, the
faster you drink the more your BAC goes up because your body doesn't have as long to
delute the alcohol.

BINGE DRINKING
		
	Drinking a lot of something at one time is not really good for your system, no
matter what it is.  Bringe drinking is drinking to get drunk, it is what a lot of college
people do.  Drinking at least five drinks all in one sitting.   When they do this the side
effects become more serious:  vomiting, dizziness, impaired mental capabilities,and
hangovers.  Those are only short term reactions, others things that binge drinking
influence are: athletic performence, poor grades,  sexual assault, fights, accidents,
drinking and driving, and other health risks.  If you think that not a lot of people do this ,
it is about 50% of collage men and 37% of collage women are classified as  binge
drinkers.  A recent study show that studnts spend about $5.5 billion dollare on alcohol
each year.  That is more than they spend on soda pop, tea, milk, juice, coffee, and books
combined.

	Some of the things that go along with drink are you are more open to getting
diseases like sexually transmitted deseases, cancer and a lot more.  But one that a lot die
from is alcohol poisoning.

	Most people think that you cant overdose on alcohol, but you can.  Binge drinking
may result in an overdose of alcohol, or alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning is a
medical emergancy that requires immediate attention.  It's sometimes hard to tell if
someone has  passed out or is in a serious medical danger.  Here are some of the
symptoms:
-Does not respond to being talked to or shouted at
-Does not respond to being pinched,prodded or poked.
-Cannot stand up
-Will not wake up
-Slow labored or adnormal breathing
-Skin has a purple color
-Skin feels clammy
-Rapid pulse rate
-Irregular heart rythem
-Lowered blood pressure
Another common thing is choking to death on your own vomit after an alcohol overdose. 
Death by asphyxiation occurs when alcohol depresses the body's reflexes to the point that
you cant vomit right.  

	Another thing that comes along with binge drinking is depression and suicide.
You get depressed so you drink and since alcohol is a depressant it brings you down even
more it brings you to the state of hopelessness.  The toxic effects of alcohol can
manipulate you brains neuro-transmitters, which are responsible for mood and
judgement.  This can plung you into deeper depression and bring thought about suicide. 
It can also bring a cycle of drinking: the more you drink the more depressed you become,
and that makes you want to drink more.
Alcohol induced depression and hopelessness are characterized by self-pity, social
withdrawal, self reproah,a sence of guilt,and a retardation of normal mental processes.

FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME
FETAL ALCOHOL EFFECTS

	Fetal alcohol syndrome is a group of symptoms that  can effect an infant born to a
mother who drinks during her pregnancy.  The most serious is severe mental retardation.
Other effects are:
-mild to moderate mental retardation
-central nervous system problems
-small size,low birth weight or growth retardation
-facial or skull adnormalities such as: small head size, small eyes and/or short eye
openings, under-development of the upper lip with flat upper lip ridges, thin upper lip
and flat maxillary jaw area.	

Fetal alcohol effects are thought to be not as bad as Fetal syndrome. It may be something
like a history of prenatal alcohol exposure. Learning and behavior difficulties can be a
severe as FAs.  In both FAS and FAE, studies show a positive relationship between
degree of prenatal  alcohol exposure and physical birth defects, growth, brain and
behavioral deficiencies.  Some other things show that in not as severe cases of FAS may
deal with maturity, abnormalities of the upper lip and small eye openings, short
stuture,and small head continue.  Brain and behavioral deficits also continue including
lower IQ and a number of behavioral disorders.
Children with FAS and FAE are often described as hyperactive, disstactible, or
impulsive.  they often have short attention spans similar to attention deficit dirorder, but
with lower IQ's particularly in the FAS child.  In addition to attention deficits, problems
with judgement, comprehension, and abstract think are common.  Some new research
says that kids with FAS and FAE are more vulerable to alcohol exposure.
Another thing is newborns exposed to alcohol before birth may have a weak sucking
responce and irregular sucking patterns early in life.  Some describe them as easily
distracted and fatigued when sucking.  Sleep disturbance, and jitteriness have also been
reported in infants exposed to alcohol before birth.  Some studies also show that a higher
incidence of impaired vision and hearing, motor incoordination, and problem with
balance are possible attibuted to alcohol use by the mother before birth of the infant. 
Fetal exposure to alcohol can also result in adnormal thyroid function and some decrease
in the immune system effectiveness.

	No one is sure the role alcohol plays on the fetus, some of the possiblities are:
-Acetaldehyde which is the primary product when alcohol is metabolized;
-fetal malnutrition especially if the mother is undernourished.  Even when she haseaten
the proper foods, the placenta may not beable to carry yhese vitamins, minerals and other
nutrients which are so important to the developing fetus;
-lack of oxygen due to less blood flow to the fetus through the placenta; and
-disturbance of prostaglandins which control normal blood flow to the placenta.

LIVER DISEASE

	You can not live with out your liver, it is the biggest organ in you body. Although
your organ is tough and meant for life it can easily be damaged by alcohol.
There are many types of liver disease shuch as:

-Viral hepatitis
-Cirrhosis
-Gallstones
-Alcohol-related liver disorders
-Cancer of the liver

But there are three types of diseases of the liver you can get from alcohol:

- Fatty Liver
-Alcoholic Hepatitis
-Alcoholic Cirrhosis

Fatty liver  this is the most common alcoholic-related liver disorder, causing enlargment
of the liver, abdominal discomfort and sometimes temporary jaundice and liver
malfunction.  Abinence from alcohol can bring complete reversal and cure without
leaving residual cirrhosis.

Alcoholic hepatitis is an acute illness often characterized by nausea, vomiting,abdominal
pain, fever, jaundice, enlarged and tender liver, and an elevation of the white blood cell
count.  Sometimes alcoholic hepatitis may be present without symptoms. Once it
develops, it progresses to cirrhosis if alcohol comsumption continnues.

Alcoholic cirrhosis is permanent scar tissue, called cirrhosis, forms when the liver cells
are damaged by alcohol or drugs.  Continued use of alcohol will cause additional scarring
and serious health problems.  Some people are more culnerable than others to this
disease, which occurs in 10% to 15% of prople who consume large amounts of alcohol
over a long period of time.

CANCER
UPPER DIGESTIVE TRACT
	
	The strongest link  with alcohol involves cancers of the upper digestive tract,
including:
-esophagus
-mouth
-pharynx
-larynx.
An estimated 75% of esophageal cancers in the United States are attributable to chronic,
exessive alcohol comsumption.  Nearly 50% of cancers of the mounth, pharynx and
larynx are associated with heavy drinking.  People who drink large amounts of alcohol
over time have an increased rick of these cancers, compared with abstainers.  If they
drink and smoke, the risk is even higher.

BREAST CANCER

	They say that woman's risk of developing breast cancer increases with alcohol
consumtion, as well as age.  Particularly vulnerable are women over 50 who have  been
heavy drinkers over a period of years,  their chances of developing breast cancer are up to
18 times greater than non-drinkers.  Research indicates that alcohol may play an indirect
role in this disease by increasing estrogen levels in premenopausal women, whinh in turn
may promote breast cancer.  Thus, for younger women to lessen their risk of breast
cancer, dont drink, or at least limit yourself to no more than one a day.

SKIN CANCER

	Reserchers say that women who average only two drinks a day, four days a week,
are 2 1/2 times more likelt to develop melanomia than women who dont drink.  Experts
recommend that women limit themselves to one drink a day, and men two drinks a day.

OTHER CANCERS

	Some studies have found a link between alcohol use and cancers of the:
-colon
-stomach
-pancreas
-lungs.
Although theres no evidence that alcohol itelf is a caracinogen, it has been associated
with suppression of the human immune system











































































































































































































































ALCOHOL

	Alcohol is a widely used substance for both science and in technology.  Its name
comes from an Arabic word al-kuhl meaning " a powder for painting the eyes".  The term
was later applied to all compounds that contain alcoholic spirits.  

	To most people alcohol is considerd a downer that reduces activity in the nervous
system.  Some of the things alcohol effects you is, the alcohol intoxicated person exhibits
lose muscle tone, loss of fine moter coordination,and often has a staggering "drunken"
gait.  The eyes may appear somewhat "glossy" and pupils may be slow to respond to
stimulus. At high doses pupils may become constricted.  At intoxing doses, alcohol can
decrease heart rate, lower blood pressure and respiration rate, and result in decreased
reflex and slower reaction times.  Skin may be cool to touch but to the user may feel
warm or normal, profuse sweating may accompany alcohol use.  Loose muscle tone, lose
of fine motor coordination,odor of alcohol on the breath,and a stagging "drunken"gait.

	The effects of alcohol intoxication are greatly influenced by individual variations
among users. Some users may become intoxicated at a much lower Blood Alcohol
Concentration (BAC) level that I am about to show you.  Along with drinking their are
different levels to it:

0.02-0.03  BAC: No loss of coorination,slight euphoria and loss of shyness.  Depressant
effects are not apparent.
0.04-0.06 BAC: Feeling of well-being, relaxation, lower inhibitions, sensation of warmth. 
Some minor impairment of reasoning and memory, lowering of caution.
0.07-0.09 BAC: Slight impairment of balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing. 
Judgement and self-control are reduced, and caution, reason and memory are impaired.
0.10-1.125 BAC: Signficant impairment of moter coordination and loss of good
judgement.  Speech may be slurred; balance, vision,reaction time and hearing will be
impaired.  (It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle at this level of intoxication.)
0.13-0.15 BAC: Gross motor impairment and lack of physical control.  BLurred vision
and major loss of balance. Euphoria is reduced and dysphoria beginning to appear.
0.16-0.20 BAC:  Dysphoria (anxiety,restlessness) predominates, nausea may appear.  The
drinker has the appearance of a "sloppy drunk."
0.25 BAC: Needs assistance in walking; total mental confusion. Dysphoia with nausea
and some vomiting.
0.30 BAC: Loss of consciousness.
0.40 BAC and up: Onset of coma,possible death due to respiratory arrest.	
	
	WHAT IS CONSIDERED A DRINK:

	A drink that contains a half-ounce of alcohol or more.  The amount you would
problibly find in a 12 ounce can of beer, 4 ounce glass of table wine, 1 ounce shot of
100% destilled spirits such as whiskey or vodka. Generally this is the amount of alcohol a
person can metabolize in about an hour.  But of course it also depends on other stuff.

	The way to see the amount of alcohol in someone is the Blood Alcohol Content.
The Blood Alcohol Content is measured in milligrams percent.
For example, a BAC of 10 means that one-tenth of 1% of your total blood content is
alcohol.This means that a BAC of 0.5 and below may give you a little buzz;a BAC of .50
or greater may cause death.
	
	Blood Alcohol Content depends on two things size,the bigger you are the more
blood you have to delute the alcohol, and it also depends on how fast you drink it, the
faster you drink the more your BAC goes up because your body doesn't have as long to
delute the alcohol.

BINGE DRINKING
		
	Drinking a lot of something at one time is not really good for your system, no
matter what it is.  Bringe drinking is drinking to get drunk, it is what a lot of college
people do.  Drinking at least five drinks all in one sitting.   When they do this the side
effects become more serious:  vomiting, dizziness, impaired mental capabilities,and
hangovers.  Those are only short term reactions, others things that binge drinking
influence are: athletic performence, poor grades,  sexual assault, fights, accidents,
drinking and driving, and other health risks.  If you think that not a lot of people do this ,
it is about 50% of collage men and 37% of collage women are classified as  binge
drinkers.  A recent study show that studnts spend about $5.5 billion dollare on alcohol
each year.  That is more than they spend on soda pop, tea, milk, juice, coffee, and books
combined.

	Some of the things that go along with drink are you are more open to getting
diseases like sexually transmitted deseases, cancer and a lot more.  But one that a lot die
from is alcohol poisoning.

	Most people think that you cant overdose on alcohol, but you can.  Binge drinking
may result in an overdose of alcohol, or alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning is a
medical emergancy that requires immediate attention.  It's sometimes hard to tell if
someone has  passed out or is in a serious medical danger.  Here are some of the
symptoms:
-Does not respond to being talked to or shouted at
-Does not respond to being pinched,prodded or poked.
-Cannot stand up
-Will not wake up
-Slow labored or adnormal breathing
-Skin has a purple color
-Skin feels clammy
-Rapid pulse rate
-Irregular heart rythem
-Lowered blood pressure
Another common thing is choking to death on your own vomit after an alcohol overdose. 
Death by asphyxiation occurs when alcohol depresses the body's reflexes to the point that
you cant vomit right.  

	Another thing that comes along with binge drinking is depression and suicide.
You get depressed so you drink and since alcohol is a depressant it brings you down even
more it brings you to the state of hopelessness.  The toxic effects of alcohol can
manipulate you brains neuro-transmitters, which are responsible for mood and
judgement.  This can plung you into deeper depression and bring thought about suicide. 
It can also bring a cycle of drinking: the more you drink the more depressed you become,
and that makes you want to drink more.
Alcohol induced depression and hopelessness are characterized by self-pity, social
withdrawal, self reproah,a sence of guilt,and a retardation of normal mental processes.

FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME
FETAL ALCOHOL EFFECTS

	Fetal alcohol syndrome is a group of symptoms that  can effect an infant born to a
mother who drinks during her pregnancy.  The most serious is severe mental retardation.
Other effects are:
-mild to moderate mental retardation
-central nervous system problems
-small size,low birth weight or growth retardation
-facial or skull adnormalities such as: small head size, small eyes and/or short eye
openings, under-development of the upper lip with flat upper lip ridges, thin upper lip
and flat maxillary jaw area.	

Fetal alcohol effects are thought to be not as bad as Fetal syndrome. It may be something
like a history of prenatal alcohol exposure. Learning and behavior difficulties can be a
severe as FAs.  In both FAS and FAE, studies show a positive relationship between
degree of prenatal  alcohol exposure and physical birth defects, growth, brain and
behavioral deficiencies.  Some other things show that in not as severe cases of FAS may
deal with maturity, abnormalities of the upper lip and small eye openings, short
stuture,and small head continue.  Brain and behavioral deficits also continue including
lower IQ and a number of behavioral disorders.
Children with FAS and FAE are often described as hyperactive, disstactible, or
impulsive.  they often have short attention spans similar to attention deficit dirorder, but
with lower IQ's particularly in the FAS child.  In addition to attention deficits, problems
with judgement, comprehension, and abstract think are common.  Some new research
says that kids with FAS and FAE are more vulerable to alcohol exposure.
Another thing is newborns exposed to alcohol before birth may have a weak sucking
responce and irregular sucking patterns early in life.  Some describe them as easily
distracted and fatigued when sucking.  Sleep disturbance, and jitteriness have also been
reported in infants exposed to alcohol before birth.  Some studies also show that a higher
incidence of impaired vision and hearing, motor incoordination, and problem with
balance are possible attibuted to alcohol use by the mother before birth of the infant. 
Fetal exposure to alcohol can also result in adnormal thyroid function and some decrease
in the immune system effectiveness.

	No one is sure the role alcohol plays on the fetus, some of the possiblities are:
-Acetaldehyde which is the primary product when alcohol is metabolized;
-fetal malnutrition especially if the mother is undernourished.  Even when she haseaten
the proper foods, the placenta may not beable to carry yhese vitamins, minerals and other
nutrients which are so important to the developing fetus;
-lack of oxygen due to less blood flow to the fetus through the placenta; and
-disturbance of prostaglandins which control normal blood flow to the placenta.

LIVER DISEASE

	You can not live with out your liver, it is the biggest organ in you body. Although
your organ is tough and meant for life it can easily be damaged by alcohol.
There are many types of liver disease shuch as:

-Viral hepatitis
-Cirrhosis
-Gallstones
-Alcohol-related liver disorders
-Cancer of the liver

But there are three types of diseases of the liver you can get from alcohol:

- Fatty Liver
-Alcoholic Hepatitis
-Alcoholic Cirrhosis

Fatty liver  this is the most common alcoholic-related liver disorder, causing enlargment
of the liver, abdominal discomfort and sometimes temporary jaundice and liver
malfunction.  Abinence from alcohol can bring complete reversal and cure without
leaving residual cirrhosis.

Alcoholic hepatitis is an acute illness often characterized by nausea, vomiting,abdominal
pain, fever, jaundice, enlarged and tender liver, and an elevation of the white blood cell
count.  Sometimes alcoholic hepatitis may be present without symptoms. Once it
develops, it progresses to cirrhosis if alcohol comsumption continnues.

Alcoholic cirrhosis is permanent scar tissue, called cirrhosis, forms when the liver cells
are damaged by alcohol or drugs.  Continued use of alcohol will cause additional scarring
and serious health problems.  Some people are more culnerable than others to this
disease, which occurs in 10% to 15% of prople who consume large amounts of alcohol
over a long period of time.

CANCER
UPPER DIGESTIVE TRACT
	
	The strongest link  with alcohol involves cancers of the upper digestive tract,
including:
-esophagus
-mouth
-pharynx
-larynx.
An estimated 75% of esophageal cancers in the United States are attributable to chronic,
exessive alcohol comsumption.  Nearly 50% of cancers of the mounth, pharynx and
larynx are associated with heavy drinking.  People who drink large amounts of alcohol
over time have an increased rick of these cancers, compared with abstainers.  If they
drink and smoke, the risk is even higher.

BREAST CANCER

	They say that woman's risk of developing breast cancer increases with alcohol
consumtion, as well as age.  Particularly vulnerable are women over 50 who have  been
heavy drinkers over a period of years,  their chances of developing breast cancer are up to
18 times greater than non-drinkers.  Research indicates that alcohol may play an indirect
role in this disease by increasing estrogen levels in premenopausal women, whinh in turn
may promote breast cancer.  Thus, for younger women to lessen their risk of breast
cancer, dont drink, or at least limit yourself to no more than one a day.

SKIN CANCER

	Reserchers say that women who average only two drinks a day, four days a week,
are 2 1/2 times more likelt to develop melanomia than women who dont drink.  Experts
recommend that women limit themselves to one drink a day, and men two drinks a day.

OTHER CANCERS

	Some studies have found a link between alcohol use and cancers of the:
-colon
-stomach
-pancreas
-lungs.
Although theres no evidence that alcohol itelf is a caracinogen, it has been associated
with suppression of the human immune system











































































































































































































































ALCOHOL

	Alcohol is a widely used substance for both science and in technology.  Its name
comes from an Arabic word al-kuhl meaning " a powder for painting the eyes".  The term
was later applied to all compounds that contain alcoholic spirits.  

	To most people alcohol is considerd a downer that reduces activity in the nervous
system.  Some of the things alcohol effects you is, the alcohol intoxicated person exhibits
lose muscle tone, loss of fine moter coordination,and often has a staggering "drunken"
gait.  The eyes may appear somewhat "glossy" and pupils may be slow to respond to
stimulus. At high doses pupils may become constricted.  At intoxing doses, alcohol can
decrease heart rate, lower blood pressure and respiration rate, and result in decreased
reflex and slower reaction times.  Skin may be cool to touch but to the user may feel
warm or normal, profuse sweating may accompany alcohol use.  Loose muscle tone, lose
of fine motor coordination,odor of alcohol on the breath,and a stagging "drunken"gait.

	The effects of alcohol intoxication are greatly influenced by individual variations
among users. Some users may become intoxicated at a much lower Blood Alcohol
Concentration (BAC) level that I am about to show you.  Along with drinking their are
different levels to it:

0.02-0.03  BAC: No loss of coorination,slight euphoria and loss of shyness.  Depressant
effects are not apparent.
0.04-0.06 BAC: Feeling of well-being, relaxation, lower inhibitions, sensation of warmth. 
Some minor impairment of reasoning and memory, lowering of caution.
0.07-0.09 BAC: Slight impairment of balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing. 
Judgement and self-control are reduced, and caution, reason and memory are impaired.
0.10-1.125 BAC: Signficant impairment of moter coordination and loss of good
judgement.  Speech may be slurred; balance, vision,reaction time and hearing will be
impaired.  (It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle at this level of intoxication.)
0.13-0.15 BAC: Gross motor impairment and lack of physical control.  BLurred vision
and major loss of balance. Euphoria is reduced and dysphoria beginning to appear.
0.16-0.20 BAC:  Dysphoria (anxiety,restlessness) predominates, nausea may appear.  The
drinker has the appearance of a "sloppy drunk."
0.25 BAC: Needs assistance in walking; total mental confusion. Dysphoia with nausea
and some vomiting.
0.30 BAC: Loss of consciousness.
0.40 BAC and up: Onset of coma,possible death due to respiratory arrest.	
	
	WHAT IS CONSIDERED A DRINK:

	A drink that contains a half-ounce of alcohol or more.  The amount you would
problibly find in a 12 ounce can of beer, 4 ounce glass of table wine, 1 ounce shot of
100% destilled spirits such as whiskey or vodka. Generally this is the amount of alcohol a
person can metabolize in about an hour.  But of course it also depends on other stuff.

	The way to see the amount of alcohol in someone is the Blood Alcohol Content.
The Blood Alcohol Content is measured in milligrams percent.
For example, a BAC of 10 means that one-tenth of 1% of your total blood content is
alcohol.This means that a BAC of 0.5 and below may give you a little buzz;a BAC of .50
or greater may cause death.
	
	Blood Alcohol Content depends on two things size,the bigger you are the more
blood you have to delute the alcohol, and it also depends on how fast you drink it, the
faster you drink the more your BAC goes up because your body doesn't have as long to
delute the alcohol.

BINGE DRINKING
		
	Drinking a lot of something at one time is not really good for your system, no
matter what it is.  Bringe drinking is drinking to get drunk, it is what a lot of college
people do.  Drinking at least five drinks all in one sitting.   When they do this the side
effects become more serious:  vomiting, dizziness, impaired mental capabilities,and
hangovers.  Those are only short term reactions, others things that binge drinking
influence are: athletic performence, poor grades,  sexual assault, fights, accidents,
drinking and driving, and other health risks.  If you think that not a lot of people do this ,
it is about 50% of collage men and 37% of collage women are classified as  binge
drinkers.  A recent study show that studnts spend about $5.5 billion dollare on alcohol
each year.  That is more than they spend on soda pop, tea, milk, juice, coffee, and books
combined.

	  








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Alcoholism 2.TXT
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Brandie M. Lee
Alcoholism

	I woke up from coma wondering what had happened to me.  "I am going to die, what have I done to myself."  "Does my mother know?"  She will kill me.  "I am so SCARED!"
	Most kids my age, who only had their grandma and grandpa never knew what it was like to have a great-grandmother.  Not only was she the best great grandma but she also played the role of a mother.  To me I consider her to be an angel sent from heaven, to show some of us a few lessons about life.
	Her name was Josephine Catalici, an Italian woman born in Naples, Italy in 1906.  She died this past summer.  She was about 5'5" and very beautiful.  She was good hearted, gentle, devoted, and open handed in everything she did.  Josephine was always out to help someone in need.  She considered other people to be first priority.  She was the type of person who was almost perfect, always pleasing someone else and making one feel proud of themselves.
	My great-grandmother was the type of person to bring out the best in everyone.  As a child, I needed that because my home had its ups and downs.  My parents were separated and I had been living with my mother.  She was a young parent and did things that most mother did not.  For instance, as a child she would leave me alone and sometimes physically abuse me.  Therefore, I sometimes had a hard time understanding why she treated me so differently.  On the other hand, I always received my explanations from my great-grandmother whom I called "Mema".  I am not the only individual who considered her to be this type of caring person.  Everyone that had known her, thought she was remarkable.    
	Unfortunately, she started getting ill and during her times of need, I took care of her.  in this time frame I knew that she was going to leave me soon.  I was fourteen and dealing with a lot of changes in my life.  I wish Josephine did not have to be one of those changes.  Although, she was, but the good thing, is that she died without suffering.   She was never afraid of death because she considered it to be another continuation of life.  However, I could not deal with the pain of being without my great-grandmother.  
	I am now in eighth grade, not too happy to be here.  But I know that I have to go to school.  I felt like nothing.  My mother will not stop beating me. I don't want to live anymore.  My grades are dropping in school. In result of, principle has called my mother because I am getting into so much trouble.  Why me? I asked.  Why can't I just die to be with my great-grandmother?  I wanted nothing more than to be with her.  I was not afraid of death.  That is because I know she is there for me.  Well, I thought it over how can I do this so no one will suspect that I am losing my mind. "Hey Brandie, do you want to go to this party we are having for Kelly this Saturday?"  Sure, I'll be there.  No one will know what I am thinking.  I will be going to this party this Saturday whether my mother likes it or not.  She will not stop me.  
	Like I said, my mother tried to stop me but it did not work.  I went anyway.  I arrived at about 8:00 p.m.  So many people are here.  How are you all doing tonight?  Is there anything to drink? I asked.    Well, a few people that I knew were bringing some alcohol.  So, I made a plan to go to the park around the block and drink with a few people.  After about an hour, I was drunk.  At that time I did not know that I was drinking so much.  I was drinking straight vodka like it was water.  I was having invasions that I was with my great-grandmother.  I felt great!  It was such a feeling.  Someone yelled to me, "The cops are coming run."  I turned so fast and was running into the darkness of the night.  
	I woke up, "Where the fuck am I, what am I doing here, where is my mother, why me, why do I have to live?"  All these questions came to my mind when I had awoken from my coma.  I was so frightened by this.  Not that I was in the hospital, but what my mother was going to do to me.  I can not remember what had happened to me after I started to run from the cops.  Let me tell you what my friends told me.  They found I at 3:00 am in the middle of a basketball court (the worst park in town), unconscious.  I was wearing a tank top and shorts, in November.  The boys who had found me said that I was choking on my vomit and I almost froze to death.  The doctor told me that I was so close to dying that evening.  I said to myself, "Why am I still living then, didn't you want me to be with you?".  He said that I could have frozen to death, choked on my vomit, been raped, had alcohol poisoning and never waking from coma.  It was a miracle the doctor said.  I don't understand, why was I so close and it did not happen.  There must have been a reason.
	Well, I have learned from this experience.  I have learned that you do not have to kill yourself to be with someone who had died.  They are there with you all the time as long as you have faith.  In order to survive in the world today one must keep their faith in God and strive for your dreams and one should have happiness in some way.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\alcoholism.TXT
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Composition I
April 1, 1997

Alcoholism:  Symptoms, Causes, and Effects

	Alcoholism is a disease that affects many people in the United States today. It not only affects the alcoholic, but also their family, friends, co-workers, and eventually total strangers.  The symptoms are many, as are the causes and the effects.
	Alcoholism is defined as a pattern of drinking in which harmful consequences result for the drinker, yet, they continue to drink.  There are two types of drinkers.  The first type, the casual or social drinker, drinks because they want to.  They drink with a friend or with a group for pleasure and only on occasion.  The other type, the compulsive drinker, drinks because they have to, despite the adverse effects that drinking has on their lives.  
	The symptoms of alcoholism vary from person to person, but the most common symptoms seen are changes in emotional state or stability, behavior, and personality.  "Alcoholics may become angry and argumentive, or quiet and withdrawn or depressed.  They may also feel more anxious, sad, tense, and confused. They then seek relief by drinking more" (Gitlow 175).
		"Because time and amount of drinking are uncontrollable, the alcoholics is likely to engage in such behaviors as [1] breaking family commitments, both major and minor; [2] spending more money than planned; [3] drinking while intoxicated and getting arrested; [4] making inappropriate remarks to friends, family, and co-workers; [5] arguing, fighting and other anti-social actions.  The alcoholic would probably neither do such things, nor approve of them in others unless he was drinking" (Johnson 203).
	The cause of alcoholism is a combination of biological, psychological, and cultural factors that may contribute to the development of alcoholism in an individual.  Alcoholism seems to run in families. "Although there is no conclusive indication of how the alcoholism of families members is associated, studies show that 50 to 80 percent of all alcoholics have had a close alcoholic relative" (Caplan 266).  Some researchers have suggested that in several cases, alcoholics have an inherited, predisposition to alcohol addiction.  Studies of animals and human twins have lent support to this theory.	
	Alcoholism can also be related to emotional instabilities.  For example, alcoholism is often associated with a family history of manic-depressive illness.  Additionally, like many other drug abusers, alcoholics often drink hoping to "drown' anxious or depressed feelings.  Some alcoholics drink to reduce strong inhibitions or guilt about expressing negative feelings.
	Social and cultural factors play roles in to establishing drinking patterns and the development of alcoholism.  In some cultures, there is conflict between abstaining and accepting the use of alcohol as a way to change moods or to be social, thus making it difficult for some people to develop stable attitudes about and moderate patterns of drinking.  Society tends to aid in the development of alcoholism by making alcohol seem glamorous, showing that by drinking, you will become more popular, more glamorous and more worthy of respects from others.
	The physical effects of alcoholism are somewhat gruesome.  Excessive in take and prolonged use of alcohol can cause serious disturbances in body chemistry.  "Many alcoholics exhibit swollen and tender livers.  The prolonged use of large amounts of alcoholism without adequate diet may cause serious liver damage, such as cirrhosis of the liver" (McCarthy 505).   
	Alcoholism also causes loss of muscular control.  The condition, delirium tremens, known primarily to heavy drinkers, causes hallucinations along with loss of control of muscular functioning.  When this condition develops and the alcoholic slows their drinking, withdrawal syndrome can and often does occur.  This may include agitation, tremors, seizures, and hallucinations.  
	Alcoholism also casues damage to the brain.  Alcoholics may suffer from lack of concentration.  The alcoholic may also experience "blackouts," occasional onsets of memory lapses, and possibly complete memory loss.  They may also suffer from more serious forms of brain damage.  
	The social effects of alcoholism can be as devastating as the physical effects.  Children of alcoholics may be affected by the parents alcoholism in several different ways.  Having a problem- drinker parent often increases the risk of becoming a problem drinker oneself.   This may happen for reasons such as identification with or imitation of the alcoholic parent.  It may also happen because of the social and family conditons that are thought to be associated with the development of alcoholism.  These include family conflict, job insecurity, divorce, and social stigma.
	Alcoholism is an outrageous public health problem.  "The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences estimates that alcoholism and alcohol abuse in the United States cost society from $40 to $60 billion annually, due to the lost production, health and medical care, motor vehicle accidents,violent crime, and social programs that respond to alcohol problems.  One half of all traffic fatalities and one-third of all traffic injuries are related to to the abuse of alcohol" (Caplan 266).
	  Accidents and suicides that are associated with alcohol problems are especially prominent in the teen years.  It is estimated that over 3 million teens between the ages of 14 and 17 in the United States today are problem drinkers. 
	Alcoholism is a serious problem in today's society.  It is extremely important that the public, including the large groups of users and abusers of alcohol, gain as much knowledge as possible about the symptoms and effects of alcoholism if we ever want to see the reduction of statics involving fatalities, injuries, diseases caused from the use and abuse of alcohol.    Education and realization of the effects alcoholism can have on the different aspects of a person's life are the best ways that we can help control the number of alcoholics in the United States.





Works Cited
Caplan, Roberta.  "Alcoholism."  Academic American Encyclopedia.  1992.
Gitlow, Stanley E., M.D.  "Alcoholism."  New Book Of Knowledge.  1991.
	Johnson, Vernon.  Everything You Need To Know About Chemical Dependency: Vernon Johnson's Guide For Families.  Minneapolis: Johnson Institute, 1990.
McCarthy, Raymond G.  "Alcoholism."  Collier's Encyclopedia.  1974 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Anabolic Steroids.TXT
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Anabolic Steroids
Description:
	Anabolic steroids are  performance enhancing drugs.  They are a synthetic form of the chemical testosterone that is normally found in the body.  By taking anabolic steroids, a person's testosterone level can be raised up to a hundred times more than the usual amount of 2.5 to 10 mg. Per day.  The increase in testosterone increases anabolic activity, which results in greater muscle bulk.  It also increases protein synthesis and androgenic activity (enhanced secondary sexual characteristics) in males.  The users of steroids want to increase the anabolic effects and reduce the androgenic effects, but  no steroid is known to have just anabolic effects.
Use:
	Anabolic steroids can be taken in two ways, by injection or they can be taken orally.  Both oral and injected steroids carry benefits and adverse effects.  Orally taken steroids are well absorbed into the stomach and they are excreted fairly rapidly.  The bad side of taking oral steroids is that they are more toxic than injected steroids.  They are highly potent, which makes the risk of overdosing very high.  Steroids that are injected are less toxic to the liver and are less potent than oral steroids on an equal dosage basis.  Injected steroids have a delayed take up, which makes them last longer.  It also allows them to be detected in drug tests for a longer period of time.
  
How they work in the body:
	When anabolic steroids are introduced into the body, under certain conditions they increase: protein synthesis, lean body mass, and the nitrogen balance in the body.  A steroid receptor is formed which stimulates the synthesis of enzymes.  With the stimulus of enzymes in the body, protein synthesis is also increased.  One enzyme system that is placed into the body by the receptor is the ribonucleic acid (RNA)-polymerose system.  This system promotes cellular protein metabolism and synthesis which utilizes nitrogen.  By utilizing the nitrogen, the anabolic action is increased, which leads to larger muscle size and strength.  Anabolic steroids also increase nitrogen retention in the body.  They move the nitrogen equilibrium to the positive side.  This allows the body to utilize ingested protein better, but the balance does not last forever.  The body's homeostatic mechanisms regulate the balance and change it back to normal.  This is one set back to anabolic steroid use.  In order to gain lean body mass a person may have to eat up to 10,000 calories / day and must continue a rigorous weight training program.  If this is not followed, taking the steroids would be worthless.
Adverse Effects:
	Despite the increase in muscle size and strength, anabolic steroids carry an even greater risk, the side effects.  The side effects can be permanent or even deadly.  Serious side effects are seen in the liver, the cardiovascular, central nervous and reproductive/endocrine systems.  
	One major side effect that can be found in the liver is hepatotoxicity.  This is the poisoning of the liver.  It shuts down the liver's ability to process blood, which in turn shuts down the whole body.  Prolonged use of anabolic steroids can cause cholestosis and jaundice (yellowish coloring of the eyes, skin and body fluids).  Even though most adverse side effects in the liver are reversible upon discontinuation of steroids, fatalities can occur.  The fatalities occur from hepatic cholestosis, liver tumors or peliosis hepatitis (blood filled cysts that can rupture and cause bleeding and liver failure).  
	Very noticeable effects occur in the reproductive system.  In males the testicles shrink by about 20%.  They become impotent.  Their sperm count can decrease by 90%.  Also gynecomastia can be seen in males.  Gynecomastia is the enlargement of the breasts.  One adverse effect that can be seen in both males and females using steroids is inappropriate hair growth.  In females, anabolic steroids can cause irregularities in their menstrual cycles.  It causes the female voice to deepen and clitoral hypertrophy.  Clitoral hypertrophy is the enlargement of the clitoris.  Many of these things are irreversible, but some can be changed with the discontinuation of steroid use.
	In the cardiovascular system adverse effects can be very deadly.  When taking steroids an increase in LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol and a decrease in HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol occurs in the bloodstream.  This can carry a risk of coronary heart disease and myocardial infarctions.  They can also cause retention of fluids.  High blood pressure can cause an increased risk of congestive heart failure and strokes.
	The adverse effects in the musculoskeletal systems are not life threatening, but they are very noticeable.  Younger steroids users can have a  premature closure of the epiphyses (growth plates) in the long bones.  This irreversibly limits the full adult height potential.  With the use of steroids, muscle/tendon strength changes.  The muscles become stronger, but the tendons become stiffer and less able to withstand force.  This causes an increase in muscle strains or ruptures.
	The central nervous system is also effected by the use of steroids.  In the person taking steroids, aggressive behavior, self confidence and a sense of well being are seen.  Also manic mood swings can occur.  These mood swings can range from euphoria to sexual arousal to irritability and hostility.  Cognitive impairment can also set in on the user.  Cognitive impairment can involve distractibility, forgetfulness, and confusion.
History:
	The use of steroids is nothing new to the world.  Since the time of the Greek Olympics athletes have been using performance enhancing drugs in order to heighten their athletic performance.  In 1886 the 1st person to die due to performance enhancing drugs was a French cyclist.  He took a speed-ball, a mix of cocaine and heroin, which eventually killed him.  Physicians in the 20's ran tests on athletes by inserting monkey testicles into male athletes to help boost their vitality.  Adolf  Hitler supposedly administered the hormone testosterone to himself and his troops in order to increase aggressiveness.  In 1953 the first anabolic steroid was introduced.  It had five times more strength building effects than natural hormones.  In the 1960's the IOC (International Olympic Committee) started to ban performance enhancing drugs due to their popular use.  At the 1976 summer games in Montreal, the IOC initiated the first testing for steroids.  Today testing is done routinely on the collegiate and international level.  The USOC (United States Olympic Committee) can suspend an athlete for up to two years if caught using steroids.  Repeat offenders may be suspended from competing on the Olympic level for life.  The NCAA does year round testing regardless if the athlete is in season or not.  Selected teams are notified two days in advance of being tested, and 18 players are tested at that time.  Positive testing results in a one year suspension of the student athlete. 
Signs of use:
	The physical signs that are portrayed by steroid users are extremely noticeable.  They include:	Rapid weight gain
		Alterations in body composition, with marked muscle hypertrophy
		Disproportionate development of the upper torso
		Severe acne  
		Needle marks in large muscle groups
		Development of male pattern baldness
		Gynecomastia (breast enlargement)
		Increased susceptibility to tendon strains and injuries
		More frequent hematoma or bruising
		Jaundice
		Elevated blood pressure
		Hirsutism (abnormal development of facial / body hair)
		Atrophied breasts in females
		Deepening of the voice in females
Legal penalties:
	The use of steroids can carry a maximum of 10 years in prison.  Also a fine can be imposed in addition to the jail sentence, or by itself.  The fine can be as high as $250,000.
Statistics:
	260,000 students in grades 7 to 12 either use or have used steroids.
	The American Heart Assoc. estimates at least half of all Division I  college football 	players have used steroids over a substantial period of time.

	Black market steroids are topping sales of $400 million  per year.

	One million Americans, half of them adolescents use black market steroids.

In order to obtain good muscle mass building a person may have to consume 10,000 calories / day or the steroids will be useless.

Anabolic Steroids
Description:
	Anabolic steroids are  performance enhancing drugs.  They are a synthetic form of the chemical testosterone that is normally found in the body.  By taking anabolic steroids, a person's testosterone level can be raised up to a hundred times more than the usual amount of 2.5 to 10 mg. Per day.  The increase in testosterone increases anabolic activity, which results in greater muscle bulk.  It also increases protein synthesis and androgenic activity (enhanced secondary sexual characteristics) in males.  The users of steroids want to increase the anabolic effects and reduce the androgenic effects, but  no steroid is known to have just anabolic effects.
Use:
	Anabolic steroids can be taken in two ways, by injection or they can be taken orally.  Both oral and injected steroids carry benefits and adverse effects.  Orally taken steroids are well absorbed into the stomach and they are excreted fairly rapidly.  The bad side of taking oral steroids is that they are more toxic than injected steroids.  They are highly potent, which makes the risk of overdosing very high.  Steroids that are injected are less toxic to the liver and are less potent than oral steroids on an equal dosage basis.  Injected steroids have a delayed take up, which makes them last longer.  It also allows them to be detected in drug tests for a longer period of time.
  
How they work in the body:
	When anabolic steroids are introduced into the body, under certain conditions they increase: protein synthesis, lean body mass, and the nitrogen balance in the body.  A steroid receptor is formed which stimulates the synthesis of enzymes.  With the stimulus of enzymes in the body, protein synthesis is also increased.  One enzyme system that is placed into the body by the receptor is the ribonucleic acid (RNA)-polymerose system.  This system promotes cellular protein metabolism and synthesis which utilizes nitrogen.  By utilizing the nitrogen, the anabolic action is increased, which leads to larger muscle size and strength.  Anabolic steroids also increase nitrogen retention in the body.  They move the nitrogen equilibrium to the positive side.  This allows the body to utilize ingested protein better, but the balance does not last forever.  The body's homeostatic mechanisms regulate the balance and change it back to normal.  This is one set back to anabolic steroid use.  In order to gain lean body mass a person may have to eat up to 10,000 calories / day and must continue a rigorous weight training program.  If this is not followed, taking the steroids would be worthless.
Adverse Effects:
	Despite the increase in muscle size and strength, anabolic steroids carry an even greater risk, the side effects.  The side effects can be permanent or even deadly.  Serious side effects are seen in the liver, the cardiovascular, central nervous and reproductive/endocrine systems.  
	One major side effect that can be found in the liver is hepatotoxicity.  This is the poisoning of the liver.  It shuts down the liver's ability to process blood, which in turn shuts down the whole body.  Prolonged use of anabolic steroids can cause cholestosis and jaundice (yellowish coloring of the eyes, skin and body fluids).  Even though most adverse side effects in the liver are reversible upon discontinuation of steroids, fatalities can occur.  The fatalities occur from hepatic cholestosis, liver tumors or peliosis hepatitis (blood filled cysts that can rupture and cause bleeding and liver failure).  
	Very noticeable effects occur in the reproductive system.  In males the testicles shrink by about 20%.  They become impotent.  Their sperm count can decrease by 90%.  Also gynecomastia can be seen in males.  Gynecomastia is the enlargement of the breasts.  One adverse effect that can be seen in both males and females using steroids is inappropriate hair growth.  In females, anabolic steroids can cause irregularities in their menstrual cycles.  It causes the female voice to deepen and clitoral hypertrophy.  Clitoral hypertrophy is the enlargement of the clitoris.  Many of these things are irreversible, but some can be changed with the discontinuation of steroid use.
	In the cardiovascular system adverse effects can be very deadly.  When taking steroids an increase in LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol and a decrease in HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol occurs in the bloodstream.  This can carry a risk of coronary heart disease and myocardial infarctions.  They can also cause retention of fluids.  High blood pressure can cause an increased risk of congestive heart failure and strokes.
	The adverse effects in the musculoskeletal systems are not life threatening, but they are very noticeable.  Younger steroids users can have a  premature closure of the epiphyses (growth plates) in the long bones.  This irreversibly limits the full adult height potential.  With the use of steroids, muscle/tendon strength changes.  The muscles become stronger, but the tendons become stiffer and less able to withstand force.  This causes an increase in muscle strains or ruptures.
	The central nervous system is also effected by the use of steroids.  In the person taking steroids, aggressive behavior, self confidence and a sense of well being are seen.  Also manic mood swings can occur.  These mood swings can range from euphoria to sexual arousal to irritability and hostility.  Cognitive impairment can also set in on the user.  Cognitive impairment can involve distractibility, forgetfulness, and confusion.
History:
	The use of steroids is nothing new to the world.  Since the time of the Greek Olympics athletes have been using performance enhancing drugs in order to heighten their athletic performance.  In 1886 the 1st person to die due to performance enhancing drugs was a French cyclist.  He took a speed-ball, a mix of cocaine and heroin, which eventually killed him.  Physicians in the 20's ran tests on athletes by inserting monkey testicles into male athletes to help boost their vitality.  Adolf  Hitler supposedly administered the hormone testosterone to himself and his troops in order to increase aggressiveness.  In 1953 the first anabolic steroid was introduced.  It had five times more strength building effects than natural hormones.  In the 1960's the IOC (International Olympic Committee) started to ban performance enhancing drugs due to their popular use.  At the 1976 summer games in Montreal, the IOC initiated the first testing for steroids.  Today testing is done routinely on the collegiate and international level.  The USOC (United States Olympic Committee) can suspend an athlete for up to two years if caught using steroids.  Repeat offenders may be suspended from competing on the Olympic level for life.  The NCAA does year round testing regardless if the athlete is in season or not.  Selected teams are notified two days in advance of being tested, and 18 players are tested at that time.  Positive testing results in a one year suspension of the student athlete. 
Signs of use:
	The physical signs that are portrayed by steroid users are extremely noticeable.  They include:	Rapid weight gain
		Alterations in body composition, with marked muscle hypertrophy
		Disproportionate development of the upper torso
		Severe acne  
		Needle marks in large muscle groups
		Development of male pattern baldness
		Gynecomastia (breast enlargement)
		Increased susceptibility to tendon strains and injuries
		More frequent hematoma or bruising
		Jaundice
		Elevated blood pressure
		Hirsutism (abnormal development of facial / body hair)
		Atrophied breasts in females
		Deepening of the voice in females
Legal penalties:
	The use of steroids can carry a maximum of 10 years in prison.  Also a fine can be imposed in addition to the jail sentence, or by itself.  The fine can be as high as $250,000.
Statistics:
	260,000 students in grades 7 to 12 either use or have used steroids.
	The American Heart Assoc. estimates at least half of all Division I  college football 	players have used steroids over a substantial period of time.

	Black market steroids are topping sales of $400 million  per year.

	One million Americans, half of them adolescents use black market steroids.

In order to obtain good muscle mass building a person may have to consume 10,000 calories / day or the steroids will be useless.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Antibiotics.TXT
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					Antibiotics
	An antibiotic, is defined to be a drug produced by certain microbes. Most doctors use antibiotics to help fight the germs in a patient.  Antibiotics are obtained from plants, fungi, air, water, soil, just about anything on earth. Antibiotics kill and attack the germ or virus in the body, but do not hurt the human cells, ordinarily. The antibiotics are used to treat many various types of diseases, such as tuberculosis, syphilis, and several kinds of infections.
	People have been using antibiotics for more than 2,500 years. They used molds to help cure some skin infections and rashes. It was in the late 1800's that the real study of medicine began. Louis Pasteur discovered that bacterium was the cause of disease, and proved wrong the theory of spontaneous generation. After him there was Robert Koch, who developed a method of isolating and growing bacteria. Scientists tried developing drugs that could kill microbes, but they proved to be either dangerous or ineffective.
	In 1928 there was a discovery by Alexander Fleming. He detected that a substance he called "penicillin" destroyed bacteria. Then in the late 1930's, two British scientists invented a method of extracting penicillin from the mold. This was the start of developing new drugs to treat diseases and bacteria.
	Over the years, numerous thousands of antibiotic material have been found in nature as well as produced chemically but, there are few that are safe and useful. However the ones that are safe and effective have saved many lives and have helped extend life expectancy.
	Right now, there is more than 70 different kinds of antibiotics in use.  Most antibiotics are used to treat infections, some for fungi and protozoa, but antibiotics are not usually effective against viruses. So they have developed other methods such as vaccines against viruses.
	Antibiotics work by one of three ways, they can one, prevent the cell wall from growing; two, obstruct the cell membrane; or three disrupt the chemical processes. When the antibiotic prevents the cell wall from forming, the antitoxin surrounds the bacteria's membrane, and then it forms a rigid wall that stops the cell wall from splitting open, which would produce another cell. The humans' cells are not hurt by this because human cells do not have cell walls.
	If the antibiotic obstructs the cell membrane, which controls the flow of items in and out of the cell, then essential nourishment can escape the cell. Then a toxic substance could enter the cell killing it. Human cells are not effected by this method because the antitoxin only effects the microbial cells.
	If the antitoxin disrupted the chemical process, then the microbe cannot survive. The cells need the proteins and nucleic acids, that they produce to survive, and by interfering with this process, the cell cannot persevere. Human cells are immune to this method because, both kinds of cells produce proteins and acids to survive, but the methods of making the proteins in each cell differ enough for the antibiotic to be able to decipher the different methods.
	Antibiotics are the safest kinds of drugs when properly used, but misuse could lead to dangerous side effects or even death. There are three main dangerous reactions to the antibiotics are one is allergic reactions, two is the eradication of  good microbes, and three is the damage of organs and tissues. 
	Most allergic reactions are not that bad. It could be a rash or a fever, but if a person is highly allergic to what they were exposed to, they could die. Every antibiotic made can produce an allergic reaction, but the most commons are penicillins. Approximately 10% of people in the U.S. have an allergic reaction to penicillins. 
	The antibiotic could also hurt or damage the helpful microbes. In a body, there is sometimes some good microbes living near the bad ones. When they are both alive, they are competing for the food. However, antibiotics could kill more good microbes than bad ones, resulting in a higher level of multiplication. This could also cause a new infection called a suprainfection. In this case, the doctor will usually prescribe a secondary drug to clear up this infection. 
	The last side effect that an antibiotic could have is that it could damage the organs or tissues. This kind of side effect is the least likely to happen because the antibiotics usually only attack the microbial cells. Sometimes, as a last resort a doctor may use such a drug as streptomycin, used to treat tuberculosis. The overuse of such a drug could result in deafness, kidney damage and other side effects.
	Resistance to antibiotics has grown more common in recent years. Resistance can happen in two ways. One is, when the reproduction of cells is occurring  the genetic material may get changed causing a mutation in the new cells. These cells then become immune to the antibiotic. New research shows that, in mutation, the cells can become immune to germs that they have never faced. The second way is, the resistance microbes,  may transfer the genetic material to another non-resistance cell, in turn, producing a resistance cell. When antibiotics are being used the non-resistance cells are killed, but the resistance cells, keep multiplying, which is bad if a germ is a resistance cell. 
	Scientists are always trying to find new antibiotics. They test many thousands of natural plants and chemicals. They must first test these drugs in test tubes and then on laboratory animals. If they still show no harmful side effects, then they are tested on humans. The human testing must first be approved by the FDA. Then if it passes all tests on humans and is approved by the FDA the drug may go on sale.
	Antibiotics are a great invention, perhaps one of the best. They help people survive through diseases and infections, that would otherwise kill them. Antibiotics save lives, and there aren't many other inventions that can do that.
















Bibliography
CD-ROM Reference
"Antibiotics." Microsoft Bookshelf.  1995 ed.
Encyclopedias
"Antibiotics." World Book Encyclopedia.   1992 ed.
Magazines
"The end of antibiotics."  Newsweek   28 Mar. 1994:  47-51. 


	 



		                 
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Bad Drugs.TXT
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                                                Drugs Are Bad

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If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends.u and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you are very stupid. They can hurt you and your friends. If you do drugs, you  








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Be Healthy and Drug Free.TXT
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Be Healthy and Drug Free

	To be healthy and drug free means much more than it sounds.  It
means turning down peer pressure, not using drugs, and not feeling
the need to use drugs.  Many people have died from drug overdose;
including Roger Clinton, Bill Clinton's brother.
	
	There are many different types of drugs.  Some drugs are good
for you and some could kill people.  Some good drugs are anesthetics,
hormones, vaccines, and antibiotics.  Some bad drugs are narcotics. 
These are sleep inducers.  Examples of this are codeine, heroin, and
morphine.  Other drugs include cocaine, nicotine, and marijuana.
	
	Nowadays, drugs are a big problem in our society.  The only
drugs that you should take should be drugs that your doctor prescribed
for you.  And you should only take the amount of that drug that he tells
you to.  Every drug can be poisonous if you take too much.
	
	Peer pressure is hard to turn down.  Peer pressure is when your
peers (the people around you) egg you on to do something, generally
something that is not right.  It is very hard to say "NO!" to.  This usually
would result in either a rumor or something against this person.  When
this happens you should just remember that you know the truth.
	
	Many laws have been passed prohibiting the use of unhealthy
drugs.  In addition to this, the D.A.R.E. program was started.  This
class is offered in many schools.  It is a program talking about drug
abuse resistance.  According to a recent survey, one in every three
people between the ages of twelve and twenty have used drugs at least
once.  
	
	As you can see, drugs are very dangerous substances.  It is very
important to be drug free and healthy.  You could be the next one to die
if you take illegal drugs.          	 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Beer and Drugs make people suck !.TXT
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				Beer and Drugs make people sucks

There is a week smoke rising up over the treetops. The golden sun is on its way down in west and on a little campsite in the woods, can Dan see a little flame from a fireplace and he can hear laughter, songs and clinging bottles. Dan walks a little closer to find out who's there. Suddenly he steps on a stick and one of the people on the campsite stands up and shouts: "Who is it ?" Dan can hear that it is George who is shouting. 
"It's Dan!" he shouts back. "Come over here and party whit us Dan." George shouts. 
Dan walks over to the campsite and sits down beside Kelly, who have been a girlfriend with Dan, some time ago. George offers Dan a beer, but he doesn't want it. "Are you a chicken ?" George ask. "No, I'm not a chicken, I'm reasonable." Dan seas. "Have it your way, it only means that I can have one more beer." George seas and opens the bottle.
Dan and Kelly are not drinking, but the rest of the are drinking enough for them both.
"Do you want to come whit me to the movies tomorrow, Kelly ?" Dan asks. "Yes, sure, why not ?" "Well I better get going," Dan seas and stands up. "I'll see you tomorrow then Kelly." "Yes, I'll see you. Bye." "Bye, everybody."
	Dan walks home, and regrets that he had broken up whit Kelly that time. Maybe he could ask her again? Yes, he was going to ask her again tomorrow. He took a shower and went to bed. When he was laying there, he taught about all the good times he and Kelly had had together. He hoped that Kelly still loved him. He felled asleep fast and he woke up early in the morning thinking about tonight. He had a smile all over his face when he came down in the kitchen, and his mom asked what he was so happy about but he wouldn't answer. The day went and the watch was coming closer eight.
He was suppose to get Kelly at that time. He got dressed and walked towards Kelly's house. On the way there was a flower shop where he bought a bucket of flower to Kelly. He came to Kelly's house and rang the door bell. Her mom came out, and Dan asked if Kelly was home. "I'm sorry Dan, Kelly can't go out today." She said.
"Is she sick ?" Dan asked "No, she's not sick Dan, it's worse than that." "What do you mean." "I mean that she was raped by George in the woods last night." Kelly's mom said and slammed the door in the face on Dan. I'm gone kill that son of a bitch. I will go to jail if necessary. Dan thought for him self. Dan rang the door bell again, and Kelly's mom came out again. "I wondered if you could give this bucket of flower to Kelly from me?"
"Of course I will, and I'm sorry about I slamming the door in your face." "Oh....That was nothing," Dan said.
	He walked fast over to George's house and rang the door bell. George came out and acted like nothing had happened. "Hey Dan How are you today?" " I'm fine but you will not be after I'm finish whit you." Dan hits George whit all his power and George fells down and doesn't rise.
	"That was for hurting Kelly and this is from me," he shouts and kicks whit all his power between George's legs and strait on his noble properties. "That is what you deserve." Dan seas and walks his way. George is laying in the hall bleeding from his mouth and holding on his p....                      








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL BAL MONITORING.TXT
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BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL (BAL)
MONITORING
	The amount of alcohol in your blood stream is referred to as Blood Alcohol Level
(BAL). It is recorded in milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood, or milligrams
percent. For example, a BAL of .10 means that 1/10 of 1 percent (or 1/1000) of your total
blood content is alcohol.  When you drink alcohol it goes directly from the stomach into
the blood stream.  This is why  you typically feel the effects of alcohol quite quickly,
especially if you haven't eaten for a while.  BAL depends on: 1. Amount of blood (which will
 increase with weight) and 2. The amount of alcohol you consume over time (the faster you
drink, the higher your BAL, as the liver can only handle about a drink per hour--the rest
builds up in your blood stream).
	Understanding the effects of a rising BAL can be very useful in controlling drinking.
Below are the consequences of various Blood Alcohol Levels,from a book by William R. Miller
and Ricardo F. Munoz called, "How to Control your Drinkling: A Practical Guide to
Responsible Drinking (1982):

.02   MELLOW FEELING.  SLIGHT BODY WARMTH. LESS
INHIBITED.

.05  NOTICEABLE RELAXATION.  LESS ALERT.  LESS SELF-
FOCUSED.  COORDINATION IMPAIRMENT BEGINS.

.08  DRUNK DRIVING LIMIT.  DEFINITE IMPAIRMENT  IN
COORDINATION AND JUDGMENT.

.10  NOISY. POSSIBLE EMBARRASSING BEHAVIOR.  MOOD
SWINGS.  REDUCTION IN REACTION TIME.

.15  IMPAIRED BALANCE AND MOVEMENT.  CLEARLY DRUNK.

.30  MANY PASS OUT.

.40  MOST PASS OUT; SOME DIE.

.50  BREATHING STOPS. MANY DIE.
	
	As can be seen, the most reliably pleasurable effects of alcohol occur when
BAL rises to about .03-.05.  Alcohol researchers have discovered that low levels of
alcohol have a specific effect on thinking; alcohol results in a reduction of "self-
monitoring." (Hull & Reilly, 1986). What this means is that small quantities of alcohol
enable you to take your mind off yourself and your worries. Not surprisingly, this effect
reduces tension and enhances relaxation in many people. Some people find this effect
so rewarding that they continue to drink. Unfortunately, these relaxing effects
diminish as BAL rises above .05.  Instead emerge a host of negative effects, such as
less emotional control, coordination and judgment impairment, hangovers and
obnoxious behavior.
	One way of controlling alcohol is to learn to gauge BAL by internal sensations
and to attend to the reinforcing signs of a low BAL. Doing so will enable you to be
more in control of how much you drink and, by focusing your attention on the initial
pleasurable effects, be able to enjoy alcohol with less negative consequences. Blood
Alcohol Level Charts are available in a number of resources.  For example, "How to
Control your Drinking: A Practical Guide to Responsible Drinking" (Miller & Munoz,
1982) Contains tables which list BAL values by gender, weight, number of drinks
consumed and number of hours drinking.
	THE FINAL CALL BREATHALYZER  is a very useful tool in monitoring
BAL. The one-time use breathalyzers are small glass tubes which contain yellow
crystals that have been impregnated with a reactive chemical that turns green when
alcohol is present. One must breath into the balloon provided and then let it deflate
into the tube. The BAL reading appears in about a minute. Final Call assesses BAL
with a margin of error of plus or minus .02.  The Final Call Breathalyzer is useful
because your BAL can be quickly assessed so that you get immediate feedback.
	 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Book Review of The Burning Man.TXT
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Book Review of "The Burning Man"  by Phillip Margolin

	Peter Hale, the son of Richard Hale, a four-year associate at Hale, Greaves,
Strobridg, Marquand, and Bartlett, has lived his life under the shadow of his father. 
Despite having a high five-figure salary and fire-engine-red Porsche, Peter was constantly
trying to overcome the expectations of his high-class lawyer of a  father, who was former
president of the Oregon State Bar.  Handling only small-time cases did not present Peter
with the opportunity to outshine his father, who was also a second-team All-American
football player and National Champion wrestler, but when his father had a heart attack
and could no longer handle a million dollar case in which Peter had been helping him,
Peter could not let the opportunity pass.  As Richard Hale lied helpless in a hospital bed,
he demanded Peter ask for a mistrial, but it seemed only to go in one ear of Peter's and
out the other.  Peter's boldness would be costly though, as he would lose the case and lose
his father.  Richard did not die, but when he heard of his son's error he could not forgive
him and couldn't bare to see him anymore.  
	Only a fatherly instinct would force Richard to find a meager job for his helpless
son in a small town with an old friend who was looking for someone trying to regain status
as Peter now was.  Whitaker was not as exciting as Portland was to Peter, but he began to
be accustomed to the town when he began his handling small criminal cases and ran into
an old friend who graduated with him from highschool, Steve Mancini.  Steve, like Peter's
father, was a football star, but at the Division II level for the Whitaker State football
team.  Hale became close with Mancini and met many other residents of Whitaker
through Steve.  One being Steve's beautiful and intelligent fiance, Donna Harmon and
her slightly retarded brother Gary.  Just as things began to become settled for Peter in
Whitaker, he ran into some problems with Gary Harmon.  Peter had to save him once
from the police in a peeping incident and then became Gary's lead attorney, under some
influence from Steve Mancini, as Gary was charged with the murder of a local college girl.  
	The night of the murder, Gary had been at a local bar, the Stallion, and had
gotten into an argument with a girl whom he had asked to buy a drink for.  Despite the
assurance of a local drug-dealer friend of Gary's, Kevin Booth and his friend, Christopher
Mammon, the college girl had rejected Gary heavily not knowing he was slightly retarded. 
This upset Gary and lead him to jaunt out of the Stallion and back to his soon-to-be
brother-in-law's house and then to his.  That is when the police arrived and asked him to
come to the station and help them solve a crime.  
	At this time Dennis Downes and Bob Patrick, the officers who brought him there,
began to question him about his whereabouts the night before and about his information
on the murder that occured that night in Wishing Well park.  The questions led to
Dennis Downes putting words into Gary's mouth about the murder and Bob Patrick
intimidating Gary into believing he had supernatural powers and could remember
everything about the crime, or in essence that he really did commit the crime.  
	This would be the basis of Peter's defense case of Gary Harmon.  He would use
the entire script of this interogation of Gary Harmon to try to establish that Gary was
coerced into giving the details of the crime that were fed into his mind by the police, but
Peter was still not sure that Gary did not commit this crime.  His beliefs were that there
was no way Gary did this, and his heart told him that if he didn't win this trial, his life
would be indefinately over and if he did he would experience a new beginning.  
	The trial was not the only thing happening to Peter, as Steve and his now wife
began to have troubles.  Steve took out his emotions on his wife and hit her many times. 
Peter was the one who was always there for Donna and was becoming attached to her and
her brother whom he was defending.  This would add even more pressure and confusion
to Peter's life.  
	Things began to unwind and in the end a corrupt Becky O'Shay and Steve
Mancini aided in the coverup of the murderer, Kevin Booth, in order to coverup their
drug use.  Booth's under-cover FBI agent partner helped Steve Mancini uncover the
truth, that the gril was killed by Booth over drugs and drug money.  Gary ends up free
after being convicted of murder while Peter ends up on the same page as his father and in
love with the beautiful and intelligent Donna Harmon, whom he will marry and live with
in the beautiful, quiet city of Whitaker, Oregon.  
	Gary Harmon, unlike most others, sometimes needs others to think for him. 
Whether or not the right people think for him or not is what makes this story.  It began in
the Stallion, when Kevin Booth and Christopher Mammon told Gary to ask a girl at the
bar whether he could buy her a drink.  They knew that she didn't want him to, but with
just a little persuasion, Gary was led into a delusional world, believing that the girl wanted
him to buy her a drink and perhaps take her home after that.  When he was so abruptly
brought out of his delusional world, he became violent.  After that, when Gary was
brought into the questioning room of the police station the next day, two police officers
desperately searcing for some answers also began to think for Gary Harmon.  After a
series of questions to which they supplied the answers, they had Gary believing that he
had supernatural powers and that he could recall the past, even that of which he had not
experienced.  They used this information to put Gary on trial for a murder which they
created in his mind.  It took Peter Hale, whom in himself he had no belief, to believe and
think correctly for Gary Harmon and save his innocent life from others who thought
nothing of it.  	
	Margolin used this story to symbolize all of those who live in delusional worlds,
some believing they know everything or some not knowing what they know, and show
how vulnerable those people can be.  It is the people who fight for the well-being of
people in delusional worlds and try to convince them to face reality that save them from
disaster.  This creates a great universal appeal in this story, because everyone knows
someone who lives in a delusional world and can relate to the efforts of Peter Hale.   








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Built for Speed.TXT
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Built for Speed?



Methamphetamine has reclaimed a place in the lexicon of "party" drugs. Hailed by nocturnal adventurers, condemned by raver idealists, is speed a sleepless dream or an addictive nightmare? 

by Brian Otto



Here at the end of the millennium, the pace of modern life seems fleeting -- a whirl of minutes, hours and days. In dealing with the changes, humans have equipped themselves with the tools to move faster, more efficiently. At the same time a dependence for the marketing, high-speed transportation and pharmacology of this modern age has evolved. In a race to outdo ourselves, we have moved dangerously toward the fine line between extinction and evolution. Therefore, the human capacity to handle the velocity becomes a fragile balance.

Our generation (see Gen X, 20-somethings) could be considered the sleepless generation. An age of society's children weaned on the ideals of high-speed communication and accelerated culture has prided itself in mastering many of the facets of human existence -- doing more, sleeping less. The machines of this age have in a way enabled us to create a 24-hour lifestyle. We have pushed the limits of the modern world further -- ATMs, high-speed modems, smart bombs and bullet trains. However, the limitations of human existence, like sleep, may still provide the stumbling block for infinite realization. That is, without chemical aid.



In many ways, capitalism fuels the idea. Our society is based upon the mass consumption of these substances. Cultural ideals, while seemingly benevolent as "Have a Coke and a smile" have sold the link to chemical substances like caffeine and nicotine to "the good life." Today, stimulants are the bedrock for consumer culture. For our generation, this appeal was heightened by raising the stakes in the '80s on what it meant to have fun.

Late night clubs, high speed music and 24-hour lifestyles brought the specter of drugs to the fold as a necessity for being able to attain more. Leaps away from the psychedelics of the '60s, in the '80s these stimulant drugs became tools -- utilitarian devices to gain wealth, intelligence and prestige. Sleep became a barrier for success. Dreams were the frivolous luxuries of childhood.

Raves, founded equally in the post-conservative underground late-'80s and the chaotic early-'90s, are part of the pastiche that has consequently become more dream-like, more unreal and still somehow manageable. The hyperreality of today goes hand in hand with the drugs being administered.



It's 6 a.m. Around the speaker bins are small packs of animated dancers grinding their feet into the floor and shaking their hands in front of them. The lookie-loos and weekend warriors have long since gone home. Absent from their faces are the smiles of midnight, replaced by the blank, vacant stare of sleepless dreams. They have a name in the rave community, they are "tweakers." "Tweaking," the common name for sniffing lines of speed, the drug methamphetamine, (popular for its availability and price) has somehow replaced MDMA and LSD as the perfect rave drug, allowing users the clear head and stamina to keep dancing long after their bodies have gone to sleep.

A prominent opinion during the aftermath of the Los Angeles Summer of Love was that speed killed the rave scene. Where speed had been seen in every scene from metal to the punk scene, for some reason it was shocking for some to see methamphetamine take hold, even though MDMA (an amphetamine-like substance) had been circulating for years. Some likened the rise to the quash of young newcomers, some equated it with the greed of drug dealers. Judging from today's roster of events throughout the nation, raves are still alive and well. However, many old-schoolers have been turned off by the newbie vibe that came with speed's rise in popularity. Some were casualties themselves of the drug's addictive nature. Others say that speed alone is what fuels the rave scene, keeping it from dying.



Amphetamine was first synthesized in 1887. First popularized by pharmaceutical company Smith Kline & French as the nasal inhaler, Benzedrine, in 1932. (Amphetamine is widely known as a bronchio dialator, allowing asthmatics to breathe more freely.) A probable direct reaction to the Depression and Prohibition, the drug was used and abused by non-asthmatics looking for a buzz. Jazz great Charlie "Bird" Parker would remove the inhaler's Benzedrine strip and soak it in his coffee.

Methamphetamine, more potent and easy to make, was discovered in Japan in 1919. The crystalline powder was soluble in water, making it a perfect candidate for injection. Also smoking the drug creates a similar rush. It is still legally produced in the U.S., most often prescribed for weight loss, sold under the trade name Desoxyn. As the name "speed" suggests, amphetamines elevate mood, heighten endurance and eliminate fatigue, explaining the drug's popularity with the military. Hitler was supposedly injected with methamphetamine.

Speed rose to popularity in California, home of many of the largest meth labs in the country, riding on the back of biker gangs. Bikers have been historically blamed for introducing the drug into the psychedelic '60s, subsequently bringing down a whole Summer of Love with violence and angst. Since then, speed has been given a bad rap. It has been called a trailer park drug for decades, due to the fact that it can be cooked up so cheaply and easily. It's the drug of choice for long-distance truckers and college students pulling all-nighters. Over the counter ephedrine, or "white crosses," has taken the place of pharmaceutical amphetamine as an easy-to-get alternative.

What is often misunderstood is the relationship between speed and crystal meth. The common reference to speed in the rave scene is the methamphetamine salt (HCl powder), whereas "crystal" usually refers to the free-base form of methamphetamine. Another form "Ice," a higher-grade, purer form of crystal meth is smoked, a single hit creates a high that lasts for hours and several hits can wire a user for days. However, its high price prevents it from taking hold. A gram of "ice" commands about $5,000 on the street.



Speed came to the rave scene in 1992. Theory: when the parties in '92 started to get really good, the police were cracking down more on the prime-time parties -- partiers needed to find late-night/early morning activities like after-hours. Consequently, the price of taking 3-4 pills of ecstasy became too expensive an option, speed took over as an easier to get and cheaper alternative. Now, the standard street price in Los Angeles for a gram of speed is approximately $100, where ecstasy sells for approx. $150 or more.

One major misconception is the link between methamphetamine and ecstasy [MDMA]. Ecstasy does not necessarily contain speed, yet both contain the methamphetamine structure. However, each affects a far different region of the brain resulting in different psychological effects. Ecstasy primarily effects serotonin in the brain -- the center for self-satisfaction and emotional systems. Speed affects dopamine primarily, a neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and reward. (Oddly, alcohol also affects a dopamine center.) Often, MDMA is "cut" with speed to lower the street price of the drug, thus changing the overall effect. The two are similar in chemical makeup but one cannot be made from the other. Slightly changing the chemical makeup produces a wholly different effect in the human brain. While both have addictive potential, speed, because of its dopamine ties, is much more profoundly addicting. Qualitatively, speed and ecstasy supposedly give off "glows" that are far different.

Ecstasy has a definite link to the rave scene. In some places it is synonymous. Speed too has been linked to the rave scene -- some say it was the death of the ideal. What's unusual, given the qualitative similarities between the two, are the differing opinions about speed. While many admit openly to taking MDMA, they will not condone or even accept speed as a "valid" recreational drug. The stigma that goes with "tweaking" can be quite severe.

"Speed is evil," says Dominic. "I have seen more people's lives twisted up off that drug than anything else in the world. I was first introduced to it about five years ago by a girl I was dating. I basically watched her use of it turn from an occasional party thing to basically the sustenance of her life. Her body withered way, and everything she did revolved around speed."

"Speed does not belong in the underground scene," he continues. "Something that is so damn negative could never co-exist with the positive ideals that we try to promote. If you want to get amped, feel energy and stay up all night, try alternatives -- using speed just to stay up is a total cop out." However, his opinion is that ecstasy has opposite effects and could actually save the rave scene. "[MDMA] induces a sense of spiritual enlightenment, happiness, and sometimes social understanding, something that could never be achieved by shoving a few rails of driveway cleaner up your nose."

"I'm all for consciousness expansion, even if by chemical means," says another critic, Michael. "Preferably organic chemistry. The problem is major parts of the scene moved away from enlightenment, transcendence and betterment of the self through involvement in community"

A regular user of the drug is DJ Velour, 19, also finds some criticism for it. "I believe that speed/crystal is one of the most psychologically addictive drugs around," he says "Whenever I get tired or wish I had more energy, I always think how nice it would be to have some speed. In that respect, I am addicted, because it is definitely a part of my thought pattern now. And I haven't done speed for over 3 weeks now." Even though his experiences have not all been good, he is still connected to the drug.

"Amphetamines, in my mind are not evil," says Velour, hoping to defend the drug against his critical peers. "They are simple chemicals, if there is anything evil it is the society we live in which dictates that they are illegal and thus makes them harder to get."

"I will admit one thing, it is very addictive," he goes on. "Once you take it a few times, you will continue to think about it after you stop. I haven't done speed for a month now and still some days will go by where I have only had 3 or 4 hours sleep, and I think to myself, 'You know, speed would really help out right now.' However, that is what makes me a more responsible user. I not only realize my desire for speed and other amphetamines and I curb the habit." He feels that his ability to control his habit is more powerful than his lust for it. "Many of my friends are long time users of speed. However, by no means have they ruined their lives."

DJ Velour believes that the rave community can co-exist with a drug like methamphetamine. He also, among others, mentions speed's many different appearances that make for different psychological outcomes. "Speed and other stimulants can be a positive part of a raving community. However, just like any other drug it depends upon the person taking it and the purity/mixture of the drug. As strange as this may sound, different speeds can evoke different emotions. They not only stimulate latent emotions, increasing their strength, but they can also enforce emotions much in the way ecstasy can. I have had some very "happy" speed that made me feel as happy as when I was on X. On the flip side I have had some lower grade speed that made me feel depressed."



Speedlore and Methology

"Of all the separate realities, legal landscapes, and metabolic metropolis that thrive beneath the surface of the Cleaver's USA, no subculture seems as pervasive or uniform as the nationwide-eyed, high dosage methamphetamine club.

This group is a tribute to the idea that some things stay the same across time or space... the members come and go, some leave quietly, some go snitch, croak, or disappear, some hang in there after their lights have gone out, and quite a few are dragged off at 6:00 a.m. Friday morning by blue windbreakers with yellow writing.

Getting in too deep is what we do, it's who we are.

But despite all this, there are a few of us who have managed to hang around the periphery for decades, avoiding the felonies, gunshots, big ripoffs, and crippling motorcycle accidents. Other than luck, the key to staying alive is knowing when to take a step back, on your own, and avoid the biggest bear-trap in the speed circus: taking yourself too seriously...

Truly not giving a fuck is the only way to maintain perspective. In other words, there are worse things that can happen, than having to lay down and go to sleep for a week... no drug or state of mind is worth dying for, killing for, or doing hard time for..." (Speed Phreak)



"My experience with speed-like substances really begins with coffee," says Mark, an addict that relates his experiences back to an early age. "I've been drinking the stuff since Jr. High School as my get me up and go thing. But the relationship with amphetamines starts six or seven years ago with poppers (ephedrine, mini-thins). I started taking them to stay awake in college to finish papers and the like."

"Things got really serious when I started doing CAT, a local low-grade speed that was in vogue about six years ago." CAT, or methacathinone, is a popular substance made from common household chemicals like drain-cleaner, Epsom salts and battery acid. "I realized how bad my problem was when right around the time the land war in Iraq began. I had stayed up for days on end, watching the planes bomb the Iraqis. It's the only drug I've done at work. To this day what was a six month period still seems to me to be several weeks. It's also the only drug I've done where my peers at work noticed mood swings, irritability, and sleeplessness. The CAT I knew dearly also tweaked me on methamphetamine when the CAT seemed to loose its luster." CAT is notorious for its hardcore addictive potential, apparently strong enough to hook users after just one sample.

"Even after I kicked the CAT habit, I would usually indulge my speed addiction by crushing up mini-thins and snorting them. This continued for about another year. Most recently (for about a year) I moved to MDMA as the speed kick. At first I did it about once a month, but that has fallen off to a much less frequent, but still regular usage."

"What caught me about speed, and what catches me now, is the feeling of invulnerability. I think I get from speed what most cocaine users get from coke. The feeling of being on top of the world. As a raver, speed is also a convenient way to keep dancing long after your body has gone to sleep."

Asked if the drug has improved his life, he answers, "What a joke. Improve? Beyond the nominal gain of being able to dance until the wee hours of the morning, it doesn't. And productivity? Any gains are ephemeral and short-lasted."

"I do in fact know some people who skate through life without problems with drugs. But I think more people than not overestimate their ability to handle drugs. Drugs can be fun, but they also tend to get in the way of being a functional human being with multi-dimensional interests, as opposed to being a full-time club kid, which gets you nowhere fast."

For "Pat," the drug poses a serious paradox. He was prescribed methamphetamine for a learning disability and consequently produced a problem through abuse. "I'm able to work with concentration on something far longer than a few hours," he says of meth. "I have Attention Deficit Disorder [and] speed seems to improve my attention span."

"It can be a transcendental drug if you do enough. I've had really intense thought about observations of myself, or new ideas about what I'd like to do with my music, or other creative thoughts. This occurs with other psychedelic drugs that I've done." Still, he describes the typical problem with drugs like speed. "Speed is funny. You think you've got it under control when you first do it because it's usually so nasty on the sinuses and your body that you don't ever think you could get used to the feeling... [However], you do."

Other users bring up the fact that MDMA also has an addiction factor, that many only attribute to meth. "I like speed just fine," says Benboy. "But I have seen many speed freaks go out like that. And I've seen a few 'E' freaks buy the farm too, even though I do think E is much safer). But a drug, whether it's strychnine, THC, caffeine or Prozac, is nothing more than an inert substance; as dangerous as a head of lettuce in itself. It's what you do with it that makes a difference. But the difference between jonesing for a sugar fix and a speed fix is only partially chemical and physiological. Most of it is social." The drug itself is not the problem, it's the setting involved. The availability and the motive to remain awake for long hours may compound the addiction of speed.

Still others attribute a great deal of positive qualities to methamphetamine. "My brain was so clear when I used this, that I came up with answers to problems that had been bugging me for months," says an anonymous post to one of the world wide web's drug archives. "This stuff makes your brain work at 100% efficiency and doubles processor speed. It makes you feel (and probably actually does) like your IQ jumped quite a bit." According to some medical journals, methamphetamine does produce slight improvements in mental acuity, though performance of only "simple mental tasks" is improved, although the amount of errors is not necessarily decreased.

Still many would attribute "wonder drug" status to meth, enabling them to get more done without sleep. Students, hackers and late-night workers rely on the drug to keep them awake. "Sleep will never even occur to you," the post continues. "Do two hits in the morning before work, and you will never miss the sleep from the night before. As a matter of fact, you will feel better than if you had skipped the drug and slept all night!"



Speedlore and Methology:


"The American Speedfreak is not a lost soul. We know how to have fun between the first ether gasp and locking ourselves in the closet. A twisted wisdom creeps into those of us who manage to survive, a sort of collective unconsciousness, an unspoken Crankster ideology:

It's time to get some sleep when:

You're out of crank

Your face is bouncing off the table

Your veins have completely disappeared beneath pasty goose flesh 

Your shoes don't fit anymore

24 simultaneous projects have stalled for lack of floor space suddenly 

everyone is a cop

You've just set yourself on fire, again

You're nodding out... 

into glassware

15 minutes after shooting a 1/4g 

at stoplights

in mid-sentence

in mid-shot

in mid-fuck"

(Speed Phreak)



Speed was created for a future world where everything moves at a faster clip, an unsettling velocity. Seemingly synthesized as an accessory to a fast car, high speed lifestyle, it has made mutations over the years to evolve for a new race. The punk, cyber, industrial and rave scenes has exemplified their fetish for speed. The desire for future frontiers -- high gloss veneers and space travel-- is not inhuman, but the problem comes with the human limitation to handle the extremes of rocket travel or the side-effects of re-entry. Like a space capsule falling to earth, the destruction that comes from the come-down can be severe.

The come-down is what many users refer to as "the crash." Usually symptoms like chills, nervous twitching, sweats and exhaustion are prevalent. The "high" produced is a result of extra activation chemicals in the brain. "The so-called stereotypic behavior in animals (compulsive gnawing, sniffing) is associated with dopamine release from reservoirs in neurons in the brain," says Matt Plunkett, an Organic Chemistry graduate student at U.C. Berkeley. "The increase in motor activity involves the noradrenaline system. [The drug] mimics the molecule noradrenaline (norepinephrine) at the receptors for this neurotransmitter. Hence your body acts as if there were more of it around."

Simply put, stimulants cause their effects by blocking re-uptake of neurotransmitters at a pre-synaptic membrane. The cell secretes activation chemicals, but cannot re-absorb them in the presence of cocaine or speed. The user feels "wired," full of energy, because their cells are receiving massive stimulation. The more concentrated the drug is, the more intense the rush is, and the more damaging the effects. In worst case scenarios, heart attacks occur from over stimulation and energy depletion.

The come down is a result of the chemical being released all at once, making you high, but then is subsequently degraded in the synapse. So once you come down, there's not as much as there normally should be, creating the "come-down blues."



Prevalent discussion between users on either side of the methamphetamine argument involves addiction. According to several studies, criteria for addiction includes: unsuccessful attempts to quit, persistent desire and craving, continued use despite knowledge of harm to oneself or others, taking the drug to avoid or relieve withdrawal. While the social definition for addiction is debatable, the chemical and physical activity in the body is founded in one of several compounds in the brain. "Many drugs that are addictive, have primary or major effects on the dopamine system (nicotine, amphetamine, cocaine, alcohol, heroine)," says Plunkett. "Drugs that don't have a major effect on dopamine generally aren't 'addictive' in the same way -- Marijuana, MDMA, LSD, psilocybin, etc. Although abuse potential is there, it doesn't generate the same kind of craving. Dopamine is normally involved with pleasure and reward, among many other biochemical roles."

With long-term abuse, the effects of methamphetamine become much more severe. Tolerance is an issue, like in most drugs, where more of the drug is needed to get "high." Psychosis, specific to methamphetamines usually sets in after a time which is said to include "suspicion, anxiety and auditory hallucination." Though reportedly, much more acute are the changes in lifestyle and eventually in personality that manifest. Users exhibit an affective disorder and subtle change in psychological temperament. Apparently, these symptoms can last up to five years. Many who have witnessed the changes in habitual users report the shift to aggressive or non-affectionate behavior which may also be attributed to methamphetamine. Also apparent is some nerve damage in habitual users (primarily crystal smokers) -- jaw clenching and facial ticks.However, how much can be attributed tot the drug and how much to sleep deprivation is unclear. 

Meth is one of the most addictive drugs of today's commonly used drugs. According to one study that appeared in In Health magazine (Dec. 1990), the addictive potential inherent in the drug, methamphetamine, taken nasally ranks over cocaine, caffeine and PCP (angel dust) in addictive qualities. MDMA, marijuana, psilocybin and LSD ranked at least 50 points lower than meth on a 100 point scale, nicotine being the highest above both crack and crystal meth. Talk of "addictive personalities" have recently been founded valid, involving individual physiology, psychology, social and economic pressures to suggest a person's vulnerability to drug dependency. Therefore, it does rely greatly on the person when talking about their potential for abuse. Still, many theorists contend that stimulants -- lumping in caffeine, nicotine and amphetamines -- by their nature are addictive and must be reconsidered by society.



Ethnobotanist, drug theorist and author Terence McKenna calls the "dominator" drugs -- synthetic drugs that have been refined and concentrated, therefore losing their natural link to the planet and to human-kind. He equates them with the religious fundamentalism and beige fascism of the post-industrial, Western world -- the center for ego-dominator culture. McKenna considers the natural psychedelics, psilocybin and even LSD, to be more intuitive and based upon the natural human spirit.

"Dominator" drugs have been established and validated by "dominator culture," a culture interested in the mass consumerism of these legitimate substances -- sugar, nicotine, caffeine. He relates the emergence of drugs like methamphetamine back to the institutionalized abuse of these substances. "The history of commercial drug synergies -- the way in which one drug has been cynically encouraged and used to support the introduction of others -- over the past five hundred years is not easy to contemplate," he writes in his book Food of the Gods.

"The hypocrisy of dominator culture as it picks and chooses the truths and realities that it finds comfortable," he continues. Some drugs like alcohol and nicotine have long been legal and subsidized by dominator culture, however their qualitative separation from drugs like cocaine or speed is still unclear. "[These drugs] are still at the depths of drug depravity especially considering the violent or illegal acts that the craving may induce [because of their illegal status], however tobacco addicts (smokers) might kill for their fix too if they had to, but instead they simply walk out to a 7-Eleven and buy cigarettes."



While I am no proponent of speed or drug abuse, I have become glaringly aware of the hypocrisy prevalent in mainstream and underground culture regarding the legitimation of certain drugs. When finger-pointing, it is important to remember the glass houses we all live in. Addiction is a problem, but the bigger problem is sweeping it into a closet, pretending it isn't real, pretending that our own addictions are more manageable.

Speed is a potentially dangerous substance. It can be used as a tool, like late-night coffee drinkers. It can also be used as a recreational drug. However, it can also be abused and exploited to the point where the need for it besides soothing a craving is the only point. And then, there is no point. Some may argue that there is an aesthetic, a qualitative high, however, by methamphetamine's nature -- as a refined, concentrated addictive substance -- it only perpetuates the cycle for needing more.

There is very little factual information about amphetamines and their dangers available to the lay person. Research on the subject, aside from medical journals, is virtually nill. There is however a great deal of dangerous propaganda -- hear-say, lies, rumors. Misinformation sometimes is more dangerous than no information and real answers are only found through communication.

Many other drugs have been part of the rave community over the years -- nitrous oxide, Special K (ketamine) and especially ecstasy (MDMA) but none have exhibited the burn-out or addiction rate associated with methamphetamine. While meth (or any drug) is an inert substance that we cannot attribute blame to, by its nature it has raised the question "Are we really built for speed?" It seems that the human body, while naturally resilient to much self-inflicted abuse, may not be a reliable container for the soul at high speeds. Methamphetamine may have the ability to chemically fuel the ride, physically it may just prove the limitations for human society.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Clifford Ball.TXT
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	The Ball, the ball, the ball.  The Clifford Ball 1996, the greatest musical performance I've ever witnessed, a time I'll never forget. 

	"Where the fuck is Plattsburg, New York?"  That was the main concern on a warm summer afternoon, as we began to pack up the car for a trip that will remain crisp in my mind better then vacation I've ever been on.  It was Tom, Tim, Joe, Beau, Tom' brother Steve, Alex who flew in from Wisconsin, Tim's brother Sean and myself Tony.  The weather couldn't been better, the mood...excitement, joy, and a little nervousness.  After all it was my first Phish show, and Tom was the only other one out of us all who had seen a Phish show.  I had always liked phish, but I was always reluctant to get tix for a show, I figured I could wait till they came to Giant Stadium, or  The Meadowlands.  One day I decided "What the hell!!"

	Plattsburg was a good 6 hours up I-87 from quiet River Vale, New Jersey.  So we spent most of the afternoon at Shop-rite, Campmor, and Ramsey outdoor.  We had sleeping bags, coolers of beer, soda, food, and more beer, tents, stoves, lanterns, bug torches, and clothes.  At around 12 midnite Friday morning we hit the road and embarked, on what would be a scared trip.  Tom drove the van with his brother and myself.  Tim in his red Festiva with Joe and Sean, and Beau in his blue Festiva with Alex.  Stopping only to piss and re-fuel, we busted up to Plattsburg, arriving around 6am.  It was amazing to see all the VW Westvalias up I-87 with Steal you Face, and dancing bear stickers.  Once arriving, we picked a spot to set camp (out of the Wetlands of course)  We followed the lead of crickets bouncing gently round room to a nice spot.  Close to the potable water, yet far enough from the rank smell of port-a-jons.  Then we got some needed sleep.

	We woke up around 1pm and I opened my eyes to my suprise...100,000 other people arrived while we were asleep!!!  Didn't bother me, the more the merry.  It was really strange.  Once I stepped out of the tent, I think I left something behind.  I didn't have a care in the world.  I forgot about my  job, my house, my life back home.  I WAS AT A PHISH SHOW, that's all that mattered.  Yeah, in an ordinary situation, the crickets would have bothered me.  I liked um.  The real freaky people that lived off acid and trying to get that one miracle would have bothered me, not that weekend.  Free hug...sure.  Do I have any nugs...have a seat and chill a while.  The feeling is like nothing else in the world.  Youth, energy, love, and fun.  

	6 PM Phish is coming on soon. We exchanged our tickets for wristband and headed in.  Mr. Sanity stepped out and welcomed us to the largest Phish in the world.   The cheers rang, and the chills ran through me, I'm going to have the time of my life.  Phish busted out with Chalkdust Torture.  "I love this song!" I said to Joe.  Before I knew it I caught the groove, dancing around, jumping singing, till I was at the point that I didn't know where any of my friends went.  It was to early to worry about that.  If I don't bump into them during the show, I'll see them at the end of the set, if not, at the camp-site.  I remember Haley's Comet and bouncing all over "I'm goin' down to the central part of town"  That lyric still stuck in my head.  Finally I bumped into Tim, who was tripping pretty hard, and I figured he could use some nugs.  We walked up to those little houses and received glitter and paint from some one....again, didn't bother me. I told the dude what to paint. I asked for a peace sign, got something that more or less looked like an egg but hey, I'M AT THE CLIFFORD BALL!!!  There was so much to do, so much to see, and a whole other day left.  After the band closed with Amazing Grace.  We headed back to camp, where we regrouped and talked for hours about the fantastic show that was displayed before us.  We walked around talked to thousands of people, we just had a great time.  

	The next day was better then the first.  Phish tore out tunes that I thought I would never hear.  Wilson, A Day In the Life, Suzie Greenburg, Tweezer, Strange Design...  After the show, we regrouped again.  At around 2 am some poor guy face-planted a Habachi that someone just BBQed off of, and he required some medical attention, we did what we could, but it was pretty bad and we sent him to First Aid.  That was an amazing thing in itself. The layout was perfect.  If you needed it, you could find it.  Water, food, help, stupid things that you forget to bring.  All with a stage for a backdrop, and a skyline so beautiful, I still haven't seen anything like it.  

	The Clifford Ball, was like no other show in the world.  I've seen the Dead, Allmans, Lollapalooza, Horde...I've seen a lot!!! Nothing has come close, and the only thing that might is next years Ball  (hopefully in the same place)  The one thing that stills troubles me though is that Mr. Sanity said he would show up at the end of the show...and he never did!

	
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\CocaCola and its Evolution.TXT
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Coca-Cola and its Evolution


        The Coca-Cola company started out as an insignificant one man business and over the last one 
hundred and ten years it has grown into one of the largest companies in the world.  The first operator of 
the company was Dr. John Pemberton and the current operator is Roberto Goizueta.  Without societies 
help, Coca-Cola could not have become over a 50 billion dollar business.
        Coca-Cola was invented by Dr. John Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist.  He concocted the 
formula in a three legged brass kettle in his backyard on May 8, 1886.  He mixed a combination of lime, 
cinnamon, coca leaves, and the seeds of a Brazilian shrub to make the fabulous beverage(Things go better 
with Coke 14).  Coca-Cola debuted in Atlanta's largest pharmacy, Jacob's Pharmacy, as a five cent non-
carbonated beverage.  Later on, the carbonated water was added to the syrup to make the beverage that we 
know today as Coca-Cola.
        Coca-Cola was originally used as a nerve and brain tonic and a medical elixir.  Coca-Cola was 
named by Frank Robinson, one of Pemberton's close friends, he also penned the famous Coca-Cola logo in 
unique script.  Dr. John Pemberton sold a portion of the Coca-Cola company to Asa Candler, after 
Pemberton's death the remainder was sold to Candler.  Pemberton was forced to sell because he was in a 
state of poor health and was in debt.  He had paid $76.96 for advertising, but he only made $50.00 in 
profits.  Candler acquired the whole company for $2,300(Coca-Cola multiple pages).
        Candler achieved a lot during his time as owner of the  company.  On January 31, 1893, the 
famous Coca-Cola formula was patented.  He also opened the first syrup manufacturing plant in 1884.  
His great achievement was large scale bottling of Coca-Cola in 1899.  In 1915, The Root Glass Company 
made the contour bottle for the Coca-Cola company.  Candler aggressively advertised Coca-Cola in 
newspapers and on billboards.  In the newspapers, he would give away coupons for a free Coke at any 
fountain.  Coca-Cola was sold after the Prohibition Era to Ernest Woodruff for 25 million dollars.  He 
gave Coca-Cola to his son, Robert Woodruff, who would be president for six decades(Facts, Figures, and 
Features Multiple pages).
        Robert Woodruff was an influential man in Atlanta because of his contributions to area colleges, 
universities, businesses and organizations.  When he made a contribution, he would never leave his name, 
this is how he became to be known as "Mr. Anonymous."  Woodruff introduced the six bottle carton in 
1923.  He also made Coca-Cola available through vending machine in 1929, that same year, the Coca-
Cola bell glass was made available.  He started advertising on the radio in the 1930s and on the television 
in 1950.  Currently Coca-Cola is advertised on over five hundred TV channels around the world.  In 1931, 
he introduced the Coke Santa as a Christmas promotion and it caught on.  Candler also introduced the 
twelve ounce Coke can in 1960.  The Coca-Cola contour bottle was patented in 1977.  The two liter bottle 
was introduced in 1978, the same year the company also introduced plastic bottles(Coca-Cola multiple 
pages).
        Woodruff did have one dubious distinction, he raised the syrup prices for distributors.  But he 
improved efficiency at every step of the manufacturing process.  Woodruff also increased productivity by 
improving the sales department, emphasizing quality control, and beginning large-scale advertising and 
promotional campaigns.  Woodruff made Coke available in every state of the Union through the soda 
fountain.  For all of these achievements he earned the name, "The Boss"(Facts, Figures, and Features 
Multiple pages).
        In 1985, the Coca-Cola Company made what has been known as one of the biggest marketing 
blunder.  The Coca-Cola company stumbled onto the new formula in efforts to produce diet Coke.  They 
put forth 4 million dollars of research to come up with the new formula.  The decision to change their 
formula and pull the old Coke off the market came about because taste tests showed a distinct preference 
for the new formula.  The new formula was a sweeter variation with less tang, it was also slightly 
smoother(Demott 54).
        Robert Woodruff's death was a large contributor to the change because he stated that he would 
never change Coca-Cola's formula.  Another factor that influenced the change was that Coke's market 
share fell 2.5 percent in four years.  Each percentage point lost or gain meant 200 million dollars.  A 
financial analyst said, "Coke's market share fell from 24.3 percent in 1980 to 21.8 percent in 
1984"(Things go better with Coke 14).  This was the first flavor change since the existence of the Coca-
Cola company.
        The change was announced April 23, 1985 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at the Lincoln 
Center.  Some two hundred TV and newspaper reporters attended this very glitzy announcement.  It 
included a question and answer session, a history of Coca-Cola, and many other elements(Oliver 131).  
The debut was accompanied by an advertising campaign that revived the Coca-Cola theme song of the 
early 1970s, "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke"(Say it ain't so, Coke 24).  The Jingle read like this:
        I'd like to teach the world to sing
        In perfect harmony.
        I'd like to buy the world a Coke
        And keep it company.

        The change to the world's best selling soft drink was heard by 81 percent of the United States 
population within twenty-four hours of the announcement.  Within a week of the change, one thousand 
calls a day were flooding the company's eight hundred number (1-800-GET-COKE).  Most of the callers 
were shocked and/or outraged, many said that they were considering switching to Pepsi.  Within six 
weeks, the eight hundred number was being jammed by six thousand calls a day.  The company also 
fielded over forty thousand letters, which were all answered and each person got a coupon for the new 
Coke.  A retired Air Force officer, explained in a letter to the Coca-Cola company that he wanted to be 
cremated and interred in a Coke can, but now that this change had come about he was 
reconsidering(Pendergrast Multiple pages).  Sharlotte Donneally, a thirty-six year old anthropologist said, 
"I hate the new stuff"(Demott 60).  Wendy Koskela, a thirty-five year old vice president of an insurance 
company said, "It's too sweet.  It tastes like Pepsi."  She also stated, "Real Coke had punch. This taste 
almost like it's flat"(Demott 60).  Many American consumers of Coca-Cola asked if they would have the 
final say.
        When Pepsi heard that the Coca-Cola company was changing its secret formula they said that it 
was a decision that Pepsi tastes better.  Roger Enrico, the president and CEO of Pepsi-Cola wrote a letter 
to every major newspaper in the U.S. to declare the victory, the letter read like this(Oliver 128):
                It gives me great pleasure to offer each of you my heartiest congratulations.  After 
eighty-seven years of going at it eyeball to eyeball, the other guy just blinked.  Coca-Cola is withdrawing 
their product from the marketplace, and is reformulating brand Coke to be more like Pepsi...There is no 
question the long-term market success of Pepsi has forced this move...Maybe they finally realized what 
most of us have known for years, Pepsi tastes better than Coke.  Well, people in trouble tend to do 
desperate things...and we'll have to keep our eye on them.  But for now, I say, victory is sweet, and we 
have earned a celebration.  We're going to declare a holiday on Friday. Enjoy!

                                                                Best Regards,
                                                                Roger Enrico
                                                                President, CEO
                                                                Pepsi-Cola USA

        Coca-Cola officials said, "The new formula will boost Coke's share by 1 percent.  That is worth 
200 million dollars a year."  Coca-Cola management had to decide:  Do nothing or "buy the world a new 
Coke"(Things go better with Coke 14).  They decided to develop the new formula.  Roberto Goizueta, the 
president of the Coca-Cola Company stated, "The old Coke formula, with its secret flavoring ingredient, 
called Merchandise 7X, will stay locked in the Trust Company of Georgia bank vault in Atlanta, never to 
be used again"(Demott et. al 55).  This is what many Coke officials said, "This is the most significant soft 
drink development in the company's history"(Demott et. al 54).
        The change back to the old Coke was known as the Second Coming.  Roberto Goizueta said, 
"Today, we have two messages to deliver to the American consumer, first, to those of you who are 
drinking Coca-Cola with its great new taste, our thanks...But there is a second group of consumers to 
whom we want to speak to today and our message to this group is simple:  We have heard you"(Oliver 
178).  On July 10, 1985, eighty-seven days after the new Coke was introduced, the old Coke was brought 
back in addition to the new one.  This was greatly due to dropping market share and consumer protest.  
The market share fell from a high of 15 percent to a low of 1.4 percent(Miller 38).
        Roberto Goizueta and Donald Keough took full blame for this failed product launch.  Don 
Keough, Coca-Cola president, said in response to the comeback, "The truth is we are not dumb and we are 
not that smart"(New bottle 18).  Roberto Goizueta's response when the change about, "We have heard 
you"(Moore 8).  This was said to be a classic marketing retreat.  Coca-Cola executives admitted that they 
had goofed by taking the old Coke off the market.  One old Coke loyalist said, "The company had spoiled 
the taste of its ninety nine year old soft drink and betrayed a national trust"(Moore 8).  Ike Herbert, a Coke 
marketer said, "You would have thought we had invented a cure for cancer"(Pendergrast 366).  The Coca-
Cola company's eight hundred number received eighteen thousand calls of gratitude.  One caller said they 
felt like a lost friend had returned home.  The comeback of old Coke drove stock prices to the highest level 
in twelve years.  This was said to be the only way to regain the lead on the cola wars(Classic comeback of 
an old champ 12).
        In 1979, fifteen hundred employees moved to the new corporate headquarters in Atlanta located 
on North Avenue.  The new corporate headquarters came to be known as "The Tower."  During the time 
when the research for the new formula was taking place, it was known as "The Bunker"(Oliver 53).  The 
known ingredients in present day Coca-Cola are water. caffeine, phosphoric acid, vanilla, various oils and 
essences and extracts of the coca leaf and the kola nut.  The one in four hundred part of cocaine was 
removed from Coca-Cola in 1903(Demott 54).  Five years after the infamous Coke fiasco, the Coca-Cola 
company tried to bring back the reformulated Coke.  The effort to phase in Coke II into the soda market 
was quite unsuccessful(Miller 38).
        During the Woodruff era, Mr. Woodruff made a promise to the armed forces of the United States 
to supply Coca-Cola to every serviceperson.  He said that costs and location did not matter, he supplied 5 
billion bottles to the service.  In the mid-1970's, more than half Coca-Cola sold was outside of the U.S.  
Coca-Cola products outsell closest competitor by more than two to one.  One in every two colas and one in 
every three soft drinks is a Coca-Cola product(Facts, Figures, and Features 16).  The best known 
trademark in the world is sold in about one hundred and forty countries to 5.8 billion people in eighty 
different languages.  This is why Coca-Cola is the largest soft drink company in the world.  Coca-Cola is 
worth more than 58 billion dollars on the stock market(Coca-Cola, The Coca-Cola Company 232).
        For more than 65 years, Coca-Cola has been a sponsor of the Olympics.  The 1996 Summer 
Olympics will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, the home of Coca-Cola.  One great earmark that the Coca-Cola 
company has is helping the people of Atlanta.  They accomplish this through scholarships, hotlines, 
donations and contributions, etc.  Another large accomplishment that the Coca-Cola has, is being the first 
company to make and use recycled plastic bottles.  One way to see all of the achievements of the Coca-
Cola company is to visit the World of Coke in Atlanta.  It houses a collection of memorabilia, samples of 
the products, exhibits, and many other exciting items(Facts, Figures, and Features Multiple pages).
        All of what has been said is the basis of what Coca-Cola was built on.  Without societies help, 
Coca-Cola could not have become over a 50 billion dollar business.  Keep on consuming the world's 
favorite soft drink, Coca-Cola.





 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Cocaine.TXT
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COCAINE. The potent drug cocaine was first prescribed as an anesthetic and a painkiller by doctors who believed that it was a safe substitute for morphine. The drug is a white, crystalline compound that has been processed from the leaves of the coca plant (Erythroxylum coca), a tropical shrub commonly found wild in Peru and Bolivia and cultivated in many other countries. For centuries South American Indians have chewed the coca leaves for pleasure and to help them withstand strenuous working conditions, hunger, and thirst. The cocaine in the leaves produces local anesthesia of the mouth and stomach.
   Cocaine is a dangerous, habit-forming drug. It is classified as an alkaloid compound. (Other well-known alkaloids are morphine, strychnine, and nicotine.) Cocaine stimulates the cortex of the brain, producing intense euphoria and the desire to repeat the experience; however, the drug has a highly toxic effect upon the central nervous system.
   The fine, white powder--also called snow, coke, or toot--can be tasted, but usually it is sniffed. It is readily absorbed into the bloodstream through the nasal mucous membranes, but it acts as an irritant to constrict blood vessels and sometimes causes ulcerations in the nasal cavity. Cocaine is also injected in solution into veins or may be smoked in chemically treated forms known as free base and crack.
   Any method of ingestion produces compulsive use, and drug dependency may develop in a relatively short time. Users are attracted at first when small amounts of cocaine decrease their fatigue and increase their mental awareness. When taken in larger amounts, cocaine may also produce digestive disorders, weight loss, sleeplessness, irritability, depression, and hallucinations or paranoia. Cocaine abuse overstimulates the spinal cord, and convulsions may result, leading to respiratory failure and death. (See Drugs)
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Covert Operation Panama and Nicaragua.TXT
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	In the 1950's, the repression of domestic political dissent reached near
hysteria.  In the process the CIA's covert operations, already in progress in
Europe, expanded worldwide.  By 1953, according to the 1970's Senate
investigation, there were major covert programs under way in 48 countries,
consisting of propaganda, paramilitary, and political action operations.  In
1949, the agency's covert action department had about 300 employees and 47
stations.  In the same period, the budget for these activities grew from $4.7
million to $82 million.  In this paper I will discuss the United States' use of
covert actions using Panama and Nicaragua as examples.  I had planned on
writing my paper on Manuel Noriega and his connections with the CIA but
the more I read into him I found the major topic outlying him was much more
interesting.  So with that I will continue on with this paper showing my
findings on the CIA and thier covert operations.
	Covert operations have become a way of life and death for millions of
people world wide who have lost their lives to these actions.  By 1980, covert
operations were costing billions of dollars.  CIA Director William Casey was
quoted as saying "covert actions were the keystone of U.S. policy in the
Third World."(Agee, 2)  Throughout the CIA's 45 years, one president after
another has used covert operations to intervene secretly, and sometimes not
so secretly , in the domestic affairs of other countries, presuming their affairs
were ours.  Almost always, money was spent for activities to prop up
political forces considered friendly to U.S. interests, or to weaken and destroy
those considered unfriendly or threatening.
	The friends were easy to define, they were those who believed and
acted like us, took orders and cooperated.  Until the collapse of communism
in Eastern Europe, enemies were also readily recognized: the Soviet Union 
										Higgins 2
and its allies, with China having ambiguous status since the 1970's.  But
there were other countries the CIA took actions against who were not
associated with the Soviets.  Iran in 1953, Guatemala in 1954, Indonesia in
1958, Cuba in 1959, Ecuador in 1963, Brazil in 1964, Chile in 1970,
Nicaragua in 1979 and Grenada in 1983 to name a few.(Agee, 2)  These
governments, and others attacked by the U.S., were left, nationalist,
reform-minded, populist or uncooperative and U.S. hostility drove some of
them to seek arms and other support from the Soviet Union.  Usually, the
CIA mounted covert operations to weaken and destroy the programs
supporting communism by leading and advertising anti-Communist
solidarity.  The local elites, whose privileged position was also threatened by
movements for social change, were the CIA's natural allies.(Agee, 3)  For
more in-depth examples, I will look at some covert operations in the 1980's.
	Central America was a major focus of U.S. attention during the
1980's.  Through CIA covert and semi-covert operations, the U.S. tried
simultaneously to overthrow the government of Nicaragua and to destroy the
movement for revolutionary reform in El Salvador.  In Nicaragua the means
were terrorism and destruction through a 10,000 man paramilitary force,
along with a economic blockade, propaganda and diplomatic
pressures.(Stiles, 346)  About 1% of the population, some 35,000 people,
died.  In El Salvador, the CIA an U.S. military expanded local military and
security forces, and with the use of death squads, the U.S backed forces
killed over 70,000 people.  Although they targeted trade unionists, student
activists, human rights advocates and peasant organizers, the majority of the
deaths were killed to instill terror.  The CIA in El Salvador used
demonstration elections as public relations exercises to cover their atrocities.  
										Higgins 3
The military controlled civilian government could then be renamed a
"democracy".
	In the 1980's, in both Nicaragua and El Salvador, the U.S. introduced
a new way for exporting U.S.-style democracy, the National Endowment for
Democracy(NED).  The NED allowed money to flow from the CIA to a
bogus foundation, then to U.S. private organizations like the National
Student Association(NSA), and from there to a foreign government.  The
money was to flow to foundations that were fighting the "global ideological
challenge." The projected beneficiaries were governments, political parties,
media, universities, trade unions, churches and employer associations, all
traditional CIA covert action targets.(Agee, 5)  In the Soviet Bloc, the NED
money would be used to promote anti-Communist dissidence through
propaganda and would support internal opposition programs.  The NED was
also used as a way to spot potential recruits as sources of intelligence and
agents of influence.  
	Panama was an early example of political intervention through the
NED.  In the 1984 election, General Manuel Noriega selected an economist,
Nicholas Barletta, as the presidential candidate for the military controlled
Democratic Revolutionary Party(PRD).  The U.S. feared that, if elected,
Barletta and his anti-military platform would bring instability to Panama. 
The U.S. interest was to ensure that a new Panamanian president would
continue to cooperate with U.S. efforts to overthrow the Sandinista
government in Nicaragua and to defeat the insurgency in El Salvador. 
Noriega, a long-time CIA "asset", was at the time providing services of great
importance to the U.S., allowing Panama to be used for Contra training and
supply bases, as well as for training Salvadoran military 
										Higgins 4
officers.(Kinsley,46)  Barletta's election would ensure untroubled
continuation of these activities.  During the election campaign, the NED
passed money through the Free Trade Union to finance Panamanian unions
which actively supported Barletta.  The vote count fraud organized by
Noriega gave Barletta his election victory, but the Reagan-Bush
administration made no protest even though the U.S. Embassy count showed
Arias the winner by 8,000 votes.(Kinsley, 46)
	Reagan received Barletta in the White house and Shultz attended his
inauguration.  A more thorough study of the 1984 Panamanian elections
would probably uncover more NED money and showed that the CIA funded
the victory.  By 1987, Noriega's usefulness to the U.S. was coming to an end. 
A military mission went under way for his indictment by the Justice
Department for drug trafficking and the CIA began to plot his removal from
power.(Kinsley, 47)  The lesson of the Noriega saga seem very clear.  The
Bush justification of the invasion to combat drug trafficking and bring
Noriega to justice could not be the real reason because the CIA and other
agencies had known of his drug dealing since the early 1970's.  The real
reasons were that Noriega was no longer needed for support of U.S. goals in
Nicaragua and El Salvador and it was Noriega himself that was becoming the
source of instability in Panama.  Using Noriega as a pretext for invasion, the
Bush administration could destroy the Panamanian Defense Forces and
reverse the social reforms favoring the poor majority.(Kinsley, 48)  This keep
the door open to the U.S. to retain its military bases and control of the
Panama canal past the 1999 turnover date set by the Carter - Torrijos treaties.
On the night of the invasion, Guillerma Endara, was sworn in as President on
a U.S. military base and democracy was restored.  Within a short period of 
										Higgins 5
time, the drug dealing and money laundering in Panama would exceeded that
of the Noriega period(Kinsley, 48)
	A military force was also required to " restore democracy" in
Nicaragua.  In this case, however, the invasion was carried out by a surrogate
army of 10,000 contras built by the CIA around the remnants of the 43-year
old Somoza dictatorship's National Guard, itself a U.S. creation.(Agee, 7) 
Beginning  in 1981, through terrorism and destruction, this force gradually
bled the economy, undermined the Sandinista social programs, and
demoralized the a large sector of  the population which had supported the
revolution.   By 1990, faced with nothing but worsening poverty and
continuing terror, the Nicaraguan electorate gave the victory to the
Nicaraguan Opposition Union (NOU).  This anti-Sandinista coalition was
created and financed by various U.S. agencies, including the CIA and the
NED.  In order to undermine links between the Sandinistas and the people,
the CIA deflected the Contras away from the Nicaraguan military toward
"soft" targets having minimum defenses: clinics, schools, infrastructure like
roads and bridges.  They also destroyed port installations and mined harbors. 
As a result, average individual consumption dropped 61% between 1980 and
1988.  On estimate puts the U.S. investment in the Contra war at $1
billion.(Agee, 7)  Though the Contras successfully sabotaged the economy
and terrorized large sectors of the rural population, they failed to defeat the
Sandinista military or even take and hold the smallest town for any length of
time.  Meanwhile, the U.S. economic blockade cost the economy $3 billion. 
Another very popular covert action that the CIA is guilty of is that of the
propaganda war.

										Higgins 6
	From the beginning of the war against Nicaragua, the Reagan-Bush
administration faced the problem of overcoming public opposition at home. 
The solution was to repeat Edward W. Barrett's 1950 domestic propaganda
campaign to "sell the soviet threat" .  In 1982, Walter Raymond, moved from
the Agency to the National Security Council to head the campaign while the
Contras, under CIA direction, began their own PR campaign in the U.S.  A
public office was set up in the State Department as the Office of Public
Diplomacy for Latin America and the Caribbean and the man behind the
scenes was Raymond.  The office then handled the contacts with think tanks,
researchers and media.  The purpose was to place, in the public's
imagination, black hats on the Sandinistas and white hats on the
Contras.(Agee, 8)  In effect, it became a huge government campaign using
taxpayer money to propagandize the same taxpayers and their representatives
in Congress.  By 1987, it was clear that, although they could continue to
terrorize and destroy infrastructure, the Contras could never win a military
victory.  So the CIA needed a way to mobilize a large propaganda war to
divide the Sandinistas and the 3.5 million Nicaraguan's  
	A U.S. plan called for mobilizing three main bodies, a political
coalition to oppose the Sandinistas, a trade union coalition, and a mass civic
organization. The most important part of the propaganda campaign would be
the use of the media operations.  The first group that was targeted was the
political coalition in Nicaragua.  The operation was to use the U.S. Embassy
in Managua and let it be known to about two dozen disparate factions that
money would be available only to those that "got on board".(Agee, 8)  The
result was UNO, whose electoral budget was prepared in the U.S. Embassy, 

										Higgins 7
and whose presidential candidate, Violets Chamorro, owned the
anti-Sandinista daily La Prensa, which had received money from the CIA. 
	The second operation involved the labor coalition which was called the
Permanent Workers Congress(CPT).  This organization, crucial to using the
economic crisis as a principal campaign issue, grouped five union centers for
propaganda and voter registration.  Some of these unions had also received
prior U.S. funding.  The NED spent at least $12.5 million to finance this
election in Nicaragua but the NED spent upwards of  $2 billion in the total
U.S. intervention.  Most of that $2 billion was spent on an array of
intermediary organizations in the U.S. and other countries that spent it for
programs in training, propaganda and support of the coalitions.  The CIA, in
addition, is estimated to have spent $11 million, possibly even more, in these
fraudulent elections.(Agee, 9) Even though the U.S. has been easy to spot
behind these covert operations, it seems that the CIA does not plan anytime
soon to abort with future actions.
	The 1993 U.S. defense plan, at  $1.5 trillion for the next five years,
suggests that the money will be there for covert interventions.  The Bush plan
called for a 3% reduction in defense spending under the projections made
before the dissolution of the Soviet Union.  According to the then Director of
Central Intelligence, Robert Gates, reductions in the intelligence community
budget hidden in the overall defense budget but generally believed to be in
excess of $31 billion will begin at only 2.5%.(Wilson)  Meanwhile plans
under discussion in Congress for reorganizing the whole intelligence
community would maintain the capability and legality, under U.S. law to
continue covert operations.  The Defense Department, CIA and other 

										Higgins 8
intelligence agencies have had to make new justifications for their budgets
now that the Soviet menace is gone.  
	The worldwide opportunities and needs for covert operations will
remain as long as stability, control and authority  form the cornerstone of a
U.S. policy that permits it.  In fact, Congress passed the National security
Education Act in 1991, providing $150 million in "start up" money for
development and expansion of university programs in area and language
studies, and for scholarships, including foreign studies, for the next
generation of national security state bureaucrats.(Wilson)  The notable fact is
that this program is not to be administered by the Department of Education
but by the Pentagon, the CIA, and other security agencies.  Alternatives to
continuing militarism abroad and social decay at home still exist.  Yet
militarism and world domination continue to be the main national priority,
with covert operations playing an integral role.  Everyone knows that as long
as this continues, there will be no solutions to domestic troubles, and the U.S.
will continue to decline while growing more separate and unequal.  The U.S.
government has no "red menace" to whip up hysteria, but the war on drugs
seems to be quite adequate for justifying law enforcement practices that have
political applications as well.  The U.S. should note that in the current
political climate, with clamor for change everywhere, the guardians of
traditional power will not give up without a fight.  The CIA will find their
new "threats" and "enemies" in black youths, undocumented immigrants,
environmentalists, feminists, gays and lesbians and go on to more
"mainstream" opponents in attempts, including domestic covert operations, to
divide and discredit the lager movement for reform.
	



	              Covert Operations:
	 Panama and Nicaragua




						 


			  
		      			



				Works Cited

Agee, Philip. Covert Action Quarterly.
	Washington D.C. 1991.
Kinsley, Michael.  Time. We Shoot People Don't We.
	October 23, 1989.  Time Warner. 
Stiles, Kendall.  Case Histories in International Politics.
	Harper Collins Publishers, New York 1995
Wilson, Catherine.  The Philadelphia Inquirer.
	 New trial is ruled for Noriega. March 28, 1996.



 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Dare Drug Essay.TXT
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	I Promise not to do drugs because I know that if I do drugs A. Nobody will like me except people that do drugs (druggies). Also I'd rather be drug-free than a druggie.
	 I've learned a lot in Dare. First of all, I always have someone to talk to for all of my problems. Like when I have family, friend or any trouble, I can talk instead of having it bottled up inside of me. In Dare, I learned that there is more stuff to do instead of smoking. Like for instance, My friend and I are starting a street hockey league. We have about twenty-six kids signed up. This league will give kids who either ignored Dare or didn't have Dare a chance to find out that there's stuff you can do for your self like stay physically fit & staying off drugs. I have also learned that not many kids in Cutler Middle School don't do drugs.I always thought that when I got into middle school,everybody is going to force me to do drugs.
	 I should avoid violence because I could have a risk,depending on the situation,of getting myself killed!
	 There's another big thing.Consquences.Conquences are either good or bad. Like if I were to tag a building,I could get arrested or become an outcast from all my friends. If I was to help a senior citizen, I would feel pretty good inside.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Debate Breif Gangs and Juvenile Violence Affermative.TXT
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Introduction
                     

I.	-A Los Angeles family takes a wrong turn into gang territory and is fired upon. A 3-year-old is 		  killed and her 2-year-old brother wounded. 

 	-A Chinese immigrant in Brooklyn is kidnapped by a Chinatown gang which demands ransom
	  payments from her family. She is murdered when the family fails to pay. 

	-Two FBI agents and a police sergeant are murdered inside the Washington, D.C. police
	  headquarters by a gang member. 

	-A Pittsburgh police sergeant walking home with his daughter is killed with his own gun after he
	  stops and confronts a gang spraying graffiti on a street.

II.  Resolved : that the Federal Government should pass laws to prevent the development gang related youth violence. 
	Definitions-

			1. Development: as defined in Websters Dictionary is "to make more 					elaborate; to enlarge"
			
			2. Gang: as defined in Websters is "A group of persons who are organized and 			work together or socialize regularly; a group of adolescent hoodlums or 				criminals; gang up on; to attack as a group."
			
			3. Violence: as defined in Websters is "Physical force or activity used to cause 			harm, damage or abuse"

			4. Youth: as defined in Websters is "The appearance or state of appearing 				young; the time of life when one is not considered a adult; a young person"


	
III.  Our current juvenile justice system is no longer adequate for today's hardened young gang members.  Demographics indicated this problem is not going away.  In fact, only will get worse.  This is a serious problem that can not be left unchecked.  If this is not addressed it will only lead to the decay of our society.  We must take action to combat gangs in a new way.  Vice President Albert Gore recently told the White House press corps, "Gangs have been a major cause of the growth in violent crime in the past decade."  He cited a Treasury Department report that found the presence of rival gangs, the Bloods and the Crips, in 35 states and 58 cities across the country.  At the same press conference, Attorney General Janet Reno cited the impact of disabling one gang in New Haven, Connecticut. Eighteen members of the "Jungleboy" street gang were put in jail, and, according to Reno, New Haven's murder rate fell by one-third in 1993.
 

I. Outline of Need Arguments

A.  Problem:  Many highly rated experts warn of the impending youth crime crisis. Youth violent crime has been rising dramatically for more than a decade.   An upward surge in youthful perpetrators of violence is complemented by an unprecedented growth in youth living with little or no adult supervision.  Professor Dean Rojek, a sociologist at the University of Georgia, says, "For decades violent crime
was driven mostly by adults, with kids involved mostly in property crime.... What's been changing is
that you have juveniles becoming much more involved in violent offenses, with the use of weapons. If
we add to this more babies, you could have a multiplier effect... a mini explosion [in violent crime by
youth]." Gang's only heighten this problem.
	California authorities describe the youth gang as a "violent and insidious new form of organized crime. Heavily armed with sophisticated weapons, (gangs) are involved in drug trafficking, witness intimidation, extortion, and bloody territorial wars. In some cases they are traveling out of state to spread their violence and crime."
	According to the FBI, "The fastest growing murder circumstance is juvenile gang killings."  Almost one-third of Los Angeles' homicides are gang related. Nationwide, the rate of violent
offenses by gang members is three times as high as for non-gang delinquents.
	"Unless we act now," says Attorney General Janet Reno, "to stop young people from choosing a life of violence and crime, the beginning of the 21st century could bring levels of violent crime to our communities that far exceed what we have experienced."   Reggie Walton, a Washington, D.C. Superior Court judge who handles juvenile cases, blames it on the disappearance of fathers. Walton says fathers leave children to be raised by young mothers who themselves are often struggling with mental or emotional problems, limited education, poverty and addiction. Walton labels these children "walking time bombs." 
	This time bomb has been in the making for some time. Today, and historically, young males commit far more crimes than other age groups.  Teenagers commit the largest portion of all crime in America.  More than one-third of all murders are committed by offenders under the age of twenty one.  More murders and robberies are committed by eight-teen year old males than any other group. (Paul McNulty, "Natural Born Killers?  Preventing the Coming of Explosion of Teenage Crime", 1995)

	No matter the type of gang, most gang members are male. A Chicago study of four police districts found that only 2 to 5 percent of gang arrested were female. These females are typically
auxiliary gang members. 
	Gang members range in age from 8 to 22 years old, but there are exceptions where tenure is often well beyond 22 to perhaps more than 40 years old. A counselor in a juvenile detention facility in California said: "(If) you find a gang member who comes from a complete nuclear family, a kid who
has never been exposed to any kind of abuse, I'd like to meet him.... a real 'gangbanger' who comes
from a happy, balanced home, who's got a good opinion of himself. I don't think that kid exists."
	Sydney Harris, a nationally syndicated columnist, said, "Gang members tend to be chronic losers, who can accomplish nothing individually, or who live in so depressed an environment that only by
banding together can they exercise any influence over their lives. In both cases, they are as much to
be pitied as condemned."

B. Significance: Young males belonging to a gang have been proved to be much more violent than non-gang members:

	Orange County, California probation statistics indicate that gang-related youth had significantly 		higher law-violation rates (55.1 percent) than non-gang affiliated youth (26.4 percent). A 		study of 20 years of data collected by Philadelphia's police gang unit shows that "gangs engage		 in more violent behavior than do delinquent non-gang groups."

	A study in Wisconsin found that most violent crimes by youths were committed by groups of 		three or more. This "pack" behavior, not surprisingly, seems to be at the core of much of the rise 	in youth crime.

	A study of New York City teenage gunshot victims found that 40 percent were shot during 		school hours. Another study found that of children and teenagers wounded in drive-by shootings 	in Los Angeles, 71 percent were "documented members of street gangs."

	Not only do gang members tend to be more violent than non-gang members, but gang membership appears to prolong one's criminal career. One study found that a "large portion of persistent and dangerous juvenile gang offenders become even more serious adult offenders." Another study in
California found that previously-incarcerated gang members continued their lives of crime after being
released.
	Gangs are spreading across the country and are not just limited to major cities. Bernard Friedlander, a University of Hartford psychology professor and a violence expert, says, "This is an American problem, not an inner-city problem.... It's spreading slowly.... On one level it's simple fad
imitation... but on another level the isolation of youth is just as profound in some of the more stable areas as in the inner city." 
	The spread of gangs can be attributed to at least three factors. First, parents, desiring to protect their gang-culture-saturated children from the hometown gang's influence, send them to relatives across
the country. Sometimes this strategy works. But many times this back fires and helps transplant the gang
culture into a new community. 
	The drug trade has created entrepreneurial gangs which fan out across the country to expand their markets. Franchises of the Bloods and the Crips are now in most metropolitan centers. With their expansion, they have introduced collateral, gang-like violence, reminiscent of the Mob earlier in the century. 
	To an extent the entertainment industry contributes to the spread of gangs. The gang culture, value system and mentality are sprinkled across the country through movies and "gangsta" rap music. These cultural amplifiers educate young audiences to gang values and attitudes. They denigrate women, promote exaggerated manhood or "machismo," and glorify violence. They also pass on gang language, symbols, activities, and traditions.

	According to Justice Department estimates, the United States has some 1,436 gangs and 120,636 gang members. They exist in all size communities and in rural areas. The Justice Department figures are disputed by the National School Safety Center, which in 1993 estimated that the Los Angeles area alone has at least 959 gangs with approximately 125,000 gang members. 
	There are many types of gangs. Some are black, white, Asian, Hispanic or other ethnic-centered gangs. Others are structured around territory, commercial activities, corporate businesses, political agendas, religion, music and special types of crime. 

	Race/ethnic-based gangs: Larry Rawles, deputy director of Philadelphia's Crisis Intervention 		Network, says, "When any ethnic group was at the bottom, they formed gangs -- the Jews, the 		Irish, the Italians." Gangs offered status, a sense of self-worth, and protection. Today, most 		gangs are racially segregated (54.6 percent are African American and 32.6 percent are 			Hispanic). Blacks and Hispanics constitute the largest numbers of youths arrested for gang 		offenses today.
		The all-black rival gangs, the Crips and the Bloods, have an estimated 70,000 members 	in Los Angeles County alone. They have franchises in most states and metropolitan communities 	where they tend to dominate the crack cocaine trade. 
		Darlyne Pettinicchio, a probation officer in Orange County, California, says, "(White 		gangs are) punk rockers and heavy metalers (who) come from all socio-economic classes.  		They're of average intelligence and they're capable youngsters. They have very little parental 		authority. They're usually angry. Their dance is violent. Their music is violent. Their behavior is 		violent. They're into anarchy."

	Economic-based gangs: Some gangs are organized around a commercial activity. Members 		may be all from a single race or the same neighborhood or they may be very diverse. The glue 		that holds them together is making money. They often see themselves as Robin Hoods or 		Bonnie-and-Clyde types who practice 	their own version of free enterprise. A close cousin is 		the corporate gang, which selects a type of industry or business and dominates the field through 		intimidation and violence. 

	Territorial gangs: can be from any race or ethnic background. They lay claim to a particular 		territory. They typically "tag" their territory with gang graffiti and are willing to defend their turf to 	the death. 
	Professor Cornel West, a Princeton University social scholar, says in his book Race Matters
"The frightening result is a numbing detachment from others and a self-destructive disposition toward
the world. Life without meaning, hope, and love breeds a cold-hearted, mean-spirited outlook that
destroys both the individual and others." 
	The youth gang satisfies a void. It provides the child a sense of identity, belonging, power, and
protection. The gang satisfies the child's desire to feel secure. Living in a high-risk environment
without paternal protection, the young gangster satisfies his insecurities by aligning himself with a
gang, his surrogate family. The gang provides a protective barrier against the outside forces. One gang member says, "Being in a gang means if I didn't have no family, I think that's where I'll be. If I didn't have no job that's where I'd be. To me it's community help without all the community. They'll understand better than my mother and father."
	This new "family" has a distinct set of values that affect every aspect of his life. According to the Los Angeles District Attorney, "It confronts and confounds adult authority on every level -- sex, work, power, love, education, language, dress, music, drugs, alcohol, violence. As icons of popular culture, gangs not only represent a powerful group identity utterly inaccessible to adults, they are surrounded with an appealing aura of outlaw danger." 
	"Tagging" their territory with gang graffiti is common. It proclaims the presence of the gang and offers a challenge to rivals. It may claim credit for a crime. The denser the graffiti, the closer one is to the
gang's core territory. The Crips often mark "B/K" for "Bloods killers."

The gang problem is obviously a enormous one for Americas youth and must be dealt with swiftly and effectively. My partner Tom will detail our plan later on in this debate.

















II. Outline of Plan


A. Program:	
	This program will detail ways of preventing some gang violence.  No plan or program could ever get rid of the gang problem as a whole.  Our plan is primarily focused on prevention but also includes some stricter laws as a deterrent to others.  Our aim is to significantly decrease the gang problem in America.


1.Higher mandatory school enrollment age:                                                                                   
	
	Higher the age a child can legally withdraw from school to the age of 18.  This would make sure all children had a better education.  It would also keep many involved in school and off the streets, with out as much time to commit to criminal behavior.  Preventing "drop out's" from causing trouble often related to gangs.  A exception to this law would be made for any High School or GED graduate.

	Cost: 		NONE; funding for these students is already in place
	Enforcement: 	$50 fine for any illegal absence


2.More "Real World" training in High Schools:                                                                            
	
	Make vocational and other job specific classes more available.  Not all teens can or want to, go to Higher Education.  If they had a career path right out of High School many would not join gangs for economic reasons.  Computer and other high tech training will be available and well as the traditional Automotive, Construction, ect.

	Cost:		Federal Government will not build one Stealth B-1 bomber plane ($1.1 billion).
			Funds will be diverted to local school districts with the most need for 					equipment.
	Enforcement:	All federal funding of schools will be revoked from any non compling local 				jurisdictions


3. National Curfue Law:                                                                                                                   
	
	A 12:00 midnight to 5:00AM national curfew for all persons under the age of 18.  Exceptions would be made if the child was with a legal gardein or some one over the age of 25.  This has been very successful in reducing crime some localities.

	Cost:		NONE
	Enforcement:	Any law enforcement officer can issue a (maximum $75 minimum $20) citation 				during regular patrol.


4. Expand the Drug Free School Zone Program:                                                                            
	
	Not only would drug penalties be doubled within a 1000 yard radius of any school but also any crime that could be linked to gang activity the penalty would also be doubled.  From a illegally parked car to murder, all punishments doubled for known gang members.

	Cost:		Funded via. sin taxes on items such as alcohol and tobacco.  Money would pay 				for extra patrols of school areas and added jail time for those convicted.
	Enforcement:	Double punishment for any illegal activities that could be related to gang 				activities.  Quadruple penalties for any gang members committing a drug 					related crime in those areas.


5. "Drive by's" act of terrorism:                                                                                                     
	
	By labeling thing such as "drive by" shootings, or any violence directed at the public in general, an act of terrorism they would be a federal offense punishable by death.  Committing a federal offense normally carries a much higher sentence than that of local jurisdictions, and is punishable by death no matter what state the crime was done in.

	Cost: 		Negligible
	Enforcement:	Punishable by Death (Capital Offense); Mandatory life in prison for any adult 				involved.  Juvenile Mandatory 50 years.
	

6. Expand programs such as Head Start:                                                                                        

	Expand pre-kindergarden programs such as Head Start to be avalible for all, just like public school.  Will give millions of children, 2 and up, a preschool program who parents previously could not afford.  Also lets parents go to work and get off welfare programs.

	Cost: 		The cost of the school would be offset by the amount of single parents being 				able to go back to work and therefor not relying of welfare and food stamps.
	Enforcement:	NONE


B. Solvency:
	Individual programs such as Head Start, Curfew, Real World Training, and Drug Free School zones, have all ready proved there worthiness.  Either by already partially implementation around the country or full implementation in select cities and proven to work.
	New ideas such as Drive By's a terrorist act, and increasing the legal age to leave school are both very workable ideas but have not to my knowledge been tested in any fashion.  These two programs need to be tested for say 1 year before being implementing for the entire county.


C. Advantages:
	While none of these six plans would do much to curb violent gangs alone, all of them at the same time should make a noticed difference.  Also side benefits of my plan are: 

	Free preschool for all children older than 2 years of age
	Allows single parents to work
	Decreases gang and drug activity outside our schools
	Gets tough with the most violent gang members
	Encourages kids to stay in school
	Better job training is offered for High Schoolers



III. Conclusion


	"We've got so many kids out there who've lost hope, who believe in only living for today," says John Turner, chief of police for the city of Mountlake Terrace, Washington. "They join a gang and get
involved in criminal activity because there aren't any people taking them by the hand in simple terms
and pointing them in the right direction, giving them self-esteem and positive feedback."
	Perhaps gangs exist because modern society has failed to harness the male hunter/predator instinct and converted those energies to familial provider/protector efforts. Delinquent young people lacking values, conscience or a sense of remorse can easily find themselves drawn to the gang lifestyle. 
	Noted author James Q. Wilson writes in The Moral Sense that modern society with its "rapid
technological change, intense division of labor, and ambiguous allocation of social roles, frequently
leaves some men out, with their aggressive pre dispositions either uncontrolled or undirected. Gangs
are one result."  Wilson says the profits from illegal drug sales provide gang members economic opportunities which combine with their uncontrolled aggression to develop a "warrior culture that under invests in family life." 
	Converting male energy to familial provider/protector efforts has always been the task of the intact family. But the nuclear family is declining, especially in predominantly black inner cities where gangs dominate life and rain violent crime. Many of these children join gangs to find purpose, security, and self-esteem. The gang culture gives them a sense of belonging and remakes their value system.
Partying, fighting, and vicious gang loyalty become their primary values, thus pushing aside virtues
that favor family life. This is a vicious cycle and it must be broken.
	Given that youth gangs account for a disproportionate share of youth violence, their potential for
contributing to a future crime wave is enormous. A recent decline in violent crime appears to be more a result of fewer teenagers than better law enforcement. When the current bumper crop of elementary-age children become adolescents, the violent crime rate is likely to explode.

	Gangs are the powder magazine, they must be dealt with before the bomb goes off. 


Rebuttal extensions-

Population of 14-18 year olds

Now 		17,620,472
5 Years	18,628,635   	+ 6 %
10 Years	20,284,601	+ 15% 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Doping.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
Indholdsfortegnelse

						       Side	
Indholdsfortegnelse................................................................................. 1
Forord, indledning..................................................................................  2
Dopingens historie.................................................................................  3
Forskellige former for doping bruges? virker de?................................  4
Anabolske androgene steroider...................................................... ........ 7
Anabolske steroiders virkemċde.........................................................     8
Bivirkninger..........................................................................................   9
Grunden til misbruget...........................................................................  12
Hvad kan forebygge doping?................................................................ 13
Dopinglovgivningen............................................................................... 14
Konklusion...........................................................................................  16
Litteraturliste......................................................................................... 17
Bilag..................................................................................................... 18-22
Interview med Bodybuilder ( Martin ) er vedlagt som bilag.













Forord
	Brugen af stoffer der skulle ĝge prĉstationsevnen har de sidste ċr vĉret meget til debat i aviser, fjernsynet og i radioen. Dette hĉnger sammen med de kampagner og afslĝringer der har fundet sted. Der kĝrer i ĝjeblikket en kampagne i Danmark til skrĉk og advarsel. Politiet beslaglagde i 1993 500.000 doser hvilket hĝjst sandsynligt kun er en drċbe i havet1 . Der menes at vĉre omkring 10.000 brugere af anabolske steroider i Danmark, men det reelle tal er sikkert meget hĝjere. Dette mċ man sige er et meget hĝjt tal og mċ sċ faktisk betegnes som et samfundsproblem. Behandlingen foregċr dog ikke pċ samme mċde som ved andre samfundsproblemer sċsom narkotika. Godt nok er de anabolske steroider kommet med i narkotikalovgivningen, men folk der har vĉret underkastet de anabolske mener jeg er mere fordĝmt end narkomanerne. De enkelte, der har taget anabolske steroider har jo selv vĉre skyld i deres sygdomme. 

Indledning
Den officielle definition af doping:
		"Ved doping forstċs tilfĝrsel af medikamenter, eller ved 	hjĉlp af andre metoder, at ĝge idrĉtsudĝverens konkurrencedygtighed pċ en kunstig mċde." (Doping: s. 1)

	Nċr folk dyrker idrĉt i forening eller klub tror jeg de ofte har nogle mċlsĉtninger med deres sport. Om der snydes eller kun bruges lovlige midler er folk efterhċnden ligeglade med. Det gĉlder om at vinde.  Denne mentalitet burde der i hĝj grad laves om pċ og jeg vil pċ de fĝlgende godt og vel 11 sider tage stilling til en masse facts om doping. Er det f.eks helt iorden at sĉtte sit og andres liv pċ spil ved selv at bruge og sĉlge stofferne? Ligeledes vil jeg diskutere andre spĝrgsmċl sċsom; hvorfor der bruges doping og hvilke virkemċder og bivirkninger der findes og bagefter give mit personlige bud herpċ. Personligt mener jeg at mulighederne for at standse eller ihvertfald nedsĉtte brugen af disse stoffer og hermed fċ en fair kamp pċ ikke mindst eliteplan, spiller en sċ stor rolle at der snart mċ gĝres noget, inden misbruget lĝber helt lĝbsk. Jeg har ved at interviewe en forhenvĉrende bodybuilder (Martin) kunnet gĝre rede for hvilke stoffer, der idag hovedsagligt bruges af bodybuildere. Se iĝvrigt vedlagte bilag for interview med Martin.

Dopingens historie
	Brugen af forskellige former for stimulanser, der skulle fĝre til bedre resultater, har vĉret et kendt fĉnomen igennem ċrhundreder. I det gamle Grĉkenland spiste sportsfolk, der konkurrerede ved f. eks De olympiske Lege masser af tĝrrede figner der skulle forbedre deres prĉstationer.
	I midten af det 19. ċrhundrede stĝdtes der for fĝrste gang pċ ordet doping. Det skete i Sydafrika hvor et naturfolk kaldet Kaffierne, brugte en speciel berusende drik nċr deres krigere skulle i kamp, eller nċr en religiĝs ceremoni skulle afholdes. Sportsfolk begyndte at eksperimentere fra omkring 1870' erne, og kanalsvĝmmere i Amsterdam blev beskyldt for at vĉre dopede. Det var omtrent pċ samme tidspunkt, at de fĝrste beviser mod dopede cykelryttere sċ dagens lys. Udbredelsen af forskellige former for doping tog til i perioden mellem 1890 og 1920, og franskmĉndene blev beskyldt for at bruge koffeintabletter. Englĉnderne fik skylden for at bruge kokain, heroin, stryknin og cognac samt at indtage ilt.2  
	I 1920' erne og 30' erne skete der ikke synderligt meget indenfor fremstillingen af nye prĉparater, men under anden verdenskrig blev det der senere skulle fċ tilnavne som: "ferietabletter, krudt eller speed" opfundet. Det var stoffet amphetamin der fik den helt store udbredelse. Det skete fordi man fandt ud af at stoffet havde nogle egenskaber, som gjorde at man mister trĉthedsfornemmelsen og simpelthen er oppe pċ dupperne. Stoffet som er beslĉgtet med hormonet adrenalin, gĝr os kampklare ved at ĝge hjertefrekvensen samt at flytte trĉthedsgrĉnsen. 50' ernes cykelryttere var kendt for at medbringe amphetaminet, nċr der skulle forceres bjerge eller lange distancer, og der var naturligvis opstandelse fra alle dele af sportsverdenen. Men der skulle flere dĝdsfald til fĝr end at der blev gjort noget. Grunden til de makabre dĝdsfald var at cykelrytterne ikke opdagede hvornċr de var trĉtte, men bare fortsatte og praktisk talt sled sig selv ihjel.3  
	I starten af 50' erne skete der noget der fik sportsfolk og ikke mindst lĉger til at ċbne ĝjnene. Der var sidst i 30' erne og fĝrst i 40' erne blevet fremstillet forskellige efterligninger af vĉkstfremmende hormoner. Hormonerne blev fremstillet til fremmelse af helingen af sċr hos amerikanske soldater under anden verdenskrig og ogsċ brugt af dvĉrge til at fremme vĉksten.   
Det var forskellige former for det mandlige kĝnshormon, testosteron, som var kommet ud blandt idrĉtsudĝverne, og her brugt af udĝvere i de kraftbetonede sportsgrene. Ved OL i Seoul i 1988 blev der sat en milepĉl for international atletik ved afslĝringen af Ben Johnsons misbrug af vĉvsopbyggende hormoner. Denne hĉndelse var faktisk en af de fĝrste, nċr man taler om de rigtig store sportsstjerner og mange var ikke villige til at tro pċ det. Ligeledes nĉgtede Johnson sig naturligvis ogsċ skyldig i nogen form for misbrug, men godt og vel et ċr senere fortalte han ved Durbin afhĝringerne i Toronto, at han godt vidste at han havde lavet noget ulovligt. 4 + 5 
	Disse forskellige hormoner mener jeg er det helt store problem nċr vi snakker om doping idag. Det er stoffer som oprindeligt blev lavet for at hjĉlpe mennesker og ikke for at skade mennesker. Stofferne er meget populĉre ved deres vĉkstfremmende virkning og ikke mange tĉnker pċ de bivirkninger der kan vĉre forbundet med indtagelsen af stofferne. Personligt ved jeg (det har jeg erfaret pga mit arbejde i et motionscenter, samt min egen interesse for styrketrĉning)  at der bliver brugt mange vĉvsopbyggende prĉparater af almindelige folk der styrketrĉner eller dyrker bodybuilding. Det er den helt store dille blandt unge mĉnd, der gerne vil se store og stĉrke ud. Dog skal der hertil siges, at der ogsċ findes masser af unge, der styrketrĉner og som ikke tager nogen form for hormoner.

Hvilke former for doping bruges og virker de?
Indenfor vĉgtlĝftning og isĉr bodybuilding kan man af mange forskelliges, og isĉr Martins udsagn, idag se at der i hĝj grad bruges stimulerende midler til at blive stĉrkere og stĝrre. Der findes mange forskellige mċder at dope sig pċ, men de mest anvendte i bodybuildermiljĝer er, ifĝlge mit interview med Martin, stort set kun anabolske steroider. Disse stoffers anslċede virkning vil jeg nedenstċende prĝve at gĝre rede for fra forskellige synsvinkler.	
	Der foreligger kun for en lille del af stofferne dokumentation for en prĉstationsfremmende virkning. Der er gennem tiden foretaget en hel del tests og forskerne er meget uenige om stofferne virker eller ej. En dokumentation vil krĉve, at der skulle gives lige sċ store mĉngder anabolske steroider som der bruges af bodybuilderne. Det alene vil kunne give store problemer, da det faktisk ikke er etisk forsvarligt, pċ grund af de mulige efterfĝlgende bivirkninger, hvilke jeg vil komme ind pċ senere.6 
	Jeg vil referere til en undersĝgelse i Norge i 70' erne, hvor 18 personer deltog. Hver af dem der fik ĉgte steroider fik 75 mg mestoranum pr dag i 4 uger, og derefter fik hver deltager 150 mg af sammen slags steroid i endnu 4 uger. Dette mestoranum er et oralt steroid, der ikke skulle hĉmme den personlige udskillelse af vĉksthormon fra hypofysen7 . Personerne dyrkede styrketrĉning i gennemsnitlig halvanden time 3 gange om ugen, og denne undersĝgelse gav ikke anledning til nogen mĉrkbar ĝgelse af hverken kropsvĉgt eller styrke.8 
	Videnskaben mener, at der  kan forekomme ĝgelse af kropsvĉgten, men at der ikke foreligger beviser for en styrkelig fremgang. Denne pċstand kan man jo sĉtte op mod alle de sportsstjerner og alle de bodybuildere og andre som har brugt det og som mener at stofferne har en kraftig positiv virkning. Hvis stofferne ikke havde en styrkelig fremgang, hvorfor skulle de sċ bruge det?  Ifĝlge mit interview med Martin blev der blandt bodybuildere brugt mange anabolske steroider, som skulle hjĉlpe dem med at blive stĉrkere og ikke mindst stĝrre. Martin har prĝvet nogle kure og kunne hurtigt observere en mĉrkbar fremgang. Han tog 8 kilo pċ i lĝbet af den fĝrste kur, som varede 4 uger. Jeg ved ihvertfald fra min erfaring med styrketrĉning, at man ikke tager 8 kilo pċ i vĉgt pċ en mċned.  Sċ man mċ jo konkludere at det mċ have virket. 
	Dr. Wright der er kaptajn i den amerikanske hĉr og hovedmanden bag den amerikanske hĉrs muskelforskning hos"US Army research institute and environmental medicine" mċ siges at have mulighederne for at bedĝmme disse pċstande. Han mener at det ikke har nogen effekt for hverken kropsvĉkst eller muskelstyrke, hvis man kun fċr de foreskrevne doser, som bruges til medicinsk brug. Han mener endvidere ogsċ at der ikke kan mĉrkes nogen form for virkninger, hvis steroidet indtages oralt og den pċgĉldende dosis ikke overstiger 500 mg. Dette kunne sċ tyde pċ at det var derfor at den fĝr omtalte undersĝgelse fra Norge ikke gav noget positivt resultat.9 
	Endvidere mener han at der er en sammenhĉng mellem kosten og indtagelsen af steroiderne. Jeg mener, at det er logisk nok, at man ikke kan observere nogen form for virkninger hvis ikke man fċr den rigtige kost. Hvis man ikke fċr de rigtige byggesten tilfĝrt, kan der jo heller ikke afsĉttes noget i kroppen og derfor kan kropsvĉgten heller ikke stige. 

Som Dr Wright siger:
		"Man kan ikke forvente at ĝge i vĉgt pċ en diĉt af dianabol og luft."(......) 
		"En bedre diĉt havde vist et andet resultat"                                      			(Doping i sportsverdenen s. 89)

	Dr Wright mener at der skal bruges en stĝrre dosis af bċde proteintilskud og steroider for at opnċ den ĝnskede effekt.10 Hvis man antager at Martin var forsĝgsperson, kan  Dr. Wrights pċstande dokumenteres. Martin og andre der pċstċr at stofferne virker, har taget nogle skyhĝje doser af de forskellige steroider.  Martin spiste jo som en gal og kunne faktisk ikke fĝlge med at spise, hvis kroppen skulle have hvad den havde brug for. Kroppen skulle jo have behovene til den ĝnskede opbygning og til de basale behov dĉkket og i og med at musklerne blev stĝrre steg Martins basale behov jo ogsċ. En af grundene til at han ikke blev fed kunne jo vĉre, at han meget af tiden egentlig var pċ en ubevidst diĉt fordi kroppen ikke fik tilfĝrt nok nĉringsstoffer . Et andet eksempel pċ steroidernes vĉkstfremmende virkning kunne vĉre, en bodybuilder af hĝj klasse, der tog steroider over en periode pċ 7 mċneder. Han tog nogle meget hĝje doser og det hjalp ham til at tage 16,5 
kilo pċ i vĉgt, mest i form af muskler.11  
	Jeg mener ogsċ at en anden faktor, der kunne spille ind, kunne vĉre trĉningsintensiteten. Hvis man f.eks kun trĉner 2-3 gange ugentligt er der ingen sikkerhed for at man nogensinde vil kunne komme til at mĉrke nogen synderlig forandring. Og endvidere bĝr hċrdt trĉnende bodybuildere heller ikke sammenlignes med den almindelige motionist. Den hċrdt trĉnende vil efter al sandsynlighed ogsċ "ĝdelĉgge" sig selv mere og derved er kroppen nĝdt til at reagere kraftigere pċ det den udsĉttes for. Dette kunne i sig selv ogsċ vĉre en grund til den store forskel.
		
	Nċr man taler om hvad der idag bliver brugt af forskellige slags doping, kan man ved at lĉse forskellige forskellige tidsskrifter, magasiner og fĝlge med i forskellige dopingkampagner og lignende, hurtigt finde ud af hvad det stĝrste problem blandt bċde eliteidrĉtsudĝvere og blandt udĝvere pċ motionsplan er. Det er de anabolske steroider som man hele tiden prĝver at advare de forskellige idrĉtsudĝvere imod. Nedenstċende vil jeg prĝve at forklare bċde de positive og de negative sider af denne dopingsform. 
	Der findes utallige prĉparater, som kan give den virkning som bodybuilderne sĝger efter. Det er lidt forskelligt hvad de forskellige bodybuildere bruger nċr de tager anabolske steroider, men der er selvfĝlgelig nogle som er mere brugt end andre. Hvis man skulle gennemgċ alle prĉparater for eventuel virkemċde og bivirkninger, ville det fylde hele denne rapport. Derfor har jeg  valgt kun at lave en generel undersĝgelse med henblik pċ virkemċde og bivirkninger.

      Anabolske androgene steroider ( Opbyggende mandlige steroider) : 	
	Denne stofgruppe hĝrer til de mest populĉre og er dermed ogsċ det stĝrste problem, nċr man taler om doping.  Dette stof er syntetiske udgaver af det mandlige kĝnshormon, testosteron. Stofferne kom frem i 30' erne ved intensiv forskning, men det har ikke vĉret muligt at fremstille stoffer, der kun har den vĉvsopbyggende effekt. Stofferne blev dengang  fremstillet i forsĝg pċ at fremskynde helingen af forskellige sygdomme, heling efter operation, brandsċr samt efter stĝrre kirurgiske indgreb12 . Idag bruges stofferne i meget begrĉnset omfang til behandling af hormonforstyrrelser hos mĉnd og behandling af forskellige proteintĉrende sygdomme sċsom cancer. I 50' erne fandt man blandt idrĉtsfolk ud af at bruge denne vĉvsopbyggende effekt til andet end sygdomsbehandling. Man fandt ud af at det med fordel kunne bruges af bodybuildere og vĉgtlĝftere, da det jo for dem var en meget vigtig faktor at ĝge styrken og muskelmassen, samt at fċ et meget muskulĝst udseende. Denne udbredelse har senere strakt sig til andre kraftbetonede sportsgrene f.eks i atletikkens verden og bruges idag ogsċ af mange pċ grund af kosmetiske ċrsager. 
	Mĉnd fremstiller mellem 4 mg og 10 mg testosteron i testiklerne og binyrerne pr dĝgn. Denne mĉngde er hos kvinder lidt lavere, idet de kun fremstiller mellem 0,1 mg og 0,3 mg testosteron i ovarierne og binyrer pr dĝgn. Dette er grunden til at kvinder kan have en klar fordel i at anvende disse prĉparater.13 

Anabolske steroiders virkemċde: 
	Anabolske steroider har som navnet antyder (anabol=opbyggende) en vĉvsopbyggende virkning. I kroppen fremkaldes det man kalder for en positiv kvĉlstofbalance, hvilket har skylden for at proteinopbygningen i kroppen udvikles. Denne proteinopbygning sker hovedsageligt i den tvĉrstribede muskulatur, 14  hvilket mċ siges at vĉre den vĉsentligste grund til at man som elitesportsmand og ikke mindst motionist kan bruge det.
	Indtag af anabolske steroider giver ikke kun udslag i at musklerne vokser. Deres tilstedevĉrelse pċvirker ogsċ centralnervesystemet pċ en negativ mċde. Der kan opstċ forskellige former for indre uro og aggressivitet er ikke sjĉldent. Nċr man indtager sċ store mĉngder som det siges og er tilfĉldet, vil den store mĉngde af testosteron indvirke pċ hormonbalancen. Ikke nok med at din egen produktion falder, men der dannes ogsċ noget modgift som kaldes ĝstrogen. Det er et kvindeligt kĝnshormon og det gĝr at mĉndene kan udvikle bryster nĝjagtigt ligesom piger i puberteten.15 
 	Stoffernes androgene effekter har ogsċ nogle andre indvirkninger pċ kroppen end de ovenstċende. Det kan man tydeligt se hos kvinder der tager dem. De bliver underlagt en forandring, som gĝr at de kommer til at ligne mĉnd mere og mere. Det hĉnger sammen med de hormonforstyrrelser som indtrĉffer. Kvinderne fċr skĉg, dyb stemme og klitoris vokser kraftigt.16 Lige ledes vil der hos drenge vĉre mulighed for at han kommer i puberteten. Det bevirker at han har mulighed for dyb stemme og behċring i en meget tidlig alder.	

Nċr man bruger de anabolske steroider,  griber man ind i mange af kroppens uhyre vigtige processer og herved  kan det ikke undgċs, at der pċ et eller tidspunkt vil opstċ en eller anden form for bivirkning. Folk der tager disse stoffer lĝber altsċ en alvorlig risiko ved at tage disse stoffer. Bivirkningerne som Martin fik var heldigvis reversible, og man mċ jo sige, at det var af kosmetiske ċrsager, at han brugte stofferne. Hvis det var mig der havde brugt det  ville jeg vĉre meget ked af at have fċet alle disse ar pċ ryggen, brystet og pċ overarmene. 


Hvilke bivirkninger findes?
	Skadevirkningerne ved anabolske steroider vil naturligvis afhĉnge af doserne og af den tid hvor man har taget dem. Mange af bivirkningerne er reversible og fortager sig ofte kort tid efter man er stoppet. Men alligevel skal siges at hver person er unik og derfor kan man ikke generalisere doserne. Enkelte bivirkninger viser sig ofte lang tid efter man er stoppet og kan derfor indtrĉde uden varsel.
	
Bivirkninger forċrsaget af anabolske steroider17
Hos mĉnd:
 		- hċrtab
		- nedsat sĉdproduktion 
		- den naturlige testosteronproduktion nedsĉttes hvilket medfĝrer mindre testikler
  		- smertelige vedvarende erektioner
- yngre mĉnd standses i opvĉksten pga. de lange knogler lukker sig i vĉkstzonerne (epifyserne)
		- feber 
		- aggressioner 
		- forstĝrret prostata
		- gynekomasti  (hvor brystkirtlerne hos mĉnd vokser) 
		- impotens
Hos kvinder: 
		- Uregelmĉssig menstruation pga. dċrlig hormonbalance
 		- ĝget hċrvĉkst pga testosteron
		- dybere stemmeleje der skyldes at stemmebċndene vokser
		- kvindelige fostre kan fċ mandlige trĉk hvis de bruges under graviditeten 
		- forstĝrret klitoris
		- stigende sexualdrift 
		- endnu ikke udvoksede kvinder kan fċ deres vĉkst standset
 		- forstĝrret Adams' ĉble
 		- forstĝrret hjerte
		- forstĝrret nĉse og ĝrer ved flere ċrs brug
		- krĉft
		- muskelbrister
		- udflċd 
		- virilisering

Bivirkninger som rammer bċde mĉnd og kvinder: 
		- forhĝjet koagulationstid
 		- forstĝrret hjerte
		- bumser/filipenser
		- pċvirkning af leveren af tabletprĉparater (gulsot)
		- feber
		- sĝvnbesvĉr
		- hjertebanken
		- hovedpine
		- hĝjt blodtryk 
		- irritation
 - humĝrsvingninger med heftige depressioner, der kan vĉre svĉre at kurere og ofte resulterer i selvmord 
		- skader i sener og og muskler, fordi muskulaturen ĝges  hurtigere end senerne
		- mavesmerter ved tabletter
		- sĝvnlĝshed
		- cancer efter lang tids brug
		- ophobning af vand og salt i kroppen
		- nedsat nyrefunktion
		- Forkalkning af kredslĝbet pga det hĝje kolesterol tal
		- dċrligt immunforsvar ifĝlge Martin

Man kan ud fra ovenstċende bivirkninger og Martins forklaring konkludere at der faktisk er flere negative sider end der er positive. Men det er ikke nok til at afskrĉkke folk fra at bruge dem. Det er ċbenbart meget spĉndende at prĝve stofferne. Jeg tror at kampagnerne som ofte kĝrer har nogenlunde samme effekt som nogen af de skrĉkkampagner mod fyrvĉrkeri. Mange folk, og specielt unge tager ikke afstand fra midlerne fĝr end det er for sent. Ofte er skaden sket og kan ikke kureres. Dette kan have noget at gĝre med at man simpelthen ikke vil hĝre tale om bivirkninger og selv finder pċ andre undskyldninger for bivirkningerne. Man ved inderst inde nok godt at det er pga. steroiderne at man fċr bumserne, men giver mċske sin fede kost skylden. 
Martins udsagn taler ogsċ i den retning. Da hans mor og far tog ham med til lĉgen var han helt ligeglad med de bivirkninger som han kunne blive berĝrt af. Selvfĝlgelig vidste han at de store bumser osv. var fĝlgerne af stofferne, for det er jeg sikker pċ at de har talt om i det motionscenter som han trĉnede. Selvom jeg med 99% sikkerhed kan sige at der ikke kommer nogen regelmĉssigt hos os der tager anabolske steroider, sċ snakker vi da om det nĉsten hver gang vi trĉner. Der bliver idag snakket meget om hvilke prĉparater ( ikke nogen ulovlige) vi hver isĉr har prĝvet med enten positiv eller slet ingen effekt. Vi udveksler erfaringer ligesom de ogsċ gĝr i alle andre motionscentre. 
	
Men hvad er sċ grunden til misbruget?
	Her vil jeg tale generelt og komme ind pċ hvorfor henholdsvis motionister og elitesportsfolk bruger de anabolske steroider. 
	Jeg mener at der findes utallige faktorer og mange af dem kan skyldes det store pres der ligger pċ eliten. Der ligger konstant et pres pċ eliten fordi de bliver betalt for den sport de hver isĉr dyrker. Hvis ikke resultaterne kommer, kommer der heller ingen penge. Jeg mener, hvilket firma vil sponsorere en udĝver, hvis ikke han formċr at skabe sig nogle gode resultater? Samtidig er pengeprĉmierne blevet betydeligt stĝrre og det gĝr ogsċ at man mċske ville overveje de anabolske steroider for ad den vej at kunne skabe sig nogle gode resultater og dermed nogle gode penge. Medierne har ogsċ en del af skylden. De viser stort set kun de sportsgrene de ved vil kunne score seere og som de ved muligvis vil kunne fremvise en masse gode resultater. Tv stationerne fċr deres penge fra sponsorer og jeg stiller spĝrgsmċlet igen. Kunne man tĉnke sig at et firma ville kĝbe en tv reklame hvis firmaet ikke er sikker pċ at den vil blive set af alle os tv seere? Medierne er i hĝj grad med til at pace idrĉtsfolkene og jeg kan fra den synsvinkel godt forstċ de sportsfolk som tager chancen og doper sig. Jeg tror ogsċ at ĉren spiller en temmelig stor rolle for den enkelte udĝver. Hvis man tĉnker pċ mange af de der har dyrket den samme sportsgren i mange ċr, sċ tror jeg ikke lĉngere at de gĝr det for pengenes skyld. Jeg tror egentlig ogsċ det kunne vĉre at de efterhċnden var blevet for gamle til at vĉre med pċ toppen, og derfor finder det nĝdvendigt at skulle bruge hjĉlpemidler til fortsat at vĉre pċ toppen.
	Grundene for bodybuildere og folk der styrketrĉner er meget let at gennemskue.  Som Martin sagde gjaldt det om at blive stĝrre i en vis fart. Men hvorfor?  I den vestlige verden er der her sidst i 80' erne og fĝrst i 90' erne opstċet det man kalder for en fitnessbĝlge. Hele denne bĝlges formċl er for den enkelte person at skabe sig et image og en udstrċling der ligner en vinder. Denne vinder skal helst se godt ud og have en velproportioneret og velbygget krop. Mĉnd skal have smal talje, brede skuldre og et par gode muskulĝse ben. Kvinder skal derimod helst vĉre udstyret med faste balder, vĉre muskulĝs bygget, men dog stadig have kvindelige former. Man skal kunne se at de er kvinder og derfor er bodybuilderkvinder stort set helt yt. Dette "fitnessideal" bliver konstant smidt i hovedet pċ os normale mennesker i form af reklamer osv. Dette ideal kan meget vel have skylden for at sċ mange unge hopper pċ steroidevognen, for det er netop her at det uopnċelige ideal hurtigt kan opnċs.

Hvad kan forebygge doping? 
	Der kĝrer i ĝjeblikket en kampagne ( Doping don' t do it), der er lavet i samarbejde mellem Sundhedsstyrelsen, Team Danmark og Danmarks idrĉtsforbund. Kampagnen henvender sig mest til den unge uerfarne idrĉtsudĝver, og i denne kampagne er hovedformċlet, mener jeg efter at have set videoen nogle gange, at afskrĉkke folk i private motions- og helsecentre mod doping18 . Men foregċr al doping kun i motionscentre? Det mener jeg ihvertfald ikke. Kampagnen er god nok, men jeg mener at den burde have vĉret grebet an pċ en lidt anden mċde. Der findes utallige eksempler pċ at sportsfolk indenfor den organiserede idrĉt har benyttet sig af ulovlige midler, og derfor mener jeg at den burde have vĉret lavet med henblik pċ at skulle have vĉret mulig at bruge i alle mulige idrĉtsklubber. 
	Jeg tror ikke at man kan standse misbruget af de forskellige stoffer men jeg tror at man kan nedsĉtte forbruget ved at oplyse noget mere. Nċr nu skoleeleverne i folkeskolen alligevel har idrĉt og mange elever kommer regelmĉssigt i forskellige sportsklubber, mener jeg at det kunne vĉre relevant at tage emnet op i den normale skolegang i form af forskellige projekter og lignende. Helt at stoppe misbruget vil faktisk vĉre umuligt. Der produceres jo mange kunstige hormoner til brug pċ sygehuse og andre kontrollerede formċl. At stoppe fremstillingen tror jeg kun vil resultere i mange smċ laboratorier, hvor stofferne vil blive forsĝgt fremstillet.  
	Istedet for at bruge doping tror jeg at sċvel motionisten som den meget seriĝse idrĉtsudĝver kunne opnċ det han/ hun gerne ville, ved at lave nogle korrektioner forskellige steder. Hvis man eksempelvis tĉnker pċ et motionscenter kunne disse korrektioner eksempelvis vĉre:
	Hvis man tog en sċ simpel ting som at lave de forskellige ĝvelser rigtigt, kunne man for det fĝrste undgċ en hel del unĝdvendige skader, og for det andet ville man gribe musklerne an gruppevis og undgċ den skĉve fordeling der ellers kunne vĉre tilfĉldet. Mange tror at det er vĉgten pċ hċndvĉgtene eller skiverne pċ vĉgtstangen, der spiller den afgĝrende rolle. Det er det  til dels ogsċ, men i hĝj grad ogsċ hvordan ĝvelserne udfĝres. Jeg har med mine egne ĝjne set unge fyre der har trĉnet samme sted som mig selv og som har grebet tingene helt forkert an. De unge er idag for stolte til at spĝrge og vil helst selv kunne klare det hele. Derimod er den mere motionsprĉgede 40 ċr gamle mand/kvinde mere ċben for at spĝrge om han/hun eventuelt skulle gĝre noget forkert. Da jeg arbejder samme sted som jeg trĉner, finder jeg det derfor som nĝdvendigt at rette pċ folk, hvis de gĝr noget forkert. Nogle folk bliver lidt sure, men nċr jeg fortĉller dem at de ellers mċske over lang sigt ville ĝdelĉgge f.eks ryggen er tonen en anden. 

	En anden simpel ting som at ĉndre sine kostvaner ville kunne fċ de fleste til hurtigere at se resultater. Alle folk ved at man skal spise fornuftigt. Det har nu i sċ lang tid lĝbet kampagner for at folk skal spare pċ fedtet, spise flere kulhydrater og spise flere proteiner. Hvis man her lader tanken falde pċ en seriĝs bodybuilder, lever han faktisk efter disse regler. De fċr ikke sĉrlig meget fedt og spiser masser af kulhydrater og proteiner. De sĝrger, ved intens lĉsning i bĝger om emnet, at fċ deres daglige behov for alle vitaminer og mineraler. De mest seriĝse bodybuildere har nĉsten gjort det til en videnskab at fċ de rigtige nĉringsstoffer pċ de rigtige tidspunkter. Dette er netop den livsform som mange lĉger og kosteksperter tilbeder. Det at man fċr nok af de rigtige proteiner spiller en stor rolle i muskelopbygningen og dette vil ifĝlge Martin hurtigt kunne give et par kilo i form af muskler. 

Dopinglovgivnigen
	Efter at dopingmidlerne blev taget med pċ listen over narkotika og derved er forbudt at fremstille, besidde, og sĉlge19 er det ifĝlge Martin blevet lidt svĉrere at skaffe de enkelte stoffer. Jeg synes at det er helt iorden at man fra folketingets side har formċet at fċ disse midler med i narkotikalovgivningen, for jeg mener at disse midler ligesom narkotika kan vĉre en alvorlig trussel for helbredet . Men pċ den anden side mener jeg ogsċ at alkohol burde med pċ den liste. Der findes jo ogsċ utallige sygdomme som forċrsages af alkohol og som igen kan true vores sundhed. 
	Da jeg ringede til politistationen for at fċ at vide hvordan reglerne for at besidde, fremstille eller sĉlge dopingmidler fik jeg fĝlgende svar:
 
		"Hvis man fremstiller, besidder, eller sĉlger anabolske steroider, testosteron eller udgaver deraf, vĉksthormon eller midler der kan frigive disse stoffer fra kroppen og det ikke er til medicinsk forebyggelse eller behandling straffes med bĝde, hĉfte eller fĉngsel i op til 2 ċr."

	Denne straf finder jeg egentlig lidt for blĝd, idet de folk som har med salget og fremstillingen at gĝre udsĉtter andre folks liv for fare. Personligt tror jeg ikke der er nogen der bliver tvunget til at tage stoffet, men hvis det ikke fandtes eller blev solgt illegalt ,ville der jo heller findes nogen misbrugere.
Hvis man som idrĉtsudĝver bliver taget for doping under en dopingkontrol, dvs at personen har brugt midler eller metoder der er pċ dopinglisten, bliver personen udelukket far al idrĉt i mindst 2 ċr. Dette gĉlder  trĉning, konkurrence og et hvilket som helst arbejde personen mċtte have indenfor Danmarks Idrĉts-Forbund, medlemsorganisationer og andre foreninger i mindst 5 ċr.
	Den eneste mċde at komme dopingen helt til livs ville vĉre at standse fremstillingen af stofferne, men det vil ogsċ betyde at man vil vĉre nĝdt til at stoppe behandlingen af forskellige sygdomme. Rent faktisk er det utroligt svĉrt at standse brugen af stofferne og jeg tror heller ikke at det nogensinde vil lykkes.

Konklusion:
	Hvis man kan gċr ud fra Martin som en pċlidelig kilde, mener jeg at der er al grund til at gĝre noget for at forebygge brugen af de anabolske steroider. At folk spiser pillerne som bolsjer og bruger doser i deres sprĝjter som langt overgċr hvad der er forsvarligt, kan der kun komme noget dċrligt ud af. Ud fra Martins kommentar til det sidste spĝrgsmċl kan man ihvertfald konkludere at han ikke er blevet meget klogere. Jeg mener at hans grund til at starte igen skal vĉre rigtig god, og det han oplevede i august 94 synes at vĉre langt vĉk. Han glemmer meget hurtigt de negative sider og husker kun de positive. Han husker hvor stor en selvtillid han havde da han var pċ sit hĝjeste. Ok man mċ sku have en stor portion selvtillid n 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Drinking & Driving.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
Alcohol is a drug, a very popular drug.  Alcohol has been around for a long time, and people have always enjoyed it's effects.  Many people have passions for alcohol, some people have refrigerators filled with beer, many others are wine connoisseurs. Alcohol always seems to liven up the party.  But no madder what your preference is, alcohol can be very dangerous when combined with the operation of an automobile.  If you can remember only a few things from this report remember this: driving drunk is unsafe to you, and everyone else around you.  The driver's of other cars, pedestrians, etc...  Driving drunk can also be very, very costly: insurance surcharges, insurance rates, tickets, fines.

	You should understand what alcohol does to you before we go on.  Alcohol is a depressant, and often enhances your mood.  If your angry, after a couple drinks you may be quite possibly angrier.  If you are sad, you probably will feel sadder after some drinks.  It is not good to drink and drive when you are in a good mood, but your driving is also influenced by your mood.  It can make you drive faster, pay attention less, etc...  Study's have shown that the combination of anger, and drinking is responsible for much of reckless driving.  Not only can alcohol enhance your mood, but it has been proven that it can quickly alter your mood.  When alcohol is consumed, it is not digested.  It passes through your stomach and small intestine directly into the bloodstream and is carried to all parts of your body. It reaches your brain in small amounts.  When alcohol is ingested in larger amounts, it dulls the area of your brain that control inhibition, judgment, and self-control.  Hopefully you can see how this could be detrimental to your health when driving.  Drinking.  

	But how does alcohol effect my driving?  To expand upon this, drinking increases your self-confidence, and inhibitions but lowers your driving performance (reaction times, stopping distance).  You may feel like you can do anything behind the wheel of a car after a six-pack.  But you can't.  Many, many accidents occur because of drinking.  Most of these accidents involve only 1 car, but other people are killed by drunk drivers.  There is a technique to protect yourself from drunk drivers.  First, always wear your seat belt.  Second, keep your distance from anyone that may appear to be under the influence.  Anyone who is swerving, or going to slow are good examples.  But it is impossible to prevent all of these accidents, people have to be educated about drinking and driving.

 	So how much alcohol is safe?  No amount of alcohol in your body is as safe as having none.  But certain amounts of alcohol are safer than others.  There is no set limit of how much is too much, because there are too many factors in drinking.  Body weight, amount of drinks, and how fast you drink are all factors in how alcohol affects you.  Even the amount of food in your stomach can be a factor in how fast the alcohol gets into your blood stream. You cannot always tell by looking at someone if they've had too much.  Some people can hold their alcohol real, others cannot.  The only real way to measure the amount of alcohol in your body is with a breathalyzer.  A breathalyzer measures your BAC; blood alcohol concentration.  Your BAC is how much of your blood is alcohol.  
You must be 21 in the U.S. to drink, but the BAC limit is .10%.  If you are over .10% you are considered legally drunk, and will be charged with DUI if you are caught.  At slightly above .05% your risk of causing an accident is double what it would be at 0%.  Considering that most people are not excellent drivers to begin with, this is scary.  

	How do is sober up?  Eating, taking aspirin, drinking black coffee, deep breathing and cold showers are not effective at all in sobering up.  The only way to sober up is time.  This is important to remember, do not let anyone tell you otherwise.  If you do drink, you can be smart about the actions you make.  If you have any second thoughts about driving, don't.  Have a friend drive you home, call a friend, or call a cab.  Don't worry about your car, it is not as important as human life, and will probably be in better condition if you don't drive it drunk.  Also, don't let friends drive drunk either, if they are stubborn, take the keys from them.  It is a good idea to make agreements with your friends about not letting each other get in a car intoxicated.  If you have a party, and someone who gets intoxicated at your party is involved in an accident, it may involve a lawsuit.  Everything about drinking and driving is bad.

	If you are driving drunk, there is a very good chance of you getting pulled over.  Indications of drunk driving are speeding, a drinking driver sometimes thinks he/she can drive safely at high speeds (superman).  Weaving, even if a drunk driver stays in the right lane, sometimes they have trouble steering straight.  Slow driving, when a driver knows that they are intoxicated, they may drive slower than the flow of traffic so that they do not get in an accident, this can be dangerous in itself.  Sometimes drunk drivers have jerking motions because of short mental lapses and may not keep a steady speed.  Another indication of an intoxicated driver is quick stopping, which causes many accidents.  Police officers have seen drunk drivers many times, and know how they drive.  Don't be a fool a try to beat the system, because it is you that is going to get screwed.  It is sad but true that there are people who drive drunk all the time and get away with it, and never get caught.  But the odds are not with you.  If you do get pulled over and the police officer thinks that you are intoxicated, they will ask you to perform a field sobriety test.  The sobriety test consists of you walking the line straight, following the police officers finger with your eyes, and touching your nose with both index fingers while having your eyes closed.  Depending on how you do with this test the police officer will usually conclude whether or not to perform a breathalyzer test.  The cop may skip the sobriety test, and go straight to the breathalyzer if he/she feels like it.  It depends on the judgment of the police officer what happens to you.  But in New Jersey and some other states in the U.S. there is the implied consent law, which says that if you refuse to take the breathalyzer test you will be considered under the influence, you will lose your license for six months if it is your first offense, and for two years for repeaters, and a charge from $250-500.  There is also a mandatory insurance surcharge of $1,000 for three years, plus court imposed fines and penalties.  It can be quite costly being a drunk driver.  Failure to pay insurance surcharge will result in indefinite loss of driving privileges.   

	Driving while intoxicated does not add up.  It is very dangerous, expensive, and stupid.  It easy to avoid it if you are educated.  If half the people who have there license knew the penalties for getting caught, many people would not do it.  Education is key.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Drug Abuse.TXT
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Drug Abuse

	Drug Abuse is generally defined as the use of a drug with such frequency that the user has physical or mental harm or it impairs social abilities. The substances that are discussed in this report are called psychoactive drugs; those drugs that influence or alter the workings of the mind, affect moods, emotions, feelings, and thinking processes.

Drug Dependence/Addiction
	There are three basic characteristics that indicate that the user is dependent on a drug. First, the user continues to use the drug for an extended period of time. Second, the user finds it difficult to stop using the drug. They may drop out of school, steal, go to jail, lose their jobs, or leave their families in order to keep using. Finally, the user has withdrawal symptoms when drug use is stopped. They may undergo physical pain or mental distress.
	 The drug mimics a natural process in the brain called neurotransmission. This is when a brain cell releases a signal to another brain cell. The signal then returns to the first brain cell. The signal is called a neurotransmitter. One major neurotransmitter is called dopamine, which is involved in feelings of pleasure. When the drug is released into the brain, it blocks the dopamine from returning to the first brain cell. Repeated use changes the brain cells so that normal messages can't be sent between brain cells. The drug must always be present in order for neurotransmissions to take place. The user is only able to feel pleasure from the cocaine rather than the things he/she used to find pleasurable. This is called drug addiction or dependence.

Drug Classification
Drugs are generally categorized into two groups, stimulants and depressants. Stimulants are drugs that speed up signals through the nervous system. They produce alertness,  arousal and excitability. They also inhibit fatigue and sleep. They include the amphetamines, such as cocaine, caffeine, and nicotine. Depressants slow down the signals through the nervous system. They produce relaxation, lowering of anxiety, drowsiness, and sleep. They include sedatives (such as barbiturates, alcohol, and tranquilizers) and narcotics (heroin, morphine, opium, codeine), which dull the mind's perception of pain.
	Some drugs are not included in the stimulant/depressant categories. An example is the hallucinogens, such as PCP and LSD, which produce unusual mental states such as psychedelic visions. Also, marijuana is not generally regarded as belonging to any one of these categories.

Effects of Drugs
	There are four basic stages that the drug user goes through. In stage one, there are no outward behavioral changes caused by the use of drugs. The drug use is considered normal. In stage two, the user actively seeks the euphoric effects of the drug by using it more frequently. A reliable source of the drug is established. The user may add mid-week use rather than only on weekends or at parties. In younger users, a general lack of motivation is noticed, along with changes in friends and lower grades. In stage three, the user is extremely preoccupied with the desire to experience the effects of the drug. The drug is used daily. There may be thoughts of suicide and/or depression. There may be family problems or trouble with the law. In the fourth and final stage, the user has become addicted. They are dependent on the drug just to feel normal. Physical signs are frequent sore throats, coughing, fatigue, and weight loss. They may be experiencing overdosing and blackouts more frequently. The user may be engaging in criminal activities in order to obtain money for the drug. 
	
Alcohol
	One major drug that physically effects the user is alcohol. It causes damage to the brain, pancreas, and kidney. It also causes high blood pressure and may heighten the risk of heart attacks and strokes.  Other consequences of alcohol abuse are possible alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, stomach and duodenal ulcers, colitis, irritable colon, impotence and infertility, birth defects and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (retardation, low birth weight, small head size, limb abnormalities), and premature aging. The user may also experience diminished immunity to disease, sleep disturbances, muscle cramps, and edema.

Marijuana
	Another harmful drug is marijuana, especially since the potency of marijuana available has over the last decade increased by 275 percent. Some marijuana users have chronic lung disease. Marijuana can be more dangerous than cigarettes because there are more known cancer causing agents in marijuana smoke than cigarette smoke. Also, one marijuana cigarette is as damaging to the lungs as four tobacco cigarettes.
	Small doses of marijuana diminish motor skills, hamper judgement, distort perception, and impair memory function. Chronic marijuana may cause brain damage, accelerated heartbeat, and increased blood pressure.  Mood changes occur. There is a decline in school work, difficulty in concentrating, diminished ability to carry out long-term plans, loss of effectiveness, loss of ambition, and increased apathy. 

Cocaine
	One of the most powerfully addictive and deadly drugs is cocaine. It can be injected, snorted, or smoked. It carries the risk of HIV if it is injected.  Cocaine significantly speeds up the neurotransmissions in the nervous system. It accelerates the heart rate while simultaneously constricting the blood vessels, which are trying to adjust to the heightened blood flow. Temperature and blood pressure rise. Pupils dilate. These physical changes may be accompanied by stroke, respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest, or seizures.
	Cocaine may trigger paranoia, anxiety, irritability, and restlessness. Depression occurs when denied of the drug. Cocaine requires users to take more and more to reach the same level of stimulation. It may also cause nasal problems such as congestion and runny nose. The mucous membrane in the nose may disintegrate with prolonged usage. The nasal septum may also collapse. 
	Different kinds of cocaine include freebase and crack. Freebase is smoked. It is extremely dangerous because the cocaine reaches the brain almost instantly, causing a sudden and intense high. However, when it disappears, it leaves the user with an enormous craving, resulting in increased usage. Crack is a kind of cocaine that is snorted. It comes in small lumps or shavings. It has become a major problem because it is very inexpensive and easily transported.

Heroin
	Heroin is an illegal opiate drug which is extremely addictive. It requires persistent, repeated use and, if the user attempts to stop, there are painful physical withdrawal symptoms.  Heroin use causes insomnia, panic, nausea, and shallow breathing. Heroin is generally injected into a vein. Because of this kind of drug entry, the risk of contracting diseases such as HIV is high. Contamination of heroin with cutting agents, unsterile equipment, uncertain dosage levels and the use of heroin in addition to other drugs can cause cardiac disease, inflammation of the veins, skin abscesses and serum hepatitis. There is no way to tell the potency of the drug, so any trip could lead to overdose, coma or possible death. Heroin during pregnancy is associated with miscarriages and stillbirths. Babies who are born by addicted mothers must undergo withdrawal symptoms after birth and usually have development problems.
	Symptoms include nausea, respiratory depression (which can progress until breathing stops), and drowsiness. Symptoms of a heroin overdose include coma, convulsions, clammy skin, pinpoint pupils, and shallow breathing.

PCP
	PCP is a hallucinogen. It alters consciousness, mood, and sensation and distorts visual sensation, taste, smell, touch, or hearing. The user experiences a profound departure from reality. He/she is capable of severe disorientation and bizarre behavior. These PCP-induced effects may lead to injuries or death while under the influence.
	When it is used regularly or chronically,judgement, concentration, perception functions, and memory are affected. It may lead to permanent changes in thinking, memory, and motor function. Addicted mothers deliver babies who have motor, auditory, and visual problems. They may also have reactions similar to that of someone who is under the influence of PCP.

Withdrawal
	Withdrawal is defined as the discontinuance of administration or use of a drug. When this happens, there are certain physical symptoms that occur when the user is dependent on the drug. They may include nausea, diarrhea, and pain, but they vary between drugs. Cocaine users report depression when denied the drug. Since heroin is a very addictive drug, it has many withdrawal symptoms. For example, insomnia, muscle cramps, nausea, sweating, chills, panic, tremors, loss of appetite, yawning, runny nose, and watery eyes.

Drug Treatment
	A drug addict generally goes through denial before he/she accepts his/her drug addiction. When they are confronted by a family member or friend, they refuse to accept that they are addicted. This is sometimes called a mental block. The user isn't ready or able to deal with thier addiction. The time period of denial varies from person to person.
	When the person has come to accepting their problem, they may go to therapy for treatment. Group therapy has had excellent results. They learn to come to terms with their problem with the support of other people who are going through the same thing that they are. They also learn tools that they can use to help them through the recovery period, such as prayer, excercise, and meditation. Drug abuse is a serious problem, but through treatment and therapy, it can be overcome. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Drug and Clinical Treatments for Bipolar Disorder.TXT
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     The  phenomenon of bipolar affective disorder has been a mystery since the 16th century.  History has shown that this affliction can appear in almost anyone.  Even the great painter Vincent Van Gogh is believed to have had bipolar disorder.  It is clear that in our society many people live with bipolar disorder; however, despite the abundance of people suffering from the it, we are still waiting for definite explanations for the causes and cure.  The one fact of which we are painfully aware is that bipolar disorder severely undermines its' victims ability to obtain and maintain social and occupational success.  Because bipolar disorder has such debilitating symptoms, it is imperative that we remain vigilant in the quest for explanations of its causes and treatment.  
     Affective disorders are characterized by a smorgasbord of symptoms that can be broken into manic and depressive episodes.  The depressive episodes are characterized by intense feelings of sadness and despair that can become feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.  Some of the symptoms of a depressive episode include anhedonia, disturbances in sleep and appetite, psycomoter retardation, loss of energy, feelings of  worthlessness, guilt, difficulty thinking, indecision, and recurrent thoughts of death and suicide (Hollandsworth, Jr. 1990 ). The manic episodes are characterized by elevated or irritable mood, increased energy, decreased need for sleep, poor judgment and insight, and often reckless or irresponsible behavior (Hollandsworth, Jr. 1990 ).  Bipolar affective disorder affects approximately one percent of the population (approximately three million people) in the United States.  It is presented by both males and females.  Bipolar disorder involves episodes of mania and depression. These episodes may alternate with profound depressions characterized by a pervasive sadness, almost inability to move, hopelessness, and disturbances in appetite, sleep, in concentrations and driving.
     Bipolar disorder is diagnosed if an episode of mania occurs whether depression has been diagnosed or not (Goodwin, Guze, 1989, p 11).  Most commonly, individuals with manic episodes experience a period of depression.  Symptoms include elated, expansive, or irritable mood, hyperactivity, pressure of speech, flight of ideas, inflated self esteem, decreased need for sleep, distractibility, and excessive involvement in reckless activities (Hollandsworth, Jr. 1990 ).  Rarest symptoms were periods of loss of all interest and retardation or agitation (Weisman, 1991).
     As the National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association (MDMDA) has demonstrated, bipolar disorder can create substantial developmental delays, marital and family disruptions, occupational setbacks, and financial disasters.  This devastating disease causes disruptions of families, loss of jobs and millions of dollars in cost to society.  Many times bipolar patients report that the depressions are longer and increase in frequency as the individual ages.  Many times bipolar states and psychotic states are misdiagnosed as schizophrenia.  Speech patterns help distinguish between the two disorders (Lish, 1994).
     The onset of Bipolar disorder usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 30 years of age, with a second peak in the mid-forties for women.  A typical bipolar patient may experience eight to ten episodes in their lifetime.  However, those who have rapid cycling may experience more episodes of mania and depression that succeed each other without a period of remission (DSM III-R).  
     The three stages of mania begin with hypomania, in which patients report that they are energetic, extroverted and assertive (Hirschfeld, 1995).  The hypomania state has led observers to feel that bipolar patients are "addicted" to their mania.  Hypomania progresses into mania and the transition is marked by loss of judgment (Hirschfeld, 1995).  Often, euphoric grandiose characteristics are displayed, and paranoid or irritable characteristics begin to manifest.  The third stage of mania is evident when the patient experiences delusions with often paranoid themes.  Speech is generally rapid and hyperactive behavior manifests sometimes associated with violence (Hirschfeld, 1995).        
     When both manic and depressive symptoms occur at the same time it is called a mixed episode.  Those afflicted are a special risk because there is a combination of hopelessness, agitation, and anxiety that makes them feel like they "could jump out of their skin"(Hirschfeld, 1995).  Up to 50% of all patients with mania have a mixture of depressed moods.  Patients report feeling dysphoric, depressed, and unhappy; yet, they exhibit the energy associated with mania.  Rapid cycling mania is another presentation of bipolar disorder.  Mania may be present with four or more distinct episodes within a 12 month period.  There is now evidence to suggest that sometimes rapid cycling may be a transient manifestation of the bipolar disorder.  This form of the disease exhibits more episodes of mania and depression than bipolar.
     Lithium has been the primary treatment of bipolar disorder since its introduction in the 1960's.  It is main function is to stabilize the cycling characteristic of bipolar disorder.  In four controlled studies by F. K. Goodwin and K. R. Jamison, the overall response rate for bipolar subjects treated with Lithium  was 78% (1990).  Lithium is also the primary drug used for long- term maintenance of bipolar disorder.  In a majority of bipolar patients, it lessens the duration, frequency, and severity of the episodes of both mania and depression.
        Unfortunately, as many as 40% of bipolar patients are either unresponsive to lithium or can not tolerate the side effects.  Some of the side effects include thirst, weight gain, nausea, diarrhea, and edema.  Patients who are unresponsive to lithium treatment are often those who experience dysphoric mania, mixed states, or rapid cycling bipolar disorder.  
        One of the problems associated with lithium is the fact the long-term lithium treatment has been associated with decreased thyroid functioning in patients with bipolar disorder.  Preliminary evidence also suggest that hypothyroidism may actually lead to rapid-cycling (Bauer et al., 1990).  Another problem associated with the use of lithium is experienced by pregnant women.  Its use during pregnancy has been associated with birth defects, particularly Ebstein's anomaly.  Based on current data, the risk of a child with Ebstein's anomaly being born to a mother who took lithium during her first trimester of pregnancy is approximately 1 in 8,000, or 2.5 times that of the general population (Jacobson et al., 1992).
     There are other effective treatments for bipolar disorder that are used in cases where the patients cannot tolerate lithium or have been unresponsive to it in the past.   The American Psychiatric Association's guidelines suggest the next line of  treatment to be Anticonvulsant drugs such as valproate and carbamazepine.  These drugs are useful as antimanic agents, especially in those patients with mixed states.  Both of these medications can be used in combination with lithium or in combination with each other.  Valproate is especially helpful for patients who are lithium noncompliant, experience rapid-cycling, or have comorbid alcohol or drug abuse.
     Neuroleptics such as haloperidol or chlorpromazine have also been used to help stabilize manic patients who are highly agitated or psychotic.  Use of these drugs is often necessary because the response to them are rapid, but there are risks involved in their use.  Because of the often severe side effects, Benzodiazepines are often used in their place.  Benzodiazepines can achieve the same results as Neuroleptics for most patients in terms of rapid control of agitation and excitement, without the severe side effects.
     Antidepressants such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's) fluovamine and amitriptyline have also been used by some doctors as treatment for bipolar disorder.  A double-blind study by M. Gasperini, F. Gatti, L. Bellini, R.Anniverno, and E. Smeraldi showed that fluvoxamine and amitriptyline are highly effective treatments for bipolar patients experiencing depressive episodes (1992).  This study is controversial however, because conflicting research shows that SSRI's and other antidepressants can actually precipitate manic episodes.  Most doctors can see the usefulness of antidepressants when used in conjunction with mood stabilizing medications such as lithium.
     In addition to the mentioned medical treatments of bipolar disorder, there are several other options available to bipolar patients, most of which are used in conjunction with medicine.  One such treatment is light therapy.  One study compared the response to light therapy of bipolar patients with that of unipolar patients.  Patients were free of psychotropic and hypnotic medications for at least one month before treatment.  Bipolar patients in this study showed an average of 90.3% improvement in their depressive symptoms, with no incidence of mania or hypomania.  They all continued to use light therapy, and all showed a sustained positive response at a three month follow-up (Hopkins and Gelenberg, 1994).  Another study involved a four week treatment of bright morning light treatment for patients with seasonal affective disorder and bipolar patients.  This study found a statistically significant decrement in depressive symptoms, with the maximum antidepressant effect of light not being reached until week four (Baur, Kurtz, Rubin, and Markus, 1994).  Hypomanic symptoms were experienced by 36% of bipolar patients in this study.  Predominant hypomanic symptoms included racing thoughts, deceased sleep and irritability.  Surprisingly, one-third of controls also developed symptoms such as those mentioned above.  Regardless of the explanation of the emergence of hypomanic symptoms in undiagnosed controls, it is evident from this study that light treatment may be associated with the observed symptoms.  Based on the results, careful professional monitoring during light treatment is necessary, even for those without a history of major mood disorders.
      Another popular treatment for bipolar disorder is electro-convulsive shock therapy.  ECT is the preferred treatment for severely manic pregnant patients and patients who are homicidal, psychotic, catatonic, medically compromised, or severely suicidal.  In one study, researchers found marked improvement in 78% of patients treated with ECT, compared to 62% of patients treated only with lithium and 37% of patients who received neither, ECT or lithium (Black et al., 1987).  
     A final type of therapy that I found is outpatient group psychotherapy.  According to Dr. John Graves, spokesperson for The National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association has called attention to the value of support groups, and challenged mental health professionals to take a more serious look at group therapy for the bipolar population.  
     Research shows that group participation may help increase lithium compliance, decrease denial regarding the illness, and increase awareness of both external and internal stress factors leading to manic and depressive episodes. Group therapy for patients with bipolar disorders  responds to the need for support and reinforcement of medication management, and the need for education and support for the interpersonal difficulties that arise during the course of the disorder. 





















References
        
        Bauer, M.S., Kurtz, J.W., Rubin, L.B., and Marcus, J.G. (1994).  Mood and 
Behavioral effects of four-week light treatment in winter depressives and controls.  Journal of Psychiatric Research. 28, 2: 135-145.
        Bauer, M.S., Whybrow, P.C. and Winokur, A. (1990).  Rapid Cycling Bipolar Affective Disorder: I. Association with grade I hypothyroidism.  Archives of  General Psychiatry.  47: 427-432.
        Black, D.W., Winokur, G., and Nasrallah, A. (1987). Treatment of Mania: A naturalistic study of electroconvulsive therapy versus lithium in 438 patients.  Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 48: 132-139.
        Gasperini, M., Gatti, F., Bellini, L., Anniverno, R., Smeralsi, E., (1992).  Perspectives in clinical psychopharmacology of amitriptyline and fluvoxamine.  Pharmacopsychiatry. 26:186-192.
        Goodwin, F.K., and Jamison, K.R. (1990).  Manic Depressive Illness.  New York:  Oxford University Press.
        Goodwin, Donald W. and Guze, Samuel B. (1989).  Psychiatric Diagnosis.  Fourth Ed. Oxford University. p.7.
        Hirschfeld, R.M. (1995).  Recent Developments in Clinical Aspects of Bipolar Disorder.  The Decade of the Brain.  National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.  Winter. Vol. VI. Issue II.
        Hollandsworth, James G. (1990). The Physiology of Psychological Disorders.  Plenem Press. New York and London. P.111.
        Hopkins, H.S. and Gelenberg, A.J. (1994). Treatment of Bipolar Disorder:        How Far Have We Come? Psychopharmacology Bulletin.  30 (1): 27-38.
        Jacobson, S.J., Jones, K., Ceolin, L., Kaur, P., Sahn, D., Donnerfeld, A.E., Rieder, M., Santelli, R., Smythe, J., Patuszuk, A., Einarson, T., and Koren, G.,   (1992).  Prospective multicenter study of pregnancy outcome after lithium exposure during the first trimester. Laricet. 339: 530-533.
        Lish, J.D., Dime-Meenan, S., Whybrow, P.C., Price, R.A. and Hirschfeld, R.M.  (1994). The National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association (DMDA) Survey of Bipolar Members.  Affective Disorders. 31: pp.281-294.
        Weisman, M.M., Livingston, B.M., Leaf, P.J., Florio, L.P., Holzer, C. (1991).  Psychiatric Disorders in America.  Affective Disorders. Free Press.
           










 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Drug Dependence.TXT
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					Drug Dependence


Symptoms of Substance Dependence Associated with Use of Cigarettes, Alcohol, and Illicit Drugs --- United States, 1991--1992

Each year in the United States, approximately 400,000 deaths result from cigarette smoking, 100,000 from misuse of alcohol, and 20,000 from use of illicit drugs. Many of the adverse health effects associated with the use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs result from long-term use caused by substance dependence (i.e., addiction)---a cluster of cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms indicating sustained psychoactive substance use despite substance-related problems. In addition, substance dependence is characterized by repeated self-administration that usually results in tolerance, withdrawal, and compulsive drug-taking behavior. Nicotine is the psychoactive substance in cigarettes and other forms of tobacco that accounts for the addictive properties of tobacco. In addition to tobacco, other potentially addictive substances include alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine. To assess the prevalence of selected indicators of substance dependence among the U.S. population, CDC and the National Institute on Drug Abuse analyzed data from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) for 1991--1992. The findings in this report suggest that a symptom of substance dependence is more likely to be reported by persons who smoke cigarettes and persons who use cocaine than by persons who use alcohol or marijuana. 

Mike Burgoyne 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\drug education .TXT
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A major problem that exists within Canadian society is the abuse of mind-altering substances.  Such narcotics cause not only health problems, but also violent and potentially criminal acts.  A mind-altering narcotic can be defined as both  the legal and illegal type.  The four main categories of  drugs are:  narcotics, CNS depressants, CNS stimulants, and hallucinogens.  Most of these drugs are highly addictive and are usually obtained by prescription or are considered a banned substance and must be purchased illegally. 
Users of many of the "harder" drugs being abused today also face the possibility of an eventual overdose.  An overdose is the ingestion of a lethal or mind-damaging amount of drugs.  Once an full addiction of these drugs occur, the user faces withdrawal symptoms when a discontinuation of a drug transpires.  This is due to a reduction of the natural pain-killers that exist in the body of non-drug users.  These symptoms include chills, sweating, cramps, headaches, diarrhea and excessive vomiting.  The treatment of drug addicts includes an extensive program of detoxification. Medical drugs, such as Naloxone, are sometimes given to patients to aid in overcoming these addictions.  These drugs occupy opiate receptors in the brain to block all effects of the damaging drugs, however the Naloxone is not an addictive drug, as the others are.  The downfall to the medical drugs being used to help addiction are that there effects are very short-term and cannot cure the patient, but does assist in attaining the goal of substituting a more controllable, less lethal drug as opposed to the original narcotic .  
The key to preventing substance abuse in Canada is to educate the public, preferably at a young age, never to experiment with potentially life-threating drugs.  This education can be attained within the pre-secondary schools. In 1988 prime minister Brian Mulroney announced proposed Canada's Drug Strategy. Laws were enacted, which prohibited the sale of drug paraphernalia and increased the power of police to seize the assets of arrested drug offenders. The Strategy allocated the sum of $210 million in its first five years (and an additional $270 million in 1992) mainly to the prevention, education and treatment of drug use, while 30 per cent of this money was intended for the traditional area of law enforcement.  
The goal of education within the school system should be to support those students who are non-users with recognition and social activities that will encourage them to remain non-users and to facilitate a belief and value system that incorporates concern for fellow students and residents of the community.  Drug education should emphasise the negative aspects of drugs to give the student a fair understanding of the long-term effects of drug use.
Building a program for long-term survival, which describes features of prevention programs that can increase a program's survival chances after the initial grant period should be considered a priority.  Educators cannot be at the student's side at all times, especially when the student is faced with pressuring situation affecting the experimentation of drugs.  Programs must focus one long-term education that will remain in the students mind long after the program has terminated.  One option for educators is to use the tool of fear.  If enough fear is put into the students mind in may deter them from ever wanting to experiment with the drugs; or even from becoming curious of their effects.
The clear solution to winning to "war on drugs" is to establish a clear long term program.  Such a program should include government grants, a description of the health risks associated with the use of alcohol and illicit drugs, standards of conduct that clearly prohibit the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of alcohol and illicit, and a description of the applicable legal sanctions under school, local, state, or federal law for the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of alcohol and illicit drugs.  These examples, along with the use of fear, should provide a very effective method of deterring students from ever wanting to, or becoming curious with experimentation of drugs.


Works Cited

Fischer, B. (1994) "'Maps and Moves'" The International Journal of Drug Policy. 1995.

Sternberg, Robert J.  In Search of the Human Mind.  Harcourt Brace College: Publishers:Toronto. 1995.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Drug Legalization.TXT
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	Strong drug enforcement in the  United States is correlated with the reduction  in crime , drug use, and drug addiction growth rates. The impact on tougher  drug sanctions has been overshadowed by a myth that U.S. drug enforcement has become too lenient.
	This myth has been promoted  by the multi-million dollar  pro-drug  legalization lobby,  civil libertarians, and misguided academic researchers   to the public with limited review  and  challenge.
	Attacks on drug enforcement efforts often hold law enforcement  to impossible and changing   performance standards.  Law enforcement , treatment , and prevention complement each other. None of the credit  for the twelve year  decline in drug use among our children is attributed  to law enforcement, yet recent increase in drug use are cited as evidence of law enforcement's failure.
	Without question, drug abuse in our society has been a major cause of crime and social disruption. The drug problem has been so enormous that some in our society , misguided by frustration , are listening to the arguments to legalize or decriminalize drugs. The solution to the drug problem is not to repeal the drug laws. The solution requires commitment to a balanced  effort on drug education , prevention , treatment, and law enforcement.  Softening our drug laws would  be a major mistake. Research and  data clearly  shows  the problem is not  drug  prohibition , but drug use. When drugs are cheap and easily accessible ,  more people will use them. It  is a frightening  scenario  that envisions more of our citizens, both juveniles and adults, using mind -altering substances that not only affect their own behavior and health, but also endanger innocent  people.
	Experience has already shown a link between  illegal drug use and crime; that even the so called " victimless " use of marijuana can cause a disproportionate amount of serious  accidents; and other countries , such as South Korea and Taiwan ,  learned that tolerating  drug abuse only  allowed it to grow out of  hand. Those who do not learn from experience are bound to repeat it. We cannot afford  to do this with the drug problem. There  are the lives of innocent people  at stake in our generation and the next generation .




	Let's be realistic, legalizing marijuana is a terrible idea which   would have  serious  negative  side effects.  Those in favor of legalization  are making false arguments that may sound good , but  are often simplistic and short sighted. Legalization may lessen  the violence surrounding drug dealing , but the real problem is violence resulting from drug use, and this must be addressed with strong  law enforcement , substance abuse treatment, prevention and a commitment to change.
	Anyone who uses marijuana and thinks that "pot" is not harmful  is fooling themselves. The active ingredient  THC , is addictive ,  and users  can get just as addicted as they can  with nicotine ( cigarettes and chewing tobacco)  or alcohol or cocaine.
	Any tax revenue collected resulting from  legalization would be minimal compared to the social cost of addiction.  Legalization would create even more clients for an already overburdened treatment system, and at a much higher cost. Treatment is only a part of the price  that we pay, we will also  be paying for the marijuana users increased health problems, reduced productivity , injuries from  auto accidents ,  and crime. The overwhelming media impact on drug legalization is scary when you think of the impact on young people. Marijuana is the most widely used  illicit drug  in the United States. The good news is that marijuana use is down slightly according to some recent surveys.  We must send messages to society especially the teen-age members that it is not  all right to get " high", getting high is not  a message that stresses healthy relaxation and coping with problems in a matured manner.
	What if a tiny but stubborn group of people continued to promote legalization of what is now illegal drugs? We cannot afford  to permit the few misguided people, some possibly that have ulterior motives, to succeed. There is a major need for factual  information to counter the Drug Policy Foundation and others who continue to push for a nation of zombies and destroy America.
	The nations most precious resource is it's children , the future generation.  We must leave them 




with a society that will give them the best chances possible for a useful , healthy , and safe life that is free from crime and drugs. What if drugs were legalized what would our communities be like? We would have people walking around high half of the time, people would lose their jobs because they could not perform, the economy would diminish , there would be an overwhelming number of people  on welfare, and who is going to pay for  these people, I don't want to , the only solution it not to legalize drugs it would not and could not help society so why legalize. The only people who would gain from drug legalization would be drug producers, drug sellers, criminals, addicts, and money launderers.  Who will lose, our children , families, neighborhoods, communities, all of us.  We all need to make a stand before we end up losing
even more of our children to drugs and violence.
	Those who look at drug legalization as a good idea are looking at it from a financial stand point. Legalization is a flawed concept. The notion that drug legalization will take the underworld element out of the drug trade and result in lower prices is ridiculous. In fact drug abuse would only become more wide spread and run more rampant. Models for this are alcohol and tobacco, both represent serious health hazards, why now add cocaine, heroin, marijuana, LSD and other illicit drugs, to the list of major health hazard substances that people can legally consume.  Pro-legalization  advocates attempt to appeal to emotion, not reason. Legalization  or decriminalization is not drug reform, it is drug retardation, taking us back to the laxidasical  drug policies of the 1970's.  The greatest danger of legalization is to the youth of the country. The youth of our country are the most difficult  to diagnose  and to treat.
	Drugs lead to violence and crime that has been established , legalization will not stop this no matter what anybody argues drugs are dangerous,  to those who use them as well as those who do not but are around users. Legalization will not prevent the chemicals and physiological responses  of the body some of which  take people totally out of reality and also sometimes kill.  The issue on crime is split people say the crime would go down because the price of drugs would go down ,  maybe this is true but it 




is very  unlikely. As people become addicted they need more and more, what happens when the money runs out? People are going to do whatever it takes to obtain their "fix" which  includes stealing , robbing , and burglarization possibly even murder, anything to get their drugs.  
	My feeling on this subject is that of total disagreement with the legalization of drugs. People only want the legalization for the profit end of the industry , which is the only appealing side of the drug trade, but it is not appealing enough to sacrifice my children's future for money. The drug war can be won with the right policies, but legalization is not the answer. We need to save this country, it is the best country in the world, so why destroy it.




























                                                       Crimin: Multidis  Approach
         
                                                               Drug Legalization           
                                                                      
                                                         



                                                                    
                                                               November 24, 1996








I.  Introduction
II.  Crime Reduction and Growth Rates
A.  Lobby's
B.  Drug decline
III.   Arguments
A.  Economy
B.  Profit
IV.  Links Between Crime and Drugs
V.  Health Problems from Drug Use
A.  Chemicals
B.  Death
VI.  The Children
A.  The Present
B.  The Future
VII.  Conclusion





















 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Drug Prohibition.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Drug Prohibition
There are no panaceas for the world's drug problems, but legalizing drugs, un-clog the court system, and free prison space for real criminals. comes as close as any single policy could. Removing legal penalties from the production, sale and use of "controlled substances" would not create a "heaven on Earth," but it would alleviate many of the nation's social and political problems. Legalization would reduce drug-related crime, save the U.S. billions of dollars
	In 1984, a kilogram of cocaine worth $4000 in Columbia sold at wholesale for $30,000, and at retail in the U.S. for some $300,000. At the time, a Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman noted that the wholesale price doubled in six months "due to crackdowns on producers and smugglers in Columbia and the U.S." The consequence of this drastic factory-to-retail escalation is a rise in crime.  Addicts must pay hundreds of times the costs of their habit, and often turn to crime to finance their addiction.  Also, those who deal in the selling of the drugs become prime targets for assault for carrying extremely valuable goods.  The streets become battlegrounds for competing dealers because a particular block or corner can rake in thousands of extra dollars a day.  Should drugs be legalized, the price would collapse, and so would the drug-related motivations to commit crime.  A pack of cocaine becomes no more dangerous to carry than a pack of cigarettes.  The streets would be safer to walk, as criminal drug dealers are pushed from the market.
	Legalization would also deflate prison overcrowding.  Out of 31,346 sentenced prisoners in federal institutions, drug law violators were the largest single category, 9487.  By legalizing drugs, there would be no more drug offenders to lock up. Since many drug users would no longer be committing violent or property crimes to pay for their habits, there would be fewer real criminals.  This decrease in inmates would bring the overflowing federal prison system down to its rated capacity.  The excessive efforts now used against drug activity and drug related-crimes by police would then be put to use more effectively for catching rapists, murderers, and the remaining criminals who commit crimes against people and property.
It takes a month to bring a person accused of a crime to trial. It's even slower for civil proceedings.  There simply isn't enough judges to handle the ever-increasing caseload.  By legalizing drugs, thousands of cases would be wiped off the courts permitting the rest to move faster.  Prosecutors would have more time to handle cases, and judges could make more considered decisions.  Better decisions would lead to fewer grounds for appeals, reducing the huge amount of appeals courts.
The federal, state, and local governments spend about $100 billion a year on law enforcement and criminal justice-programs.  About $35 billion of that is directly related to drug-law enforcement.  Approximately $15 billion is related to drug crimes committed to obtain drug money or other related drug commerce.  Therefore, around $50 billion spent on law enforcement could be saved by legalizing drugs. "fighting drugs is nearly as big a business as pushing them." As Gore Bidal so rightly put it.  Legalizing drugs would endanger the jobs of police officers, and politicians campaigning on war on drugs.  Legalization would threaten thousands of careers that the taxpayers would no longer need to support.  
About 70 percent of the drug budget is used to reduce drug supplies while 30 percent is used to reduce demand through prevention and treatment programs.  Some policymakers believe the government should use most of the funds to limit the supply of drugs by hiring more customs agents and border patrol officers and by training foreign police officers to catch drug traffickers.  This policy would lead to a large increase in futile spending.  There is a common misconception among those who want drugs to remain illegal forever, and that is that by eradicating the supply, the drug problem will eventually disappear.  The problem is, drugs can never be eliminated.  As long as there are people who want drugs, there will be those who are willing to sell.  By getting rid of one drug dealer, another takes its place.  By getting rid of one drug cartel, another emerges.  The funds spent on reducing supplies could be better used to reduce the amount of demand by better educating children and adults alike, and also by treating addicts.
Governments exist to protect the rights of the people.  By prohibiting drug use, American's civil rights are betrayed.  How is prohibition protecting American's rights?  Prohibition increases crime and corruption. It also wastes billions of dollars in taxpayer's money in the futile effort of eradicating drugs.  It also violates American's rights as free persons to do themselves as they wish.  Prohibition is constitutionally incorrect and obviously isn't working.  When are American's going to stop wringing their hands and start solving the problem at hand?
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Drug Reactions.TXT
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  In order for a chemical to be considered a drug it must have the capacity to affect how the body works--to be biologically active. No substance that has the power to do this is completely safe, and drugs are approved only after they demonstrate that they are relatively safe when used as directed, and when the benefits outweigh their risks. Thus, some very dangerous drugs are approved because they are necessary to treat serious illness. Digitalis, which causes the heart muscle to contract, is a dangerous drug, but doctors are permitted to use it because it is vital for treating patients whose heart muscle is weak. A drug as potent as digitalis would not be approved to treat such minor ailments as temporary fatigue because the risks outweigh the benefits.
   Many persons suffer ill effects from drugs even though they take the drug exactly as directed by the doctor or the label. The human population, unlike a colony of ants or bees, contains a great variety of genetic variation. Drugs are tested on at most a few thousand people. When that same drug is taken by millions, some people may not respond in a predictable way to the drug. A person who has a so-called idiosyncratic response to a particular sedative, for example, may become excited rather than relaxed. Others may be hypersensitive, or extremely sensitive, to certain drugs, suffering reactions that resemble allergies.
   A patient may also acquire a tolerance for a certain drug. This means that ever-larger doses are necessary to produce the desired therapeutic effect. Tolerance may lead to habituation, in which the person becomes so dependent upon the drug that he or she becomes addicted to it. Addiction causes severe psychological and physical disturbances when the drug is taken away. Morphine, cocaine, and Benzedrine are common habit-forming drugs. Finally, drugs often have unwanted side effects. These usually cause only minor discomfort such as a skin rash, headache, or drowsiness. Certain drugs, however, can produce serious, even life-threatening adverse reactions. For example, the drug Thalidomide was once called one of the safest sedatives ever developed, but thousands of women in the United Kingdom who took it during pregnancy gave birth to seriously deformed babies. Other adverse reactions stem from mixing drugs. Thus, taking aspirin, which has blood-thinning qualities, for a headache can be very harmful if one is also taking other blood-thinning drugs such as heparin or dicumarol. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Drug Smuggling.TXT
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					Drug Smuggling


	Drug  smuggling is on a current up raise and there seems to be no way of
stunting it growth.  But here a some ways some states are trying to slow the rate of
drug smuggling.

	In Illinois there is a program called "Operation Cash Crop" or the OCC. 
This is a combine of the ISP and the DEA.  It's goal is to locate places where
marijuana is grown then destroy all of it's gardens.  During the span of 1983-88
these "OCC" led to 442 arrest and destroyed over 2 million marijuana plants. And
in 1984 there was 64,300 plants destroyed along.

	There is also a program called Operation Valkritre or O.V., this program
arrested 633 suspected drug smugglers and seized nearly 3,000 Kilograms of
marijuana and 2,000 kilograms of crack that was being brought into Illinois.  More
then 3 quarters of these arrest were in 1988 alone.

	Some of the thing that the government are trying to do to help stop this
horrible thing are sending the army out in the streets to help seize some of the
drugs on the streets, and the government is also putting more money into protect
the boarders from all immigrants bringing illegal drugs into the United States of
America. There is also a lot of money put into a huge wall/fence going across most
of the whole southern boarder line.  Along the coast of the east side and the west
side are hundreds of check in places to help stop from letting in illegal drugs.

 	Here is a case about 21 sailors that were arrested for smuggling cocaine and
heroin to Italy.  They have been doing those on a regular basis because most navy
trips can go through boarders without being check for illegal drugs.  The sailors
were caught with 20 pounds of illegal drugs which had street value of thousands
of dollars.  The reason there are not a lot of illegal drugs coming into the U.S.
boarders is cause we have high tech aircraft's and vessels and surveillance to
detect drugs.

	Some of the places where crack is a problem are where a country does not
have money to support a high tech drug resistance around the borders of there
country.  That is the reason that there is such a huge drug problem in countries like
Mexico and some of the poorer counties in Russia.  Most of the drugs that seep
into American  are usually brought into from Mexico.

	The government is trying to build a more resistant border line to stop all
flow of drugs coming into the American boarder line.

	After the drugs make it into America they go to California and Arizona. 
Then there are allot of people that will buy the illegal substance.  After it start in
California  the drug goes to the whole country.  The reason there is not allot of
drugs coming in from the east coast is because we have numerous check in places
where all items on the ship or boat are thoroughly checked to make sure there are
no illegal substances.

	But on the border line in Mexico there are some places where there are no
check in places and that is why more drugs are illegally transported in the United
States.

	Some of the ways people can illegally but secretly bring in the drugs are in
different forms.  Like inside Tums, frozen foods, and in baking soda boxes.  The
reason this works is because at the check in posts they don't usually check foods
and other everyday things.

	 There are now allot more programs trying to help stop drugs from coming
into the U.S.A. here are some names of these programs, C.I.A., D.E.A., and the
C.E.O.'s and there is also allot of local drug resistance groups.

	Now you wonder where all of crack and illegal drugs are made.  It all starts
in places like Mexico where drugs can be grown and you don't even get in trouble
for it. Then they bring it to the U.S. where the poorest person that brings the drug
in can get what seems to be a large amount of money for the illegal substance, and
that is why there are so many illegal drugs in the United States. Over half of the
drugs that make it into America are from place's like Colombia in Central
America.

	Some of the techniques that the police attempt to do are going out into the
streets to act like they are people buying drugs.  So what they do is approach a
seller then they ask how much for the product and what they are getting and then
they show there badges and make the bust.  This is one of the best techniques there
is because there is no way of being detected by the drug dealer, that's why there
were over 1,000 arrests in the year nineteen-ninety five.  After all of the arrest are
made you may wonder where all of the substances and money end up,  well the
police intake them to the police station the money is used to either purchase new
equipment or given to charity.  The drugs are usually destroyed or taken to a local
hospital for medical use.

	Most drugs are sold and bought in poor suburbs.  This location is meant to
be an areas where very few police drive through.  But the police are starting to
catch on.

	Although there are allot of new high tech ways of locating and stooping
drug transfers from happening.

	there still are allot of illegal drugs out on the streets of this greatly populated
country.  There has been a slight uprise of all drug smuggling arrests., which
means there are still allot  of drugs out there.  But the War Against Drugs is still
going on and maybe one day in our future these country really will be DRUG
FREE.
	Now about the legalization of drugs and what Richard Nixon the president
in '72 thought when he came into office about the drug problem startin to expand
so he thought about legalizin all drugs except heroin.  But he didn't and I think he
did the right thing.	

	The percentage of 12-17 year olds has doubled from 1.6 mil. to 2.9 mil.  1 in
three high school seniors now smoke marijuana and 48.4% of the class of 1995
has tried it.
	
	L.S.D. use has been soaring in the last 25 year it went up 11.7%
	
	The rate of cocaine and heroin related hospitalizations reports have went to
65% since 1990 to 1994.
	
	The place most of the drugs have the most problem is in the western part of
America properly cause most of the drug comes from the Mexican borders.
	
	



				
		
					Title Page
			



DRUG SMUGGLING


Where I got my information

				Internet:   www.altavista.com
					21 saliors 
					illionis prevention
					drug title 4

				DRUG IN AMERICA 
					By robert long
					1993

					What next?
					by  frank  loinheart
					1994 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Drugs and legalization.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
Drugs and Legalization

	Since early on man has been interested in the consumption of substances 
that altered the mind or ones feeling. The consumption of substances can be  
broken down into legal and illegal substances. The question is, who are we to  
label certain substances illegal and prohibit others from using them by 
creating penalties for their use? 

	If the importation, sale and use of drugs were legal, the open competition 
would eliminate the profitability of drug dealing. Without the economic 
incentive to commit violent crimes, the violence of drug dealing would be 
dramatically reduced. In addition to the elimination of the economic incentive, 
the health risk factor would help to reduce the role of the drug dealer. A 
potential customer would probably choose to buy a market-tested product
from a pharmacy as opposed to buying a product of unknown dosage and quality 
from a corner dealer. 

	Without the advantage of large profits, the drug dealing profession would 
lose its luster. A major problem is that teenagers see selling drugs as the only 
way to make money. Minimum wage salaries can not compare to the huge 
profits associated with dealing. In a drug community, the drug dealers are seen 
as the center of the community. They become role models for the children, 
replacing their parents. Eliminating the drug dealer will force these young 
children into the reality that education is the way to make money, not selling 
drugs. 

	N.O.R.M.L (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws)
is a fully recognized organization that lobbies for the removal of criminal 
penalties for the individual who uses marijuana in private. Since it is the 
Americans right to privacy, personal choice, and individual freedom.

	Marijuana, in addition to not being a dangerous drug, has been 
documented to have practical medical purposes and environmental purposes. 
The legalization of marijuana, a drug that the criminalization of is so impossible 
to enforce, would not only not harm society, but could actually benefit it. The 
question then becomes, how should legalization be approached? In addition to 
legalization, the government must also educate people of the affects.

	Legalizing drugs would allow them to be available to those who would 
benefit from their medical use and those who would like to use them as 
recreational drugs much like alcohol and tobacco are. Research would also be 
encouraged as scientists could search for new and practical uses of drugs. There 
are many wonderful uses of drugs that have not yet been identified or perfected  
because of the strict laws against them. With expanded research, we could 
discover these new possibilities.

	Of course, some restrictions would have to be set. Likely, an age restriction would have to be adopted. Restricting the use of drugs to adults only, and educating the youth of the potential dangers should help curb adolescent abuse, much like that of alcohol and tobacco. Prohibiting acts such as driving a vehicle under the influence of a mind-altering substance would likewise be necessary. Another necessity would be the destruction of all those with prior criminal records due to the arrest or conviction on drug-related charges. Of course, the right of the non-smoker would have to be respected in a public facility, just like non-smoking areas now days. The legalization could also help the economy in the revenue collected from taxes. 

 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Drugs in the Music Industry.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
English                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Research Paper                                                                                                         3/16/97                     



                                                 Drugs in the music Industry

	The Music World-glamorous, fast paced, and a world most of us will never be part of.  But if we knew what it entailed, would we still want to be?  The whole world seems to be building itself around drugs more and more every day, and music industry isn't immune.  In fact, music is one of the most influential art forms of today's society, and drugs, especially to today's youth, just add to the attractiveness of it all.  

In the last two or three years, drugs, especially heroin, have risen in use dramatically.  Kurt Cobain was the most high-profile drug-related rock star since the 1970's and was still battling heroin addiction when he committed suicide in 1994.  Along with him, his wife Courtney Love made it fashionable to be a "junkie".  In the last year, Stone Temple Pilot's singer Scott Weiland and Depeche Mode singer David Gahan, among others, have 
been arrested for cocaine or heroin possession. The number of top bands that have been linked to heroin through a member's overdose, arrest, admitted use or recovery is staggering:  Smashing pumpkins, Everclear, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dr. Dre, Blind Melon, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Breeders, Alice in Chains, Sex Pistols, Sublime, Iggy Pop, the list goes on 
                                                                                       Mcguire 2
and on.  Together, these bands have sold more than 60 million albums(Newsweek pgs 50 & 53).
	
	Since kids emulate popular musicians, what is there to keep them from emulating their drug use?  Moreover, what's to keep the majority of the population from doing the same?  In the 60's and 70's, drug use was never spoken of nor did anyone admit that it was a problem.  Nowadays, there is not a person in the world who hasn't heard about the rising drug use.  But what are they doing about it? Back in the 80's, higher prices, the fear of contracting AIDS, and lower purity kept drugs out of the mainstream.  Now, drugs are cheaper and easier to get then ever, being imported into the country at double the rate it was in the 1980's.   Unfortunately, the outsider's view of drug use isn't the harsh reality.  Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday, and Charlie Parker are among the many to die from heroin and other drug addictions.  Drugs seem to make you a funnier, wiser, cooler person, but what the younger generation fails to realize is that they are fatal.

	Despite this, drug use continues to soar. People mistakenly think that drugs, if taken a certain way, aren't addictive, when even marijuana, thought to be a harmless "high", has been found addictive.  
		The fear is that drug use is becoming another trend.  The streets of Seattle are cluttered with young people who have moved there just to do heroin just like Kurt Cobain did-all this at a time when the people in the Seattle music scene claim that drug use among musicians is tapering off (Newsweek p 54).  
	
	                                                                                       McGuire 3                                                                                                
Smashing Pumpkins fired drummer Jimmy Chamberlin after finding that he was addicted to heroin along with late keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin.  This was definitely a step in the right direction,  although they may have done it for the public acclaim.  But will other bands follow?  If they did, there wouldn't be any musicians left.  Nonetheless, the Smashing Pumpkins didn't lose their place on the top ten charts.  They didn't get pushed into the trash pile, and if they survived, who's to say that no one else will?

	People speculate that the pressures of success put a strain on musician's lives and push them to use drugs to feel better about themselves, but they're not really very different from normal people.  Musicians are just common people who play music.  Drug addicts are all people, and names don't matter.  Contrary to popular belief, musicians aren't royalty to be worshipped and looked up to.  They breathe in and out just as normal human beings and have no more reason to give into the temptation of drug use than we do.  

	The natural tendency for people is to be accepted and to feel wanted.  We take risks just to look better and more courageous than our peers because we're competing for popularity due to their own insecurities.  The younger generation is the most impressionable of today's world, and they do what they see as fashionable and "in".   This doesn't mean that adults don't join in on this competition.  Each person's job or company has to be bigger and better than the next.  
	                                                                                       McGuire 4
The Partnership for a Drug-Free America, best known for it's commercials on television, now worries that heroin will be the drug of the 90's, and that musicians, as well as movie stars, are helping to make it so.  Earlier this summer, the organization aired another shocking commercial.  Showing images of junkie music celebrities and anecdotes about middle-class drug use, this was the most expensive campaign ever against drug use.  Is this getting the attention that it deserves?  Sadly, people still continue doing drugs.

              What makes drug use so popular?  Is it the fact that people have found a way to escape their problems, or that everywhere you look someone famous is doing it.  If people took the time to ask about the effects that drug use has after being used continuously for log periods of time, they would find that it isn't all it's cracked up to be.      Dave Navarro, guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, said that he started doing drugs at the age of 15 to relive his pressures after his mother died.  Now a recovered addict, he says that heroin ruined his dreams and turned his career from the thing he wanted most into the thing he wanted to get away from (Newsweek p 65).  

               Many think that the lives of musicians are easy because they are wealthy, popular, and sublimely happy.   Being rich and famous isn't all it's cracked up to be.  They lead normal lives, have kids and pay bills just as we do, but this is still no excuse to put your life into your own hands. 

                                                                                        McGuire 5    
         The music industry may be finally facing up to the truth that drug abuse has become a serious problem, though.   The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences gathered in 1996 to discuss what could be done about it.  The sense of crisis has been growing since Kurt Cobain committed suicide, blamed at least partly on his heroin abuse.(Time p57)Expressions of concern are easy to come by, but the chances for  meaningful  industry action are less clear.  Record executives refuse to be drug police, especially in a society where drug abuse has long been accepted, and even condoned, as part of the creative process. 

              Geffen Records has retained a drug counselor for it's musicians who seek help.  (Time p 58).  But the industry must recognize that pressure from the label to keep tutoring and recording can blow a drug problem out of proportion.  It is a minimal step, but at least a start toward trying to keep musicians healthy, productive, and alive.    

	

               

	
 

	
English                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Research Paper                                                                                                         3/16/97                     



                                                 Drugs in the music Industry

	The Music World-glamorous, fast paced, and a world most of us will never be part of.  But if we knew what it entailed, would we still want to be?  The whole world seems to be building itself around drugs more and more every day, and music industry isn't immune.  In fact, music is one of the most influential art forms of today's society, and drugs, especially to today's youth, just add to the attractiveness of it all.  

In the last two or three years, drugs, especially heroin, have risen in use dramatically.  Kurt Cobain was the most high-profile drug-related rock star since the 1970's and was still battling heroin addiction when he committed suicide in 1994.  Along with him, his wife Courtney Love made it fashionable to be a "junkie".  In the last year, Stone Temple Pilot's singer Scott Weiland and Depeche Mode singer David Gahan, among others, have 
been arrested for cocaine or heroin possession. The number of top bands that have been linked to heroin through a member's overdose, arrest, admitted use or recovery is staggering:  Smashing pumpkins, Everclear, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dr. Dre, Blind Melon, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Breeders, Alice in Chains, Sex Pistols, Sublime, Iggy Pop, the list goes on 
                                                                                       Mcguire 2
and on.  Together, these bands have sold more than 60 million albums(Newsweek pgs 50 & 53).
	
	Since kids emulate popular musicians, what is there to keep them from emulating their drug use?  Moreover, what's to keep the majority of the population from doing the same?  In the 60's and 70's, drug use was never spoken of nor did anyone admit that it was a problem.  Nowadays, there is not a person in the world who hasn't heard about the rising drug use.  But what are they doing about it? Back in the 80's, higher prices, the fear of contracting AIDS, and lower purity kept drugs out of the mainstream.  Now, drugs are cheaper and easier to get then ever, being imported into the country at double the rate it was in the 1980's.   Unfortunately, the outsider's view of drug use isn't the harsh reality.  Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday, and Charlie Parker are among the many to die from heroin and other drug addictions.  Drugs seem to make you a funnier, wiser, cooler person, but what the younger generation fails to realize is that they are fatal.

	Despite this, drug use continues to soar. People mistakenly think that drugs, if taken a certain way, aren't addictive, when even marijuana, thought to be a harmless "high", has been found addictive.  
		The fear is that drug use is becoming another trend.  The streets of Seattle are cluttered with young people who have moved there just to do heroin just like Kurt Cobain did-all this at a time when the people in the Seattle music scene claim that drug use among musicians is tapering off (Newsweek p 54).  
	
	                                                                                       McGuire 3                                                                                                
Smashing Pumpkins fired drummer Jimmy Chamberlin after finding that he was addicted to heroin along with late keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin.  This was definitely a step in the right direction,  although they may have done it for the public acclaim.  But will other bands follow?  If they did, there wouldn't be any musicians left.  Nonetheless, the Smashing Pumpkins didn't lose their place on the top ten charts.  They didn't get pushed into the trash pile, and if they survived, who's to say that no one else will?

	People speculate that the pressures of success put a strain on musician's lives and push them to use drugs to feel better about themselves, but they're not really very different from normal people.  Musicians are just common people who play music.  Drug addicts are all people, and names don't matter.  Contrary to popular belief, musicians aren't royalty to be worshipped and looked up to.  They breathe in and out just as normal human beings and have no more reason to give into the temptation of drug use than we do.  

	The natural tendency for people is to be accepted and to feel wanted.  We take risks just to look better and more courageous than our peers because we're competing for popularity due to their own insecurities.  The younger generation is the most impressionable of today's world, and they do what they see as fashionable and "in".   This doesn't mean that adults don't join in on this competition.  Each person's job or company has to be bigger and better than the next.  
	                                                                                       McGuire 4
The Partnership for a Drug-Free America, best known for it's commercials on television, now worries that heroin will be the drug of the 90's, and that musicians, as well as movie stars, are helping to make it so.  Earlier this summer, the organization aired another shocking commercial.  Showing images of junkie music celebrities and anecdotes about middle-class drug use, this was the most expensive campaign ever against drug use.  Is this getting the attention that it deserves?  Sadly, people still continue doing drugs.

              What makes drug use so popular?  Is it the fact that people have found a way to escape their problems, or that everywhere you look someone famous is doing it.  If people took the time to ask about the effects that drug use has after being used continuously for log periods of time, they would find that it isn't all it's cracked up to be.      Dave Navarro, guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, said that he started doing drugs at the age of 15 to relive his pressures after his mother died.  Now a recovered addict, he says that heroin ruined his dreams and turned his career from the thing he wanted most into the thing he wanted to get away from (Newsweek p 65).  

               Many think that the lives of musicians are easy because they are wealthy, popular, and sublimely happy.   Being rich and famous isn't all it's cracked up to be.  They lead normal lives, have kids and pay bills just as we do, but this is still no excuse to put your life into your own hands. 

                                                                                        McGuire 5    
         The music industry may be finally facing up to the truth that drug abuse has become a serious problem, though.   The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences gathered in 1996 to discuss what could be done about it.  The sense of crisis has been growing since Kurt Cobain committed suicide, blamed at least partly on his heroin abuse.(Time p57)Expressions of concern are easy to come by, but the chances for  meaningful  industry action are less clear.  Record executives refuse to be drug police, especially in a society where drug abuse has long been accepted, and even condoned, as part of the creative process. 

              Geffen Records has retained a drug counselor for it's musicians who seek help.  (Time p 58).  But the industry must recognize that pressure from the label to keep tutoring and recording can blow a drug problem out of proportion.  It is a minimal step, but at least a start toward trying to keep musicians healthy, productive, and alive.    

	

               

	
 

	


















 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Drugs.TXT
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NEI TIL NARKOTIKA!

Jeg kan begynne med en historie om en hasjmisbruker. I dette tilfellet var misbrukeren en mann. Han hadde gċtt pċ stoff i lang tid, og var stekt avhengig. En kveld etter og ha rĝykt ganske store mengder hasj, dro han inn til pubben. Etter en stund kom han i brċk med en annen mann og det endte med at hasjmisbrukern slo ned og drepte den andre. Mannen ble dĝmt til mange ċrs fengsel for drap .
                             Jeg husker ikke hvor mange ċr det var, men han slapp ut tidligere p.g.a. god oppfĝrsel. Han hadde ogsċ blitt helt stoffri. Han hadde ingen til og komme og hente seg, sċ han bestemte seg for ċ ta bussen til en kamerat. Pċ bussholdeplassen traff han en annen mann. De snakket sammen og kom ganske godt overens. Alt virket helt normalt, men plutselig stakk den fĝre dette hasjmisbrukeren ned den andre mannen og drepte ham. Han tok deretter bussen til kameraten, men ble senere tatt av politiet. Det var et eksempel pċ hvor  tragisk det kan ende hvis du bruker narkotika. Faren med narkotika er at nċr du begynner, tror du at du har kontrollen, sċ det er ikke sċ farlig, men etter hvert mister du den kontrollen du trodde du hadde, og du er blitt avhengig. Du begynner med et svakt stoff, gċr over til sterkere og sterkere stoffer,  og hvis du er uheldig, ender du opp med overdose. Narkotikaen fĝrer ogsċ til redusert celleproduksjon og gjĝr deg slĝv og slapp. Det vil jeg si er en god grunn til ċ si nei til narkotika!
                             Livet til en rusmisbruker er ikke sĉrlig moro. Kanskje i fĝrsten mens du ennċ har "kontroll", men etterhvert som du begynner med sterkere og sterkere stoffer, blir pengebehovet stĝrre og du mċ begynne ċ gjĝre innbrudd og stjele for ċ fċ nok penger. Det ender fort med fengsel. Nċr du sliper ut igjen er du klin blakk, og mċ gċ pċ sosialen. Dermed blir du en ennċ stĝrre belastning pċ statskassa. Hos sosialen for du akkurat nok til litt mat og stoff. Ikke har du noe sted ċ bo, sċ du mċ bo pċ gata. Du trenger mer penger til stoff, og mċ gjĝre nye innbrudd. Du blir tatt og havner i fengsel igjen... Slik er ofte hverdagen i stoffmiljĝet.
                             Hvis min beste venn hadde begynt pċ stoff, er jeg ikke sikker pċ hva jeg hadde gjort, men mest sannsynlig ville jeg ha sagt det til noen. Det ville blitt en ganske vanskelig situasjon ċ sta oppi. Hvis du ikke sier ifra, kan vennen din ende opp som et narkovrak. Hvis du sier ifra, risikerer du at vennen din ikke hvil ha noe mer med deg ċ gjĝre. Nei, jeg vet ikke hva jeg ville gjort, men det enkleste hadde vĉrt hvis vennen din hadde sagt nei til narkotikaen!
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\DWI.TXT
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Drinking and Driving


OBJECTIVE
	As one of the leading causes of automobile accidents and deaths, the dangers involved in DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) needs to be brought to the attention of the drivers and the general public.  The ultimate goal of this project is to bring a better understanding about DWI to the public in an attempt to enforce safety on the roads.

OVERVIEW
¨ New.movie		
	This is the main movie.  Start up the project from this movie.  All other movies will be opened up as movies in a window.  Most importantly, it contains the main menu which includes the help function (dice), navigational buttons (beeper), and the two main icons (glass & key.)  As the background music, a jazz tune by Joe Pass was borrowed.  Mouse clicks on the navigational tools will make highlights on the buttons (along with descriptions on the LCD) and sound off  a corresponding  puppet sound (note that the 'chaching' or 'cough' sound plays only while the mouse is down.)  Some functions such as volume control, quit, and help are under construction.

¨ Dash.pict		(dash)
	This frame was intended to create an interactive driver's seat in which the user can learn about the functionalities of the gauges and instruments.  However, this page frame is currently under construction.  Once it is finished, the following shall be available.
· Each gauge and instrument will light up (rollover effect) and then give the name & a brief 	description of the functionality (by sound.)
· Detailed information can be seen with a mouse click on the gauge  which moves the frame 	to the next destination.
· Driver's education tutorial (manual and/or automatic transmission.)

¨ Car_flash.movie	(car)
	This movie functions as a sub-menu page frame for the 'Driving' theme.  Putting the cursor on the topic bar will show a brief description of the contents in the scrolling text window.  A mouse click on the sub-topic bar allows the user to move on to the detailed information on the next page.
The movie has the following sub-topics.
· DWI Statistics
· Prevention
· Cool Animations

¨ New_ball.movie	(ball)
	A simple Director animation.  The ball consists of two layers of images, a red 2D spiral image layered on top of a yellow 3D globe image. 

¨ Crash.movie 	(crash)
	A Director animation created strictly from the paint window option within Director.  The background music is a shrieking instrumental by Steve Vai; however, the crash sound effect was created with a midi drum machine and mixed down with sound effects through a 8-track mixer. The text can be read by clicking on the sub-topic bars.
The movie has the following sub-topics.
· Statistics
· Laws & Regulations
 
¨ Collision.movie 	(X)
	A quicktime movie.  Appropriately enough, a tune by Jimmy Hendrix called " Cross Town Traffic " was used.  The lyrics have relevance to the traffic / driving theme.
The text portion, regarding 'Prevention,' is still under construction.
 
¨ Glass.movie	(glass)	
 	This movie also functions as a sub-menu page frame for the 'Drinking' theme.  The 3-dimensional animation was created in Logomotion and was saved in a Quicktime movie format.  The new.movie calls the glass.movie, and the Quicktime movie is opened as a movie in a window.  The user has the option to play or stop the Quicktime movie while browsing through the text.  In the background, there is a rain and bell sound which sets the grim mood ( related to the fact that alcohol is a depressant.) 
The movie has the following sub-topics.
· Effects of Alcohol
· Blood Alcohol Level (BAL)
 
¨ Desert.movie	(desert)
	The still image was rendered in Photoshop.  In order to create the heat wave effect, the original image was distorted.  Then the distorted images were arranged in a sequence through the Director.  To dramatize the dry desert sensation, an illusive tune by Pink Floyd called "Breathe" was used.  The text can be read by clicking on the sub-topic bars.	
The movie has the following sub-topics.
· What is Blood Alcohol Level
· Effects of  Blood Alcohol Level

¨ Windshield.movie	(windsh)
	The still image was rendered in Photoshop.  In order to create the blurry road effect, the windshield portion of the image was distorted.  Then the distorted images were arranged in a sequence through the Director.  The chosen music was by the Doors called " Riders in the Storm."  The text can be read by clicking on the sub-topic bars.	
The movie has the following sub-topics.
· Short-term Effects
· Long-term Effects
· Alcohol vs. Sexuality


INTERFACE
	The main interface is driven by icons and image-maps which allows the user to browse through the pages of the movie.  The content of the project is partitioned into two main parts: text and animation.  
	The text portion is opened by a scrolling text window.  On the initial page frames that serve as a topic menu, rollovers have been used on the text windows.  In other words, the text window shows up when the mouse cursor is at the respective topic bar.  This allows the user to see a brief overlook of the related topic.  Once the user has selected the desired topic and clicked on the topic bar, the frame moves on to the respective page frame.   As the user traverses through the page frames, there will be more sub-topics which will discuss the contents in greater detail.  In order to see the full text, the user must click on the sub-tonic bar and scroll up and down the text window.   
	Another important part of the interface is the animation.  The entire project is run by the main movie called " new.movie."  From this movie, calls are made to the other movies (which are in the same directory.)  These movies are opened up as movies in a window which has the following advantages.  First, it has duality in a sense that the movie in a window can be processing one thing, and the remaining stage can be doing a completely different thing.  In this case, the movie in a window is playing an animation on the side while the user can manipulate or interact with the menu interface.  Secondly, the main movie, "new.movie," stays organized as it is kept small and calls other movies into itself only when they are needed.  This is analogous to the structured programming strategy:  the main code is brief and makes many procedure calls.  
	The only disadvantage of movies in a window is that it sometimes causes minor annoyances or glitches.  For example, if the called movie has transitions in between frames, it will slow down the computer and make short pauses in cursor movements.  Another possible error exists in the sound sprites.  Let's suppose that there is a sound track playing in the called movie.  When the movie is closed by the "forget movie" command, it is supposed to close down the whole movie.  However, what happens is that the sequence does move on to the next frame, yet the sound is still playing in the background.  The results can be devastating as the movie has the current sound and the previous sound from another movie playing simultaneously.  In this situation, one way to eliminate the problem is to always have a sound file in the same rows of the sound sprites.

CONCLUSION & EVALUATION
	At first, I was actually working on another project of the same theme.  During the course of the semester, however, I came to realize that this project was lacking in many ways.  I remember seeing a project done by an ITP student which gave me the inspiration to pursue this project to a greater extent.  That's when I had this burning desire to boldly start over from scratch.  
	From that moment on it was back to the drawing board.  This project has an immense amount of time invested into the interface concept, and  animation.  I believe that I've spent as much time just thinking about the interface layout as actually working on the project itself.  I was hoping to make a complete guide to 'Driving.'  But it wasn't long before I realized that this was too grand of a scheme for a semester's work load.
	" Drinking and Driving " is only a part of my large prospective project.  I regret that the semester has only so much time available.  As the project stands now, many functionalities and navigation are either not yet implemented or somewhat unstable.  In given  time though, I am planning on continuing this project in the semesters to come.  It may take more time to learn new tools and methods, but I'm also hoping to include more digital video and 3-Dimensional materials.
Someday this project will be a  highly interactive,  informative, virtual reality environment for all types of drivers and pedestrians. 	

        
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Effect of Drugs and Alcohol on Teenagers.TXT
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I.) Introduction:
	"Crack, booze, pot, crystal- from the inner city to the suburbs to small towns, the world of the adolescent is permeated by drugs.  When 'a little harmless experimentation' becomes addiction, parents, teachers, and clinicians are often at a loss. For this age group (roughly ages 13 to 23), traditional substance abuse programs simply are not enough" (Nowinski, inside cover).  
	Today's society provides many challenges for adolescents that our parents never had to face.  Pre-marital sex and pregnancy, alcohol abuse, and drug addiction have always been around but they have never been more available to adolescents than they are now.  Adolescents are more on their own to take care of themselves with more and more single parent households.  The problem of drug and alcohol is a major one.  Teenagers feel a need to drink and do drugs to fit in to peer groups.  The problem is widespread.  The common thoughts that drugs are only in the city where the poor live but that is wrong.  Any single person can get drugs from the inner city to the small rural towns of Texas and Nebraska.  It doesn't matter where you are.  There is a major need for adults to intervene and stop the problem at its beginnings, the adolescents.  If we sit here and deny the fact that the problem is there then we are just setting ourselves up for disaster.
II.) Review of Literature:
  A   Source 1: 
	The first piece of literature that I used was a book written by Dr. Joseph Nowinski entitled Substance Abuse in Adolescents & Young Adults.  It was written at the Elmcrest Psychiatric Institute in 1990.  The book described Dr. Nowinski's study of adolescent addicts of drugs and alcohol.  It goes on to explain the need for the development of treatment plans for adolescents because conventional plans do not work on this age group.
  B)  Source 2:
	The second source that I used was a journal article entitled "Prevalence of substance abuse in a rural teenage population."  It was written by Wade Silverman.  This article was published in The Journal of Adolescent Chemical Dependency in 1991.  This article presented the results of a survey done in a rural school system to assess the prevalence  rates of substance use and related lifestyle variables for teens and their parents.
  C)  Source 3:
	The third source that I used was a newspaper article taken from the February 1, 1994 edition of the Los Angeles Times.  The piece was written by Marlene Cimons.  The article, entitled "Illicit drug use by youths shows marked increases," announced that the results of an annual survey showed that drug use had increased significantly among teenagers between 1992 and 1993.
  D)  Source 4:
	My fourth source was a journal article written by S. Brown and others.  It was taken from The Journal of Studies on Alcohol.  The article was entitled "Conduct disorder among adolescent alcohol and drug abusers" and was published in 1996.  The article summarized a study that examined the extent to which conduct disorder type behavior predated substance use involvement among 166 adolescents in treatment for alcohol and other drug abuse.
  E)  Source 5:
	My final source was another journal article that was taken from The Journal of Marital and family Therapy.  The article was written by H. Joanning and others in 1992.  The article, entitled "Treating adolescent drug abuse: A comparison of family systems therapy, group therapy, and family drug education," describes the differential effectiveness of three models of adolescent drug abuse treatment.  It compares the Family Systems Therapy, the Adolescent Group Therapy, and the Family Drug Education models.
III.) Methodology:
	I started out my research by going to the computers in the library and researching journal and newspaper articles in the WinSpirs databases.  I found articles from psychology, sociology, and science databases.  I then looked for the articles in the journal section of the library.  I found some of the articles in the school library as well as using my local library.  I also used the OPAC computer to find my book source.
IV.) Result of Information Gathered:
  A) Source 1:
	Dr. Nowinski's book describes specific cases of adolescent drug abuse that he has worked with.  He describes the different patterns of drug abuse and the causes of such abuse.  He describes causes like alienation, low self- esteem and confidence, stress, and peer pressure.  He goes into how development of new treatment techniques are necessary because adolescent addictions are different than those of adults.  He describes the process of counseling, denial and compliance, and surrender and recovery.  Nowinski stresses the need for family intervention in cases that involve adolescents.  
  B) Source 2:
	Silverman gives the results of the survey and attempts to interpret the results.  It was found that 83% of the students in the study were either abstainers or experimental users.  It was recommended that primary prevention strategies should be used with this group.  The remaining 17% had been deemed "drug users" and it was found that they all shared a similar lifestyle.  All had multiple substance abuse problems, were engaged in frequent sexual activity, and received poor grades.  it was also found that the amount of parental attention and supervision was significantly different for both groups.  
  C) Source 3:
	This article said that the rise in drug use among teens was driven by a dramatic rise in the use of marijuana and more use of stimulants, LSD and inhalants.  It also describes how this trend was a reversal from the recent downward patterns of drug use among teens.
  
D) Source 4:
	It was found that most cases of alcohol and drug abuse in adolescents was attributed to conduct disorder behavior.  It was also found that cases involving this disorder and drug abuse led to a more frequent relapse into the problem and an increase in anti-social behavior.
E) Source 5:
	This study found that the Family Therapy Systems model of treatment appeared to be more effective in treating and stopping adolescent drug abuse.  It registered twice as many drug-free clients as the Family Drug Education program and three times as many as the Adolescent Group Therapy model.
V.) Summary and Conclusion:
	Through the literature and the class it is obvious that drug and alcohol abuse among adolescents is a prevalent and dangerous problem.  The use of these substances is dangerous and stupid.  I'm not going to be a hypocrite and say that I have never tried any drugs or alcohol.  I'd be lying if I said that I haven't but now I realize that it is a problem that has to be addressed through action and not ignorance.
Table of Contents

I.) Introduction .................................................................. 1

II.) Review of Literature ................................................... 2
	A) Source 1 .............................................................. 2
	B) Source 2 .............................................................. 2
	C) Source 3 .............................................................. 3
	D) Source 4 .............................................................. 3
	E) Source 5 .............................................................. 3

III.) Methodology .............................................................. 4

IV.) Results of Information Gathered .............................. 4
	A) Source 1 .............................................................. 4
	B) Source 2 .............................................................. 5
	C) Source 3 .............................................................. 5
	D) Source 4 .............................................................. 6
	E) Source 5 .............................................................. 6

V.) Summary and Conclusion .......................................... 6

References
Brown, S.  "Conduct disorders among adolescent alcohol and drug 	abusers."  Journal of Studies on Alcohol.  Psychological Service, 	Veterans Affairs Medical Center.  San Diego. 1996.
Cimons, M.  "Illicit drug use by youths shows marked increase."  
	Los Angeles Times.  February 1, 1994. Sec:A, p:1, col:6.
Joanning, H. et al.  "Treating adolescent drug abuse: A comparison
	of family systems therapy, group therapy, and family drug education."  
	The Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.  October, 1992.
Nowinski, Joseph.  Substance Abuse in Adolescents and Young Adults.  
	W. W. Norton & Company Ltd.  New York.  1990.
Silverman, Wade.  "Prevalence of substance abuse in a rural teenage 	population."  The Journal of Adolescent Chemical Dependency.
	Volume 2.  1991.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Fear of Victimization.TXT
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									Brendan Devine
									February 24, 1997


The Media and the Fear of Victimization
Tonight's presenter spoke on the images of crime that are presented on television and the media and how they affect the public perception on being victimized. She gave examples of how the media has the tendency to often blow up a situation so as to make it appear as if the nation is in some great peril. For example if someone does  a study on juvenile crime you can expect the media to focus on juvenile crime and incidents that may be occurring across the nation. Though the crime they are reporting is a portion of the normal crime that goes on everyday and almost unnoticed for the most part but because of the attention it is getting and the media's tendency to sensationalize events  Americans all of a sudden feel threatened by juvenile crime and demand that something be done. Americans in other words are getting a false representation of the real situation. Politicians who are eager to win votes however take advantage of the situation by pushing punitive measures even though the reality is that crime figures do not agree with the reports. She also commented on the fact that the media loves to report crimes (34%) of victimization when the victim is a white woman and her is assailant is black. The reality is however that blacks are more often victimized by blacks. The rate of black on white crime is now where near 34%. This predisposes white women to the fear that they will be victimized by a black person, thus creating a bias towards blacks.
	In regards to the candidate as a professor I feel that she didn't involve the students enough. As a result of this I found her presentation boring despite having an interesting topic. She failed to properly deliver her presentation. She read from her notes entirely too much. She seemed very reserved and almost shy at times, not what I expect from  a professor.   
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Gang Activity.TXT
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Since the beginning of the decade, teenage homicides increased by one hundred and fifty percent (Strout, Brian 1996).  This sharp increase is largely due to the rapid formation of gang activity throughout the United States (Strout, Brian, 1996).  In today's larger cities, gang violence is a reality that people have to deal with every day.  As gang related crimes increase, officials are trying to find out why people join and remain loyal to gangs. Unfortunately, experts can only hypothesize explanations for gang involvement.  However, by studying societys influence on humans, there is evidence to blame several forces.  These speculations include the forces of peer pressure, broken families, gang loyalty, protection, and the media.
First of all, most teens become attracted to gangs by peer pressure and greed.  Estimamates show that forty percent of all gang members joined because their friends influenced them (Solution for a new year 1996).  Teen gangsters will pressure peers into becoming part of a gang by making it sound glamorous.  Recruiters will often promise popularity in exchange for their loyalty.  Although most gang members find popularity, it often means losing close friends to rival gangs.  Another crucial factor is the need for money.  A 6 year old kid, who is not yet a member, receives impressions that he or she could make $200 to $400 for a small gang job.  In August of 1996, an eleven year old Compton child received $400 for killing a rival classmate (Wesbrach, 1996).  Although money and popularity are important factors, they are not strong enough to persuade kids to do things that are strongly against their morals.  Other stronger force such as broken families and the media, along with peer pressure, works together to persuade young kids to join a gang.   
Second of all, the formation of gangs in cities, and most recently in suburbs, is facilitated by the lack of community upbringing among parents.  In a fully developed community, a network of relations can be found among several parents.  The relationship could be a parent, teacher, and minister, depending on the child's circumstances.  In South Central Los Angeles, this communication can not be found, so students turn to gangs for companionship.  In a classroom with no security, students could be distracted from learning, and thus distraced from the network.    Furthermore, in poor families with many children, or upper-middle class families where parents are always working, children will often feel deprived of love.  Parents often feel that putting food on the table is enough love.  Children from families often go to the gang out of boredom.  As time goes on, a form of kinship develops between the gang members and the child.  It is then that the bond between the kid and the gang is completed because the gang has effectively  replaced the family.  Although this may be a feeling for belonging, statistics show that seventy percent of gang members cheat and steal from the people they call friends.  
In every gang, problems occur as each male tries to be the most courageous.  This often leads to all members participating in "one-up-manship."  Quite often this starts a domino effect where each member tries to commit a bigger and more violent crime.  With all members participating in this sort of activity, it makes a never ending, unorganized violence spree.  In gangs with organization, members feed off these feelings, and each member desires to be the star when the group commits a crime.  This makes a gang much more organized and improves the morals of members.  It also makes the gang more dangerous and very hard for the police to deal with and catch.  There is nothing harder to find and deal with than organized teens that are dedicated to the group. According to the LA Times, 30% of all organized crime goes unsolved (Wesbrach 1996).  This form of gang is usually common with the middle or upper class.  Furthermore, the same forms have been reported near the projects and other low rent districts too.    This "one-up-manship" is often the reason for rival gangs fighting.  Gangs want to feel powerful and feared.  To do this they establish themselves as the only gang in a certain neighborhood.  After several gang fights, hatred forms then the desire to murder ends in drive-by-shootings.  When two or more gangs are at war, it makes life very dangerous for citizens in the area.  Less that 40% of drive-by-shootings kill their intended victim, yet over 60% do kill someone (Suburban Gangs 1996).
In addition, one of the great factors in determining to joining a gang is protection.  In slums such as the Bronx, children will be beaten and robbed if they do not participate in a gang.  Most people see that joining a gang brings danger. However, this is not the way it is seen by kids.  Gang leaders also provide money for member who need to feed their families.  After members receive money, they often feel that the leaders are watching out for them and keeping them safe.  After a gang provides shelter and money, a person has a 18% chance of leaving a gang (Carroll, Peter 1996).  Another reason kids think gangs will keep them safe is from propaganda gangs use to attract members.  Gang members will promise no one will be hurt and make a public show of revenge if a member is hurt or killed.  People in low rent areas are often being repressed due to poverty.  This results in an attitude that motivates a person to base his or her life on doing what the system failed to provide them.  Although this accomplishes little, it is a big factor in gang enrollment.
Finally, kids' morals are becoming bent because gang violence is more acceptable by the influence of television and movies.  The average child spends more time in front of a TV than he or she spends in a classroom. Many shows on television today are extremely violent and shown with a gang's perspective.  Normal adults can see how foully that gangs are living.  However, recent studies show that children think television gang violence is acceptable.  'The Ends Justifies the Means' mentality is also taught through many shows where the "goody guy" captures the "bad guy" through violence and is then being commended.  A young child sees this as perfectly acceptable because he knows that the "bad guy" was wrong but has no idea of what acceptable apprehension techniques are.  Gore in television also takes a big part in influencing young minds.  Children see gory scenes and are fascinated by these things that they have not seen before.  Older viewers see gore and are not concerned with the blood, but rather with the pain the victim must feel.  A young mind does not make this connection.  Thus, a gore fascination is formed and has been seen in every elementary school across America.  In a study conducted in the Cleveland Ohio school district, teachers found that students become more attentive as blood and gore are introduced.  Unfortunately kids raised with this sort of television end up growing up with a stronger propensity to becoming a violent gang member or 'violent-acceptant' person.  So, as anyone can see, if TV leads a child to believe that violence is the norm this will manifest itself in the actions of a child in a gang situation.  This is especially the case when parents do not spend much time with their kids explaining what is right and what is wrong in front of a TV.  Quite often newer books and some types of music will enforce this type of thought and ideas.  In order to curve violence, the system must change. 
So, as stated, gangs are a product of the environment the world has created for ourselves.  Some of these factors include peer pressure, broken families, gang loyalty, protection, and the media.  There seems to be no way to end the problem of gangs without totally restructuring the modern media and value system.  Since the chance of this happening is minimal, we must learn to cope with gangs and try to keep their following to a minimum.  Unfortunately, there is no organized force to effectively help fight gangs.  As a community, people must bond, talk to children, enforce positive peer pressure, and censor the media in order to prevent gang growth in America's cities.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Gangs.TXT
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GANGS



	Gangs are a violent reality that people have to deal with in today's cities.  What
has made these groups come about?  Why do kids feel that being in a gang is both an
acceptable and prestigious way to live?  The long range answer to these questions can
only be speculated upon, but in the short term the answers are much easier to find.  On
the surface, gangs are a direct result of human beings' personal wants and peer pressure. 
To determine how to effectively end gang violence we must find the way that these
morals are given to the individual Unfortunately, these can only be hypothesized. 
However, by looking at the way humans are influenced in society, I believe there is good
evidence to point the blame at several institutions.  These include the forces of the media,
the government, theater, drugs and our economic system.

	On the surface, gangs are caused by peer pressure and greed.  Many teens in
gangs will pressure peers into becoming part of a gang by making it all sound glamorous. 
Money is also an crucial factor.  A kid (a 6-10 year old, who is not yet a member) is
shown that s/he could make $200 to $400 for small part time gang jobs.  Although these
are important factors they are not strong enough to make kids do things that are strongly
against their morals.
	
	One of the ways that kids morals are bent so that gang violence becomes more
acceptable is the influence of television and movies.  The average child spends more time
at a TV than she/he spends in a classroom.  Since nobody can completely turn off their
minds, kids must be learning something while watching the TV.  Very few hours of
television watched by children are educational, so other ideas are being absorbed during
this period of time.  Many shows on television today are extremely violent and are often
shown this from a gang's perspective.  A normal adult can see that this is showing how
foully that gangs are living.  However, to a child this portrays a violent gang existence as
acceptable.  'The Ends Justifies the Means'  mentality is also taught through many shows
where the "goody guy" captures the "bad guy" through violence and is then being
commended.  A young child sees this a perfectly acceptable because he knows that the
"bad guy" was wrong but has no idea of what acceptable apprehension techniques are.

	Gore in television also takes a big part in influencing young minds.  Children see
gory scenes and are fascinated by these things that they have not seen before.  Older
viewers see gore and are not concerned with the blood but rather with the pain the victim
must feel.  A younger mind doesn't make this connection.  Thus a gore fascination is
formed, and has been seen in several of my peers.  Unfortunately kids raised with this
sort of television end up growing up with a stronger propensity to becoming a violent
gang member or 'violent-acceptant' person.

 	 "Gangs bring the delinquent norms of society into intimate contact with the
individual."1, (Marshall B Clinard, 1963).  So, as you can see if TV leads a child to
believe that violence is the norm this will manifest itself in the actions of the child quite,
often in a gang situation.  This is especially the case when parents don't spend a lot of
time with their kids at the TV explaining what is right and what is wrong.  Quite often
newer books and some types of music will enforce this type of thought and ideas.

	Once this mentality is installed in youngsters they become increasingly prone to
being easily pushed into a gang situation by any problem at home or elsewhere.  For
instance, in poor families with many children or upper-middle class families where
parents are always working, the children will often feel deprived of love.  Parents can
often feel that putting food on the table is enough love.  Children of these families may
often go to the gang firstly out of boredom and to belong somewhere.  As time goes on, a
form of love or kinship develops between the gang members and the child.  It is then that
the bond between the kid and the gang is completed because the gang has effectively 
taken the place of the family.

	The new anti social structure of cities also effects the ease in which a boy/girl can
join a gang. " The formation of gangs in cities, and most recently in suburbs, is facilitated
by the same lack of community among parents.  The parents do not know what their
children are doing for two reasons: First, much of the parents' lives is outside the local
community, while the children's lives are lived almost totally within it.  Second, in a fully
developed community, the network of relations gives every parent, in a sense, a
community of sentries who can keep him informed of his child's activities.  In modern
living-places (city or suburban), where such a network is attenuated, he no longer has
such sentries."2, (Merton Nisbet, 1971).

	In male gangs problems occur as each is the members tries to be the most manly. 
This often leads to all members participating in"one-up-manship".  Quite often this will
then  lead to each member trying to commit a bigger and more violent crime or simply
more crimes than the others.  With all members participating in this sort of activity it
makes for a never ending unorganized violence spree (A sort of Clockwork Orange
mentality).  In gangs with more intelligent members these feelings end up making each
member want to be the star when the groups commit a crime.  This makes the gang much
more organized and improves the morale of members which in turn makes them more
dangerous and very hard for the police to deal with and catch (There is nothing harder to
find and deal with than organized teens that are dedicated to the group).  This sort of
gang is usually common of middle or upper class people  although it can happen in gangs
in the projects and other low rent districts too.  

	This "one-up-manship" is often the reason between rival gangs fighting.  All
gangs feel powerful and they want to be feared.  To do this they try to establish
themselves as the only gang in a certain neighborhood.  After a few gang fights hatred
forms and gang murders and drive-by's begin to take place.  When two gangs are at war it
makes life very dangerous for citizens in the area.  Less that 40% of drive-by's kill their
intended victim yet over 60% do kill someone.  This gang application is one of the many
reasons that sexual stereotypes and pressure to conform to the same must be stopped.

	Lastly one of the great factors in joining a gang is for protection.  Although from
an objective point of view, we can see joining a gang brings more danger than it saves
you from, this is not always the way it is seen by kids.  In slums such as the Bronx or the
very worst case, Compton, children will no doubt be beaten and robbed if they do not
join a gang.  Of course they can probably get the same treatment from rivals when in a
gang.  The gang also provides some money for these children who quite often need to
feed their families.  The reason kids think that the gang will keep them safe is from
propaganda from the gangs.  Gang members will say that no one will get hurt and make a
public show of revenge if a member is hurt or killed.  
 
	People in low rent areas are most often being repressed due to poverty and most
importantly, race.  This often results in an attitude that motivates the person to base
his/her life on doing what the system that oppresses them doesn't want.  Although this
accomplishes little it is a big factor in gang enrollment.

	So, as you have seen gangs are a product of the environment we have created for
ourselves.  Some of these factors include:  oppression, the media, greed, violence and
other gangs.  There seems to be no way to end the problem of gangs without totally
restructuring the modern economy and value system.  Since the chance of this happening
is minimal, we must learn to cope with gangs and try to keep their following to a
minimum.  Unfortunately there is no real organized force to help fight gangs.  Of course
the police are supposed to do this but this situation quite often deals with racial issues
also and the police forces regularly display their increasing inability to deal fairly with
these issues.  What we need are more people to form organizations like the "Guardian
Angels" a gang-like group that makes life very tough for street gangs that are breaking
laws. 




Bibliography

Margot Webb, Coping with Street Gangs.  Rosen Publishing Group, New York, 1990.

William Foote Whyte, Street Corner Society.  University of Chicago, Chicago, 1955.

Peter Carroll, South-Central.  Hoyte and Williams, L. A., 1987.

1 Marshall B. Clinard, Sociology of Deviant Behavior.  University 
of Wisconsin,  Wisconsin, 1963, Page 179.

2 Merton Nisbet, Contempory Social Problems.  Harcourt, Brace & 
World, New York, 1971, Page 588.




















	















































































































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f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Go Ask Alice.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
Go Ask Alice

	Have you ever had a problem? I'm sure you have because everybody
sometime in there life does. The book I read Go Ask Alice by an anonymous
author is all about problems, conflicts, and how to deal with them.
	I would give a lot of information on the author if that was possible, but
the author is anonymous so I can not do so.
	From the very first page I had a hunch that this book was about a drug
addiction problem. "SUGAR & SPICE & EVERYTHING NICE; ACID &
SMACK & NO WAY BACK" (page 1). That was a very moving quote for
me. I am not sure exactly why but I guess because it shows how dangerous
drugs can be.
	This book is based on a true diary of a young girl who got mixed up in
the drug world.
	Alice bought a diary because she had a big secret that she could never
tell any of her friends. It really only ended up being that a boy named Roger
she was in love with stood her up and she would be to embraced to tell her
friends. She makes a big deal out of it, I can already tell she is dramatic.
	Her birthday is only five days apart from mine, that is a weird
coincidence.
	From September 19 through September 25 she goes on about how
nothing every happens in her life. She does not enjoy her teachers, subjects
and school. She thinks everything is losing interest and everything's dull. I
think she just is going through the "teenager blues".
	Julie Brown had a party but she didn't go because she gained seven
whole pounds. I don't think that seven pounds is a big deal.
	On September 30th her father was  invited to be the "Dean of Political
Science at --------- ". She says that she is gonna become a new person by
time she gets her new house and that it is gonna be so great. Good maybe
now she will quit crying about her dull life. She says that she is gonna
exercise every morning, eat right, clean my skin (what she never had a bath
before), be optimistic, cheerful and positive. Why couldn't she of just done
all that in the house she lived in before she moved.
	Sorry I am being so negative, but this girl is a little cry baby and she is
to dramatic.
	On October 10th I found out that she has siblings named Tim and
Alexandia that she is gonna stay with while her parents go house hunting. 
	They bought a Spanish type house and they took pictures. She said it
will take three or four days for the pictures to get back. That kind of gives
you some perspective on the time period because now a days it only take an
hour.
	She went on a diet and lost three pounds but her mother will no longer
let her diet because she thinks that it was not healthy for her.
	She wishes she could be like her mother someday. She wonders what it
is like to "going all the way" and she wishes she could talk to her mother
about things like that.
	So far the conflict has not been stated.
	All of Alice's relatives met at her old house for Christmas. Alice felt
wanted. She wishes that she could always feel that way.
	They finally got moved in there new house on January fourth.
     	There she goes again crying about how her first day of school was
miserable and how she gained 15 pounds. She made no friends, nobody
talked to her, and everybody stared at her and made her uncomfortable.
	Both of her siblings made friends there own age.
	She finally made a friend named Beth. They have a lot of things in
common.
	There is only about two months of school left. Gerta is going to a
Jewish camp for the summer and Alice is not having much fun so she decided
that she wants to go to her grandparents for the summer.  
	She went to her grandparents for the summer. She has been really
bored because all she has been doing is readying books all summer. She has
been reading a book a day. I wish I could read a book a day. It took me
about three weeks to read this one.
	She was in town and she ran into Jill Peters who invited her to a party.
Alice has been wanting to be friends with her for a long time. 
	I 'm a little confused because Alice says that she has always wanted to
be friends with her, but she is at her grandparents house. How can that be
unless her grandparents live near where she used to.
	Alice went to the party (July 10th). Jill brought out some glasses of
soda. Alice did not want to look stupid so she followed what everybody else
was doing, sipping the soda. Suddenly her palms started to get sweated,
everybody was starring at her, and the room got quiet. She thought that they
were trying to poison her. A strange feeling swept over her which strangled
her, suffocated her and made her muscles tense. When she opened her eyes
she noticed that it was Bill who had but his arm around her. Bill said "But
don't worry, I'll baby-sit you. This will be a good trip. Come on, relax, enjoy
it, enjoy it." in a slow record like voice set on the wrong speed. Then he
started to kiss her. She heard his voice repeating over and over in a slow
motion echo type voice. Then she started laughing histaricaly and wildly. She
thought of the most funny and absurd thing in the world. Then she saw the
shifting patterns in the ceiling. She laid her head in Bill's lap and watched the
changing patterns and great fields of red, blue and yellow colors. She tried to
share the experience with the others but she couldn't put it in two words and
all she could do is laugh. Trains of thought were coming to her. She
discovered the true language used by Adam and Eve but it slipped out of her
grasp before she could tell about it. She laid down and started to absorb the
music physically. She could feel, smell and see the rhythm of the music. She
felt that she possessed the wisdom of the ages but she could not describe it.
She looked at the magazine on the table and saw it in a hundred dimensions.
She closed her eyes and felt that she was floating in a sphere, in another
world or in another state. Her breathe rushed away from her like she was in a
fast elevator drop. She felt that she was part of the music, table and of the
book. She started to dance in front of the whole group and enjoyed every
second of it. She heard the neighbors breathing and the Jell-O in there
refrigerator next store.
	Later Jill told me that there was LSD in the soda that she was drinking.
	Wwwwwoooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!
That was weird!
	Now I feel I have reached what is gonna lead into being the conflict;
drug addiction.
	She has heard all of the terrifying stories about using drugs but she still
wants to experiment and try pot. Now she thinks that drugs are not bad and
that all the books written about drugs were written by uninformed, ignorant
people like her parents who have never tried it.
	That is here whole damn problem. She thinks that drugs are okay, but
there not. They can cause serious damage.
	She feels like Alice in Wonderland. She and I wonder if Lewis G.
Carrol was on drugs too.
	She went out with Bill. He introduced her to Torpedo's and Speed. She
said it was like she was riding a shooting star but better. 
	Her grandfather had a heart attack (July 23rd)! He is okay. Alice stayed
home with him and helped help her grandmother help him (what a tongue
twister).
	Bill asked her to a party on August 13th. She accepted and tripped at
the party. She said it was better than last time. She sat for hours examining
her hand. Watching the cells and blood vessels. 
	She also lost her virginity to Bill last night. She sort of regrets it
because she always was gonna wait for Roger. She is scared she might be
pregnant.  
	Yup, I was right. That was the start to her drug addiction problem.
	Roger stopped by. They got to talking and it ends up that Roger is
going to military school. They said they would write each other and then
Roger kissed Alice.
	Alice is so mad at her self for sleeping with Bill and not waiting for
Roger.
	Before she left she took some of her grandfathers sleeping pills. So if
she wants to get away from her problem she can go to sleep.
	She flew home on August 14th and eventually used all the pills so she
got her doctor to prescribe her tranquilizers. 
	The setting of the story is not listed in the book. Because they can't
publish it without permission. Yes, the setting does play a role in her conflict
because  if she would not of went to her grandparents none of this would of
happened.
	All is going well in her life for a while, until she meets a girl named
Chris at a boutique downtown.
	Her and Chris become friends and she introduced her to hearts
(uppers) because Roger has been to busy to write her anymore and she is
depressed.
	She got her a job at the store she worked at.
	Chris introduced Alice to her collage friends, Ted and Richie.
Ted (Chris's date) got Alice to smoke pot and hash (September 26). She felt
greater than she ever had before and noticed the detail and depth of
everything.
	Alice fell in love with Richie. But he would never let her make love to
her when they where not on drugs. Richie and Ted stopped paying as much
attention to there girlfriends as they used to.
	Alice and Chris always talk about how the "establishment (society)" is
so bad and how they hate there parents.
	Richie and Ted were drug dealers who had Alice and Chris sell drugs
to people for them while they where at there classes. 
	On day Alice sold some acid on a stamp to a seven or eight year old
kid. Alice and Chris decided to stop selling drugs so they where going over
to Ted and Richie's apartment to tell them. When they walked in the door
they found there two butt-buddied boy friends making love.
	That is so nasty it made my stomach hurt when I read it.
	They where using them to sell drugs the whole time.
	Since Alice and Chris were both fed up with there parents, the
Establishment, and there X-boyfriends, and using drugs they decided to move
to California and leave it all behind them (October 19th).
	They left a note telling about Ted and Richie and where they hid all
there supplies.
	They got a crummy apartment in San Francisco (October 26). They
each got a job at a boutique. Chris got hers working at place where famous
celebrities shop for a lady named Sheila and Alice got a job for a guy named
Mr. Mellani who was like a father to Alice.
	On night Sheila and her boyfriend Rob had a party that Alice, Chris
and bunch of celebrities where gonna be at (November 23). During the party
they got passed a joint and they stupidly smoked it after having quit for so
long. After everybody left Sheila and Rob introduced them to heroin (bad
mistake). They all got high and enjoyed it. Later they came to find out that
Sheila and Rob both took turns raping and playing perverted games with
them.
	When they found out they left town and moved to Berkeley. With all
there money they bought a store, fixed it up as a house/store, and opened
there own little boutique. All was going well. Alice called her Mom and they
sent two plane tickets back (December 23). We decided to go back. Alice
made up with her family and had a great Christmas and the same went for
Chris. 
	Alice started back at school and kids where asking her to buy drugs
and she told them that she didn't do them anymore. Kids kept bothering her
about it.
	Alice and her family have been going on trips every chance they get.
	Alice has been off drugs for a little while when she meets a girl named
Doris at a doctors office. They go smoke pot and get stoned.
	Her and Doris get a place and become hookers for money so they can
buy drugs. There lives become so messed up over drugs I'm not even gonna
go into it.    
	She keeps talking about how she is in such a hellhole, her life sucks,
and she wants to kill herself. It would all just stop if she quit using drugs. It's
simple die or live. You choose. God it makes me so mad thinking about how
stupid somebody could be.
	Her grandfather had a stoke and died (May 1)! 
	She just met somebody named Alice.
	I have been writing this all the way through the story. I thought that the
main character who wrote the diary was Alice.
	She buys a new diary symbolizing her getting a new life, a fresh start,
another chance to succeed. 	
	She is clean and back at home and going to school.
	She met a boy named Joel that she falls in love with.
	Her grandmother died (July 16).
	School got out and there was a party where there would be drugs at
but she didn't go.
	She was given acid in a peanut and she had a bad trip. It drove her
insane so she started pulling out her hair, stabbing herself and mentally falling
apart.
	She was put in a mental hospital.
	Later she was released.
	She decided that when this diary filled up she was not going to get
another because is old enough and mature enough to be able to talk to other
people instead of keeping it all bundled up in a little book.
	
Epilogue: She died three weeks after deciding not to keep another
diary of a drug overdose, it is not known if it is premeditated,
accidental or what.
	I think that if she would have kept her diary it would of held her
together and her death might not of occurred.	 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Gravity Bong.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
THE GRAVITY BONG:


    I was introduced to the gravity bong by a friend.  He told me 
the full name as described to him was the "Afghanistan Gravity 
Bong".  We were sitting around one night and decided to try one 
out.

    While I could go into detail concerning the mechanics of the 
bong's operation, I don't think that is really necessary.  The 
reason it is called a "gravity bong" and not something else is 
this is what someone called it, that is how they described it to 
their friends, and now it is an accepted term for the following 
setup.  I have observed some people on the net arguing about 
gravity vs. pressure vs. whatever.  If you have comments like this 
as a result of this description, I refer you to: 
alt.engineering.geeks.  The type of argument I have observed would 
have been halted a long time ago by declaring a "TECH TIME OUT !!" 
at our school.  Take a hit man.  I feel better now having said all 
that, so... on with the important stuff...


GRAVITY BONG OPERATION:

STEP 1:
    Place the bottomless bottle into a water source such as a 
bucket of water, sink, bathtub, larger bottle, fishtank (just 
kidding), etc...When the bottle rests on the bottom, the mouth 
piece should be above the water level enough to grip the bottle.  
I'm not sure if warm or cold water is best, or even if it makes 
much difference seeing as the smoke is not bubbled through it.

STEP 2:
    Pack the bowl and place it on the mouth of the bottle.

STEP 3:
    SLOWLY!! draw the bottle out of the water, while lighting the 
bowl.  The herb should really burn and the smoke will look 
intimidating.  Stop when: a)the herb is all ash (preferable), or 
b)when the bottom of the bottle is still an inch or so below the 
water level in the bucket.  Begin preparing yourself for a huge 
hit.

STEP 4:
    CAREFULLY remove the bowl without letting the bottle move 
downward (up a little is o.k., but don't lwt the bottom come out 
of the water), exhale deeply, and place your mouth over the 
opening.  Inhale quickly and completely, allowing your head to 
move downward.  Try not to drink any bong water as this kind of 
sucks! (although its like learning to swim, it's bound to happen a 
little).  

STEP 5:
    Don't cough and hang on tight!



                                                        
                                 PACKED                 
                                 BOWL >> $$             
             I  I                       I\/I            
BOTTLE  >>  /    \         BOTTLE  >>  /    \           
           /      \                   /      \          
    |     /        \     |     |     /        \     |   
    |~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~|     |~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~|   
    |~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~|     |~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~|   
    |~~~~|~~WATER~~~|~~~~|     |~~~~|~~WATER~~~|~~~~|   
    |~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~|     |~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~|   
    |~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~|     |~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~|   
     \__________________/       \__________________/    
            BUCKET                      BUCKET          
                                                        
            Step 1                      Step 2          
                       \/ = BOWL                        
              %        $$ = HERB                        
 LIGHTER  __  *%       ** = LIGHTER FLAME               
     >>  |__|@**                                        
              $$                        SUCK            
     /\      I\/I               ||                      
     ||     / . .\              ||      I..I            
     ||    /. . . \             ||     /. . \           
     ||   /. . . . \            \/    /. . . \          
         |. . . . . |                /. . . . \         
BOTTLE  >|   SMOKE  |               |. . . . . |        
         | . . . . .|               | . . . . .|        
    |    |~~~~~~~~~~|    |     |    |~~~~~~~~~~|    |   
    |~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~|     |~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~|   
    |~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|     |~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~|   
    |~~~~~~~WATER~~~~~~~~|     |~~~~~~~~BONG~~~~~~~~|   
    |~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|     |~~~~~~~~WATER~~~~~~~|   
    |~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|     |~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|   
     \__________________/       \__________________/    
            BUCKET                      BUCKET          
                                                        
            Step 3                      Step 4          

THE DESIGN:

FIRST TRIAL:
    First, a 2-liter bottle and a suitable bucket were obtained 
from the apartment.  I cut the bottom off the 2-liter bottle and 
set it aside.  I was able to find a couple of screw on caps, one 
of which was of the metal variety.  I cut a rough hole in each, 
and glued them together, with the cup sides facing out.  Into the 
side with the metal cap, a piece of screen was placed and fit real 
nice.  We were forced to build this little thing because we didn't 
have a bowl handy.
    This worked o.k., but quite a bit of air flowed in for the 
quantity of herb which was consumed.  Also, it was a pain to 
unscrew the cap after lifting the bottle.  Overall, we all ended 
up having a great time and the first trial was still a success.  I 
leave this historical description in here because: a)this may be a 
good enough system for you, or b)you are also in a pinch for 
something right away as we were!

SECOND TRIAL:
    Having decided the activity was fun enough to warrant further 
development of the gravity bong, and having access to a machine 
shop, I designed a bowl just for this purpose.  This incorporates 
a nice sized burn chamber (approximately = to 5 bat hits from a 
small bat), a small screen, and an o-ring seal to prevent air from 
passing anything but the burning herb.  It drops out a pretty 
hefty ash after each hit.
    Here is a horizontal sketch of my gravity bowl design:

   FITS            ___                                  
    IN       ____O|   \            _______              
  BOTTLE >> /          \__________/  _____|             
           |                        |+                  
           |-----------------------/ + << SCREEN        
HOLE  >>>> |-----------------------\ +                  
           |            __________  |+____              
            \____      /          \_______|             
      O-RING >> O|___/                BURN              
                                     CHAMBER            

    You could make the dimensions to whatever you think may work 
best.  I put a 1/4 in. hole through the bowl, with a 3/8 dia. burn 
chamber that is .400 in. deep.  It fits nicely inside a 35mm film 
canister for storage and TRANSPORTATION to parties (no plans to 
build more, though several friends have already tried begging!).
    This new bowl works very well and burns quite efficienty, 
filling the bottle with dense smoke.  The only change I have made 
to the apparatus is to offer the option of a milk jug in place of 
the 2-liter bottle, with a plastic adapter atached to the jug 
which makes the mouth the same size as a 2-liter bottle.  
	I built my setup some time ago, but the other day someone on 
the net mentioned using a tuba mouthpiece.  Not a bad idea.  Also, 
people have said they used aluminum foil with holes poked in it.  
The point is to get a lot of burning done without using an overly 
large volume of air.

TRIAL THREE:
    This has not been done yet, but the plan is to design a multi-
user setup using a larger water bottle (like the Poland Springs).

TIPS:

To get really wacked, breath back into the bottle, allowing it to 
rise back up to the beginning of step 4, and inhale again.  Do not 
however, deprive yourself of too much oxygen.  I used this method 
and took a full minute to take the hit, breathing in and out, and 
was immediately wacked, staying that way for several hours from 
one hit!

Have a "Gravity Party" with many friends - lotso fun!

Some people like to push the bottle to the bottom, and then 
inhale.  While this does act to push the smoke into your lungs 
(kind of like breathing in a balloon), I don't really feel it is 
any faster.  If you try this, don't displace so much water that 
the bucket overflows.

If it is your first time trying the system, do some trial runs 
without packing the bowl and lighting it.  This is a must for a 
first time user from the point of view of risk reduction (won't 
chance losing precious smoke).

********************* END ESSAY ********************
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\HALLUCINOGEN.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
HALLUCINOGEN. While many drugs speed up or depress the central nervous system, there is a class of drugs that distorts how we feel, hear, see, smell, taste, and think. Called hallucinogens because users often hallucinate, or experience nonexistent sensations, these drugs are also known as psychedelic, or mind-bending, drugs. Some hallucinogens come from natural sources; others are made in laboratories. Examples of natural hallucinogens are mescaline, psilocybin, DMT, and marijuana.
   Mescaline, which has been used by American Indians in religious ceremonies, comes from the peyote cactus. Psilocybin, also used by the Indians and believed to have supernatural powers, is found in about 20 varieties of mushrooms. Once ingested, psilocybin is converted to psilocin, which is responsible for the drug's hallucinogenic sensations. DMT (dimethyltryptamine) is a short-acting hallucinogen found in the seeds of certain West Indian and South American plants. In the form of snuff, called cohoba, it has been used in religious ceremonies in Haiti. Marijuana is a plant belonging to the hemp family . The active principle responsible for the drug's effects is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), obtained from the amber-colored resin of the flowering tops and leaves of the plant. Hashish is also made from this resin.
   Of all drugs, synthetic and natural, the most powerful is LSD, or lysergic acid diethylamide. Twenty micrograms, an almost infinitesimal amount, is sufficient to produce a hallucinogenic effect; just 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) could induce a reaction in all the inhabitants of New York City and London. This extraordinary potency makes LSD especially dangerous since it is usually impossible to determine how much is contained in doses offered by drug dealers.
   LSD is chemically derived from ergot, a parasitic fungus that grows on rye and other grains. An odorless, colorless, and tasteless substance, LSD is sold on the street in tablets, capsules, and sometimes liquid form. It is usually taken by mouth but can be injected. Often LSD is placed on a blotter or other absorbent paper and marked into small squares, each representing one dose.
   Synthetic hallucinogens with effects resembling those of LSD include DET (diethyltryptamine), a synthetic compound similar to DMT, and DOM (2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine), a compound that combines some of the properties of mescaline and amphetamines, as do the drugs MDA (3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine) and MMDA (3-methoxy-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine).
   The effects of hallucinogens on the body are unpredictable. They depend on the amount taken and the user's personality, mood, expectations, and surroundings. Although hallucinogens do not produce a physical addiction, users do develop a tolerance, so that increasing amounts must be taken to achieve the same effect. Psychological dependence on hallucinogens is well documented.
   It appears that each drug carries its own risks. For example, unlike hallucinogens such as LSD and synthetics such as DOM that consist of a single chemical, marijuana has been found to contain more than 400 separate substances. These substances are in turn broken down in the body into a great many more chemicals, and the effects of these chemicals on the user are poorly understood. It has been found, however, that the most potent of these chemicals are attracted to and accumulate in fatty tissues, including the brain and reproductive organs. 
   Studies indicate that frequent marijuana users may experience impaired short-term memory and learning ability and reproductive problems. Other studies suggest that frequent or chronic marijuana use may contribute to damage of the immune system, increased strain on the heart, delayed puberty, and chromosome damage.
   The most pronounced psychological effects induced by hallucinogens are a heightened awareness of colors and patterns together with a slowed perception of time and a distorted body image. Sensations may seem to "cross over," giving the user a sense of "hearing" colors and "seeing" sounds. Users may also slip into a dreamlike state, indifferent to the world around them and forgetful of time and place to such an extent that they may believe it possible to step out of a window or stand in front of a speeding car without harm. Users may feel several different emotions at once or swing wildly from one emotion to another. It is impossible to predict what kind of experience a hallucinogen may produce. Frightening or even panic-producing psychological reactions to LSD and similar drugs are common. Sometimes taking a hallucinogen will leave the user with serious mental or emotional problems, though it is unclear whether the drug simply unmasked a previously undetected disorder or actually produced it.
   Among the short-term physical effects of hallucinogens are dilated pupils, raised body temperature, increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, dry mouth, and tremors. The long-term effects are less certain. LSD users may experience involuntary flashbacks during which the drug's effects reappear without warning. Such flashbacks can occur days, months, or even years after the drug was last used. Some LSD users develop organic brain damage, manifested by impaired memory and attention span, mental confusion, and difficulty with abstract thinking. It is still unclear whether such damage can be reversed when LSD use is halted.
   Although hallucinogens can pose a threat to health when used indiscriminately, they may also have therapeutic uses in medicine when administered under controlled circumstances. A synthetic form of THC, the active principle in marijuana, has been approved for prescription use by persons who suffer from the severe nausea that often accompanies cancer chemotherapy and for whom other antinausea drugs are unsuitable or ineffective. LSD was once used to treat persons with certain mental disorders, but such use was abandoned because of the drug's harmful effects. 
 


 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Hemp A Help or a Hindrance .TXT
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Hemp : A Help or a Hindrance?

Hemp, also known as Cannabis sativa, marijuana, grass, and by many other names, has not been a legal commercial crop in the United States for almost sixty years.  As common two centuries ago as cotton is today, hemp is not seen on the market.  As many groups fight for hemp to become legalized as a drug, many people are battling for the plant to become legalized for its industrial and medical uses.  From Disney Indiana Jones hats to fuel for our automobiles, hemp is a hardworking, environmentally sound renewable resource.  People have become so wrapped up in the "drug" aspect of marijuana that many are forgetting its uses as an industrial material.
Hemp is an ancient drug, first mentioned in a Chinese manuscript in 2700 BC.  Its uses included treating gout, malaria, gas pains, and absent-mindedness.  Hemp was an integral part of early Indo-European religious ceremonies for thousands of years.  Records from Assyria in 650 BC referred to it as a drug called azulla that was used for making rope and cloth, and which was also used for experiencing euphoria. Hempen sails brought the Spanish, Dutch, and British conquerors to the new world (Charpentier 18).  In North America, hemp was planted near Jamestown in 1611 for use in making rope. In order to keep a constant supply of hemp available, a law was passed in Massachusetts in 1639, requiring every household to plant hemp seed.  In Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, hemp was even used as a monetary unit. Thomas Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence, released by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, was written on paper made from hemp (Whole Earth Review 46).   And the 49ers washed gold from California creeks in Levi's made from hemp.  In 1937, the United States government passed the Marijuana Tax Act which prohibited the use of marijuana as an intoxicant and regulated its use as a medicine.
Although there are hundreds of ingredients in marijuana, the main ingredient is a chemical called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).  THC affects the brain and the circulatory system, especially the heart.  This makes the heart beat faster and causes small blood vessels to expand.  This is the most visible in the eyes, where tiny capillaries swell and fill with blood, giving the eyes a bloodshot look (Ravage 6).
Marijuana had its day of glory in the 1960s.  Casual use was widespread, mainly among college students, who saw it as a way to protest against the political and social "establishment."  The use of marijuana declined in the decades following the '60s, but there is evidence that it is making a huge comeback-and with a dangerous difference.  Its use among teenagers is increasing.
A 1993 survey about marijuana found that more than twelve percent of the eighth graders surveyed had tried marijuana at some time in their lives, and nearly five percent had used it in the previous thirty days.  Among tenth graders, 24 percent tried it at least once and more than 10 percent in the previous thirty days.  Among seniors, more than 35 percent had tried it and nearly sixteen percent had used it in the past thirty days (Ravage 6).
With these numbers increasing, the federal government is trying to stop at nothing to prevent people from using marijuana.  But, unlike times before, there is a new threat that needs to be dealt with. For the past forty decades, the argument has mainly been whether or not to legalize hemp as a drug, but now leaders are beginning to see hemp for its use as a strong industrial product.  
For thousands of years, hemp's fibers have been used to make many different kinds of fabric including clothing and rope.  Lately even big companies like Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Disney have been testing the waters and offering some hempen products to the market.  Not only can hemp fibers be used to make fabric,  a 1938 Popular Mechanics article states that hemp can be used to manufacture over 25,000 products-ranging from cellophane to dynamite-and a 1916 U.S. Department of Agriculture bulletin calculated that over twenty years, one acre of hemp would yield as much pulp for paper as 4.1 acres of trees.  There have been no more-recent studies to either confirm or discredit theses reports (Barry 22). 
Contrary to the belief of many people , the supply of wood for papermaking is not inexhaustible.  As early as 1916, the federal government understood that the trees were running out; Bulletin 404 recommended the cultivation of hemp as an alternative source of fiber for papermaking.  The USDA figured out that the supply of trees could barely last a century.  We can see the logging industry fading away because all the easily-obtained trees have been taken, and there aren't that many left to harvest (Whole Earth Review 46).  Even now in the Pacific Northwest, economies are suffering due to the decreasing amount of trees available.  Their state governments are asking, "Could common hemp-more famed for its smokability than its fiber in recent decades-help us out of our economic doldrums?" (Wood Technology 8)
Kentucky Officials are facing a similar problem.  Tobacco is the state's leading cash crop, with yearly revenues in excess of $700 million.  In 1994, farmers reaped 14% less tobacco than in 1984.  And according to recent investigations, the future for the tobacco market is dim.  Higher taxes on cigarettes, declining numbers of smokers, corporate flight, and the possible collapse of special government price protection spell imminent disaster for small tobacco harvesters.  One man has staked his political career on the ability of the hemp plan to rejuvenate Kentucky's tobacco.  Gatewood Galbraith has for years been a supporter for the legitimacy of the hemp plant.  Campaigning in his Hempmobile, a 1980 Mercedes Benz fueled by hemp seed oil, Galbraith has caused a great stir with Kentucky political leaders and has convinced them to consider a task force to study the viability of hemp as a cash crop.  Galbraith believes that if Kentucky is the first state to legalize hemp, it could establish a near-monopoly and give the economy a much needed boost (Charpentier 18).  Even as recent as this past week, a former employee of a major tobacco company, Phillip Morris, has made accusations that nicotine, which is the addictive drug found in cigarettes, was placed in cigarettes purposely to addict smokers to their products so they would keep coming back for more.  This is seriously going to impact many tobacco companies and hard times are in the future.
Marijuana has also been found to be valuable in its medicinal uses.  Beginning in the 1980s, renewed interest in the therapeutic qualities of marijuana prompted many medical researchers to study the possible effects of its use as an antibiotic.  The only authorized medical use of marijuana by the Food and Drug Administration arises in the case of chemotherapy.  The THC seems to help patients who experience extreme nausea and vomiting that occur with chemotherapy.  Although its far from being a final cure, marijuana helps relieve pressure caused by the eye disease, glaucoma.  Research also indicates that short-term smoking of marijuana has improved breathing in asthma patients.  Muscle spasms are relieved when patients with muscle disorders take marijuana.  In England, it has been used as an anti-depressant, and in South Africa, women smoke marijuana to ease the pain of child birth.
Not only are people beginning to see hemp for its industrial and medical use, they are seeing it as a way to possibly help reduce their taxes. A study was done in 1992 concerning the potential tax revenues resulting from the speculated legalization of marijuana.  Michael R. Caputo, associate professor of agriculture at the University of California, calculates that in 1991, at the Drug Enforcement Agency's estimated figures of $120.94 per ounce, the total retail value of the marijuana would have been between $5.09 and $9.09 billion, had the marijuana trade been legalized and federally taxed.
Since the beginning of the 60s and the "hippie" movement, federal agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, have made presses against hemp use.  Their primary concern being that marijuana causes harmful effects to people who smoke it. It is now in the minds of American citizens that marijuana is a bad thing, something that shouldn't be a part of our society.  The ones who smoke it are somewhat cast out of society, and due to this, the percentage of people who used it decreased over the last few decades.  Now, due to the alternative movement and a sense of needing to rebel, many teenagers have again taken up the habit of smoking marijuana.  Thinking that this is an unacceptable situation, millions of dollars are being spent to rid our country of marijuana.  Officials feel that the "high" that marijuana gives people can be dangerous, especially to our teenagers.
But now, with our country's economy and natural resources suffering, many pro-hemp companies can turn to the government and demand an explanation.  Alcohol is legal and has no significant industrial value at all and has been proven to cause an equal amount or more damage than marijuana, so why isn't hemp legalized?
There is no disputing that marijuana can be a harmful substance if misused.  It can cause damaging short and long term problems including effects on the reproductive health of men and women.  Use of marijuana during pregnancy is known to be very harmful to a baby.  On the other hand, there is no disputing that hemp isn't a valuable industrial resource.  With hemp being so versatile in its uses, its hard to say that we can't "milk it for what it's worth."
I feel simply that marijuana should be legalized for use as a medical and industrial used product.  It offers too many advantages for the health of our people and  economy to turn away.  The unfortunate thing is that there has been an argument since the middle of this century about legalizing it as a drug.  Many contend that if alcohol is legal, then why shouldn't marijuana be.  The legalization of alcohol has been dealt with over time and it has been accepted, but that doesn't mean that it is right.  If there is already one bad thing out there, why should there be two?  There is no logical reason for us to purposely endanger the health of our citizens any more that it already is.  The alcohol versus marijuana debate will live forever, but it has come a time for people to see past it.  It is not longer just a debate of a drug; there are significant advantages of legalizing marijuana for forces of good.  It is past time to stop these petty discussions about getting high and understand the value of hemp as it is.  Marijuana should be legalized, but not for smoking or any other way to experience euphoria.  We have to use it for its industrial purposes.  We need to use it to replenish our forests, help spark dying economies in many states, and at least to help comfort our ailing citizens.
The marijuana legalization issue has brought out the true colors of our society.  Some are so blind to things and so set in their ways that they cannot see and accept that change is necessary.  The marijuana drug issue is a big problem that needs to be stamped out, but the laws aren't managing to do it.  1.3 million teenagers smoked marijuana last year (USA TODAY Health).  "Anyone who thinks we've licked the drug problem in this country is living in a fantasy land," said Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, whose department conducted the survey.  It has been the case thus far that no matter what the laws state, people are still going to smoke marijuana.  They aren't afraid to take the risk.  The government may not approve of this, but it is going to happen.  Legalize hemp to be used for its practical purposes.
For many years, there has been debate on whether or not to legalize marijuana.  Hemp has been used in many ways.  From using it to get high, to making paper for money.  Throughout its history the plant has been very useful.  It has proven to be a valuable asset to our economy and is something that cannot simply be brushed away.  Although there are many people that abuse it, they are far many more people that can benefit from its legalization.
 Works Cited

"Tree Free Paper."  Whole Earth Review Fall 1993: 46

Charpentier, Sean.  "Kentucky's Tobacco vs. Hemp." Dollars and Sense                   May-June 1991: 18

"Can hemp help Northwest solve its timber problem?" Wood Technology
 May-June 1993 : 8

Ravage, Barbara.  "Hemp or Health?"  Current Health 2 Oct 1994 : 6

Mason, Alan.  "Hemp for Victory."  Whole Earth Review Fall 1993 : 48

Barry, John Byrne.  "Is grass really greener?"  Sierra Nov-Dec 1995 : 22

"Marijuana use among teens nearly doubles in two years." USA Today 
Nov 10, 1995 : Money 
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Herbal Extracts and Hormones.TXT
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HERBAL EXTRACTS AND HORMONES

	Herbs are found everywhere, and hormones are a natural product of everyone's body.  The production of hormones increases and decreases with the age and development of the individual.  Due to the nature of hormones and the ongoing research still being done, this article will investigate only two hormones that are in common use by the everyday person.

	Herbs, on the other hand, can be found from California to China and as far as consumers are concerned, they are now mainstream products that can be found in supermarkets and drug stores world wide.  Healing plants and herbs are used by over ninety percent of the world's people. Mowry, pgs.1-11  In the United States, with the introduction of herbal capsules and pills, people are enjoying the benefits of Earth's good medicines.  The herb industry has been growing at about thirty percent per year for the past several years.  Herbs are being used in homes, for more than just spicing the sauce or glazing the chicken.  Herbs are being used as an alternative for medications as well.  In the coming years, we may see the introduction of newer and better medicinal herbs as scientists  Mowry pgs. 26-27     continue their search for the cures of all aches and pains.

	In past years, herbs were used for pains and aches.  These herbs are making a comeback because they have fewer side effects than regular medicine.  An example  is willow bark Mowry, pgs. 43-49   which is being used instead of aspirin.  Aspirin was made from the active ingredient in willow bark.  However, people are using willow bark instead of aspirin because it does not cause the stomach to bleed as aspirin does.

	Ginkgo is being sold as a leading prescription drug in Germany and most countries in Europe.   Takagi, pgs. 96-101    This herb is growing in usage in this country as more people age.  It has been used in Asia for countless generations.  There is a growing body of evidence, as research continues, that points to the outstanding effects of the Gingko tree on many age-related disorders or sicknesses.  This herb is reported to increase the ability of the blood circulation system.  It is a powerful medicine for the treatment of restoring of a person's memory.   Tagki, pgs. 3-10
	A tea made from the Passion Flower or Valerian Root is used to calm a person or relieve anxiety.  These are thousand year old medicines used as tranquilizers.  They have fewer side effects and don't damage the body as Valium or other man made tranquilizers.  It is almost impossible to over dose on these types of nerve calmer.   Uphof, pgs. 19-31

	The history of medicinal herbs begins long before the start of any large society.  Herb's were man's first line of fighting against the ills and accidents that beset mankind.  The ancient  people learned from instinct and from watching animals and using leaves, earth, mud and water.  These things were the first medicines.  By trial and error, the early humans learned what served them the best.  Several of these early medicines are still used today, but are more refined and better understood.  During the hunt by early man for medical herbs, the applications or taking of the herb was accompanied by the use of magic sayings or dances.  Today, for most of the technological people of the Earth, magic is no longer needed.  In the world which we live, many of our most useful drugs are still considered to have originally come into use from early societies.  Some examples of these herbs used as drugs are: Digitalis (for the heart) from Foxglove, Quinine ( for Malaria) from Peruvian Bark, Cocaine (and its derivatives) from the Coca Leaf, Atropine ( a stimulant for nerve gas) from the Belladonna plant, Curare (used in surgery) from the plant Strychnos (also used for poison arrows) and the new drug Taxol (used in the treatment of Cancer) from the Pacific Yew Tree. Weiner, pgs. 22-23 There are many others that exist and are being used by the drug companies to treat many of the ills of people today.

	Technology permits the making of newer and more pure herbal medicines.  Herbs are used and prepared in China in the following forms:  slices, powders, pills, plasters, distillates, pellets, teas and drinks.  In the United States, we can find herbs in the following forms, in the addition to those used in China:  tablets, capsules, fluid extracts, ointments, granules, syrups, suppositories, sprays, injections and ampules. Weiner, pgs.27-32

	In today's world, people are too busy to make their own herbal remedies and generally like clean, odor free, coated pills or gel tablets.  There is a potency and purity issue that is developing and the simple increase in strength of a herb could prove harmful or deadly to human use.  However, we should welcome the standardization of all medicinal herbs, and  making them from plants that have been proven safe.  Standardization has been introduced to off set the negative effects of poor quality control which has been a big problem with the herb industry.  We can now reliably count on receiving the same quality and quantity of a substance.  Quality control is needed because nature does not always produce a plant with consistent contents or medicines. Weiner, pgs. 31-35

	In the 1990's, I see a wonderful return to the reality that we must preserve our natural environment.  The realization that we must care for the natural drugs and herb that can be found in the shrinking rain forests, which could contain hundreds of thousands of new compounds that could heal mankind.

	The two major hormones that are being sold to the American public is Melatonin and DHEA.  I will discuss the merits of these two hormones starting with Melatonin.  Melatonin is an Amino Acid secreted by the Pineal Gland during the night.  This hormone plays an important part in the regulation of the sleep/wake cycle.  Each night a signal is received by the Pineal Gland to produce Melatonin.  This hormone is the one that induces sleep.  This is controlled by the amount of sunlight that is available to the individual.  A blind person is not able to stimulate the production of the sleep hormone and this their bodies do not react to a normal twenty four sleep/wake cycle. Lust, pgs. 91-96   A blind person trying to sleep when there is low Melatonin in their system will have trouble sleeping.

Melatonin is available from several unregulated health food suppliers.  This means that there are no purity standards and people are self-medicating with unknown dosages.  Research at the Harvard Medical School show that Melatonin is a potent cure Insomnia and does not have side effects.  You can already Buy Melatonin in drug stores, but no one knows the correct dosage, interaction with other drugs or the long term effects.

	DHEA is produced by our Adrenal Glands and is the mot common hormone in the body.  It is present in large amounts in healthy individuals.  DHEA is broken down by the body into other hormones such as  Estrogen, Testosterone, Progesterone and others.  Research has shown that maintaining levels in older individuals as those found in youth ensures energy, vitality and the support of the Endocrine System.  It seems that supplementing DHEA to levels found in youthful individuals has anti aging, anti obesity and anti cancer influences.  It may also help to stabilize nerve cell growth and is being tested in Alzheimer's patients.  This hormone may help prevent the effects of aging, hypertension, fatigue, depression, memory loss and obesity. Millspaugh, pgs. 22-27

	There needs to be more studies on the effects of herbs and hormones on the treatment of many ailments.  The evidence seems to support the claims being made for them by sellers of alternative medicine.  We are now entering a new age where progress permits the manufacture of highly reliable herbal medications.  Many of the herbal medications are bitter in taste.  New technology allows the masking or elimination of these bad tastes.  Science is making medications easier to take and to swallow by coating or making gelatin capsules that hide the odor and taste of a medicine.

	Today, we are faced with a potency war and the saying "Small is beautiful," or "Less is more," may yet become the normal way to approach drugs, medicines or herbs.  We should welcome the standardization of herbal medications, and using only those herbal extracts and plants which have been subject to safety and efficiency studies.  The following herbs have been proven to have a beneficial effect on people when used properly:  Ginseng, Ginkgo, Ginger, Milk Thistle, Bilberry, Echinacea, Turmeric, Orange Oil, Valerian and others.

	Standardization must be introduced into the herbal industry.  With its aid, herbs can become reliable and we can count on receiving the same dosage from capsule to capsule.  The future of herbal medicine is very bright.  People are rediscovering plant remedies and are once again looking to nature for the natural solution to the ills that man seems to be heir to.

	With the growth of the herbal industries, Americans will join the Europeans in taking charge of their own first symptom health care.  The increasing costs of conventional medicine and the many bad reactions to prescription drugs have given a new meaning to the old saying, "Physician, heal thyself."  Herbal medicines are coming of age in America and not too soon.

















Bibliography:
	Lust, John   "The Herb Book"   New York, NY.  "Bantam Books 1993
	Millspaugh, Charles " American Medicinal Plants" New York, NY.  Dover
	Mowry, D.B.  "The Scientific Validation of herbal medicine" Leni, Utah.  Cormorant  		Books 1986
	 Takagi, K. et al  "The Pharmacology of Medicinal Herbs in East Asia."  Tokyo,
	Nanzando 1982
	 Uphof, J. C  "Dictionary of Economic Plants."  Germany, Verlan 1968
	Weiner, M.A.  "Earth medicine"  New York    Ballentine Books 1990
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Heroin Abuse.TXT
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			Phil Pierce 
Period H 


	Drugs have been around for hundreds of years.  Indians were known to have used Opium  and other drugs for medical and various other purposes.  During the 7th Century A.D. in China a drug emerged called Opium.  Opium, the dry juice from immature seed pods of the opium poppy plant,  is a narcotic drug that is very powerful in the relief of pain but is also very addictive. At the beginning Opium was like any other drug, but then people unaware of the harm it could cause began to use it more and more often. During the 19th century in China there was a period called the Opium Wars where the use of Opium had become such a problem the government tried to prohibit it. But by then no one could stop its growth. In 1803 the compound responsible for the painkilling effect was found and called Morphine.  This discovery brought even more use of Opium. Finally in 1898 a chemist discovered diacetylmorphine or Heroin.  Heroin was at first considered a safer, stronger but less addictive pain killer and was used by doctors everywhere.  However doctors soon found out that it was more dangerous and even more addictive.  During the 70's heroin reemerged as a powerful drug but many were afraid to use it. Throughout the 80's strong anti-drug campaigns seemed to be winning the war on drugs.  But, in 1996 people have become alert to the increase in Heroin addiction.  Heroin use has doubled every year since 1992.  What caused the use of heroin to increase? The growth of heroin abuse has increased in the United States because famous musicians and movie stars have been caught with the drug, because pop culture continues to make heroin seem glamorous, and because babyboomers have a relaxed view on drugs. 
	To begin with, the abuse of heroin has increased because famous musicians and movie stars have been caught with the drug or have been known to use it.  Kurt Cobain, lead singer for Nirvana, openly admitted to abusing the drug and checked himself into a detox center weeks before his suicide.  Kurt Cobain had chronic stomach problems and was always looking for something to ease the pain.  During an interview with MTV he commented on his stomach pain with, "The pain in my stomach made me feel like a junky so if I was going to feel like a junky I might as well become one." Cobain's stomach pains made him look, talk, and feel like a wrecked individual. So he figured that if he was going to appear that way, he might as well be that way. Young fans of Kurt Cobain see his attitude on life and try to mimmick it by not caring what they do to their bodies.  Many fans only saw Cobain in the spotlight were he seemed to be above everyone and everything,  Cobain was one of the most successful musicians of the 90's and everything he did was seen under a microscope.  With his admission to drugs he brought heroin back out of the underground and into pop culture where many more kids could see it. Also, Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland was busted for possession of cocaine and heroin.  Scott Weiland was different than Kurt Cobain.  Weiland  was not a misunderstood poet who rose from obscurity with the addiction, he was  a clean cut pop-rock star when the drug found him.  However, Weiland like Cobain was a major role model to the children of America. And as Karen Schoemer wrote in Newseek, "Since kids emulate rock stars, they're liable to emulate their drug use".  Likewise, actor Robert  Downey Jr. was arrested twice over the summer for possession of cocaine and heroin.  Like Weiland, Downey Jr. was also a clean cut young man.  But, unlike Cobain or Weiland he was not a musician or artist, he was an actor.  This broadened the awareness of drug abuse.  The movie industry brings in a whole other group of kids who see their favorite actor get caught for possession of heroin and think if they do heroin they too can be as "cool" or "sophistcated" as movie stars.  Many young people are using heroin because they see their idols use it.
	Second, pop culture makes heroin seem glamorous which adds to its use among young people.  Movies like Pulp Fiction and Trainspotting make using heroin look appealing.  The main character in Pulp Fiction was a hitman played by John Travolta who did heroin at various times throughout the movie. Writer,Quentin Terantino, did not make heroin addictive or harmful but instead he made it look like a glamour drug that mellowed people out and made them feel good.  Even though one scene did have the female role overdose, many more scenes showed how cool people were who do heroin.  The movie Trainspotting deals with "Scotland's junky underbelly" and is criticized by many for making heroin use seem attractive.  But, despite criticism this film is one of the most hyped imports of the year.  The acceptance these movies have recieved show that people are also accepting the rise in heroin use, therefore teenagers will see nothing wrong with it.  Next, fashion designers continue to hire "druggy looking" women to model their clothes.  One designer, Jil Sander, was criticized for showing a "wasted" looking woman with one sleeve pushed up.  The trend in the fashion industry is to hire skinny women with sunken faces to model their clothes.  One model who recently kicked the habit, Zoe Fleischaur, said "They wanted models that looked like junkies, the more skinny and f---ed up you look, the more everybody thinks you're fabulous.  One example of a "druggy-looking model" is Kate Moss who has based her entire career on being skinny and looking wasted.  Young women see these models and want to be like them.  This puts a lot of pressure on young people, especially women, to do heroin in order to fit the appearance that fashion designers project in their productions.
	Third, heroin abuse has increased because baby boomers have a relaxed view on drugs.  Many parents used drugs as teenagers and do not see anything wrong with their children doing drugs.  During the 60's and 70's many teenagers became caught up in the counter-culture movement led by people like Timothy Leary.  Timothy Leary viewed the use of drugs as a way to expand one's mind.  There are parents who still follow that philosophy with their children.  They believe that expanding one's mind is not wrong therefore doing drugs is not wrong.  Moreover, children see their parent do illegal drugs and think that it is not wrong.  It's been proven that parents are one of the biggest contributors to a child's value system.  "Parents who do drugs have children who do drugs." reads a major slogan on the war on drugs.  Teenagers see their parents values on certain drugs and contribute those values to harder drugs like heroin.  In addition, parents do not spend enough time telling their children what heroin and other hard drugs can do to their child's body or future.  During the 80's there was a huge war against drugs.  Many parents thought that the government was doing a good enough job of informing children of the risks about drugs and let their guard down.  Obviously, the government did not do a good enough job of informing children of the dangers of drugs, recently there have been a number of studies showing that almost every illegal drug's use among teenagers has risen dramatically since the early 90's.
		In conclusion, the use of heroin has grown because rock stars and actors have been caught with the drug, because the media glamorizes the use of heroin, and because some parents have a carefree view of drug usage. Almost everybody knows at least one person who has at one time done an illegal drug. Anybody can become hooked on drugs.  Today the percentage of teenagers using drugs keeps rising just as it was in the sixties.  Chances are in the future there will be another strong anti-drug campaign just like the one in the 80's which will reduce the amount of drug abuse for future generations.  When today's teenagers become parents what will the attitude on drugs be?  Will it be more accepting or less accepting? 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Heroin.TXT
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Heroin

	Heroin  related deaths and arrests among young pop culture musicians has not been this visible for decades. "We observe pop culture making this drug- which is very lethal-look glamorous and chic," says Ginna Marston of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (54). For example, according to Karen Schoemer's report for Newsweek,  Kurt Cobain of  Nirvana, Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon and  Jerry Garcia of Greatful Dead, all participated and abused heroin (54). Kurt Cobain took his own life with a shotgun, while battling  his heroin addiction. Also, Shannon Hoon overdosed on cocaine while he had recently tried to kick his heroin habit. In addition, Jerry Garcia who had been a drug junkie for years died in a rehabilitation center while trying to come clean from drug use. However, Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots, David Gahan of Depeche Mood and actor Robert Downey, Jr. were all arrested for possession of heroin and other illicit drugs (54). Weiland was busted on heroin and cocaine possession in May, 1995 (54). Furthermore, Gahan was arrested for drug possession after an overdose on heroin and cocaine (54). In addition, Downey was arrested when officials found heroin, crack, and cocaine in his car after he was pulled over for speeding. He plead not guilty to the charges and was sentenced to a mandatory rehab program. Downey on June 28, 1995 walked out of the drug treatment facility, but later turned himself in the next day (54). Heroin is very much in  back and has become a major trend and a way of life for  the pop culture life style.

 	
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\HIV Babies.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
Last year, it was cause for celebration. The cause of celebration was for the results that several clinical trials of zidovudine cut the risk for mother to child transmission of human immune deficiency virus (HIV) by two thirds.  Although, this year, it is the basis for new federal recommendations that all pregnant women should receive HIV testing and counseling.  But, these findings have been cause of protests by several activist groups.  Activists fear that conservative legislators and policy makers will use the clinical data to justify mandatory testing and treatment for pregnant women.  

During the latter part of February, the United States Public Health Services published guidelines for HIV pregnant women in the Federal Register.  Which coincidentally was published on the same day as the National Conference in Washington, DC for "HIV infection in women: Setting a New Agenda."  The conference included activists, physicians and HIV positive women who used the meeting as a forum to voice their concerns about how best to balance women's own medical needs with those of their infants.  Other concerns of activists that were voiced were that they don't want laws, policies or medical care imposed on women merely as "vectors" who may transmit HIV to their infants. 
	
The new guidelines recommend that all pregnant women should receive HIV counseling and testing.  These guidelines are aimed at helping pregnant women know their HIV status early so that medical care, including zidovudine (Retrovir, known as AZT, Burroughs Welcome Co., Research Triangle Park, NC), can be made available.  The new guidelines also reiterate previous federal health advisories that say counseling should precede HIV testing.  
Physicians and other health professionals who counsel women should be well informed about the complex issues that face HIV infected pregnant women, according to the guidelines.  This information should include about all of their reproductive options.  Women should also be advised that in order to help reduce prenatal HIV transmissions HIV infected women in the United States should not breast feed their infants.

The guidelines further states that all HIV testing should be voluntary for women and their infants.  Also, all decisions about AZT use should be made by the HIV infected pregnant woman in a non coercive atmosphere and based on a balance of the benefits an potential risks of the regimen to herself and her child.  The guidelines also state that women who are infected or refuse testing must not be denied medical care, reported to child protective agencies, or discriminated against in any way.

The center for Disease control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA. reports that as of December 31, 1994, there were 58,448 women with AIDS in the United States.  Nearly one fourth of the total were reported in 1994 alone.  AIDS is now the fourth leading cause of death in US women ages 25 to 44 and in 15 major United States cities.

In 1993, the CDC estimated that 7,000 HIV infected women gave birth in this country, in other words, about one in every 625 women who gave birth that year was HIV positive.  The rate of mother to child transmission rate ranged from 15% to 30%, which is estimated that there were as many as 2,000 HIV infected infants born in the United States in 1993.
Much of the controversy centers on AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) protocol 076.  In the 2 year study, 239 of the 477 HIV infected women enrolled received AZT during pregnancy and delivery.  Their infants received the drug for six weeks.  At 18 months, 8.3% of the infants in the treatment group vs. 25.5 % of the controls were infected.  "Evidence based on every analysis that has been done of the outcomes to date shows that this is a prevention breakthrough," said Wanda Jones, DrPH, acting associate director of CDC's office of Women's Health.

Activists believe that the data is incomplete and should not be used as the basis for federal guidelines.  They wanted to know the effects AZT might have on the estimated 75% of infants who are born to HIV positive mothers but don't seroconvert, and whether a pregnant woman who takes AZT early in the course of infection will still benefit from the drug later, when she is sicker.  They also wanted to know what the long term effects may be if women take AZT during multiple pregnancies, and whether ACTG 076 showed a correlation between high maternal viral load and the likelihood of transmission.  A few small studies, including one from New York State Health Department, are beginning to point in that direction.   Jones of the CDC conceded that the study leaves many question unanswered.  However, it is the only one ever to have demonstrated any effective method of preventing maternal fetal HIV transmission.  "It would be irresponsible for us not to be out front on this," she said.  James W. Curran, MD MPH, associate director for  HIV/AIDS at the CDC added that, "The reason we published these guidelines is that we believe they represent the very best in public health practice." 



Besides their scientific concerns, activists also believe that the guidelines come at a politically tenuous time.  Two years ago, before the ACTG 076 results were announced and before Congress took a conservative turn, New York lawmakers considered legislation to unbind mandatory testing of newborns so that seropositive infants could be identified.  The law failed.  But now, since the clinical results have been widely publicized, a similar bill is pending in Congress.  For example, in Illinois, lawmakers are considering a bill that would mandate HIV testing and counseling for all pregnant women. And in New York, they have proposed legislation would mandate testing of pregnant women without requiring counseling. Experts say that initiative like those in Illinois and New York are likely to crop up in more states.  To counter pro-mandatory testing movements, activists have urged federal health officials to strengthen language in the guidelines before they are finalized so that the document won't be construed as supportive of mandatory testing.

Mandatory testing has been controversial since the AIDS epidemic began.  Opponents contend that is violates civil rights, results in discrimination and may drive some people away from receiving the medical care they need.  Therefore, without a stronger message in support of voluntary testing the guidelines may become a way to discriminate against pregnant women who are HIV positive.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Rogers, Martha, Simonds, R.J.; March 15, 1996;  Preventing Prenatal HIV Infection "How Far Have We Come?"; Journal of the American Medical Association Volume 19;  Page 1514

Voelker, Rebecca; April 5, 1996;  US Public Health Service Recommends Counseling and HIV Testing For All Pregnant Women;  Journal of the American Medical Association;  Volume 19;  page 977

Wolfe, Maxine Ph.D.; October 1, 1996;  Mothers To Infant HIV Transmission 076 Update;  Women Alive; page 6
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\How Dangerous are Drugs and What can we do about the drug pro.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
     Drugs have infiltrated our cities, our towns and our lives.  Though a small percentage of people
use drugs, they do attempt to spread their plague among others.  But, how dangerous are these mind
suppressors?  Do they kill like the statistics show, or is it a coverup to stop people from having a good
time?  Even in Franklin County, there are drugs.  How bad is the problem?  It is worse then most
people think, but what can we do about it?  Can we do anything about it?
     Marijuana is the drug of choice among most addicts.  It is provided cheap
and is easily available.  Overdosing it on this
drug is not possible, or at least dying of an
overdose, thus making it seem safe.  The high is described as a rush of

calmness and relaxation.  People under the influence feel relaxed and as if

their problems are gone.  The most common method of

doing this drug is smoking it.  The leafy plant is dried and

smoked in a joint, or a rolled cigarette with a paper mouth piece.  It can also be
smoked in a bong, or pipe.  Another method is eating the leaves of the plant. 
They must be cooked in some sort of fat.  Marijuana is fat soluble, and for
the reason, must be cooked in butter, lard, milk, or other substance.  A new
method is being
tested.  It
includes
"baking" the
marijuana under a flame without burning it.  It is nearly the same as smoking it, but there is no smoke,
which may limit the chance of lung cancer.  Yet is this drug safe?  No.  The
short term effects, besides the calmness are the following: temporary memory
loss, rapid heart beat, and dizziness.  The
long term effects include the
following: Lung cancer, heart
problems, and
immune system disorders.  The
equivalent of one
joint is four cigarettes, or ten seconds of car exhaust.  No
one sees the dangers
of this drug, and they usually do not care about them, making it even more dangerous.
     LSD, or acid, is a synthetic drug that was originally
found on the skin of a mushroom.  This is considered a
psychedelic drug.  It is very cheap, usually $4 - $5 a trip.  A
trip usually consists of 500-600 "mics" of acid.  It can be made from morning glory, wood petroleum
and other chemicals.  The high is very interesting.  It is described as non-

real.  It brings reality and imagination together in a utopia of relaxation.  This

may sound good, but people tripping on acid do not realized what they are

doing and could jump out of buildings or moving

cars and think they will live.  LSD is usually taken by licking a piece of paper
with a drop of the acid on it.  Another method is by dropping a small drop
of the liquid acid under the tongue.  The short term effects include the high,
but also include a rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, and memory loss. 

Long term effects include relapses of the high, days, weeks, or years after

last using the drug.  Brain damage also occurs, for LSD is a mind-altering

drug.  The high of this is so wonderful to people, that they do not realize

what could happen to them in the future.  It is possible to overdose on this

drug, but deaths are usually nonexistent.
     Heroin is a very dangerous drug.  It is an opiate drug,
acquired from the poppy plant.  Opium was first discovered
in the 1800's and people became addicted in the 1860's. 
About 95% of the people then, were addicted to it.  Now, heroin takes its place.  The high is described
as relaxing, like the rest of the previous drugs.  People who first use it, sometimes fall asleep while
high.  Heroin is usually done by needle injection.  It can be smoke, however.  It is prepared by heating
it on a spoon and placing the liquid in a needle for injecting.  Heroin is usually not very pure.  This
can make in incredibly dangerous because if one is used to the non-pure
heroin and then gets

purer heroin, he or

she can easily

overdose, killing them.  Also, because this is

injected by a needle, heroin can pass diseases,

including AIDS.  Short

term effects include the following: quick addiction,  quick  tolerance,
depression, and blurred vision.  Long term effects include the following:
depression, vein disorders.  The fact that you can die of an overdose makes
heroin very dangerous.  People who use marijuana and want something
better, try heroin once or twice and are addicted.

     Cocaine is a drug made from the leaves of the coca plant. 
Cocaine is the same kind of drug as morphine and nicotine, thus the
"-ine" endings.  These drugs are extemely addictive.  Cocaine is found
in the form of a white powder.  It is sometimes mixed with other substances such as cornstarch or
sugar.  It is expensive, but because of the addiction, people do anything to get it.  This has made
another problem, drug violence.  People kill people for cocaine or cocaine money.  The drug was
originally injected.  One of the affects was bulging of the veins in the nose.  This led to the discovery
of sniffing, or snorting cocaine.  It can also be smoke, if it is
prepared in a certain way.  The high is described as mind
racing.  It makes you feel as if everything is moving very fast. 
People often cannot talk correctly and are very spastic.  They
often do stupid things.  Short term effects include the
following:  very rapid heart rate and high blood pressure,
confusion, violence, difficultly in talking and other thing.  Long term effects include, heart problems,
liver problems, brain damage, stuttering, and the destruction of the separation between the nostrils. 
You can overdose on the drug and die.  People use this drug because they are addicted.  This drug is
by far the most dangerous of the popular drugs.  They often link it to violence and gangs.
     The drug problem in Franklin County isn't as large as in cities, but is existent.  People use
drugs, mainly because of peer pressure.  Most people would not agree with this, but it is true. 
Ignorance is a major player in the drug problem.  People don't realize

HOW dangerous it is.  If all people understood the information in this

report, the problem could go decrease.  It was stated that if marijuana

was legalized, the drug problem would cease.  This does have some

truth to it, but most people say that marijuana leads to other drugs, but studies
show that approximately 5% of people who try marijuana try other drugs. 
Marijuana does not lead to other drugs.  However, this does not nullify the fact
that marijuana kills people.  It does it with the same potency of cigarettes.  This
is due to the fact that people do  not smoke 40 joints a day, like some cigarette
smokers, they smoke about two joints a week.  But, there is not excuse for other
"hard drugs" like LSD, heroin and cocaine.  People need to learn what they are doing to themselves;
that is the key to solving the drug problem.






 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\How do Drugs Affect Your Health .TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
    VocalTec Internet Phone (TM)
    Version 2.5 (Build 9) - May, 1995
    ====================================
     Copyright(c) 1995 by VocalTec Ltd.


Changes/Fixes from previous releases:
-------------------------------------

Skip this section if you're new to the Internet Phone.

Changes from build 8:

   There is no functional change between build 8 and build 9. Build 9
   only fixes a bug in the registration process, that caused some
   registrations to be treated as unregistered.
   If you are a registered user of build 8, then there is no need to
   download build 9, since the bug did not apply to you.
   For this reason, the build number (9) only appears in the About
   dialog. The on-line user information still shows build 8.

Changes from Build 7:

1. The Internet Phone now uses its own network of servers, instead of
   the public IRC network.

2. The list of users now can specify a port number. All Internet Phone
   Servers now support both the standard IRC server (6667) and a new
   port, 6670

2. Fixed bug in volume, which sometimes had no affect while talking.

3. New registration mechanism (does not affect already-registered users)

4. The list of Topics and list of Users are less "jumpy" when users join
   and leave a channel that you're in.

5. Also, the current user and topic are kept when the dialog is reloaded.

6. Better handling of erroneous topic names.

7. Show a mark for registered users

8. Fixed some "Server not responding" situations.

9. "CONNECTION TIMEOUT" message changed to "CONNECTION LOST".

10. A new message "USER NOT ACCESSIBLE" will appear when getting no response from
   a user while trying to call him.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\How to pass a drug test.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
How to pass a drug test.
To pass a drug test it is very important to estalish the length of time
which the metabolties will be in your body.  If you can establish this and
then cease useof the drug far enough away from your test you should pass
without the difficulties of other methods.  

The next method to use to pass a test is the use of blockers or diuretics.
These will either water your urine down or cause you to metabolize the drug
quicker.  This will allow you to stay on the drug closer to the test.

The final method is substitution.  You can either find somone else to supply
the urine for you or you can doctor your own.  To do this you must empty 
your bladder then insert a catheter and fill your bladder with clean urine,
like in the film the program.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\How To Roll A Joint.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
Gjord 1985/86 av Nelvana Production för Lucasfilm. Se fullständig information.

Den tecknadfilm-serie som har gjorts handlar om ewokernas liv pċ Endormċnen. Det förekommer
alltsċ inga människor överhuvudtaget. (och inga XWing och stormtropers, sorry...) Eventuella
"fiender" utgörs av andra varelser pċ Endor. Det finns ganska mċnga andra varelser. Ju fler avsnitt
dessto fler varelser....

Det förekommer mängder av magi i olika former. Allt frċn lämpliga magiska besvärjelser till magi
som har betydelse för hela mċnen som styr ċrstidsväxlingar mm. Även en särskild sten
sunstar/shadowstone besitter stora magiska krafter.

"Huvudpersoner" är ewokbarnen Wicket, Teebo, Latara och Kneesa. Se översikt över de viktigaste
figurerna.

Denna serie sändes före jul av TV4 pċ helgerna med tvċ avsnitt per helg. Lördag morgon och
söndag morgon klockan 7:10.

                                                  Det har gjorts tvċ omgċngar av
                                                  serien som är lite olika tecknade.
                                                  Bland annat har man ändrat
                                                  wickets skinhuva till grön färg.
                                                  TV4 sände vartannat avsnitt av
                                                  dem. Brun huva pċ Lördagar och
                                                  Grön pċ Söndagar. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Innercity substance abuse.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
	
	
	Substance abuse is an ever increasing epidemic facing America's
inner-city minorities.  There are several different drugs that are gaining
popularity amongst inner-city youths 1. Juice, that is marijuana soaked in
embalming fluid is starting to show up in more and more inner east coast
cities 2. Crack or rock cocaine is by far one of the most addicting drugs out
there, it's been engulfing America's inner-cities since the early 80's 3. 
Heroin, is also making a comeback 4. Alcohol and marijuana are still very
popular in the lower and upper classes 5. There are some very distinctive
differences in the substance abuse seen in the less fortunate classes and the
abuse in the middle and upper classes. The upper classes drug of choose is
powder cocaine. The less fortunate classes prefer rock cocaine. Alcohol is
popular in both classes but also in different forms. The upper and middle
class teenagers seem to want to experiment more with designer or new age
drugs. The reason that there is so much media hype about the drug abuse
amongst the poor is because the rich have the political power to cover it up,
the poor don't.
	Crack is cocaine mixed with baking soda and cooked in to rock form
6.   Even though crack and cocaine are the same drug (just in different forms)
the courts give out stiffer sentences for  crack offenders than powder cocaine
offenders 7.  According to federal law if a person is caught with five grams
of crack they get a mandatory five year sentence 8.  To get a five year
sentence for trafficking powder cocaine a person would have to be caught
with 500 grams 9.  African-Americans account for 88.3 percent of all federal
crack distributors 10.  This sentencing shows how the judicial system goes
harder on black people for drug violations than whites 11.
	


   The upper and middle class teens do there far share of drugs 12.  Growing
more and more popular amongst upper and middle class teenagers is a drug
called Ritilin 13. Ritilin, was designed to help children suffering for ADHD
14.   The teenagers get a hold of some Ritilin and mash it in to a powder and
snort it like cocaine 15. "It gives you the same feeling that cocaine does " say
on collage freshman 16.  Another very poplar drug amongst the upper class
teenagers is nitris-oxide better known as laughing gas 17.   Teenagers  is fill
a balloon with the laughing gas and inhale 18.  Laughing gas gives it's
victims a ten second high by denying the brain oxygen 19.
	To get an accurate perceptive of substance abuse in an inner city
environment, I conducted an interview with T.J, an 18 year old black crack
addict from uptown Manhattan.
Here are some excerpts from our conversion.
Me: How did you start using drugs?
T.J: It started when I was about 11 smokin' weed. After a while weed wasn't
getting me high enough. So I searched for a new thing then I found the big
boy (crack). My first time smokin' crack, I bought a five dollar rock off this
nigga on 115th and Saint Nicks. I went back to my rest and smoked that shit
up.  I loved the high.  It took me to another planet and shit. The next day I
went back and bought a ten dollar rock and it hasn't stopped since.
Me: How long ago was that?
T.J: Three years, kid.
Me: What has your crack addiction done to your life?





T.J: What life? Crack is my life. My moms won't talk to me. My family, if
they see me they don't say shit. My only friend is my pipe. I done stole shit
from my moms, my boys and just almost anybody I come across. If I don't
get my shit for a while I start shaking. It's like food for me. I need it to
survive.
Me: Did you finish high school?
T.J: Naw kid, like five months after I hit the pipe I dropped out.
Me: What are you trying to do about you problem?
T.J: Well right now I'm in Detox. I'm trying to get my life back on track. It's
mad hard though.
   To get the middle class version of drug abuse I interviewed Molly, a white
19 year old student at the University of New Mexico.
Me: How did you start using drugs?
Molly: Well, I started drinking alcohol at 15. I loved the feeling I got for
being drunk. Then I tried pot at my friend's party. This is twice as good as
beer, I thought. It seemed every new drug I tried I like better then the last
one. I started tripping on acid when I get home from school. Then my friend's
brother stole a tank of laughing gas. I loved it.
Me: Did you ever try cocaine?
Molly: I do coke every once and a while. But not half as much as acid, pot
and laughing gas.
Me: Why not?



Molly: Because it costs too much. The reason I do the other drugs so much is
that I get them free at frat parties. But you don't see people passing out coke.
If they did, I'd do it.
   These two people are very different ones black, ones white, ones a man ,
ones a woman, ones a high school drop out, the others enrolled in a state
university. They probably have only have three common traits, they are
human beings, Americans and drug abusers.  Inner-city minorities are treated
very differently when it comes to prosecution.  The inner city minorities drug
of choice is crack and the sentences are much more harsh for crack offenders,
then they are for cocaine offenders.  This is one of the prime examples of
institutionalized racism in America.
     I feel that the way to combat all kinds of drug abuse is through early
intervention. Recovering addicts should meet and share their accounts with
pre-adolescent children.  Then there should be a presentation of the damages
that drugs do to the body and mind. I believe that the children in the inner
cities should have a presenter who is from their kind of environment. Also,
this holds true for the middle and upper class children. For example, if a
valley girl from Beverly Hills goes to Harlem and tells her tales of how she
inhaled huge balloons filled with laughing gas everyday, it would no purpose
because the children would have no clue what she was talking about.   







                                            ENDNOTES

	1. Leland,74
	2. Leland,74
	3. Smolowe,44
	4. Smolowe,45
	5. Leland,75
	6. Leland,74
	7.Smolowe,44
	8.Leland,75
	9.Leland,75
	10.Leland,74
	11. Leland,75
	12. Smolowe,45
	13. Leland,75
	14. Smolowe,44
	15. Smolowe,45
	16. Smolowe, 44
	17. Leland,75
	18. Leland,74
	19. Smolowe,44

  

	
	
	Substance abuse is an ever increasing epidemic facing America's
inner-city minorities.  There are several different drugs that are gaining
popularity amongst inner-city youths 1. Juice, that is marijuana soaked in
embalming fluid is starting to show up in more and more inner east coast
cities 2. Crack or rock cocaine is by far one of the most addicting drugs out
there, it's been engulfing America's inner-cities since the early 80's 3. 
Heroin, is also making a comeback 4. Alcohol and marijuana are still very
popular in the lower and upper classes 5. There are some very distinctive
differences in the substance abuse seen in the less fortunate classes and the
abuse in the middle and upper classes. The upper classes drug of choose is
powder cocaine. The less fortunate classes prefer rock cocaine. Alcohol is
popular in both classes but also in different forms. The upper and middle
class teenagers seem to want to experiment more with designer or new age
drugs. The reason that there is so much media hype about the drug abuse
amongst the poor is because the rich have the political power to cover it up,
the poor don't.
	Crack is cocaine mixed with baking soda and cooked in to rock form
6.   Even though crack and cocaine are the same drug (just in different forms)
the courts give out stiffer sentences for  crack offenders than powder cocaine
offenders 7.  According to federal law if a person is caught with five grams
of crack they get a mandatory five year sentence 8.  To get a five year
sentence for trafficking powder cocaine a person would have to be caught
with 500 grams 9.  African-Americans account for 88.3 percent of all federal
crack distributors 10.  This sentencing shows how the judicial system goes
harder on black people for drug violations than whites 11.
	


   The upper and middle class teens do there far share of drugs 12.  Growing
more and more popular amongst upper and middle class teenagers is a drug
called Ritilin 13. Ritilin, was designed to help children suffering for ADHD
14.   The teenagers get a hold of some Ritilin and mash it in to a powder and
snort it like cocaine 15. "It gives you the same feeling that cocaine does " say
on collage freshman 16.  Another very poplar drug amongst the upper class
teenagers is nitris-oxide better known as laughing gas 17.   Teenagers  is fill
a balloon with the laughing gas and inhale 18.  Laughing gas gives it's
victims a ten second high by denying the brain oxygen 19.
	To get an accurate perceptive of substance abuse in an inner city
environment, I conducted an interview with T.J, an 18 year old black crack
addict from uptown Manhattan.
Here are some excerpts from our conversion.
Me: How did you start using drugs?
T.J: It started when I was about 11 smokin' weed. After a while weed wasn't
getting me high enough. So I searched for a new thing then I found the big
boy (crack). My first time smokin' crack, I bought a five dollar rock off this
nigga on 115th and Saint Nicks. I went back to my rest and smoked that shit
up.  I loved the high.  It took me to another planet and shit. The next day I
went back and bought a ten dollar rock and it hasn't stopped since.
Me: How long ago was that?
T.J: Three years, kid.
Me: What has your crack addiction done to your life?





T.J: What life? Crack is my life. My moms won't talk to me. My family, if
they see me they don't say shit. My only friend is my pipe. I done stole shit
from my moms, my boys and just almost anybody I come across. If I don't
get my shit for a while I start shaking. It's like food for me. I need it to
survive.
Me: Did you finish high school?
T.J: Naw kid, like five months after I hit the pipe I dropped out.
Me: What are you trying to do about you problem?
T.J: Well right now I'm in Detox. I'm trying to get my life back on track. It's
mad hard though.
   To get the middle class version of drug abuse I interviewed Molly, a white
19 year old student at the University of New Mexico.
Me: How did you start using drugs?
Molly: Well, I started drinking alcohol at 15. I loved the feeling I got for
being drunk. Then I tried pot at my friend's party. This is twice as good as
beer, I thought. It seemed every new drug I tried I like better then the last
one. I started tripping on acid when I get home from school. Then my friend's
brother stole a tank of laughing gas. I loved it.
Me: Did you ever try cocaine?
Molly: I do coke every once and a while. But not half as much as acid, pot
and laughing gas.
Me: Why not?



Molly: Because it costs too much. The reason I do the other drugs so much is
that I get them free at frat parties. But you don't see people passing out coke.
If they did, I'd do it.
   These two people are very different ones black, ones white, ones a man ,
ones a woman, ones a high school drop out, the others enrolled in a state
university. They probably have only have three common traits, they are
human beings, Americans and drug abusers.  Inner-city minorities are treated
very differently when it comes to prosecution.  The inner city minorities drug
of choice is crack and the sentences are much more harsh for crack offenders,
then they are for cocaine offenders.  This is one of the prime examples of
institutionalized racism in America.
     I feel that the way to combat all kinds of drug abuse is through early
intervention. Recovering addicts should meet and share their accounts with
pre-adolescent children.  Then there should be a presentation of the damages
that drugs do to the body and mind. I believe that the children in the inner
cities should have a presenter who is from their kind of environment. Also,
this holds true for the middle and upper class children. For example, if a
valley girl from Beverly Hills goes to Harlem and tells her tales of how she
inhaled huge balloons filled with laughing gas everyday, it would no purpose
because the children would have no clue what she was talking about.   







                                            ENDNOTES

	1. Leland,74
	2. Leland,74
	3. Smolowe,44
	4. Smolowe,45
	5. Leland,75
	6. Leland,74
	7.Smolowe,44
	8.Leland,75
	9.Leland,75
	10.Leland,74
	11. Leland,75
	12. Smolowe,45
	13. Leland,75
	14. Smolowe,44
	15. Smolowe,45
	16. Smolowe, 44
	17. Leland,75
	18. Leland,74
	19. Smolowe,44

  







	
	
	Substance abuse is an ever increasing epidemic facing America's
inner-city minorities.  There are several different drugs that are gaining
popularity amongst inner-city youths 1. Juice, that is marijuana soaked in
embalming fluid is starting to show up in more and more inner east coast
cities 2. Crack or rock cocaine is by far one of the most addicting drugs out
there, it's been engulfing America's inner-cities since the early 80's 3. 
Heroin, is also making a comeback 4. Alcohol and marijuana are still very
popular in the lower and upper classes 5. There are some very distinctive
differences in the substance abuse seen in the less fortunate classes and the
abuse in the middle and upper classes. The upper classes drug of choose is
powder cocaine. The less fortunate classes prefer rock cocaine. Alcohol is
popular in both classes but also in different forms. The upper and middle
class teenagers seem to want to experiment more with designer or new age
drugs. The reason that there is so much media hype about the drug abuse
amongst the poor is because the rich have the political power to cover it up,
the poor don't.
	Crack is cocaine mixed with baking soda and cooked in to rock form
6.   Even though crack and cocaine are the same drug (just in different forms)
the courts give out stiffer sentences for  crack offenders than powder cocaine
offenders 7.  According to federal law if a person is caught with five grams
of crack they get a mandatory five year sentence 8.  To get a five year
sentence for trafficking powder cocaine a person would have to be caught
with 500 grams 9.  African-Americans account for 88.3 percent of all federal
crack distributors 10.  This sentencing shows how the judicial system goes
harder on black people for drug violations than whites 11.
	


   The upper and middle class teens do there far share of drugs 12.  Growing
more and more popular amongst upper and middle class teenagers is a drug
called Ritilin 13. Ritilin, was designed to help children suffering for ADHD
14.   The teenagers get a hold of some Ritilin and mash it in to a powder and
snort it like cocaine 15. "It gives you the same feeling that cocaine does " say
on collage freshman 16.  Another very poplar drug amongst the upper class
teenagers is nitris-oxide better known as laughing gas 17.   Teenagers  is fill
a balloon with the laughing gas and inhale 18.  Laughing gas gives it's
victims a ten second high by denying the brain oxygen 19.
	To get an accurate perceptive of substance abuse in an inner city
environment, I conducted an interview with T.J, an 18 year old black crack
addict from uptown Manhattan.
Here are some excerpts from our conversion.
Me: How did you start using drugs?
T.J: It started when I was about 11 smokin' weed. After a while weed wasn't
getting me high enough. So I searched for a new thing then I found the big
boy (crack). My first time smokin' crack, I bought a five dollar rock off this
nigga on 115th and Saint Nicks. I went back to my rest and smoked that shit
up.  I loved the high.  It took me to another planet and shit. The next day I
went back and bought a ten dollar rock and it hasn't stopped since.
Me: How long ago was that?
T.J: Three years, kid.
Me: What has your crack addiction done to your life?





T.J: What life? Crack is my life. My moms won't talk to me. My family, if
they see me they don't say shit. My only friend is my pipe. I done stole shit
from my moms, my boys and just almost anybody I come across. If I don't
get my shit for a while I start shaking. It's like food for me. I need it to
survive.
Me: Did you finish high school?
T.J: Naw kid, like five months after I hit the pipe I dropped out.
Me: What are you trying to do about you problem?
T.J: Well right now I'm in Detox. I'm trying to get my life back on track. It's
mad hard though.
   To get the middle class version of drug abuse I interviewed Molly, a white
19 year old student at the University of New Mexico.
Me: How did you start using drugs?
Molly: Well, I started drinking alcohol at 15. I loved the feeling I got for
being drunk. Then I tried pot at my friend's party. This is twice as good as
beer, I thought. It seemed every new drug I tried I like better then the last
one. I started tripping on acid when I get home from school. Then my friend's
brother stole a tank of laughing gas. I loved it.
Me: Did you ever try cocaine?
Molly: I do coke every once and a while. But not half as much as acid, pot
and laughing gas.
Me: Why not?



Molly: Because it costs too much. The reason I do the other drugs so much is
that I get them free at frat parties. But you don't see people passing out coke.
If they did, I'd do it.
   These two people are very different ones black, ones white, ones a man ,
ones a woman, ones a high school drop out, the others enrolled in a state
university. They probably have only have three common traits, they are
human beings, Americans and drug abusers.  Inner-city minorities are treated
very differently when it comes to prosecution.  The inner city minorities drug
of choice is crack and the sentences are much more harsh for crack offenders,
then they are for cocaine offenders.  This is one of the prime examples of
institutionalized racism in America.
     I feel that the way to combat all kinds of drug abuse is through early
intervention. Recovering addicts should meet and share their accounts with
pre-adolescent children.  Then there should be a presentation of the damages
that drugs do to the body and mind. I believe that the children in the inner
cities should have a presenter who is from their kind of environment. Also,
this holds true for the middle and upper class children. For example, if a
valley girl from Beverly Hills goes to Harlem and tells her tales of how she
inhaled huge balloons filled with laughing gas everyday, it would no purpose
because the children would have no clue what she was talking about.   







                                            ENDNOTES

	1. Leland,74
	2. Leland,74
	3. Smolowe,44
	4. Smolowe,45
	5. Leland,75
	6. Leland,74
	7.Smolowe,44
	8.Leland,75
	9.Leland,75
	10.Leland,74
	11. Leland,75
	12. Smolowe,45
	13. Leland,75
	14. Smolowe,44
	15. Smolowe,45
	16. Smolowe, 44
	17. Leland,75
	18. Leland,74
	19. Smolowe,44

  







	
	
	Substance abuse is an ever increasing epidemic facing America's
inner-city minorities.  There are several different drugs that are gaining
popularity amongst inner-city youths 1. Juice, that is marijuana soaked in
embalming fluid is starting to show up in more and more inner east coast
cities 2. Crack or rock cocaine is by far one of the most addicting drugs out
there, it's been engulfing America's inner-cities since the early 80's 3. 
Heroin, is also making a comeback 4. Alcohol and marijuana are still very
popular in the lower and upper classes 5. There are some very distinctive
differences in the substance abuse seen in the less fortunate classes and the
abuse in the middle and upper classes. The upper classes drug of choose is
powder cocaine. The less fortunate classes prefer rock cocaine. Alcohol is
popular in both classes but also in different forms. The upper and middle
class teenagers seem to want to experiment more with designer or new age
drugs. The reason that there is so much media hype about the drug abuse
amongst the poor is because the rich have the political power to cover it up,
the poor don't.
	Crack is cocaine mixed with baking soda and cooked in to rock form
6.   Even though crack and cocaine are the same drug (just in different forms)
the courts give out stiffer sentences for  crack offenders than powder cocaine
offenders 7.  According to federal law if a person is caught with five grams
of crack they get a mandatory five year sentence 8.  To get a five year
sentence for trafficking powder cocaine a person would have to be caught
with 500 grams 9.  African-Americans account for 88.3 percent of all federal
crack distributors 10.  This sentencing shows how the judicial system goes
harder on black people for drug violations than whites 11.
	


   The upper and middle class teens do there far share of drugs 12.  Growing
more and more popular amongst upper and middle class teenagers is a drug
called Ritilin 13. Ritilin, was designed to help children suffering for ADHD
14.   The teenagers get a hold of some Ritilin and mash it in to a powder and
snort it like cocaine 15. "It gives you the same feeling that cocaine does " say
on collage freshman 16.  Another very poplar drug amongst the upper class
teenagers is nitris-oxide better known as laughing gas 17.   Teenagers  is fill
a balloon with the laughing gas and inhale 18.  Laughing gas gives it's
victims a ten second high by denying the brain oxygen 19.
	To get an accurate perceptive of substance abuse in an inner city
environment, I conducted an interview with T.J, an 18 year old black crack
addict from uptown Manhattan.
Here are some excerpts from our conversion.
Me: How did you start using drugs?
T.J: It started when I was about 11 smokin' weed. After a while weed wasn't
getting me high enough. So I searched for a new thing then I found the big
boy (crack). My first time smokin' crack, I bought a five dollar rock off this
nigga on 115th and Saint Nicks. I went back to my rest and smoked that shit
up.  I loved the high.  It took me to another planet and shit. The next day I
went back and bought a ten dollar rock and it hasn't stopped since.
Me: How long ago was that?
T.J: Three years, kid.
Me: What has your crack addiction done to your life?





T.J: What life? Crack is my life. My moms won't talk to me. My family, if
they see me they don't say shit. My only friend is my pipe. I done stole shit
from my moms, my boys and just almost anybody I come across. If I don't
get my shit for a while I start shaking. It's like food for me. I need it to
survive.
Me: Did you finish high school?
T.J: Naw kid, like five months after I hit the pipe I dropped out.
Me: What are you trying to do about you problem?
T.J: Well right now I'm in Detox. I'm trying to get my life back on track. It's
mad hard though.
   To get the middle class version of drug abuse I interviewed Molly, a white
19 year old student at the University of New Mexico.
Me: How did you start using drugs?
Molly: Well, I started drinking alcohol at 15. I loved the feeling I got for
being drunk. Then I tried pot at my friend's party. This is twice as good as
beer, I thought. It seemed every new drug I tried I like better then the last
one. I started tripping on acid when I get home from school. Then my friend's
brother stole a tank of laughing gas. I loved it.
Me: Did you ever try cocaine?
Molly: I do coke every once and a while. But not half as much as acid, pot
and laughing gas.
Me: Why not?



Molly: Because it costs too much. The reason I do the other drugs so much is
that I get them free at frat parties. But you don't see people passing out coke.
If they did, I'd do it.
   These two people are very different ones black, ones white, ones a man ,
ones a woman, ones a high school drop out, the others enrolled in a state
university. They probably have only have three common traits, they are
human beings, Americans and drug abusers.  Inner-city minorities are treated
very differently when it comes to prosecution.  The inner city minorities drug
of choice is crack and the sentences are much more harsh for crack offenders,
then they are for cocaine offenders.  This is one of the prime examples of
institutionalized racism in America.
     I feel that the way to combat all kinds of drug abuse is through early
intervention. Recovering addicts should meet and share their accounts with
pre-adolescent children.  Then there should be a presentation of the damages
that drugs do to the body and mind. I believe that the children in the inner
cities should have a presenter who is from their kind of environment. Also,
this holds true for the middle and upper class children. For example, if a
valley girl from Beverly Hills goes to Harlem and tells her tales of how she
inhaled huge balloons filled with laughing gas everyday, it would no purpose
because the children would have no clue what she was talking about.   







                                            ENDNOTES

	1. Leland,74
	2. Leland,74
	3. Smolowe,44
	4. Smolowe,45
	5. Leland,75
	6. Leland,74
	7.Smolowe,44
	8.Leland,75
	9.Leland,75
	10.Leland,74
	11. Leland,75
	12. Smolowe,45
	13. Leland,75
	14. Smolowe,44
	15. Smolowe,45
	16. Smolowe, 44
	17. Leland,75
	18. Leland,74
	19. Smolowe,44

  







	
	
	Substance abuse is an ever increasing epidemic facing America's
inner-city minorities.  There are several different drugs that are gaining
popularity amongst inner-city youths 1. Juice, that is marijuana soaked in
embalming fluid is starting to show up in more and more inner east coast
cities 2. Crack or rock cocaine is by far one of the most addicting drugs out
there, it's been engulfing America's inner-cities since the early 80's 3. 
Heroin, is also making a comeback 4. Alcohol and marijuana are still very
popular in the lower and upper classes 5. There are some very distinctive
differences in the substance abuse seen in the less fortunate classes and the
abuse in the middle and upper classes. The upper classes drug of choose is
powder cocaine. The less fortunate classes prefer rock cocaine. Alcohol is
popular in both classes but also in different forms. The upper and middle
class teenagers seem to want to experiment more with designer or new age
drugs. The reason that there is so much media hype about the drug abuse
amongst the poor is because the rich have the political power to cover it up,
the poor don't.
	Crack is cocaine mixed with baking soda and cooked in to rock form
6.   Even though crack and cocaine are the same drug (just in different forms)
the courts give out stiffer sentences for  crack offenders than powder cocaine
offenders 7.  According to federal law if a person is caught with five grams
of crack they get a mandatory five year sentence 8.  To get a five year
sentence for trafficking powder cocaine a person would have to be caught
with 500 grams 9.  African-Americans account for 88.3 percent of all federal
crack distributors 10.  This sentencing shows how the judicial system goes
harder on black people for drug violations than whites 11.
	


   The upper and middle class teens do there far share of drugs 12.  Growing
more and more popular amongst upper and middle class teenagers is a drug
called Ritilin 13. Ritilin, was designed to help children suffering for ADHD
14.   The teenagers get a hold of some Ritilin and mash it in to a powder and
snort it like cocaine 15. "It gives you the same feeling that cocaine does " say
on collage freshman 16.  Another very poplar drug amongst the upper class
teenagers is nitris-oxide better known as laughing gas 17.   Teenagers  is fill
a balloon with the laughing gas and inhale 18.  Laughing gas gives it's
victims a ten second high by denying the brain oxygen 19.
	To get an accurate perceptive of substance abuse in an inner city
environment, I conducted an interview with T.J, an 18 year old black crack
addict from uptown Manhattan.
Here are some excerpts from our conversion.
Me: How did you start using drugs?
T.J: It started when I was about 11 smokin' weed. After a while weed wasn't
getting me high enough. So I searched for a new thing then I found the big
boy (crack). My first time smokin' crack, I bought a five dollar rock off this
nigga on 115th and Saint Nicks. I went back to my rest and smoked that shit
up.  I loved the high.  It took me to another planet and shit. The next day I
went back and bought a ten dollar rock and it hasn't stopped since.
Me: How long ago was that?
T.J: Three years, kid.
Me: What has your crack addiction done to your life?





T.J: What life? Crack is my life. My moms won't talk to me. My family, if
they see me they don't say shit. My only friend is my pipe. I done stole shit
from my moms, my boys and just almost anybody I come across. If I don't
get my shit for a while I start shaking. It's like food for me. I need it to
survive.
Me: Did you finish high school?
T.J: Naw kid, like five months after I hit the pipe I dropped out.
Me: What are you trying to do about you problem?
T.J: Well right now I'm in Detox. I'm trying to get my life back on track. It's
mad hard though.
   To get the middle class version of drug abuse I interviewed Molly, a white
19 year old student at the University of New Mexico.
Me: How did you start using drugs?
Molly: Well, I started drinking alcohol at 15. I loved the feeling I got for
being drunk. Then I tried pot at my friend's party. This is twice as good as
beer, I thought. It seemed every new drug I tried I like better then the last
one. I star





 








































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f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Is Marijuana Dangerous to your Physical Health .TXT
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f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\is the illegalization of marijuana valid .TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
IS THE ILLEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA VALID?


	The debate over the legalization of Cannabis sativa, more
commonly known as marijuana, has been one of the most heated
controversies ever to occur in the United States.  Its use as a
medicine has existed for thousands of years in many countries
world wide and is documented as far back as 2700 BC in ancient
Chinese writings.  When someone says ganja, cannabis, bung,
dope, grass, rasta, or weed, they are  talking about the same
subject:  marijuana.  Marijuana should be legalized because the
government could earn money from taxes on its sale, its value to
the medical world outweighs its abuse potential, and because of
its importance to the paper and clothing industries.  This action
should be taken despite efforts made by groups which say
marijuana is a harmful drug which will increase crime rates and
lead users to other more dangerous substances.
	The actual story behind the legislature passed against
marijuana is quite surprising.  According to Jack Herer, author of
The Emperor  Wears No Clothes, the acts bringing about the
demise of hemp were part of a large conspiracy involving DuPont,
Harry J. Anslinger, commissioner of the Federal Bureau of
Narcotics (FBN), and many other influential industrial leaders
such as William Randolph Hearst and Andrew Mellon.  Herer
notes that the Marijuana Tax Act, which passed in 1937,
coincidentally occurred just as the decoricator machine was
invented.  With this invention, hemp would have been able to
take over competing industries almost instantaneously. 
According to Popular Mechanics, "10,000 acres devoted to hemp
will produce as much paper as 40,000 acres of average [forest]
pulp land." William Hearst owned enormous timber acreage so his
interest in preventing the growth of hemp can be easily explained. 
Competition from hemp would have easily driven the Hearst
paper-manufacturing company out of business and significantly
lowered the value of his land.  Herer even suggests popularizing
the term "marijuana" was a strategy Hearst used in order to create
fear in the American public.  Herer says "The first step in creating
hysteria was to introduce the element of fear of the unknown by
using a word that no one had ever heard of before... 'marijuana'".
	DuPont's involvement in the anti-hemp campaign can also
be explained with great ease.  At this time, DuPont was patenting
a new sulfuric acid process for producing wood-pulp paper. 
According to the company's own records, wood-pulp products
ultimately accounted for more than 80% of all DuPont's railroad
car loadings for the 50 years the Marijuana Tax Act was passed.  It
should also be said that two years before the prohibitive hemp tax
in 1937, DuPont developed nylon which was a substitute for hemp
rope.  The year after the tax was passed DuPont came out with
rayon, which would have been unable to compete with the
strength of hemp fiber or its  economical process of
manufacturing.  "DuPont's point man was none other than Harry
Anslinger...who was appointed to the FBN by Treasury Secretary
Andrew  Mellon, who was also chairman of the Mellon Bank,
DuPont's chief financial backer.  Anslinger's relationship to
Mellon wasn't just political, he was also married to Mellon's niece" 
(Hartsell).  
	The reasoning behind DuPont, Anslinger, and Hearst was
not for any moral or health related issues.  They fought to prevent
the growth of this new industry so they wouldn't lose money.  In
fact, the American Medical Association tried to argue for the
medical benefits of hemp.  Marijuana is actually less dangerous
than alcohol, cigarettes, and even most over-the-counter
medicines or prescriptions.  According to Francis J. Young, the
DEA's administrative judge, "nearly all medicines have toxic,
potentially lethal affects, but marijuana is not such a
substance...Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest
therapeutically active substances known to man.  By any measure
of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within a
supervised routine of medical care"  (DEA Docket No. 86-22, 57). 
It doesn't make sense then, for marijuana to be illegal in the
United States  when alcohol poisoning is a major cause of death
in this country and approximately 400,000 premature deaths are
attributed to cigarettes annually.  Dr. Roger Pertwee, Secretary of
the International Cannabis Research Society states that as a
recreational drug, "Marijuana compares favorably to nicotine,
alcohol, and even caffeine."  Under extreme amounts of alcohol a
person will experience an "inability to stand or walk without help,
stupor and near unconsciousness, lack of comprehension of what
is seen or heard, shock, and breathing and heartbeat may stop." 
Even though these effects occur only under an extreme amount of
alcohol consumption, (.2-.5 BAL) the fact is smoking extreme
amounts of marijuana will do nothing more than put you to sleep,
while drinking excessive amounts of alcohol will kill you.
	The most profound activist for marijuana's use as a
medicine is Dr. Lester Grinspoon, author of Marihuana:  The
Forbidden Medicine. According to Grinspoon, "The only well
confirmed negative effect of marijuana is caused by the smoke,
which contains three times more tars and five times more carbon
monoxide than tobacco.  But even the heaviest marijuana smokers
rarely use as much as an average tobacco smoker.  And, of course,
many prefer to eat it."  His book includes personal accounts of
how prescribed marijuana alleviated epilepsy, weight loss of AIDs,
nausea of chemotherapy, menstrual pains, and the severe effects
of Multiple Sclerosis.  The illness with the most documentation
and harmony among doctors which marijuana has successfully
treated is MS.  Grinspoon believes for MS sufferers, "Cannabis is
the drug of necessity."  One patient of his, 51 year old Elizabeth
MacRory, says "It has completely changed my life...It has helped
with muscle spasms, allowed me to sleep properly, and helped
control my bladder."  Marijuana also proved to be effective in the
treatment of glaucoma because its use lowers pressure on the eye. 
	"In a recent survey at a leading teaching hospital, 'over 60
per cent of medical students were found to be marijuana users.' 
In the same survey, only 30 per cent admitted to smoking
cigarettes"  (Guardian).  Brian Hilliard, editor of Police Review,
says "Legalizing cannabis wouldn't do any harm to anybody.  We
should be concentrating on the serious business of heroin and
amphetamines."  "In the UK in 1991, 42,209 people were convicted
of marijuana charges, clogging courts and overcrowding
prisons...and almost 90 per cent of drug offenses involve 
cannabis...The British government spends 500 million pounds a
year on "overall responses to drugs" but receives no tax revenue
from the estimated 1.8 billion pound illicit drug market" 
(Guardian).  Figures like this can be seen in the United States as
well.  The US spends billions of dollars annually on the war on
drugs.  If the government were to legalize marijuana, it could
reasonably place high taxes on it because people are used to
buying marijuana at extremely high prices created by the risks of
selling marijuana illegally.  It could be sold at a convenient store
just like a pack of cigarettes for less than someone would pay
now, but still yield a high profit because of easy growing
requirements.
	An entire industry could be created out of hemp based
products.  The oils extracted from seeds could be used for fuels
and the hemp fiber, a fiber so valued for its strength that it is
used to judge the quality of other fibers, could be manufactured
into ropes, clothing, or paper.  Most importantly, the money the
government would make from taxes and the money which would
be saved by not trying to prevent its use could be used for more
important things, such as serious drugs or the national debt.
	The recreational use of marijuana would not stimulate crime
like some would argue.  The crime rate in Amsterdam, where
marijuana is legal, is lower than many major US cities.  Mario
Lap, a key drug policy advisor in the Netherlands national
government says "We've had a realistic drug policy for 30 years in
the Netherlands, and we know what works.  We distinguish
between soft and hard drugs, between traffickers and users.  We
try not to make people into criminals"  (Houston Chronicle).      
	We can expect strong opposition from companies like
DuPont and paper manufacturers but the selfishness of these
corporations should not prevent its use in our society like it did
in the 1930's.  Regardless of what these organizations will say
about marijuana, the fact is it has the potential to become one of
the most useful substances in the entire world.  If we took action
and our government legalized it today, we would immediately see
benefits from this decision.  People suffering from illnesses
ranging from manic depression to Multiple Sclerosis would be 
able to experience relief.  The government could make billions of
dollars off of the taxes it could impose on its sale, and its
implementation into the industrial world would create thousands
of new jobs for the economy.  Also, because of its role in paper
making, the rain forests of South America could be saved from
their current fate of extinction.  No recorded deaths have ever
occurred as a result of marijuana use, it is not physically addictive
like alcohol or tobacco, and most doctors will agree it is safer to
use.  Marijuana being illegal has no validity at all.  Due to all the
positive aspects of marijuana it should be legalized in the United
States.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Just Say No But Say it Loudly!.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
JUST SAY NO!

But say it loudly!!


A profile of cocaine and it's effects on two lives





Presented by:
J.T. Stocker














Mr. Kramer/Mrs. Locke
7C
December 13, 1995


	Greek mythology tells of a young god, Morpheus, god of dreams. 
Morpheus planted a special purple flower called the lotus.  Soon the people of
the land smelled the sweet flowers and ate them.  They immediately feel into
a deep and troubled sleep.  From that day on, they awoke only long enough to
gather the lotus flowers and sleep again.  Eventually they lost their strength
and willpower and wanted only to drift in and out of sleep.1  The story of the
lotus-eaters and similar tales from ancient times show us that drug use is not
new.  Today this problem threatens all of our society.  The worst, most deadly
of drugs, however, is cocaine.  This report will talk about what cocaine is,
what it does to the human body, and two fantastic people who gave their lives
because of it.
	Today, over 5 million people use cocaine each month.  Each day, 3,000
people try cocaine for the first time.2  Cocaine is a white powder made from
the leaves of the cocoa plant.  Cocaine is first pressed to form a paste; then,
the paste is mixed with strong chemicals to make a white, powdery mixture. 
Most cocaine comes from South America.  It is estimated that about 400 tons
of cocaine is smuggled out of South America each year.  Half of this cocaine
ends up on the streets of the United States.
	Cocaine is a stimulant.   That means that when it is used, it speeds up
the way the brain works.  It causes the brain to send out too many electrical
signals that then get mixed up.  Because the brain tells the heart how fast
and often to beat, using cocaine can make the heart pump so fast that it
damages the muscles or can lead to a heart attack.  Since the brain also tells
the lungs how often and how deep to breath, the use of cocaine can cause
those signals to get mixed up leading to a shortness of breath or the complete
failure of the lungs to work causing instant death.  The use of cocaine is
seriously addicting.  Monkeys will keep giving themselves doses of cocaine until
they die; most people will follow the same trend.3
	The world of sports has many sad examples of people who made the poor
choice to use drugs.  Perhaps the saddest is that of Lenny Bias.  Len Bias
was a star on the basketball court.  He was in perfect health.  Len played
basketball for the University of Maryland.  Some people thought he would be
the best basketball player ever.  Then one day his dreams came true.  He was
drafted no. 1 by the Boston Celtics to play professional basketball.  "He could
jump through the roof," said Red Auerbach, president of the Celtics4.  Len was
so happy that he went out to celebrate.  He snorted cocaine, probably for the
first time.  That would be his last time--cocaine stopped his heart and he died
instantly.  Dr. Louis Caplan, New England Medical Center Hospitals, says that
using cocaine is like taking a chance on sudden death:  "Cocaine's a loaded
gun."5  Len Bias choose to be on the wrong end of the gun.
	Entertainers seem to live in a world exposed to many drugs.  Sometimes
they, too, make poor choices.  An example of this is Kurt Cobain.  Kurt Cobain
was a famous rock singer for the group Nirvana.  His music influenced millions
of people, and led the world of rock into a completely different direction. 
While he didn't die of drugs, Kobain's use of cocaine and other drugs helped
lead to his death.  When he killed himself, the news spread fast, and soon
millions of fans, all around the world, were completely shocked.  "As if the loss
of Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin hadn't crushed the rock-n-roll
world, now it mourned another family member."6
	Drugs don't just affect the famous--they are a crippling part of our
society. There is no reason to take drugs; they won't help anyone's
performance at school, or earn friends, or create a better sports player, or
help a career--and dead is never cool.
 	


Bibliography
Books

Hyde, Bruce.  Know About Drugs.  New York:  McGraw-Hill Book Company. 
1979.

Hyde, Margaret.  Mind Drugs.  New York:  Dodd, Mead & Company, 1986.

Nardo, Don.  Drugs and Sports.  San Diego, Lucent Books, Inc. 1990.

Shulman, Jeffrey.  Focus on Cocaine and Crack.  Frederick, Maryland: 
Twenty-First Century Books, 1990.


Magazines

People Magazine.  April 25, 1994, p. 38(8), v. 41.  No Way Out, Steve
Doughterty (pg. 39-42).


Other

Encarta.  Computer Software.  Microsoft Home, 1995. IBM PC, 486KB, CD
ROM disc.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\legaliize marijuana.TXT
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Decriminalize Marijuana for the Good of America
	Currently, drugs remain high on the lists of concerns of Americans and are considered one of the major problems facing our country today.  We see stories on the news about people being killed on the street every day over drugs.  To many people drugs are only an inner-city problem, but in reality they affect all of us - users and non-users.  I believe that the negative affects we associate with drugs would be greatly reduced if the United States adopted a policy towards the total decriminalization of marijuana.  The current drug policy of our government is obviously failing.  Drug laws have created corruption, violence, increased street crime, and disrespect for the criminal justice system.  Current drug legislation has failed to reduce demand.  It's just too hard to monitor illegal substances when a significant portion of the population is committed to using drugs. (Inciardi and McBride 260)  
	Marijuana comes from the hemp plant, which can readily be grown on fields across the nation and was cultivated heavily in colonial period.  After 130 years of being legal, the potential problems of marijuana were brought into the public eye by Harry J. Anslingler, the commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and author of Marijuana: Assassin of Youth (Goldman 88).  In his book, Anslinger portrayed images of Mexican and Negro criminals, as well as young boys, who became killers while under the influence of marijuana.  With the added public pressure,  President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed into law the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937.  This law made the use and dale of marijuana federal offenses.  At this point marijuana was removed from the public eye, and heavy users included poor Negroes, migrant Mexicans, and Jazz Musicians (Himmelstein 3).  
	Marijuana reappeared in the mid 1960's with the emergence of the "Hippie."  Widespread objection to the use of marijuana remained because of the set of valued and lifestyles associated with it, but use appeared in colleges and among middle-class youths in the suburbs (Himmelstein 103).  Marijuana became a symbol of a counter-culture, and youthful rebellion.  As a consequence, marijuana use rose for the next ten years.  Marijuana was becoming more accepted across the nation.  As the users of Marijuana changed, the attitudes about the danger of  Marijuana broke down.  In 1970, the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act reduced the classification of simple possession and non-profit distribution from felonies to misdemeanors (Himmelstein 104).  This was a good start.
	However, President Richard Nixon declared a war on drugs in 1973 and over the next 20 years, each succeeding president continued to escalate the drug war.  This policy has obviously done nothing to stop the recreational use of drugs in this country, on the contrary it is causing great harm.  It's time to try something new.
	When most people imagine the legalization of marijuana, they fear a marijuana free-for-all with everybody constantly getting high.  Legalization would be a burdensome task for the U.S. Government.  In fact, the legal process would include a law passed by Congress allowing the government to control the content, quality, and distribution of marijuana.  The laws would be similar to the current laws regulating alcohol, including laws governing age, limits for driving, and distribution ("Bring" 13).  A thorough investigation of the costs and benefits of legalization must be examined before any policy is implemented , but I believe it will show that the benefits far outweigh the detriments.
	The three general areas where people are opposed to  legalization of marijuana center their arguments on:  health care, increased crime, and social aspects.  Marijuana is more dangerous than cigarette smoking.  Two Marijuana joints create more airway impairment than do an entire pack of cigarette (Miner 44).  One joint contains three times more tar than do cigarettes and is considered four times more dangerous (Courtwright 54).  It dramatically increases the pulse rate and blood pressure during use.  If marijuana is legalized, many project that lung cancer will increase as the amount of marijuana use increases (Miner 44).  These are all valid arguments, but cigarette smoking is legal, a booming business, and causes the same exact problems.  
	There are a number of myths associated with the use of marijuana and its effects on your body which people who are opposed to its decriminalization repeatedly cite.  One of these in that Marijuana causes brain damage.  This claim is based on a study of the rehus monkey by Dr. Robert Heath in the late 1970's.  Heath's work was criticized for its insufficient sample size (only four monkeys), its failure to control experimental bias, and the misidentification of normal monkey brain structure as "damaged" (Hager 1).  Actual studies of human populations of marijuana users have shown no evidence of damage to the brain  (Hager 1).  In fact, the Journal of the American Medical Association  (JAMA) conducted two studies in 1977 and they showed no evidence of brain damage in heavy users of marijuana (Hager 1).  Later that same year the AMA came out in favor of the decriminalizing of marijuana (Hager 1).  That seems to me that the AMA wouldn't do that if it thought marijuana was damaging to the brain.
	Another myth is that marijuana damages the reproductive system.  This is based on the work of Dr. Gabriel Nahas, who experimented with tissue cells isolated in petri dishes.  The cells were dosed with near lethal levels of cannibinoids (the intoxicating part of marijuana).  Nahas's generalizations from the petri dishes to human beings have been rejected by the scientific community as being invalid.  Studies of actual human populations have failed to demonstrate that marijuana adversely affects the reproductive system. (Hagar 1).
	A persistent myth about marijuana is that it is a gateway drug, leading to the use of harder drugs.  The Dutch partially decriminalized marijuana in the 1970's since then the use of heroin and cocaine has sharply decreased.  The opposite of this gateway affect is also present the United States.  In 1993 a study by the Rand corporation compared drug use in states that have decriminalized marijuana and those that have not.  It found that in states where marijuana was more available, hard drug abuse as measured by emergency room episodes decreased.  What science and real experience tells us is that marijuana tends to substitute for much harder drugs like alcohol, cocaine, and heroin (Hagar 1).  
	Another misconception is that marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol.   Extremely high doses of cannibinoids cause death.  Extremely high doses is the key word here.  Scientists have concluded that the ratio of cannibinoids needed to get a person intoxicated (stoned) relative to the amount necessary to kill him is 1 to 40,000.  That means that to overdose on marijuana you would need to consume 40,000 times as much as you would to get stoned.  The ratio of alcohol varies between 1 in 4 and 1 in 10.  Over 5000 people die of alcohol overdoses each year, and no one has ever died from overdosing on pot (Hagar 2).
	These are just a few of the myths used various groups in order to keep marijuana illegal.  Along with these myths come the false belief that crime will increase if marijuana is legalized.  Allen St. Pierre, Assistant National Director of the National Organization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws (NORML), says that legalization will wipe out the already 60-billion dollar black market by placing marijuana in the open market  (NORML information pack 3).  
	It is the enforcement of the laws criminalizing the possession, use, manufacture, and distribution of marijuana that are causing the violent crime.  This war on drugs is wasting the money, as well as the lives of American people.  The widely recognized opinion maker William F. Buckley, Jr. writes: 
		...The time devoted to tracking down, arresting and then trying marijuana users 	and then trying marijuana users is perhaps the greatest exercise in lost time in 	contemporary activity.  In the last two years, approximately 750,000 arrests were 	made in our mad, quixotic effort to stamp out marijuana.  What this adds up to is 	millions of police hours spent on bootless missions, millions of hours of court time 	wasted, and millions of months in jail, using up space sorely needed to contain 	people who can't wait to get out in order to resume mugging and murdering  	(Buckley 39A).
The drug laws imprison a multitude of otherwise law abiding people, a disproportionate number of them who are poor or minorities, for non violent acts that are directed at no one but themselves (ACLU 1).  Instead of eliminating drugs, the prohibition of them just fosters an illegal industry able to inflate prices.  This is hauntingly familiar to the prohibition era of gangsters present when alcohol was illegal in the 1920's.  Because drugs are sold on the black market, they cause violence, deaths due to no quality regulation, and diseases from sharing illegal drug paraphernalia  (ACLU 1).  
	The American Civil Liberties advocates the full decriminalization of the use, possession, manufacture, and distribution of drugs (ACLU 1).  It does this for constitutional reasons.  The following is an excerpt from their policy on drugs which was adopted in 1994:
		Criminalizing the use, possession, manufacture, and distribution of drugs violates 	the principle that the criminal law may not be used to protect individuals from the 	consequences of their own autonomous choices or to impose upon those 	 individuals a majoritarian conception of morality and responsibility.....Enforcement 	of laws criminalizing possession, use, manufacture of distribution of drugs 	 engender violations of civil liberties.  Because drug enforcement is aimed at 	 behavior which is inherently difficult to detect and does not involve a complaining 	 "victim," it necessarily relies on law enforcement techniques -- such as use of 	 undercover operations, arbitrary or invasive testing procedures, random or dragnet 	seizures, and similar measures -- that raise serious civil liberties concerns.  These 	enforcement techniques lead in practice to widespread violations of civil liberties 	guarantees, including those secured by the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendments 	(ACLU 1).
	The supporters of legalization believe that it will benefit society in three ways, including revenue enhancement, medical benefits, and hemp production.  The ingest argument for marijuana legalization is revenue enhancement for the U.S. Government.  Much of the money will be saved due to less law enforcement, court time, and the cost of incarcerating prisoners who's only crime is possession.  (Schmoek 3).  The U.S. spent roughly one billion dollars on marijuana enforcement last year and the DEA has proposed a 400% increase in anti-pot spending, yet domestic marijuana production has been reduced by only 10%.  Further in 1989, 314,552 arrests were made for simple possession (NORML 2).  
	Considering America's annual marijuana harvest was worth 50.7 billion in 1989 and 41.4 billion in 1988, $28 billion greater than corn at 31.4 billion, marijuana could become the leading agricultural product in the United States (NORML 2).  With trade regulations, industry regulations and consumption taxes on he product NORML has estimated that legalization would produce over $40 billion in taxable revenue (NORML 3).  As Congress debates the national debt, legalization would provide the needed funds to help our economy.  
	Legalization advocates constantly tout marijuana's medicinal benefits.  For cancer patients, marijuana reduces nausea and increases the appetite (Cauchon 4A).  Marijuana also reduces epileptic seizures and reduces nerve disorders in multiple sclerosis patients (NORML 3).  If it helps patients get extra quality time out of their lives, then attempts to decriminalize it should be supported.   Legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, as California recently did,  could provide answers about diseases and allow research to be conducted for future purposes. 
	An area that does not gather too much publicity in the legalization issue is hemp production.  Marijuana comes from the top leaves and flowers of the female hemp plant.  The fiber from the top can be used to make clothing, paper, rope, and methanol fuel.  Hemp is a plant that can be grown in poor soil, thus not taking up any valuable agricultural land  (NORML 4).  Hemp now grows in the U.S. because of its heavy production in the 18th and 19th centuries.  Seventy-Five to Ninety percent of all paper used before 1883 was hemp paper, including the first two drafts of the Declaration of Independence  (Young 25).  Hemp is safer for the environment.  Hemp requires 40% fewer chemicals to produce paper, and, over twenty years, one acre of hemp can produce four times as much pulp as can an acre of trees (NORML 4).  The production of hemp would save trees and clean up the air.  
	The push for legalization of  Cannibis is making news across America just as it did in the 60's.  Shirts are being worn with slogans like "Keep America Green."  Marijuana use is glorified in movies like Dazed in Confused and by music groups like Cypress Hill and the Black Crowes.  Increasing public support and media attention will slowly force the legalization issue into the forefront of the political arena.  If the widespread acceptance continues among the powerful new voting block -- college students, the policy towards marijuana could change in the near future.  Weighing both the costs and the benefits the decriminalization/legalization of marijuana seems inevitable.  Many of the purported myths about its harmful effects have been proven false.  The current war on drugs is clearly failing, and costing too many lives and too much money.  There are many benefits to be gained from the Cannibis plant: increased tax revenue, safety due to governmental regulation, decreased crime and use of hard drugs, and the environmental benefits of hemp to name a few.  With all these reasons taken into consideration the decriminalization/legalization of marijuana seems like a very good idea.












Works Cited
"Bring drugs within the law."  The Economist 15 May 1995: 13.
Buckley, William F., Jr.  "Crime is the Big Issue, But it Doesn't Separate Parties."  Dallas 	Morning News 9 December 1994.
Cauchon, Dennis.  "Marijuana: Medical Enigma."  USA Today 1 Oct. 1996, national ed.:  	4A.
Courtwright David T.  "NO!"  American Heritage Feb. - March 1995: 43,  50-56.
Goldman, Albert.  Grass Roots.  New York:  Harper & Row 1979.
Hager, Paul.  "Marijuana Myths."  ICLU drug task force literature.  Available:  	 	http://www.parinoia.com/drugs/mariijuana/facts/marijuana-myths.
Himmelstein, Jerome L.  The Strange Career of Marijuana [sic].  Westport Connecticut:  	Greenwood Pres, 1983.
Incardi and McBride.  "Legalization: A high risk Alternative"  American Behavioral 	Scientist 32 (1989): 233-243.
Miner, Brad.  "How Sweet is Mary Jane?"  National Review 25 June 1996: 44.
National Association for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws (NORML).  "Marijuana: 	Facts and Figures."  Information Pack.  Washington, DC:  NORML,
	 n.d.
Rosenfield, Jim.  ACLU Drug Policy, adopted Arpil 1994: "Decriminalization of Drugs."
	[Board Minutes, April 8-9, 1994]  A available:  		 http://www.primenet.com/%7Eslackk/wosd/aclu0001.txt.
Schmoek, Kurt L.  Back to the Future:  The public health system's lead role in fighting 	drugs.	 Available: 	 http://epfl2.epflbalto.org/mayor/web_page/drug.html#Decriminalization.
Young, Jim.  "It's Time to Reconsider Hemp."  Pulp and Paper  Y5 (1994):  25.



 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Legalization of Cannabis.TXT
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  The Legalizeation of Cannabis

  Cannibis has been grown for years it was even grown
by our very first Presadent George Washington. Cannabis
has the natural tendancy to make people feel better by 
the chemical THC. Cannabis is also Known to make one of 
the worlds stronest fibers.It also make 2/3 more paper 
than a regular tree.Also no one has ever actually died
from the cannabis it self.
   If Cannabis is legalized then the drug traficing
problem with be cut down a great deal and billions 
of tax paiers money will be spent on somthing more
important. Death rate will also be cut down some.
People just dont realize the problems they are 
causing by keeping it illegalized so legalize it
and remember George Washington grew it. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Legalization of Drugs.TXT
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Legalization of Drugs
The drug connection is one that continues to resist analysis, both because cause and effect are so difficult to distinguish and because the role of the drug-prohibition laws in causing and labeling "drug-related crime" is so often ignored. There are four possible connections between drugs and crime, at least three of which would be much diminished if the drug-prohibition laws were repealed. "First, producing, selling, buying, and consuming strictly controlled and banned substances is itself a crime that occurs billions of times each year in the United States alone" (Lindsmith Center).  In the absence of drug-prohibition laws, these activities would obviously stop being crimes. "Selling drugs to children would continue to be criminal, and other evasions of government regulation of a legal market would continue to be prosecuted; but by and large the drug connection that now accounts for all of the criminal-justice costs noted above would be severed" (Lindsmith Center). 
Second, many illicit-drug users commit crimes such as robbery and burglary, as well as drug dealing, prostitution, and many others, to earn enough money to purchase the relatively high-priced illicit drugs. "Unlike the millions of alcoholics who can support their habits for relatively modest amounts, many cocaine and heroin addicts spend hundreds and 
even thousands of dollars a week" (Lindsmith Center). If the drugs to which they are addicted were much cheaper-which would be the case if they were legalized-the 
number of crimes committed by drug addicts to pay for their habits would, in all likelihood, 

decline. Even if a legal-drug policy included the a demand of relatively high taxes in order to discourage consumption, drug prices would probably still be lower than they are today. 
The third drug connection is the commission of crimes- violent crimes in particular-by people under the influence of illicit drugs. "This connection seems to have the greatest impact upon the popular imagination" (Lindsmith Center). Clearly, some drugs do "cause" some people to commit crimes by reducing normal control, unleashing aggressive and other antisocial tendencies, and lessening the sense of responsibility. "Cocaine, particularly in the form of crack, has gained such a reputation in recent years, just as heroin did in the 1960s and 1970s, and marijuana did in the years before that. Crack's reputation for inspiring violent behavior may or may not be more deserved than those of marijuana and heroin.  No illicit drug, however, is as widely associated with violent behavior as alcohol. According to Justice Department statistics, 54 percent of all jail inmates convicted of violent crimes in 1983 reported having used alcohol just prior to committing their offense. The impact of drug legalization on this drug connection is the most difficult to predict. Much would depend on overall rates of drug abuse and changes in the nature of consumption, both of which are impossible to predict. It is worth noting, however, that a shift in consumption from alcohol to marijuana would almost certainly contribute to a decline in violent behavior" (Lindsmith Center). 
The fourth drug link is the violent, intimidating, and corrupting behavior of the 
drug traffickers. Illegal markets tend to breed violence not only because they attract 
criminally-minded individuals, but also because participants in the market have no resort to 

legal institutions to resolve their disputes.  According to the Lindsmith Center "During Prohibition, violent struggles between bootlegging gangs and hijackings of booze-laden trucks and sea vessels were frequent and notorious occurrences. Today's equivalents are the booby traps that surround some marijuana fields, the pirates of the Caribbean looking to rip off drug-laden vessels en route to the shores of the United States, and the machine gun battles and executions carried out by drug lords -- all of which occasionally kill innocent people. Most law-enforcement officials agree that the dramatic increases in urban murder rates during the past few years can be explained almost entirely by the rise in drug-dealer killings" (Lindsmith Center). 
Perhaps the most unfortunate victims of the drug-prohibition policies have been the law-abiding residents of America s ghettos. These policies have largely proven futile in deterring large numbers of ghetto dwellers from becoming drug abusers, but they do account for much of what ghetto residents identify as the drug problem. In many neighborhoods, it often seems to be the aggressive gun-toting drug dealers who upset law abiding residents far more than the addicts nodding out in doorways. Other residents, however, perceive the drug dealers as heroes and successful role models. In impoverished neighborhoods, they often stand out as symbols of success to children who see no other options.  "The increasingly harsh criminal penalties imposed on adult drug dealers have led to the widespread recruitment of juveniles by drug traffickers.  Children started dealing drugs only after they had been using them for a while; today the sequence is often reversed: many children start using illegal drugs now only after working for drug dealers. And the juvenile-justice system offers no realistic options for dealing with 

this growing problem" (Lindsmith Center). 
"The failure of law-enforcement agencies to deal with this drug connection is probably most responsible for the corruption of neighborhoods and police departments alike. Intensive police crackdowns in urban neighborhoods do little more than chase the menace a short distance away to infect new areas. By contrast, legalization of the drug market would drive the drug-dealing business off the streets and out of the apartment buildings, and into legal, government-regulated, taxpaying stores. It would also force many of the gun-toting dealers out of business, and would convert others into legitimate businessmen" (Lindsmith Center). Some would turn to other types of criminal activities, just as some of the bootleggers did following Prohibition's withdrawal. Gone would be the unparalleled financial temptations that lure so many people from all sectors of society into the drug-dealing business.
I feel that drugs should be legalized in the United States because of the many taxes that would be put onto the drug market.  It would also lure drug users to become legitimate businesspeople under the regulation of the U.S. government.  If drugs were legalized it would mean a new source of economy for our government, also people will not resort to crime to get the drugs and would become more respectable.  If drugs were legalized it would be a great move forward, not only in the field of law enforcement but also in the legal drug market.  Legalizing drugs would also stop the gun toting drug dealing people to get out of the drug dealing business because they can't control things on the street anymore 
with the drugs.  He would have to go the legal way and try to make himself a respectable 

business person or lose all of his business.  The bottom line is, if drugs are legalized it would stop a lot of crime and stimulate the economy.  Drugs are bad, but wouldn't it be better to stop the criminal activity than let all of  the crime go unchecked.  The drug trafficking these days is getting to be ridiculous and something must be done to stop the rage of drug use and crime in our societies today.  Children can get their hands on these illegal and dangerous drugs so easy now it is crazy.  If drug use was legalized it would become almost impossible for a child under age to get these drugs.  It would stop many young people from becoming junkies, while making them into better people that would contribute to their community.  If a person wants to mess their bodies up I believe that they should do what they want with themselves, but when things start to affect other people then the authorities should step in.       








WORK CITED
	The Lindsmith Center, www.soros.org "Drugs and Crime."





  
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Legalization of Majiuna.TXT
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Legalize It!

	Many feel today we are loosing the war on drugs.  When a battle goes to the point where there is no winner there needs to be a re-evaluation of how to solve the problem.  In the case of the war against drugs, years of fighting have caused increased crime, overcrowding of prisons and the wasted use of money and resources with no results.  It is now time to look at alternative methods to solving the nation's drug problem.  I will be looking at one of these methods that deals with the legalization of marijuana.  In the following pages you can look at why I think there is a problem in the United States which deals with the use of drugs, our solutions to the problem and our responses to the attacks against the legalization of marijuana.
	Although, legalization will increase use of the drug.  However, many supporters of continuing the illegalization of drugs believe that by legalizing drugs they will become more accessible and use will therefore increase.  They base this argument on past experiment dealing with alcohol prohibition.  After the end of prohibition with the 21st amendment, alcohol consumption doubled while prohibition decreased use by 50 percent(Light).  They also cite that use of marijuana peaked in 1979 when there was a decriminalization of drug use by eleven states.  When researching to find if a particular solution will prove to be of use, it is important to look at historical examples and learn from them.  In Liverpool, England, after a recent legalization of drugs in a regulatory program that focuses on the medical benefits of drugs, most drug pushers have left town because there is no longer a market for them(Priver 28).  This shows that legalization actually decreases use because of the increased emphasis on rehabilitation and the decrease of drug pushers.  Such a dramatic decrease in drug dealers has not only resulted in crime reduction in England but there was also a decrease of drug use.
	It is true, legalization will not eliminate the major cause of violent crime; however, most argumentation which says that drug legalization will not decrease crime deals with the idea that most violent crime occurs as a result of alcohol use(Light).  Since this is true, and legalization would not effect crime that is alcohol related but it will decrease violent crime that is linked to drug dealing and use.  The drugs themselves may not cause violent crime but people involved in the distributing of illicit drugs make the deadliest crime.  By legalizing drugs the dealer would be eliminated and therefore crime would be reduced.  By keeping the addict separate from the criminal then violent, jealous, possessive crime(Friedman 16).
	Granted, the overall cost of drug use would not decrease; however, supporters of the continued war on drug and the further illegalization of these drugs say that legalization would cost more both socially and economically.  They say that legalization would result in increased use and eventually will mean an increase in cancer deaths with greater marijuana smoking(Light).  Another result they say will happen is the deteriorization of family values as a result of increased drug using mothers and children.  Actually, the legalization of drugs will put money which is used for law enforcement into the construction of better rehabilitation and education programs.  Education is an essential part in this proposal because through this method the problem is solved not mearly covered up with jail bars.  Economically, for every dollar spent on drug treatment there is a $7 return due to decreased criminal activity(Cotton 992).  Through the regulation and supervision of the distribution of marijuana, there would be no increases in the number of drug addicted newborns nor will it induce the deterioration of society.  The overall cost of drug use would decrease and would bring a new revenue for our nation.
	After looking at and knowing the pro and cons of marijuana legalization, I have decided that it is a valid and necessary solution to our countries drug problem.  By implementing such a program the American population can use it's money and resources to combat the problem through rehabilitation and education instead of stalling the problem through the legal system.  Legalization will decrease violent crime associated with drug dealers, it will decrease the number of users and will lower the wasteful cost which is connected with the current system.  Such legalization will not destroy our youth in any way and will only be accessible to adults in the country.  If we continue with our current system we will never solve the problem.  Drug dealers and addicts will continue to crown our prisons and plague our streets with violent crime with no hope for help nor a better future.
Works Cited



Cotton, Paul. "Drug policy." The Journal of the American Medical Association. 5 Oct 1994.

Light, Kim E. "Myths about Drug Legalization." 5 March 1995.
http://www.intellinet.com/~aclight/kim/myths01.html

Friedman, Milton. "Prohibition and Drugs." Newsweek. 1972. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Legalization of Marijuana 2.TXT
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Legalization of  Marijuana

	One debate that keeps coming up time and again is the topic of the legalization of marijuana.  Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug.  Nearly one in three teenagers have at least tried marijuana by the time they graduate high school.  It is also gets the most publicity for its legalization.  Over thirty pro-legalization organizations have been displayed on the Internet alone.  The legalization of marijuana , although popular by today's drug culture, would be a very  dangerous and detrimental act for the United States to take part in.  Not only would it destroy families, but would also lead to the fall of our economy.  

	Pro-legalization organization argue the fact that legalization would result in the decrease of crime rates in our cities and towns, but in actuality almost eighty-two percent of all violent crime that involves drugs don't involve marijuana.  The fact remains that crime would still inhabit the streets if marijuana was to be legalized.  The organizations base there theory on the success that the Netherlands has had with reduction of crime due to the wide-spread legalization of marijuana.  The differences between New Amsterdam and the United States is great due to a different structured economy and different cultures.  This differences would prove to be the reason for their success and the United States failure.  

	Legalization would also be very dangerous to the economy.  The United States economy is a rather shaky one.  The introduction of such a huge industry would be enough to crash our country into a depression.  The market for marijuana would be very extensive.  Between the marketing of marijuana and profit from taxes would generate would be too much for the United States to endure in.  The fact that marijuana would be legal would add another thing for the people just another thing for them to spend their money on.  We already have enough people on welfare and under the poverty line, this would create even more.  

	Families would also feel the effects of a society that allows its people to live their life "high."  Marijuana makes a person depressed and sometimes anti-social.  This causes the decrease in communication through-out a house hold.  Communication is what keep a family close and involved in each other's life.  The effects of marijuana and other drugs destroys families enough now, but if it were to become legal then that number would raise and so would the number of broken homes.  We are at a time when our family structure has already been destroy and where we should be working to rebuild that important aspect of life.  Legalizing marijuana would not be the way to do that.  

	Marijuana is famous for making a person lazy and lackadaisical. We are a point in our country when we have the most amount of unemployment.  When already thousands of people are happy living off welfare, we want to make people even lazier?  This is not to say that all people that are unemployed are lazy or smoke pot for that matter, but if people were more lazy then we already are, it could only mean bad things for the development of our country.  In an age of technological advancements, why slow down progress with pot?

	Although it could be argued that marijuana should be legal for everyone to have, the argument loses to the hard-core facts that can be seen be common sense.  Marijuana is a drug that remains illegal.  Users can continue to buy it on the streets, where it belongs.  Prohibition is something that should remain for the good of the country.    

	

 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Legalization of Marijuana Anti.TXT
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Drug use  is becoming more common today than in recent years.  Almost anywhere we look, we can find some relation to drugs or drug paraphernalia.   In fact, 63% of you stated in my survey that you had smoked marijuana in the past.  That number is scary, since 81% of you are under 25 years of age and have your whole lives ahead of you.  Some of you may be thinking "So What" Bill Clinton has admitted smoking marijuana, and he is President.  Well, that surely is not a good attitude to have considering the damage that marijuana may cause to your body.

  	Sure, many of you may not change your lifestyle after today, but I hope to make you think of what you may be getting yourself in to.  This afternoon I will give you both sides of the issue.  I will try to persuade you to stay away from marijuana in turning you against this dangerous drug.

	Many supporters of marijuana claim that hemp can be a very resourceful plant.  Hemp is considered to contain less than one percent tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) (Pluff  1).  THC is the psychoactive chemical found in marijuana.  Hemp can be confused with marijuana and considered the same, but do not let this fool you.  Marijuana comes from the flowers or "buds" of the hemp plant.  These buds are what contains the THC and gives the user the high effect (Pluff 1).  Other nations such as Europe have registered varieties of hemp seeds that contain less than .03 percent of THC including the buds (Pluff  1).

	Now that you know what hemp is, lets look at its uses.  Hemp fiber can be turned in to rope, canvas, and paper, and this is only a few of the uses.  The rope that is made with hemp is said to be resistant to both fresh water and salt water.  It is also considered better than most conventional rope by its strength and holding power.  Another product that can be made from hemp is canvas.  This canvas is very useful in making tents, sails, and even the covers on early settlers' wagons.  Like the rope, the canvas also stands up well against water, and ninety percent of ship's sails were made of hemp canvas before the nineteenth century.  The last product I am going to talk about is hemp paper.  This paper is much softer than conventional paper, and it is stated that, "one acre of hemp can replace four acres of forest" (Pluff 2).  This paper also does not yellow or crumble with age, a common complaint with conventional paper (Pluff 1).
 
 	You may be wondering why such a useful plant is illegal, well let me tell you the other side of the story.  Marijuana is said to be useful in the medical field as a cure for some disease.  It is also an argument that smoking marijuana does not cause any side affects.  I will prove this to be untrue, and a myth of society.
    
The first claim by the supporters of marijuana is for medical reasons.  Through much research doctors have found that marijuana may be a treatment for such illnesses as glaucoma, cancer, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).  In fact, Proposition 215 just passed in California and Arizona giving citizens the right to smoke marijuana for medical reasons (Medical 1).  One thing that is overlooked with this is that marijuana is not a cure, but a relief from the pain suffered by these citizens.  If it is a relief from pain the sufferer is looking for, there are many other options to consider before choosing something as dangerous as marijuana.  It only takes a little common sense to figure that something that is considered illegal by the Federal Government could not be used as a cure for any illness.  Wisconsin lists marijuana under Schedule I of the Uniformed Controlled Substance Act.  This means that any drugs under Schedule I, including marijuana, are not useful in curing any known illness.  Schedule I is also where all the most serious drugs are listed.  This puts marijuana in the same class with heroin and cocaine. 

 	Another problem with marijuana is the affects on the male and female body.  One way frequent marijuana use affects males is by Gynecomastia.  Gynecomastia is the enlargement of the male breast tissue (Jones 51).  This disease is not well known to the general public.  This may be because males who get the disease usually keep the symptoms to themselves and not risk embarrassment.  The next problem with males and marijuana is the reduction of their sperm count.  "Sperm counts in males were measured, and after a month of heavy smoking the sperm count was reduced by as much as 70 percent" (Jones 62).  Along with the reduction of the sperm count, the male has a reduction of testosterone.  Testosterone is the principal male hormone and responsible for the growth of the male reproductive system. This drop in the sperm count and reduction of testosterone may not seem too important now but like I mentioned before, "81 percent of you are under age 25" and this may affect your lives dramatically in the future.    

 Marijuana affects females by disrupting nerve pathways in the brain which may lead to infertility.  A study done on monkeys at the University of California at Davis, showed that when the female monkeys were given increased amounts of THC they were more likely to neglect their offspring (Jones 71).  A problem with marijuana use by pregnant females is the possibility that the baby may me born with deformities or even stillborn (Jones 72).  Females have also shown an increase in testosterone levels which is the opposite of the male user.   

An affect that takes no side in users of marijuana is short term memory loss. (Ray 435).  In everyday use, the marijuana user has a hard time recalling information that they may have just learned minutes before.  The frequent user may also experience loss in time sense.  With this the marijuana user feels that more time has passed than actually has elapsed.  The final thing usually affected is tracking behavior.  This may lead to crashing a motor vehicle because the impaired driver could not keep their attention on the road in which they were driving.

   To sum it all up, marijuana use is increasing among individuals.  Almost everywhere we look there is support for this drug.  This does not make sense in a society that is hung up on looking good and living a full life.  Everyday we are making improvements to our society and making America a better place to live.  I feel that with the legalization of marijuana we will begin to take a step backwards.  One can only wonder, if marijuana was legalized what would drug supporters pick next.  And remember that when the commercial says "This buds is for you" do not believe them, just say no! 



Works Cited


Jones, and Lovinger, Paul W.  The Marijuana Question.  New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1985.


Levin, Peter A.  Contemporary Problems of Drug Abuse.  Massachusetts: Publishing Sciences 
Group, Inc,1974

Medical Marijuana Initiative Proposition 215 home page. "Intro. to Medical Marijuana & Prop. 215"
	http://www.prop215.org

Nowlis, Helen.  Drugs demystified.  Paris: The Unesco Press, 1975.


Ray, Oakly Stern.  Drugs, Society, & Human Behavior.  Missouri: Mosby, 1983.

  
  
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Legalization of Marijuana.TXT
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Marijuana: The legalization

Their Side:

	After the sustaining vote in November of 1996 and coming into effect the beginning of this year, marijuana is now legal to medical patients in California and Arizona.  Proposition 215 reads as follows:
	The people of the State of California hereby find and declare that the purposes of the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 are as follows:
	(A) To ensure that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes where that medical use is deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a physician who has determined that the person's health would benefit from the use of marijuana in the treatment of cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, or any other illness for which marijuana provides relief.
	(B) To ensure that patients and their primary care givers obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes upon the recommendation of a physician are not subject to criminal prosecution or sanction.
	C.  To encourage the federal and state governments to implement a plan for the safe and affordable distribution of marijuana to all patients in medical need of marijuana.			(Proposition 215   Section 11362.5)
	
	Of course, it goes on and breaks into fine detail into which I choose not to venture.  To summarize it all, if you're sick, or think you are, your doc can get you some pot.  Just like that.
	So what's so great about this?  It supposedly brings relief to those with terminal illnesses. (Such were listed in 215)  Cancer sufferers who are inflicted with nausea due to chemotherapy have reported that a puff or two of a marijuana cigarette relieves the pain.  (Theorized after study by psychiatrist Lester Grinspoon of Harvard Medical School) It has also been reported to relieve the pain suffered by AIDS patients.  Despite all this great relief, one question remains unanswered, what about the side effects?  Exactly how harmful and addicting is this stuff?  




MY SIDE: (the important stuff)
	My personal opinion: Marijuana should remain illegal because of the enormous side effects and addiction that results after using the drug. My first fact to back my opinion would have to be this, marijuana is what it is, a drug!  You can't change that no matter how many people vote on it.   Sure, there are prescription drugs on the market that are potentially dangerous but their effects are nothing compared to that of marijuana. Such a comparison can be made between a knife and a gun, prescription drugs being the knife and marijuana the gun.  They are both potentially lethal and incredibly dangerous but they have their differences.  With a knife, you have to be careless enough to fall on it.  With a gun, all you have to be is stupid enough to mess with it.
	Of course, others have their opinions and I respect that.  Lester Grinspoon states "One of marijuana's greatest advantages as a medicine is it's remarkable safety.  It has little effect on major physiological functions.  There is no known case of a lethal overdose....Marijuana is also far less addictive and far less subject to abuse than many drugs now used as muscle relaxants, hypnotics, and analgesics." Although he seems to have nothing but good things to say about drugs, NIDA Director Alan Leshner has this to say, "What we're saying is we don't know the answer to the long-term effects because we haven't studied them." He doesn't seem to be feeling all the sunshine.  What I'm trying to put across is, nobody is sure what marijuana can cause, except for pulmonary impact.  We know that it hurts the lungs.  Other than that, we haven't got much of a clue. It could bring about cancers or other fatal diseases that science would just have to find another cure for.  It's possible that we're just creating more work for ourselves.
	In a recent study performed by yours truly, I found that there aren't a whole lot of people in favor of this new law.  In fact, in a survey of 30 people, only one had anything positive to say about it.  Perhaps we're all just prejudice and aren't educated enough on the matter, or perhaps it because we have been educated.  Ever since I can remember, (Born May 29, 1981) those egg commercials have been on television.  You know, the one where the guy says, "This is your brain.  This is your brain on drugs.  Any questions?" As stated earlier, marijuana is one of those drugs. There had to be some reason for putting that ad on the air.  If it was a harmless drug, I guess it was just a waste of valuable commercial time. 
I don't have much more to say.  There isn't a whole lot of information on this subject that doesn't consist mainly of opinions.  Now you have mine.  If you don't get anything else out of this, just remember, marijuana is a drug, drugs are dangerous and thus should remain illegal. In the survey I conducted one person replied to this question: Do you have any suggestions on how to reduce marijuana abuse?  "Let them smoke it a lot and it will kill those who use it thus reducing the abusers." Seeming how this paper of mine will not have much of an effect if any on the now set laws, perhaps that isn't such a bad idea.
	

 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Legalize Dope.TXT
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Man, as a creature, is inherently bored. Since the dawn of time, it has been the natural instinct of
man to find alternative methods to enhance his being. The many means by which man has turned to
include sex, gambling, and the consumption of substances beyond the requirements of nutrition. The
consumption of substances can be further broken down into legal and illegal substances. The
question then becomes, who are we to place labels on certain substances by deeming them legal
and prohibit others by creating penalties for their use? 

The issue of prohibition is certainly not a new one to our nation. In 1919, the 18th Amendment
prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of alcoholic beverages. "Suddenly honest,
responsible Americans who just wanted a drink, were turned into criminals. Respectable bars
became underground speak-easys, and legitimate liquor manufacturers were replaced by criminal
bootleggers." Gang warfare, bribery, and criminal activity reached an all-time high. Standards on
illegal alcohol were much lower than those on the previously legal alcohol which led to the blinding
or death of many consumers. Finally in 1933, politicians buckled and repealed the 18th
Amendment. The Prohibition attempt of the early 20th century provides the perfect historical
support for the decriminalization of drugs. 

"Prohibition will work great injury to the cause of temperance. It is a species of intemperance within
itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by
legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A Prohibition law strikes a blow at
the very principles upon which our government was founded." 

The rise in violent crime over the years has been a concern to most. A major cause of this increase
in crime is the illegal trafficking of drugs. As violent crime continues to increase, we are unable to
devote our financial resources and time into preventing and prosecuting those who commit crimes
such as murder, rape, and assault. The reason we are unable to devote these resources where they
are needed is because we are foolishly spending them on a battle that we cannot win-the "War on
Drugs." 

Prior to Ronald Reagan's "War on Drugs," America's crime rate had been declining. Since the
introduction of the new wave drug laws, violent crimes have increased 32% between 1976 and
1985. Eighty percent of all violent street crimes are now drug related. 

Most of the violent crime associated with drugs can be traced directly to the drug dealers and not
the users. "The 'war on drugs' drives up prices, which attracts more people to the drug trade. When
potential profit increases, drug dealers resort to greater extremes, including violence." For example,
the street price of heroin has risen 5,000 times that of hospital costs. These artificial prices lead to
turf wars in which one dealer attempts to protect his sales from another. These turf wars cause
dealers to kill each other, law enforcement officials, and often innocent bystanders. The rising cost
of the drugs causes desperate addicts to commit robberies in order to keep up with the inflating
prices. 

If the importation, sale and use of drugs were legal, the open competition would eliminate the
profitability of drug dealing. Without the economic incentive to commit violent crimes, the violence
of drug dealing would be dramatically reduced. In addition to the elimination of the economic
incentive, the health risk factor would help to reduce the role of the drug dealer. A potential
customer would probably choose to buy a market-tested product from a pharmacy as opposed to
buying a product of unknown dosage and quality from a corner dealer. 

Without the lure of potential profits, the drug dealing profession would lose its luster. A major
problem is that children in lower-class areas see selling drugs as the only way to make money.
Minimum wage salaries can not compare to the huge profits associated with dealing. Failing to
acquire job skills at an early age, they run the risk of never finding a real job and living off welfare
their entire lives. In a lower-class area, the drug dealers are seen as the center of the community.
They become role models for the children, replacing their parents. Eliminating the drug dealer will
force these young children into the reality that education is the way out of the ghetto-not selling
drugs. 

Prohibition laws cannot be effectively enforced. In a free society, if people want a product, they will
be able to find a way to get it, whether or not it is legal. "No matter how many Americans are
arrested for drug use, no matter how many pushers are put in jail, the War on Drugs cannot
succeed. Look at any major American prison with its human cages, iron gates, armed guards, and
continual surveillance. Drugs are still readily available in prison. If brutal repression cannot keep
drugs out of our prisons, then turning our entire country into a prison will not keep drugs off our
streets." 

Decriminalization would not necessarily endorse drug use, but instead it would at least accept the
notion that government action in a free country cannot prevent it. The economic law of supply and
demand states that if a product is demanded, someone is always willing to supply it for the right
price. The problem with criminalizing a product is that it drives down the supply which increases
price and, as mentioned earlier, leads to more violence. 

"The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the prohibition law.
For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing
laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this
country is closely connected with this." 

The next issue becomes one of safety. A major danger of drug use in today's society is the
potentially harmful effects. Such problems as the spread of HIV/AIDS, overdoses, and physical
withdrawal could be curbed if drugs were kept under the watchful eye of law. Take for example the
issue of HIV/AIDS. This arises mainly from the circulation of dirty hypodermic needles. By
legalizing the sale of injection drugs, clean, unused hypodermic needles could be supplied. This
would greatly reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS. In parts of the Netherlands and France, safe houses
are provided that give addicts a safe environment to shoot up their drugs. While sounding absurd, it
provides a clean, safe area for the addict to use while kept under strict observation. 

Another big problem associated with illegal drug use is the likelihood of an overdose, whether
intentional or not. While there is no way to prevent overdose suicides, many overdoses can be
attributed to the fact that some drugs are made too strong. Should the government choose to
legalize the sale of drugs, they can then take it one step further and regulate these drugs. They can
inspect the dosages applied and can confirm the relative safety of drugs to be sold on the open
market. Similar to the manner in which the Food and Drug Administration operates, an organization
could be set up to monitor the quality of the drugs. This would not only make certain drugs a lot
safer, but it could also regulate quantities in which they are sold. Drugs could only be sold in certain
amounts and would come with instructions as to how much it is safe to consume. 

In 1988, over 48,000 Americans died from alcohol abuse, 400,000 from cigarette-related illnesses
and less than 3,000 from illegal drugs. Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop testified that
tobacco is just as addictive as heroin and less so than marijuana. Illegal drugs are by no means good
or safe, but they cause far less medical damage than either alcohol and nicotine-legal intoxicants.
Over 40 million Americans now use drugs occasionally, but most do so responsibly and in
moderation. The small percentage who are addicts deserve our help, not our judicial persecution. 

Drug use cannot be prevented and the most rational solution would be to educate the people about
the risks, and encourage moderate use. Criminalization makes this kind of rational behavior
impossible. By legalizing drugs, education could accompany the purchase of the drugs in the form of
a Surgeon General's Warning or an educational pamphlet. 

The potential payoffs of the decriminalizing of drugs goes way beyond simple, obvious results.
Currently, addicts often refrain from seeking medical attention due to the fear of possible legal
complications. This most often occurs with pregnant women, which subsequently effects their
drug-addicted babies. The war on drugs also costs the government a tremendous amount of money
in the hiring of police and all judicial players. The courts become backed up with ridiculous cases.
Without drug-related cases, our judicial system could run a lot more efficiently and effectively. Drug
hunting often leads to unnecessary death of innocent police officers killed in the line of duty. This
fear of death causes police to often incite brutality or harass honest citizens. 

There is no evidence to support the notion that legalization would cause an increase in drug use. "In
Europe, several countries have decriminalized drugs and actually seen a significant drop in drug use."
The "forbidden fruit" appeal would be taken away. Part of the attraction of using drugs is the idea
that the action is illegal and goes against authority. Without the "rebel element," drugs no longer have
the attraction and lure that they previously did. For every person encouraged by the removal of
possible incarceration, one will be discouraged by the legality of using drugs. 

Take for example the decriminalization acts taken in Switzerland. In 1975, major provisions were
made to the Swiss Narcotics Law in which penalties for trafficking were increased and penalties for
consumption were drastically reduced. According to Richard J. Bonnie, there was no correlation
between the laxative laws and increased use. The only drug that saw any kind of increased use was
marijuana, a basically harmless drug. 

One must also consider the economic possibilities that accompany the decriminalization of drugs.
The nation's GNP (Gross National Product) only counts legal transactions. If drugs were legalized,
a significant effect could be seen on the GNP helping to make our economy stronger in relation to
other countries. Profits could be taken out of the drug dealers hands and into the hands of an honest
entrepreneur. Companies could manufacture and market their drug-related products and
pharmacists could sell the products allowing both to make a considerable profit. The advent of drug
stores, similar to liquor stores, would help the economy by introducing new businesses into the
society. The government could levy a high excise tax on the drugs and could thereby make a
considerable amount of money that they could put into education or something more important. 

The War on Drugs is also a strict violation of our rights as Americans. One of the greatest things
about this country is our ability to live our lives as we see fit. The War on Drugs directly threatens
this right. Under "zero tolerance" laws, the government has seized thousands of cars, boats, and
other vehicles. These seizures take place without search warrants, probable cause, and due
process. This property is then sold at public auctions with the proceeds going to hire more police
and to buy more weapons. 

The War on Drugs has become just that-a war. In December 1989, 20,000 U.S. troops invaded
Panama, capturing Manuel Noreiga, at a cost of 1,000 innocent Panamanians killed. This action
was in total disregard of international law and policy. In July 1990, Newsweek ran an expose on a
secret Pentagon plan to invade South America in an attempt to destroy the drug trade. Such an
action could have led to the death of many innocent civilians, the economic destruction on South
America, an increase of taxes and an increase of inflation in the states. 

Most of the major arguments applied against the decriminalization of drugs deal with the notion that
drugs are bad, dangerous, and harmful to society. It becomes difficult to praise the use of such
drugs as crack, heroin, and cocaine. Instead, looking at it objectively, one can come to understand
that without legalization, the drug use will still exist. Decriminalizing drugs is just a form of damage
control that will hopefully lessen the negative externalities on society. The aforementioned
arguments, however, cannot even be applied to the case for the decriminalization of marijuana and
hemp products. 

Marijuana does nor cause crime or aggressive behavior. In fact, the use of marijuana makes an
individual more passive and less likely to engage in any form of violent behavior. Marijuana is not
physically addictive and its psychological dependence is less than that of most legal drugs in use
now. It does not lead to the use of harder drugs. In fact, most marijuana users use no other drugs
except alcohol. 

"At least forty million Americans have tried marijuana at least once and at least fifteen million
Americans continue to use it on a regular basis. . .The overwhelming percentage (perhaps ninety
percent) of marijuana users use the drug only for recreational purposes. . .It is well established that
the moderate, recreational use of marijuana-in the doses and frequencies with which it is customarily
used-presents no risk of physical or psychological harm to the user, over either the short or the long
term." 

Putting aside the fact that marijuana is not a bad or even dangerous drug, one must look at what
marijuana and hemp can do for our society. When posed with the question, "if you could have any
choice, what would be the ideal way to stop or reverse the greenhouse effect?" Steve Rawlings, the
highest ranking officer in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, responded, "Stop cutting down the
trees and stop using fossil fuels." The problem that Rawlings foresaw was the lack of a viable
substitute for wood, for paper, and for fossil fuels. 

The solution? There is "such a plant that could substitute for all wood pulp, paper, all fossil fuels,
would make most of our fibers naturally, would make everything from dynamite to plastic, grows in
all 50 states, and that 1 acre of it would replace 4.1 acres of trees, and that if you used about 6% of
the land to raise it as an energy crop-even on our marginal lands, this plant would produce all 75
quadrillion billion BTU's needed to run America each year." 

The problem? This plant is the hemp plant-the very plant that marijuana comes from. Marijuana, and
thusly, the hemp plant is illegal. The absurd fact is that the plant that could possibly save the world
from global warming cannot be grown because of a harmless drug. The response given by Dr. Gary
Evans of the U.S. Dept of Agriculture and Science, the man in charge of stopping the global
warming trend, was, "if you really want to save the planet with hemp, then [hemp activists] would
find a way to grow it without the narcotic top-and then you could use it." This ignorance by the U.S.
government is not only frightening but discerning. 

Marijuana also has many practical medical purposes. The Medical Plant Garden, a part of the
Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, is currently working on a medicine that is made from
the active ingredient in marijuana (THC)}. This capsule, consisting of 95% THC could be used to
replace Marinol, which combats nausea and vomiting problems in cancer patients and fights the
wasting sickness suffered by most AIDS patients. Marijuana can also be used to alleviate symptoms
of certain diseases such as glaucoma, cancer, and AIDS. Only a small handful of the people,
though, have been prescribed the drug when thousands have applied. 

DEA administrative law Judge Francis L. Young called marijuana "one of the safest therapeutically
active substances known to man." He recommended that marijuana be made legally available for
medical purposes. This would be a considerable change in the drugs legal status. Young feels that
the drug could aid many patients suffering from nausea-inducing chemotherapy and muscle spasms
of multiple sclerosis. Young wrote in a 69 page ruling, "The evidence in this record clearly shows
that marijuana has been accepted as capable of relieving the distress of great numbers of very ill
people, and doing so with safety under medical supervision. It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and
capricious for DEA to continue to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this
substance in light of the evidence in this record." 

Israeli scientists had recently found a skeleton of a fourth century woman who they believed died in
childbirth. Scientists found what they believe to be ashes or the burned remains of a cannabis plant,
suggesting that the ancient woman used marijuana as a method of reducing labor pains. 

N.O.R.M.L (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) is a fully recognized
organization that lobbies for the "removal of criminal penalties for the individual who uses marijuana
in private" as it is "consistent with traditional American values of the right to privacy, personal
choice, and individual freedom." N.O.R.M.L.'s Board of Directors reads like a "Who's Who" in the
world of science. Such distinguished members include Dr. Kary Mullis, the winner of the 1993
Nobel Prize in chemistry; Dr. Lester Grinspoon, Harvard Medical School Professor; Dr. Louis
Lasagna, chairman of the National Academy of Sciences committee and dean of the Sackler School
of Biomedical Sciences at Tufts University; Ann Druyan, secretary of the Federation of Scientists;
Druyan's husband, Carl Sagan, co-producer of the PBS series Cosmos; and many more. 

Marijuana, in addition to not being a dangerous drug, has been documented to have practical
medical purposes and environmental purposes. The legalization of marijuana-a drug that the
criminalization of is so impossible to enforce-would not only not harm society, but could actually
benefit it. 

The question then becomes, how should legalization be approached? In addition to
decriminalization, the government must understand that education is also of the utmost importance.
Rehabilitation and prevention awareness programs are very important in preventing widespread
drug use. One must understand that the drug addict is not a criminal but a victim. Incarceration is not
the solution. "The limits of criminal sanctions must be recognized and not applied to private social
conduct that constitutes no direct harm to others." 

Legalizing drugs would allow them to be available to those who would benefit from their medical
use. Research would also be encouraged as scientists could search for new and practical uses of
drugs. There are many wonderful uses of drugs that have not yet been identified or perfected and
with expanded research, we could discover these new possibilities. 

Of course, some restrictions would have to be set. Likely, an age restriction would have to be
adopted. Restricting the use of drugs to adults only, and educating the youth of the potential dangers
should help curb adolescent abuse. Prohibiting acts such as driving a vehicle under the influence of a
mind-altering substance would likewise be necessary. Another necessity would be the destruction of
all those with prior criminal records due to the arrest or conviction on drug-related charges. Of
course, the right of the non-smoker would have to be paramount. In a public facility, non-smoking
areas would have to be set up. 

A system of drug regulation that would include the above provisions, public health and agricultural
regulations, and a form of taxation would discourage abuse, protect public health and safety, reduce
crime, and raise revenue. "Regulation is the inevitable replacement of prohibition."  








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\LEGALIZE IT .TXT
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	What is marijuana?  According to Harvard Medical Professor Lester Grinspoon,

it is a "miracle drug", one that prevents blindness, acts as an appetite stimulant for AIDS 

patients, and prevents muscle spasms in epileptics.  When speaking of the same plant, 

head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics for over thirty years, Harry J. Anslinger said 

that this "evil weed" led to killings, sex crimes and insanity.  How can two such highly 

respected experts have such night and day outlooks on the same thing?  While Anslinger 

presided as America's leading anti-drug official his McCarthyish hunt down of Marijuana 

users led to the downfall of many well respected Americans.  During the 1900's the 

United Stated has committed itself to and unprecedented war on marijuana that is costly,

unjustified and impossible to win.

	The topic of Marijuana is quite broad.  It encompasses history, legislation, and 

the benefits as well as the harms of the plant itself.

	Marijuana is the name of the plant known to botanists as Cannabis Sativa.

Other names for the plant exist throughout the world.  In Africa, Marijuana is known as 

"dagga", in China as "ma", in Northern Europe as "hemp" and in the United States as 

either "pot", "buds", "reefer", "weed" or the more direct, "smoke".  Marijuana goes back 

over five thousand years.  It is one of the oldest agricultural commodities not grown for 

food.  Hemp, first cultivated in China as early as 2800 B.C., soon stretched to central 

Asia where it spread like milkweed or thistle.  Marijuana soon began to crowd out 

neighboring grasses and reaching heights of three to twenty feet stretched over large 

plains.  Local people began to use the plant for its strong, durable fibers which they used 

for rope and to construct material similar to linen.  Early in the Christian Era, Marijuana 

reached the Mediterranean countries of Europe.  Its cultivation spread through the rest of 

Europe during the Middle ages.  Hemp's progression to Africa can easily be marked 

through the Middle East where it remains a major cash crop.  It is unknown how the plant 

found its way to the America's.  One of the most popular theories is that European 

explorers brought the seeds along with them.  The cultivation of Marijuana has been 

successful in almost every climate.  It is the unbounded growth of Marijuana that will later 

lead to its difficulty in legislation.  The Hemp plant has dozens of uses.  It can be made 

into canvas, paper, rope, twine, cable, yarn artificial sponges and clothing.  The seed of the 

plant can be made into Hempseed oil, paints, soaps, carnishes and birdseed.  For all of its 

usefulness it is the Hemp plant's leaves for which it has been condemned.  It is this part of 

the plant that yields the sticky yellow resin, rich with cannabinoids.  This resin contains 

more that sixty compounds unique to Marijuana.  The most prominent is delta-9-

tetrahydrocannibinol.  This substance otherwise known as delta-9-THC which causes 

Marijuana's psychoactive effects.  "The effects of Marijuana", according to Leo Hollister, 

former president of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and current 

professor at the University of Texas "poses no greater risk that moderate consumption of 

Alcohol."  Harvard Professor Lester Grinspoon in his book, Marihuana, the Forbidden 

Medicine, claims that the drug has countless benefits, among which are: relief of nausea 

associated with chemotherapy, preventing blindness induced by glaucoma, serving as an 

appetite stimulant for AIDS patients, warding off asthma attacks and migraine headaches, 

relieving chronic pain and deduction of the muscle spasticity that accompanies multiple 

sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and paraplegia, the list continues.  Through the 1900's, 

specifically the 1970's, a number of studies were done on Pot which claimed that it kills 

brain cells, damages chromosomes, caused impotence in men and prompts men to grow 

breasts.  These conclusions, as stated by Eric Schlosser a writer for The Atlantic Monthly 

and authority on Marijuana, "...were based on faulty research."  However, there are real 

consequences to smoking Reefer.  One of these consequences is a psychological 

dependence in some users.  The compound delta-9-THC has a half-life of five days.  This 

means an occasional user can fail a drug test three days after smoking, a heavy user can 

fail for over a month.  There have been no immunosuppressive of reproductive effects 

linked to delta-9-THC.  Some studies have shown short-term memory deficiency, although 

reversible, in heavy smokers.  The biggest health concern with Pot smoke is its damage

to the respiratory system.  The risks run parallel with tobacco smoking.  According to 

Physician Donald P. Taskin, of the University of California, "A joint seems to deliver fo 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\living in estonia as an architect.TXT
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                    Not wanting to analyze the building of dwelling houses in Estonia inefficiently and seemingly
                    scientifically (where would I have got competent statistics from), I simply try to express the
                    thoughts which are connected with that topics somehow and have come into my mind.
                    What kind of "scientific" analysis it could be or who should make it, if even the architectural
                    critics seem not to manage with the simplest things. That reminds me an article in the EE
                    some time ago about a Finnish lady (naturally in Finland) completing or taking her doctor's
                    degree. She was examining Finnish post-war modern house, it's morphology, the structure
                    of the Finnish family, the connections between them and making conclusions which extend
                    to this day. Those observations about architecture were much more smarter than those
                    that the most of self-confident architects could do. Unfortunately it has to be confessed that
                    I don't remember such a research work or sentiments in Estonian science, but no doubt,
                    they could be necessary. The typology of the houses used by most of the architects goes
                    back to the living model of the middle class at the end of the 19th century. That model was
                    idealized and carried on through a hundred of years up to the end of this century. No doubt
                    that our living style is changing - repeating banalities: paradigm changes - as well as the
                    composition and make-up of the family. There was a news in a newspaper about Estonia
                    which declared that 50 % of the children are illegitimate (it is possible, of course, that some
                    parents live together without getting married officially) and 12,5 % of the born children
                    know nothing about their fathers. The living with grandparents is not so popular any more.
                    (As to the models of living it is worth of observing what has happened in North-America -
                    though some europercentage followers don't accept that - it may happen that we will be
                    on the same development level soon. In that country the grown-up children don't want to
                    live with their fathers and mothers, at least statistically). Even such an every day activity as
                    cooking is changing essentially. An apartment or house is not a small production unit with its
                    storages, kitchen and dining room any more. The kitchen can be as presentable as the
                    dining room, also the furniture and the quality of the activities, they can become more
                    melted. There are some theorists who admit that not only eating but washing procedures
                    as well will leave the house to so-called town-social level. In the house there will be only a
                    bed, a computer for communication and toilet. It won't happen so soon, but one has to
                    keep an eye on that branch of development. Talking into account the above mentioned
                    statements it seems rather logical that the present day "style of living" which is
                    monofunctionally divided into the units, should be replaced by a multifunctional and more
                    universal room. The architects can make their conclusions if they want to. The society is
                    coming more and more complicated, more individual-centered / individualized and that
                    ought to be reflected in the typological and functional development of the house /
                    apartment. The situation in Estonia is a bit curious just now perhaps even ridiculous. On the
                    one hand we have been left a huge amount of apartments - living units, on the other hand
                    these don't satisfy the real needs of the society any more. The problem doesn't lie in the
                    apartment or house, but in that complete, and if you wish, harmonious world where these
                    houses are situated. And that is why it is very difficult to prevent Lasnamäe from turning to a
                    ghetto. The houses can be heated outside and apartments decorated inside, but it gives
                    satisfaction for a short time only. The single coquettish villages built in the old districts
                    between the houses look strange. The dissonance doesn't exist between the houses
                    themselves but between the styles of living. The groups of 5 - 10 houses in the picturesque
                    landscape at the seaside also can't create the complete society if they are situated next to
                    the fishery and sawmills. There are some districts in Estonia where the small houses with
                    more complete treatment have come into being. The suburb romantic idyll is ruling there,
                    also mentally as the motto of the area is to be similar and alike, with no any differences
                    from the thoughts of dear neighbors. Those so-called new-rich who have enough money to
                    build need the house as the symbol of status and they actually don't value the environment.
                    I would like to pay attention to the matter that has annoyed me for some time. I can't
                    understand these critics who treat the houses on the steep banks of Tabasalu with irony,
                    calling them bad PM and admitting that the functionality with stylistics originating from the
                    20ies is not so much PM, and a better one. Of course, that is the question of taste. But if we
                    don't think the stylistics to be the most important and do not throw away inevitably
                    everything "American"; then to be honest, those houses - purely morphologically - are
                    composed very nicely if compared with sisters built somewhere else. The main trouble in
                    that area results in so-called planning, or if you wish - town building. Unfortunately it
                    seems that it is not yet the right time to discuss that complicating matter in Estonia. Mainly
                    the highway engineers are handling these problems and town building as the complex of
                    cultural decisions hasn't been discussed. Actually there is a disagreement between the
                    frequency and character of the houses - that is where to look for main mistakes. But
                    behind that are the desires of the customers, difficulties in getting the ownership of land,
                    stereotype thinking of the planning architect - our cultural background altogether. If to
                    think about the future, keeping an eye on the same cultural background, I have to say that
                    the Estonians, if to express decently, are not too keen to fight the challenge of age (by the
                    way, an excellent opportunity for the apologists of modernism) and taking use of that
                    characteristics at least younger architects could accept the possibilities offered by present
                    time. Certainly not everybody likes these possibilities and only a few real estate agents will
                    be interested, but according to my own experience there are some of them, in Estonia too.
                    It is also important that looking at the things otherwise and spreading that vision we can
                    reach the situation where the words "cheap" and "ecological" have great value. And
                    considering our relatively poverty it is not a bad result at all. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\LSD.TXT
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LSD
	The use of drugs among Americans is rapidly rising.  They can be bought and sold almost anywhere, from the streets to hallways of schools.  A drug on the rapid rise from the 70's is LSD.  Some people attribute this to the fact it is extremely inexpensive, $2-4 a hit, the wrong belief by users that it is a  safer drug than marijuana because it isn't physically addicting.  However, LSD is a hallucinogenic drug that is very dangerous, despite popular belief.
	LSD stands for Lysergic Acid Diethylamide.  Lysergic acid is extracted from the fungus Ergot, and then left to crystallize until it is pure.  It was first accidentally discovered by Albert Hoffman in 1938 in Switzerland, who was searching for possible therapeutic uses of Ergot. Hoffman continued his experiments, but never came in contact with the crystals until1943.  (LSD can be absorbed through the skin.) Hoffman then sent LSD around the world to be tested and investigated to find medical uses. Lysergic acid deviates were found to relieve migraines and control postpartum hemorrhage because it causes veins to contract, but also caused gangrene of the limbs, and so further experimentation with the drug was abandoned.   In the late 50's, however, LSD was used by the CIA as an interrogation drug for spies.  However, it was proven to be unreliable and was later replaced with other interrogation drugs.	
	LSD comes in the forms of crystals, liquids, tablets, gelatins, or blotting squares.  The squares have designs on them such a flowers, dragons, shapes, animals, and cartoon characters to make them more attractive to young children.  Often called acid, white lightning, stamps, microdot, and grateful dead, LSD is usually taken orally.  
There are 4 levels of experience an LSD user will go through.  The first takes place within 45 minutes of ingestion.  The user begins to feel enhanced senses.  Colors are brighter, sounds are more distinct, and a user may feel dizzy.  The second level is the plateau.  Between hours one and three, the user will "see" sounds and "hear" objects.  This experience of a mingling of the senses is called synethesva.  Patterns within material such as sweaters and blankets appear.  A user may see figures within smoke from incense, or spend extended periods of time examining lines on the palm of their hand.  Clock time becomes distorted and slows almost to a stand still, whole minutes seem to pass like hours.  Slight hallucinations may appear.  The third stage from hours 4-7 is the climax.  Colors are greatly magnified, while once familiar shapes distorted beyond recognition.  The hallucinations become intense,  and total unreal objects may appear.  A user may go through a profound "mystical" experience where they find insight or enlightenment about themselves or the world around them.  The fourth stage is the downfall where the drug wears off and the user re-enters the normal world.  LSD was very popular in the late 60's for its properties of "realization", transcendence, or the all-knowing effect that LSD often gives.  But the use of LSD quickly faded because of it's dangerous and harmful side effects.
	LSD causes depth distortion and impairs rational judgment, which often leads to accidents and injury.  Often the user doesn't realize they are injured until the drug wears off, and then the user usually doesn't remember the accident.   These negative side effects cause users to jump out of windows or run in front of  moving cars.  And also because the source of LSD is unpredictable, a user may get a tainted dose, causing a severe panic attack resulting in the need to commit suicide to escape it.  A user often has enlarged pupils, rapid heartbeat, nausea, chills and trembling, convulsions, extreme mood swings, fear of insanity or death, and severe anxiety.  A user who uses high doses often may suffer permanent psychosis.  Any user, even a first time user may suffer from flashbacks, where LSD, stored in the spinal cord discs, escapes and comes in contact with the brain.  The user may feel as if they were using the drug again for several minutes or less until the LSD wears off.  
	No matter who uses it, LSD is a dangerous and illegal drug.  The chances of injuring or killing one's self should cause would be users to think again.  The attraction to children can also be minimized by a watchful parent.  LSD is a potent dangerous drug, that can cause permanent damage, such as long term personality changes, and can shatter the strongest hold on reality, and cause permanent insanity.  No person can be fully responsible for their behavior while under the influence of any drug, and LSD is no exception.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\LSDandPCP.TXT
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	Today there is increasing usage of two very powerful, and dangerous drugs in the 

youth of this Nation.  LSD is one of these drugs,  this hallucinogen more commonly 

known as Acid and is one of the longest lasting highs that are out there.  LSD was first 

researched in 1953 when the Central Intelligence Agency thought that the Soviets and 

Chinese would use LSD to brainwash American diplomats.  The Federal Drug 

Enforcement Administration lists this drug as a "schedule I" drug that means that it has high 

potential for abuse.  During the "turn-on, tune-in, drop-out" time of the 60's LSD became 

the thing for social and political movements to freedom, creativity, self-discovery and 

opposition to the Vietnam War.  Some freaked out during bad trips as LSD caused panic 

and advansded mental illnesses.  Most are curried with flashbacks that are recurrences of 

hallucinations.  Some people thought they could fly, and jumped to their deaths.  The 

popularity of the rug in the 60's started research and laws making its use illegal.  LSD is the 

chemical term or lysergic acid diethyl amide.  National Institute on Drug Abuse surveys 

indicate illicit use of LSD has remained relatively constant.  Almost 2 percent of high 

school seniors are current users and 8.7 percent have taken LSD at least once.  Its not 

creating the problems it created in the 60's because the average street dose is al least 50 

percent lower.

	Washington, D.C. is known as the PCP capital of the United States because there 

are more illicit PCP lads here than anywhere both water and fat soluble.  In other words, 

any way ap person gets it in his or her body, it will be absorbed.  PCP can be snorted or 

inhaled, put in a pill form and swallowed, sprayed on any thing and smoked.  In 

Washington, dealers spray it on marijuana and sell it to all the street junkies.  People high 

on PCP either end up overdosed, where they become kind of robotic in their movements 

and behavior, or they act really crazy.  PCP patients show signs of visual hallucination, 

they show psychotic behavior.  Many crimes of violence have been done under the have 

no an amnesia component.  When people smoke PCP, the high comes on in two to five 

minutes, peaks at about 20 minutes, and takes 24 to 48 hours to come back to what 

they call normal.  Most users also smoke a combination of PCP and crack known as 

bazooka.  There are a lot of mixtures of there drugs in fact not many people justice one 

drug.  PCP is actually stores in the fatty tissue of the body.  So a person can feel the affects

of PCP many days after he or she has stopped smoking it.  There has been some cases they  

last up to two weeks.  Where people have a predisposition to a so-called nervous 

breakdown, PCP can actually put them into the breakdown.  In many cases they never 

come back to normal, so a lot of times they have to be on antipsychotic medication for the 

rest of their lives.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Marajana.TXT
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	Drugs are a major debate it the world we live in today. Drugs are gaining more and more attention. More and more people are using drugs then ever before and there is no decrease in the amount of drug users. One of the most commonly used drugs is marijuana. In todays world marijuana is growing and is looking to be legalized in California for medical uses only but that will lead to many other problems in the near future.
	Marijuana is the most used drug in the U.S. besides tobacco. Marijuana gives people the feeling they like and want but when it is used to much they have to use more of it to get the high  in which they desire. It effects your brain by making the THC disrupt the nerve cells in the part of the brain where memories are formed. This makes it harder for the user to recall events and makes it harder to learn. Marijuana is addictive to some people. About 100,000 people seek treatment for marijuana use each year. Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette (called a joint or a nail) or in a pipe or a bong. Recently, it has appeared in cigars called blunts which are larger and, therefore, more dangerous. Marijuana is a green, brown, or a gray mixture of dried, shredded flowers and leaves of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). There are many slang names for marijuana such as pot, weed, boom, gangster, and Mary Jane. This drug causes Timing, coordination, alertness, and performance to be affected in a negative way. Marijuana has THC in it which is absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs. THC can be detected using urine tests and it will stay in your system for seven to a couple of weeks.
	Teens are the reason that drugs are a problem in the U.S.. About one in six 10th graders report that they are current marijuana users. Fewer then one in five high school seniors are current users. Some people who use this drug feel nothing but some feel relaxed and high. After smoking it users may get a sudden quenching for a drink and get very hungry. This is called the munchies. Short Term effects of marijuana include memory problems and learning problems, distorted perception, trouble when thinking and problem solving, loss of coordination, increased heart rate, anxiety, and panic attacks. THC can damage cell tissues in you immune system causing users to be more open to diseases. To be able to tell if someone is high they may be dizzy and have trouble walking, be silly and giggly for no reason, bloodshot eyes and have a hard time remembering things. These effects usually end in a few hours and the user gets very sleepy.
	A big issue being raised in California is the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes only. The old laws would still be in effect. If you were found using it you would have to have your medical doctors prescription for it to get free from jail or a fine. Still, a cop could bust you for growing it and cuff you because they don't know that your doctor prescribed it for you. This law is a state law and is called Proposition 215. This law has been turned down for the last two years. This year all the old laws that have been turned down have been put together to make a great law. This law actually passed November 5, 1996.
	Marijuana aids in the treatment of cancer, anorexia, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, or any other illness for which marijuana provides relief. The American Cancer society says NO to marijuana because it is not a substitute for appropriate anti-nause drugs for cancer chemotherapy and vomiting. We see no reason to support the legalization of marijuana for medical use. Smoking marijuana is also not approved by the FDA for any illness. These corporations both say that they what a different drug to do the same thing but developing it will take an estimated 4 billion dollars. People what to know why some other drugs can be used like morphine but marijuana can't.
	In me and my partners personal option we believe that it is wrong to smoke it or use it in any way, shape, or form. We have never used in and probably never will. We only have one body and we should make the most of it and not mess it up by doing stupid things that will affect us as we get older. To me doing any kind of drugs  is stupid and a waste of time. I want to live my life without any worries of medical problems.
	Any kind of drug that is illegal is bad for your health but if recommended by a doctor does it make them any better. Drugs will always be around in my option. The government can't demolish drugs or marijuana but they can try to educate children while they are younger to tell them that drugs are bad and should not be taken. With the passing of this law marijuana will become legal in California. Other states can adopt this law if they would like. Education is the key to the end of drugs and the beginning of a new era. Just say NO.    








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\marajuana effects and after effects.TXT
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                     marajuana:effects and after affects


One of the most common illegal drug in the United States is marijuana.  There are mixed views about this drug, some people want it legalized, other people don't.  In this essay, I hope to display the facts about this illegal narcotic, and explain many vie
        Marijuana has many different names such as "kif" in Morocco, "doggo" in South Africa and "gangi" in India. There are many slang terms for this type of drug such as "grass," "pot," "weed," "reefer,"  "mj,"  "boo," "broccoli," "ace'', "joint," "Colombian" 

        Tetrahydrocnnabinal(THC)  was not found until the mid 1960's. Marijuana can be used medically or for an intoxicant. Doctors prescribe it to relieve pain for people in chemotherapy, or with other diseases.    

        During the 1960's and 1970's  mainly teenagers used marijuana. In the 1970's 11% said they used it daily, but recently, only about 5% use it daily. In 1975, 27% of people said they used it that previous month, and in 1978, that figure grew to 39%, but dr
         Rapid, loud talking and bursts of laughter are in the early stages of intoxication and sleepy or stuporous is in the later stages. Forgetfulness in conversation,  inflammation in the whites of the eyes and the pupils unlikely to be dilated are in the la
        It is still undetermined whether light doses of marijuana has long term effect. Some short term effects are; it causes a higher heart rate, reddened eyes, clumsiness, and blunt reflexes.
        The physical effects of marijuana use, particularly on developing adolescents, can be acute.  The emotional development of adolescent users may be interrupted. Scientists feel heavy doses during adolescent damages emotional and intellectual development a
ne system. Marijuana use has an adverse effect on the social relationships of the user due to severe mood swings and a lack of interest. Marijuana use also causes a motivational syndrome. This means that the user will lose interest in activities and lose 
        Researchers believe that marijuana blocks the messages going to your brain and alters your perceptions and emotions, vision, hearing, and coordination. A recent study of 1,023 trauma patients admitted to a shock trauma unit found that one-third had marij
proven to have adverse effects on the female reproductive system. Marijuana and aging affect the brain in very similar ways. This places the long-time user in high risk for serious and premature memory disorders. Marijuana and aging affect the brain in ve
        If marijuana use is abruptly stopped, certain withdrawal symptoms will be experienced: nausea, insomnia, irritability, and/or anxiety. 
        The 1993 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse reports that: 33.7% of those surveyed admitted to having tried marijuana at some point in their lifetime, 9% admitted to having used marijuana during the past year, 4.3% used the drug in the past month, an
        I have displayed the different effects and statistics about this drug, and what its used for. Many people think it should be legalized, many people don't.  We all have our different views, and insights about this topic, and I hope someday, we will agree 


 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Marijuana 4.TXT
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	It's time we put to rest the myth that smoking marijuana is a fringe or deviant
activity, engaged in only by those on the margins of American society. In reality, marijuana
smoking is extremely common, and marijuana is the recreational drug of choice for
millions of mainstream, middle class Americans. According to the most recent NIDA
data1, between 65 and 71 million Americans have smoked marijuana at some time in their
lives, and 10 million are current smokers (have smoked as at least once in the last month).
In fact, NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) found that 61% of all current illicit drug
users report that marijuana is the only drug they have used; this figure rises to 80% if
hashish (a marijuana derivative) is included. A recent national survey of voters found that
34% -- one third of the voting adults in the country -- acknowledged having smoked
marijuana at some point in their lives(NIDA,1). Many successful business and professional
leaders, including many state and federal elected officials from both political parties, admit
they have smoked marijuana. We should begin to reflect that reality in our state and
federal legislation, and stop acting as if otherwise law-abiding marijuana smokers are part
of the crime problem. They are not, and it is absurd to continue to spend law enforcement
resources arresting them. 

	Marijuana smokers in this country are no different from their non-smoking peers,
except for their marijuana use. Like most Americans, they are responsible citizens who
work hard, raise families, contribute to their communities, and want a safe, crime-free
neighborhood in which to live. Because of our marijuana laws, these citizens face criminal
arrest and imprisonment solely because they choose to smoke a marijuana cigarette when
they relax, instead of drinking alcohol. They simply prefer marijuana over alcohol as their
recreational drug of choice. This is a misapplication of the criminal sanction which
undermines respect for the law in general and extends government into areas of our
private life that are inappropriate. 

	The NORML (National Orginization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws)
Board of Directors recently issued the following statement entitled Principles of
Responsible Cannabis Use, which defines the conduct which is believe that any responsible
marijuana smoker should follow. 



"I. ADULTS ONLY 
Cannabis consumption is for adults only. It is irresponsible
to provide cannabis to children. 

Many things and activities are suitable for young people, but
others absolutely are not. Children do not drive cars, enter 


							

					

into contracts, or marry, and they must not use drugs. As it
is unrealistic to demand lifetime abstinence from cars, 
contracts and marriage, however, it is unrealistic to expect
lifetime abstinence from all intoxicants, including alcohol.
Rather, our expectation and hope for young people is that
they grow up to be responsible adults. Our obligation to
them is to demonstrate what that means. 

II. NO DRIVING
The responsible cannabis consumer does not operate a
motor vehicle or other dangerous machinery impaired by
cannabis, nor (like other responsible citizens) impaired by
any other substance or condition, including some medicines
and fatigue. 

Although cannabis is said by most experts to be safer than
alcohol and many prescription drugs with motorists,
responsible cannabis consumers never operate motor
vehicles in an impaired condition. Public safety demands not
only that impaired drivers be taken off the road, but that
objective measures of impairment be developed and used,
rather than chemical testing. 

III. SET AND SETTING 
The responsible cannabis user will carefully consider his/her
set and setting, regulating use accordingly. 

"Set" refers to the consumer's values, attitudes, experience
and personality, and "setting" means the consumer's physical
and social circumstances. The responsible cannabis
consumer will be vigilant as to conditions -- time, place,
mood, etc. --and does not hesitate to say "no" when those
conditions are not conducive to a safe, pleasant and/or
productive experience. 

IV. RESIST ABUSE 
Use of cannabis, to the extent that it impairs health, personal
development or achievement, is abuse, to be resisted by
responsible cannabis users. 



						               
Abuse means harm. Some cannabis use is harmful; most is
not. That which is harmful should be discouraged; that
which is not need not be. 

Wars have been waged in the name of eradicating "drug
abuse", but instead of focusing on abuse, enforcement
measures have been diluted by targeting all drug use,
whether abusive or not. If marijuana abuse is to be targeted,
it is essential that clear standards be developed to identify it. 

V. RESPECT RIGHTS OF OTHERS 
The responsible cannabis user does not violate the rights of
others, observes accepted standards of courtesy and public
propriety, and respects the preferences of those who wish
to avoid cannabis entirely. 

No one may violate the rights of others, and no substance
use excuses any such violation. Regardless of the legal
status of cannabis, responsible users will adhere to emerging
tobacco smoking protocols in public and private places."
(NORML,2)



	It is Time To Stop Arresting Marijuana Smokers. The "war on drugs" is not really
about drugs; if it were, tobacco and alcohol would be primary targets. They are the most
commonly used and abused drugs in America and unquestionably they cause far more
harm to the user and to society than does marijuana. Instead, the war on drugs has become
a war on marijuana smokers, and in any war there are casualties. According to the latest
FBI statistics, in 1994 nearly one-half million (482,000) Americans were arrested on
marijuana charges. That is the largest number of marijuana arrests ever made in this
country in any single year, and reflects a 67% increase over 1991 (288,000). Eighty four
percent (84%) of those arrests were for possession, not sale(NORML,2). Those were real
people who were paying taxes, supporting their families, and working hard to make a
better life for their children; suddenly they are arrested and jailed and treated as criminals,
solely because of the recreational drug they had chosen to use. This is a travesty of justice
that causes enormous pain, suffering and financial hardship for millions of American
families. It also engenders disrespect for the law and for the criminal justice system overall
Responsible marijuana smokers present no threat or danger to America, and there is no
reason to treat them as criminals. As a society we need to find ways to discourage
personal conduct of all 

									




kinds that is abusive or harmful to others. Responsible marijuana smokers are not the
problem and it's time to stop arresting them. 

	The most comprehensive modern study of marijuana policy was the report of the
National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse, Marijuana, A Signal of
Misunderstanding. Established by Congress, the Marijuana Commission found that
moderate marijuana smoking presents no significant risk to the user or to society, and
recommended that the country "decriminalize" minor marijuana offenses; i.e., that
penalties be removed for personal use and possession. Following that report, eleven
American states adopted modified versions of decriminalization, led by Oregon in 1973.
Each of these states retained a modest civil fine for minor marijuana offenses, but
eliminated arrest and jail, substituting a citation, similar to a traffic ticket. The advantage
of this approach to the marijuana smoker is obvious: the individual is spared the indignity
of an arrest and the threat of jail, and avoids a criminal record. But this approach also
benefits law enforcement by freeing up police to focus on serious crime. 

	Nearly one-third of Americans live in states which have now had a 15-20 year real-
world experience with marijuana decriminalization, and the experience has been
overwhelmingly favorable. Contrary to the fears expressed by some, marijuana usage rates
(both the percentage reporting having ever used marijuana, and the frequency of use by
those who do smoke) are the same in states that have decriminalized and in states where
marijuana smokers are still arrested. Nor has there been any change in attitudes toward
marijuana use among young people in those states. In short, the evidence indicates that we
can stop arresting marijuana smokers without harmful consequences. 

	It is Time For Peace, Not War. As a nation, we've talked too long and too loud in
the language of war. It's time that we begin to talk of peace. It's time to seek a policy that
minimizes the harm associated with marijuana smoking and marijuana prohibition -- a
policy that distinguishes between use and abuse, and reflects the importance we have
always attached in this country to the right of the individual to be free from the
overreaching power of government. Most of us would agree the government has no
business knowing what books we read, the subject of our telephone coversations, or how
we conduct ourselves in the privacy of our bedroom. Similarly, whether we smoke
marijuana or drink alcohol to relax is simply not an appropriate area of concern for the
government. 

	Americans are right to be concerned about adolescent drug use of all kinds. We all
want our children to grow up safe, healthy and drug free. The recent data showing an 

									



increase in marijuana smoking among adolescents is strong testimony to the failure and
ineffectiveness of our current drug education programs -- including most prominently the 
DARE program. NORML has expressed that they would be pleased to work with others
to develop more effective programs to discourage adolescent marijuana smoking, and to
instill in children an understanding that neither marijuana smoking, tobacco smoking or 
alcohol drinking is appropriate behavior for minors. NORML's involvement in such a
campaign might enhance the campaign's credibility with young people. 

	By stubbornly defining all marijuana smoking as criminal, including that which
involves adults smoking in the privacy of their home, we are wasting police and
prosecutorial resources, clogging courts, filling costly and scarce jail and prison space, and
needlessly wrecking the lives and careers of genuinely good citizens. It's time we ended
marijuana prohibition and stopped arresting and jailing hundreds of thousands of average
Americans whose only "crime" is that they smoke marijuana. This is a tragic and senseless
war against our own citizens; it must be ended. 


	The last point  is that marijuana should immediately be made available by
prescription to the tens of thousands of seriously ill  Americans who need marijuana to
alleviate pain and suffering. Of all the negative consequences of marijuana prohibition,
none is as tragic as the denial of medicinal marijuana to those who need it. 

	The question of permitting medical marijuana must be separated from the question
of decriminalizing or legalizing marijuana for recreation use. These are separate issues and
they must be judged on their own merits. The country has reached a consensus on the
former, even as we remain divided on the latter. 

	On the question of whether seriously ill patients should have legal access to
marijuana to relieve pain and suffering, 85%6 of the American public already support this
change. Many of them (22%) have had a family member or friend sick with cancer, AIDS,
multiple sclerosis, glaucoma or some other potentially devastating disease, who has had to
risk arrest and jail to obtain marijuana to alleviate the side effects of cancer chemotherapy,
overcome the AIDS wasting syndrome, or treat other life threatening or serious illnesses.
Basic compassion and common sense demand that we allow these citizens to use whatever
medication is most effective, subject to the supervision of a physician. 

	Although more research is needed, it is clear from available studies and rapidly
accumulating anecdotal evidence that marijuana is a valuable therapeutic in the treatment
of a number of serious ailments and that it is both less toxic and costly than the
conventional medicines for which it may be substituted. In many cases it is more effective
than the commercially available drugs it replaces. Groups such as the American Public 


										

Health Association and the Federation of American Scientists9 have recently endorsed the
medical use of marijuana. 

	Marijuana is an effective means of overcoming the nausea and vomiting associated
with cancer chemotherapy, and the nausea and appetite loss in the wasting syndrome of
AIDS. It is useful for various spastic conditions including multiple sclerosis, paraplegia,
and quadriplegia. It also lowers intraocular pressure in people who suffer from open-angle
glaucoma. For some people with epilepsy it is the only anticonvulsant that works. For
centuries, it has been used as an analgesic and is considered by many to be the best
approach to migraine. It is also useful to some patients for the symptomatic treatment of
depression, menstrual cramps, asthma and pruritus. 

	Many seriously ill patients in this country are already using marijuana to reduce
their pain and suffering, even though it means they and their families must risk arrest.
Informal buyers' clubs, which supply marijuana to the seriously ill, have been formed in
many cities. Some of these clubs are small and clandestine; a few, such as the one in San
Francisco, operate openly and serve several thousand clients on a regular basis. Despite
these heroic efforts, the underground emergency distribution system reaches only a small
proportion of the tens of thousands of patients who could benefit from legal marijuana. 

	Also, in the papers last year was the story of an elderly mother who was arrested
for grownig marijuana for her ailing son. The old woman said' "If Jesus were her, he
would help me plant." (Elders, 4)
	
	NORML first raised this issue in 1972 in an administrative petition asking that
marijuana be moved from schedule I to schedule II of the federal Controlled Substances
Act, so that it could be prescribed as a medicine. After 16 years of legal battles and
appeals, in 1988, the DEA's own administrative law judge, Judge Francis Young, found
that "marijuana has been accepted as capable of relieving distress of great numbers of very
ill people, and doing so with safety under medical supervision. It would be unreasonable,
arbitrary and capricious for DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the
benefits of this substance in light of the evidence in this record. "Judge Young
(5)recommended "that the Administrator transfer marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule
II, to make it available as a legal medicine". The DEA Administrator overruled Judge
Young, and the Court of Appeals allowed that decision to stand, denying medical
marijuana to seriously ill patients.
Congress must act to correct this injustice. 









Works Cited

{1} National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse:
Population Estimates - 1994 (Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health
Service, Bethesda, MD, 1995). 

(2) National Organization for thte Reformation of Marijuana Laws. Internet,
http://www.natnorml.com

{3} National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse, Marijuana, A Signal of
Misunderstanding (New York: The New American Library, Inc., 1972). 

{4} Elders, Pete. Seeds of discorn. People weekly, 1995. Austin, Texas 

{5} In the Matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition, Docket 86-22, Opinion,
Recommended Ruling, Finding of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Decision of
Administrative Law Judge, September 6, 1988 (Drug Enforcement Agency, Washington,
DC, 1988). 

{6} ACLU National Survey of Voters' Opinions on the Use and Legalization of Marijuana
for Medical Purposes (March 31-April 5, 1995). 




 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Marijuana 5.TXT
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Current licensing

_____      US$25 - Single User License

_____     US$250 - Institution Site License

_____    US$1000 - Institution World-Wide License

Make the Cheque payable to "Michael Simmons"
Write the Cheque out for the equivalent of $25 US in your local currency.
It does not need to be exact. You might also like to state the exchange
rate applicable when you worked it out.
I would prefer a bank draft in Australian dollars if possible.
American Express Money Orders and Postal Money Orders are also OK.
I will accept personal cheques but these take a while to clear!

The University of Western Australia has no connections with the player!!

I will accept Purchase Orders for Site Licenses.
I don't like reading through two or more pages of invoicing instructions
however!

Send Cheques to the following Address

Michael Simmons
P.O. Box 506
Nedlands WA 6009
Australia

PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY YOUR NAME AND POSTAL ADDRESS!!!!!!!

Thank you for your support.

 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Marijuana 6.TXT
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	The statistic I chose to analyze was something I pulled from the Washington Post about a month ago.  The article stated that "68% of high school seniors admitted to trying marijuana at least once during their high school career."  The article was about the resurfacing drug problem among the teenage age group. It was aimed at an audience of parents and others who could be affected by such an alarming rate.

	A number of thoughts crossed my mind when I read this statistic.  My first thought was to question where the Washington Post had surveyed.  As a resident of the metropolitan DC area, I am aware of the differences between the outer suburbs and DC itself.  If the Post had focused on the DC area I would be able to believe the statistic much more than if they had focused on the surrounding area.  Another thought was whether the Post had interviewed more boys than girls or vice versa.  Racial makeup of those involved in the study was another issue that the Post did not elaborate on.  I also felt it relevant to ask what the percentage of that initial 68% were seniors who had only tried it once.  I think the percentage would drop significantly if the Post changed the wording from "tried it once" to "used multiple times".

	Knowing the geographic location of those surveyed would be useful in a number of ways.  First, it would ease the fears of parents not living in the troubled areas.  More importantly, it would allow school officials, drug enforcement officials, drug counselors, etc., to focus their attention and dime to those specific areas with the biggest problem.  Are we looking at inner-city youth or are we looking at suburban youth.  It makes a difference as to how you approach the problem.  Which station do you advertise on?  Where does the local government allocate extra funding for drug education and law enforcement?

	Another pertinent factor would be the racial makeup of those surveyed.  Again, the way one would approach the problem would differ depending on who the intended audience is.  If the survey focused on black youth, one would try to relate the drug education to the black community and its culture.  The same idea applies if the focus was on white youth.  It's the same idea advertisers have employed for years.  McDonalds puts ads on rap stations that have a black narrator to appeal to the black community. They also put ads on stations that play Yanni that have a white narrator to appeal to the white community.

	The final question I felt was very important to ask was whether or not those surveyed used marijuana on a regular basis or if it was something they had tried once and let be.  This is important because if the majority of the 68% had only tried marijuana once or twice then officials would be looking at a different problem entirely.  For example, if 2/3 of the 68% weren't regular users, then the focus of education would shift to not giving in to peer pressure and building self esteem.  On the other hand, if it were only a small portion of the 68%, the focus would shift towards programs that identified youth that had the problem, offering detox programs, and education as to what the effects of long term marijuana use are.
Going back to the initial statistic, I find it hard to take the data as seriously at face value now that I have thought of so many factors that have been left undefined.  The statistic does not seem relevant, and definitely not useful to the public, without definition of it's parameters.  What it does do is incite fear into the average newspaper reader who merely glances at the information and takes it at face value.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Marijuana A Horticultural Revolution A Medical and Legal Ba.TXT
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 Marijuana: A Horticultural Revolution, A Medical and Legal Battle
	

      For years there has been a wonder drug which has befriended countless sick patients
in a number of countries.  A relatively inexpensive drug that is not covered by health care
plans which has aided the ill both mentally and physically--marijuana.  Significant
scientific and medical studies have demonstrated that marijuana is safe for use under
medical supervision and that the cannabis plant, in its natural form, has important
therapeutic benefits that are often of critical medical importance to persons afflicted with
a variety of life-threatening illnesses. Courts have recognized marijuana's medical value
in treatment and have ruled that marijuana can be a drug of "necessity" in the treatment
of glaucoma, cancer, AIDS, and multiple sclerosis.  From the collection of information
we now have on marijuana's health benefits for the ill, there is no longer any reason to
keep it illegal.  It should therefore be legal for licensed physicians to prescribe marijuana
for terminal patients for whom it offers the only reasonable opportunity for living without
unbearable pain. 
     Marijuana has been used many times to help ease pain and suffering.  It often eases
nausea in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy,  reduces the pain of AIDS patients
and lowers eye pressure in glaucoma sufferers.  Cancer and AIDS patients often lose a lot
of weight, either due directly to their illness or indirectly to the treatment of the illness. 
Dramatic weight loss puts their lives in even more danger.   Marijuana stimulates the
appetite, thus enabling patients to eat more and gain weight which in turn strengthens the
immune system. 
     So if there are so many benefits, then why is marijuana not legal?  Many states
contend that the ban on medical marijuana is necessary to prevent drug abuse and the
availability of illicit drugs and to control the purity of medicinal drug products.  These
states have no compelling interest in intervening to needlessly prolong terminal patients'
suffering.  States should allow the medical use of marijuana under strict regulations,
rather than uphold an outdated drug classification scheme.  
     While federal agencies adamantly maintain marijuana has "no accepted medical use
in treatment in the United States," the medical prohibition has come under strong legal
challenge from seriously ill Americans who have been arrested on marijuana-related
charges.   In U.S. v. Randall, a Washington, D.C. man afflicted by glaucoma employed
the little-used Common Law doctrine of necessity to defend himself against criminal
charges of marijuana cultivation.  On November 24, 1976, federal Judge James
Washington ruled Randall's use of marijuana constituted a "medical necessity."  In part,
Judge Washington ruled: 
		
		While blindness was shown by competent medical testimony 
		to be the otherwise inevitable result of defendant's disease, no 
		adverse effects from the smoking of marijuana have been demon-
		strated.  Medical evidence suggests that the medical prohibition
		is not well-founded.
If a judge can determine when a "medical necessity" is warranted and can rule that a sick
individual should be granted the legal use of marijuana, then should a licensed physician
not be just as capable of doing so, if not...much more capable?  Well trained medical
professionals rather than inapt federal bureaucrats should be responsible for determining
a patient's medical care routine.  
     This is an intolerable, untenable legal situation. Unless legislators and regulators
attend to these urgent human needs and rapidly move to correct the anomaly arising from
the absolute prohibition of marijuana which forces law abiding citizens into the streets - -
and criminality - to meet their legitimate medical needs, cases of the type of  U.S. v.
Randall will continue to be prevalent and will increase considerably.  There is a pressing
need for a more compassionate, humane law which clearly discriminates between the
criminal conduct of those who socially abuse chemicals and the legitimate medical needs
of seriously ill patients whose welfare and very lives may depend on the prudent
therapeutic use of those very same substances. 
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Marijuana for medicinal purposes.TXT
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Marijuana for Medicinal Purposes
	In 1936 when Marijuana was made illegal it was considered a medicine in good standing with the American Medical Association. At the time Marijuana could be found in twenty eight different medical products and countless other consumer products. On November 5th, 1996 California and Arizona passed propositions allowing the return of medicinal Marijuana use.
	The campaign in 1936 to make Marijuana an illegal substance was championed by two large companies, Dupont Chemicals and Hearst Newspapers, that gained financially by having Marijuana banned.  For Hearst Newspapers it was to protect the investment that they had just made buying a large amount of paper trees.   Marijuana can produce about 4 times the amount of paper  per acre than trees, and twice as many fibers per acre than cotton. (Hempnet 1)  Hearst was well aware of this and moved to ban Marijuana. Marijuana costs little to grow and can be made into cloth, canvas, and other high quality textiles.  The use of Marijuana for
textile production would have seriously hurt Dupont who had invested heavily in 
both paper production and the use of cotton.  In 1936 Dupont joined Hearst and 

Leese 2
using scare tactics and effective lobbying were able to ban the growth, sale, and use of Marijuana.
	Besides denying the public of the use of Marijuana as a textile, food source, and alternative energy source, these large companies selfishly robbed many sick people of a drug that can help them.  Marijuana can be used to combat glaucoma, epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, back pain, asthma, rheumatism, arthritis, migraines, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, and promotes appetite in some cancer and AIDS patients. Drugs like morphine, valium, lithium, and codeine are regularly given to patients and are far more addictive, having many more negative affects than Marijuana.  Marijuana "has little effect on major physiological functions.  There is no known case of a lethal overdose; on the basis of animal models, the ratio of lethal to effective dose is estimated at 40,000 to 1." (Bakalar and Grinspoon 1875)   "Marijuana, like aspirin, a substance known to be unusually safe and to have enormous potential health benefits. ... In fact in a 1990 survey, 44% of oncologist said they had suggested that a patient smoke marijuana for relief of nausea induced by chemotherapy." (Bakalar and Grinspoon 1875) And many times it only takes one or two puffs off a joint to calm the patient and relieve their nausea and help increase 
their appetite. (Silverberg 1)  Californian and Arizona voters finally acknowledge 
the benefits of Marijuana and acted to change the situation.
		The Federal Drug Enforcement Administration maintains there is no 

Leese 3
medical evidence that smoking marijuana has ever helped anyone, but it is difficult to dismiss the testimony from many seriously ill patients and their doctors that marijuana can ease pain, reduce the nausea associated with cancer chemotherapy, stimulate the appetites of AIDS patients who are wasting away, and lower the pressure within the eyes of glaucoma victims. " The traditional use of Cannabis as an analgesic, anti-asthmatic, and anti-rheumatic drug is well established. A British study also suggests that cultivation of Cannabis plants rich in Cannabidiol (CBD) and other phenolic substances would be useful not only as fiber producing plants but also for medicinal purposes in the treatment of certain inflammatory disorders. CBD was found to be more effective than aspirin as an anti-inflammatory agent."  (Evans 361-371)  The Food and Drug Administration has approved a synthetic version of THC, a main ingredient of marijuana, that can help in such cases, but many patients complain that it is a poor substitute and is much more expensive. The alternative choices to smoking marijuana, and there are a couple, but mainly  pills are what's   on the market;  they are suppose to have the same therapeutic effects that so many 
suffering patients say they feel when they smoke marijuana. The leading capsule  on the market is Dronabinol; it's  main agent is Cannabidiol. "In a Brazilian study of 8 

	Epileptic patients receiving Cannabidiol, (CBD), 4 were free of convulsions, 3 had partial improvement, and 1 was unchanged." (Cunha 176) The only problem

Leese 4
with the pill is that it has to be digested, and for some one who is suffering from nausea it is virtually impossible to keep the capsule down. "Because it's a pill, and therefore slower acting, people have trouble adjusting the dosage; they often find themselves taking too much. It also seems to cause high levels of anxiety and depression" (Brookhiser 27) Unfortunately no method other then smoking has seemed to help so many with the least complications.  What is needed now is a more thorough effort to test the claims from reputable sources that marijuana may be a compassionate means of relieving suffering.  Many believe that drug enforcement authorities have instead cut back on research out of fear that it would become impossible to limit marijuana use to those who need it medically. The fears are understandable, especially given the rising use of marijuana among teenagers today.  But it ought to be possible to regulate marijuana as a prescription drug if it is found to be of legitimate benefit for sick people.
	State initiatives are a clumsy way to set policy. The California proposition, for example, is so vaguely written that it could lead to wholesale distribution of
marijuana well beyond the medical scope intended by those who voted for it. It says nothing about withholding marijuana from young people or from those operating  
dangerous equipment.  It also suggests that a simple oral recommendation from any doctor would suffice. That loose provision, designed to get around Federal laws that bar doctors from prescribing an illegal substance, makes abuse of the new law 

Leese 5
inevitable. The Arizona law, by contrast, requires that marijuana be prescribed in writing by two doctors. But that measure is also written too broadly. It says that many other drugs, not simply marijuana, may be prescribed if permission from two doctors is obtained.  Supporters of the California measure did their cause no good by immediately lighting up marijuana joints after it passed this last year and proclaiming that a legitimate medicinal use would include smoking a joint to relieve stress. Dennis Peron, originator of the California initiative, said afterward he believes all marijuana use is medical -- except for kids. These actions made it obvious that the goal of at least some supporters is to get marijuana legalized outright, a proposition that opinion polls indicate most Americans reject. 
   	Parents have legitimate concerns about the increase in marijuana use among teenagers. Many who used marijuana a generation ago are struggling over what to tell their children, but they need to realize that today's marijuana is more potent than the version they smoked thanks to the invention of hydroponics; a self-monitoring 
greenhouse setup intentionally to help cultivate marijuana. It waters itself, adjust the temperature, and optimize the conditions causing THC levels to drastically increase,
and even cause crystallization of the plant because of its high potency.  Testing has shown the drug to be far more dangerous to young people than was known in the 1960's and 1970's.  It can be particularly harmful to the growth and development of teenagers.  California's Attorney General, Daniel Lungren, has ordered state law 

Leese 6
enforcement officials to interpret the law's language narrowly and require proof from those arrested that marijuana is being used medically.  
	The Clinton Administration  announced an aggressive campaign to combat the state propositions, including criminal prosecution of doctors who prescribe marijuana. That hard line makes sense for now; if the Government refuses to investigate carefully the claims about medical use of marijuana, it will only spur voters in other states to take the issue into their own hands. It is a shame that a plant that can do so much good, has to be blacklisted because of misrepresentation, and the ignorance by the general public of just how many uses and advantages marijuana can bring man. From its industrial hemp, to its medicinal relief this plant has barely scratched the surface and has hardly been used to its full potential. As long as the U.S has narrow-minded politicians marijuana will never have a real shot to prove whether it can be a wonder drug/textile that many informed, rational persons 
envision it to be.  







Leese 7

Works CitedBakalar, James B., and Grinspoon, Lester.    "Marijuana as Medicine: A Plea for 	Reconsideration." The Journal of the American Medical Association 	273  	(1995) : 1875.
Brookhiser, Richard.   "Pot luck: Any sick serson who wants to use marijuana to 	help himself has to break the law."  National Review   11 Nov  1996 : 27-28.
Cunha, J.M.    "Chronic Administration of Cannabidiol to Healthy Volunteers and 	Epileptic Patients."  Pharmacology  21  (1980) : 175-185.
"Did you know?"  Hempnet  Nov.   1995 ,   sec 2 page 1.  
Evans, F.J.   "Analgesic and Anti-inflammmatory Activity of Constituents of 		Cannabis Sativa."  Circo Medical Report   4 (1988) : 361-371.
Silverberg,  Ivan  M.D.      Letter.      Mayo Clinic Monthly Journal 34   May 1994 :  	21.  








































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Marijuana
	Marijuana is a big topic these days.  Many people want to make sure that
marijuana stays illegal.  Yet they do not know all the facts about marijuana.  They just
think that marijuana is bad.  I believe that marijuana should be made legal.
	First of all, marijuana refers to the dried leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant,
which contain the narcotic chemical THC at various potencies.  It is smoked or eaten to
produce the feeling of being "high".  Marijuana has been used for thousands of years for
medical, social, relaxation, and religious reasons.  Several of our presidents are believed to
have smoked it.  Those presidents include Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and many others. 
John F. Kennedy smoked it to relieve his back pain.  Also, many of America's great
leaders were hemp farmers.  This includes good ol' George Washington.  Archeologists
believe that cannabis was possibly the first plant farmed by humans.
	Many people think that marijuana is addictive, but this is false.  Marijuana is less
habit forming than either sugar or chocolate.  When users take marijuana, it doesn't lead to
violence-related crimes.  Most users commit crime because they want to get marijuana, but
this problem can be easily solved if the government would legalize marijuana again. 
When you take marijuana, it doesn't make you violent, in fact it leads to non-violence.
	There has never been a case that a person died from smoking marijuana.  THC is
one of the few chemicals that has no known toxic amount.  This is amazing, since
tobacco(which is legal) has 340,000 plus deaths in a typical year, compared to marijuana,
which has 0 deaths.
	The government states that over 20 million Americans still smoke marijuana.  You
can say that marijuana affects your health, but marijuana is less dangerous than tobacco
and people smoke less of it at a time.  Or you can eat the plant instead of smoking it,
which can lower health risks by a lot.  Another way to reduce health risks is by reducing
smoking amounts.  There is no proof that marijuana causes health problems that can lead
to death or sexual programs, but like alcohol, it is not recommended for children or
teenagers to use.  This is simply because children and teenagers are in the process of
growing up, and it would not be a good idea to smoke anything or drink alcohol.
	Cannabis is a medical herb that has literally hundreds of proven, valuable
therapeutic uses.  For example, you can use marijuana for stress reduction, asthma, cancer
therapy, and much more.  Marijuana is not just for getting "high", but a valuable medical
medicine.
	Dr. Gabriel Nahas, who made totally false statistics and studies, was very biased
and unscientific.  He was even fired by the National Institute of Health and the NIH told
the public his studies were meaningless.  For one experiment, he suffocated a monkey for
5 minutes at a time, using way more smoke than the average marijuana user inhales in an
entire lifetime.  The other studies were lacking controls and produced results which cannot
be replicated or independently verified.
	The same plant, known as hemp, has about 50,000 non-drug commercial uses. 
This includes paper, textiles, fuels, food, and sealants; but these uses were also banned by
laws.
	Government should re-legalize marijuana and tax it.  People are going to smuggle
it anyway, so why not make a lot of money to try to repay the United States' debt by
taxing marijuana?  The re-legalizing of marijuana might even be a way to lower crime and
violence in America.
 








































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Throughout history marijuana has been used to
serve various purposes in many different
cultures.  The purposes have changed over time
to fit in with the current lifestyles. 
This pattern is also true in American history. 
The use of marijuana has adapted to the social
climate of the time.

Marijuana, whose scientific name is cannibis
sativa, was mentioned in historical manuscripts
as early as 2700 B. C. in China. (Grolier Electronic
Encyclopedia, 1995).  The cultivation of the 
marijuana plant began as far back as the 
Jamestown settlers, around 1611, who used hemp
produced from the marijuana plant's fibers to make 
rope and canvas.  It was also used in making clothing 
because of it's durability.  These uses fit in with 
the social climate of the time, because the main 
focus was on survival rather than for psychoactive 
purposes.

During the prohibition, marijuana was widely 
used because of the scarcity of alcohol.  Prohibition
was repealed after just thirteen years while the prohibition
against marijuana lasted for more than seventy five years.  
This double standard may have resulted from the wishes of 
those in power. Alcohol prohibition struck directly at 
tens of millions of Americans of all ages, including many of 
societies most powerful members.  Marijuana prohibition 
threatened far fewer Americans, and they had relatively 
little influence in the districts of power.  Only the 
prohibition of marijuana, which some sixty million 
Americans have violated since 1965 has come close 
to approximating the prohibition experience, but 
marijuana smokers consist mostly of young and 
relatively powerless Americans (American Heritage, pg 47). 
Alcohol prohibition was repealed and 
marijuana prohibition was retained, not because 
scientists had proved that alcohol was the less dangerous
of the various psychoactive drugs, but because of the prejudices
and preferences of most Americans (American Heritage, pg 47).

In 1937 the government issued the Marijuana Tax Act, 
which levied a dollar an ounce tax on marijuana, 
coupled with fines of $2,000 for drug posession and 
jail sentences for evasion of the tax.  For this
reason marijuana use in the United States appears
to have gone into  decline in the late 30's
(Grolier Wellness Encyclopedia, pg 54).
Then marijuana was outlawed in 1937 as a
repressive measure against Mexican workers
who crossed the border seekingjobs during
the Depression. The specific reason given 
for the outlawing of the hemp plant was it's
supposed violent "effect on the degenerate races"
(Schaffer, pg. 86).

Beginning in the 60's marijuana use saw a
resurgence which may be attributed to many
causes.  One of the main causes was the 
rebellion of youth against the Vietnam War.  
They used marijuana as an escape from war to peace.
It was easy at this time to depict marijuana as 
a beneficial and completely harmless substance
whose effects were far less harmful than those
of legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine
because there was not enough scientific
research done during the 60's (Grolier Wellness 
Encyclopedia, pg 54).

Another cause may have been the discovery of
the psychoactive component of marijuana-
tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC.
Users found the relation between the doses and
the effects (Grolier Electronic Publishing, 1995).

The current atmosphere provides for doctors to
suggest synthetic marijuana (THC) in a pure and
standardized form by perscription (called Marinol)
for the treatment of nausea associated with 
cancer chemotherapy. Also, although there is no
scientific evidence that shows marijuana
is beneficial in the treatment of glaucoma,
it may prevent the progression of visual loss.
Marijuana, along with alcohol and a host of
other substances, can actually lower intraocular
eye pressure. The mediction however, must be carefully 
tailored to the individual to prevent further eye damage.
 
The evidence has clearly shown that marijuana 
has been around for a great deal of time
and has served multiple purposes throughout history.  


Karen Sipes
Dana Pentoney
Jeni Roane

Sources

Grolier Electronic Encylopedia, Electronic Publishing, Inc., 1995

Grolier Wellness Encyclopedia, Drugs, Society & Behavior.
Vol. 3, 1992.

Ethan A. Nadelmann, American Heritage Magazine,
Feb-Mar, 1993. 

Medical Marijuana, http://www.lec.org/Drug_Watch/
Public/Documents/Med_Marijuana_Paper.htm, 1995. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\MarijuanaThe Truth.TXT
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 Marijuana is a green, brown, or grey mixture of dried,shredded flowers and/or leaves of
the hemp plant (-
 
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Cannabissativa) 
 

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;  
. You may hear marijuana called by street names such aspot,
herb, weed, boom, Mary Jane, gangster, or chronic . Thereare more than 200 slang terms for
marijuana.

-

 Sinsemilla, hashish, and hash oil are stronger forms ofmarijuana.

-

All forms of marijuana are mind???altering. This means theychange how the brain works.
They all contain THC                 (delta_9_tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical
inmarijuana. But there are also over 400 other chemicals in themarijuana plant.

-

Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette, in a pipe or abong. Recently it has
appeared in cigars called blunts which arelarger and, therefore more dangerous.

-

 THC in marijuana is strongly absorbed by the fatty tissuesin various organs. Generally,
traces (metabolites) of THC can bedetected by standard urine testing methods several days after
asmoking session. However, in heavy chronic users, traces can besometimes be detected for
weeks after they have stopped usingmarijuana.

-

Contrary to popular belief most teenagers have not usedmarijuana and never will.
Among students surveyed in a yearlynational survey, about one in six 10th graders report they
arecurrent marijuana users. Fewer than one in five senior highstudents are current marijuana
users.

-

 There are many reasons why some children and young teensstart using marijuana.
Most young people use marijuana becausethey have friends or brothers and sisters who use
marijuana andpressure them to try it. Some people use it because they seeolder people in the
family using it. Other users may think it iscool because they here about it in music and see it
used in TVand movies.

-

No matter how many shirts and hats you see printed with themarijuana leaf, or how
many groups sing about it, you should knowthis fact: You don't have to use marijuana just
because you thinkeverybody else is doing it. Most teens (four out of five) don'tuse marijuana!
+
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 The effects of the drug on each person depend on the user'sexperience as well as:
*how strong the marijuana is
                       *what the user expects to happen
                       *the place where the drug is used
                       *how it is taken;and
                       *whether alcohol of other drugs are used

-

Some people feel nothing at all when they smoke marijuana.Others may feel relaxed or
high. Sometimes marijuana makes usersfeel thirsty and very hungry__an effect known as the
munchies.

-

 Some users may get bad effects from marijuana. They suffersudden feelings of anxiety
and have paranoid thoughts.This ismore likely to happen when a more potent variety of marijuana
isused.

-

The short term effects of marijuana include:
 

 `	1.problems with memory and/or learning
 

 `	2.distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch)
-

 `	3.loss of coordination; and
 

 `	4.increased heart rate, anxiety, panic attacks

-

 These risks are even greater when other drugs are mixed withthe marijuana; and users
do not always know what drugs are givento them. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Mary Jane The Devil Weed.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
ABSTRACT:  This paper, entitled "Mary Jane:  The Devil Weed?" attempts to
examine what we know about marijuana and what problems are associated with
its use.  The paper examines briefly the history of marijuana legislation,
marijuana's known effects, and conclusions about its danger.

     Early in this century, the government waged a war of terrorism on
marijuana, or cannabis sativa.  "By 1937, forty-six states had laws against
the use of marijuana, and its use had already been made a criminal offense
under federal law" (Jaffe, 659).  Andrews pointed out that "not until some
time in the early 1930s did the Louisianna legislature pass a state regulation
making use of the drug illegal" (5).  Jaffe noted that "since the early 1900s,
marifuana has been considered the one drug that might introduce the 
susceptible to hard drugs."  Jaffe pointed out that "since about 1950....
smoking of marijuana has been linked statistically to the use of other
illicit drugs....Most observers have concluded that the link is sociological
rather than biological and...marijuana is a marker for individuals who are
more prone to seek new experiences even when these violate social norms and
local laws."
    Andrews related that "sensational newspaper stories relating...to crime
is generally held to be accountable for the sudden enactment of a law
prohibiting its use."  He went on to note that "users were often subject to
heavy penalties--up to life imprisonment in Texas."  "After caffeine, nicotine
and alcohol, marijuana is the fourth most popular abused substance" (O'Brien,
Cohen, Evans, and Fine, 175).
    does marijuana deserve this reputation?  We must first consider what it
is and what effects it has.  The active ingredient is tetrahydocannabinol,
or THC (Andrews).  THC, found only in the female plant, produces a mild
euphoric effect.  Marijuana is considered a hallucinogen, a Schedule 1 drup,
under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (O'Brien, Cohen, Evans, and Fine,
177).  A Schedule 1 drug means there is no known medical use.  Recently "a new
drug application was approved for THC (Marinol) to be used therapeutically
for control of nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy" 
(Jaffe, 663).  This moved THC from Schedule 1 to 2 (medical use despite 
potential for abuse).
     How dangerous is marijuana?  Jaffe notes that "any performance test
shows impairment....although no distinctive biochemical changes have been
found in humans."  Andrews writes, "Physical effects of marijuana use is 
probably the major question....The answer?  None."  O'Brien, Cohen, Evans,
and Fine, reported that the National Institute on Drug Abuse found, "Marijunan
now available is five to 10 times more potent than it was a half dozen years
ago" (178).  While these statements may not sound conclusive, the Institute
of Medicine, according to O'Brien, Cohen, Evans, and Fine, found, "What
little we know now about the effects of marijuana on human health--and all we have
reasons to suspect--justifies serious national concern."  They noted, "More
research has demonstrated marked disturbances in depth perception, time 
judgment, and coordination during cannabis use.  Coupled with surveys that
that indicate that many traffic accidents occur to people using cannabis
derivatives, these facts raise a significant public health concern."
     Is marijuana "devil weed"?  Though marijuana "does not produce physical
dependence," it does produce "psychological dependence and the euphoric and
sedative effects can result" (O'Brien, Cohen, Evans, and Fine, 179).  They
noted also, "Abstinence may result in feelings of irritability, nervousness,
or insomnia."  Jaffe observed that cannabis "may directly produce an acute
panic reaction, a toxic delirium,and accute paranoid state, or acute mania...
[It may} lead to sociopathy or even to the so-called AMOTIVATIONAL SYNDROME...
[and] aggravate schizophrenia" (661).
     Again we ask, Is marijuana "devil weed"?  In conclusion we must say that
marijuana might be, but the evidence is far from conclusive and far from
complete.  That marijuana is a public health problem is clear.  Marijuana
is a dangerous substance for individuals to use and operate a motor vehicle
of any kind.  That marijuana is potentially dangerous and destructive is
clear.
     Are there legitimate medical uses?  There are some.  It has been found
to redce intraocular pressures in individuals with glaucoma by 45% (Jaffe, 662).
It has been used as an antiemitic for individuals taking cancer chemotherapy.
Andrews concluded that "medical research indicates no physiological effect of
any severity from use of the drug.  Thus it has been assumed marijuana is
harmless" (12).
     But is marijuana "devil weed"?  The answers are mixed.  The 
conclusions uncertain.  Andrews' answer is probably the most accurate:
"Perhaps so.  Perhaps not.  Certainly more research is necessar."  In other
words, most of the reserach and most of the scientists have indicated that all
the answers are not in yet.


WORKS CITED

Anrews, Matthew.  (1972).  The Parents Guide to Drugs (Doubleday & Co.).
pp. 4-12.
Jaffe, Jerome H. (1995).  Encylopedia of Drugs & Alcohol (Simon & Schuster).
pp. 659-663.
O'Brien, R., Cohen, S., Evans, G., and Fine, J., (Eds.). (1992).  The
Enclopedia of Drug Abuse (Facts on File, Inc.).  pp. 175-179.
















 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\medical marijuana 2.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
About Medical Marijuana:
  Marijuana is medicine.  It has been used for thousands of years to treat a
wide variety of ailments.  Marijuana (Cannabis sativa L.) was legal in the
United States for all purposes - industrial and recreational, as well as
medicinal until 1937.

Today, only eight Americans are legally allowed to use marijuana as medicine.
NORML is working to restore marijuana's availability as medicine.  Medicinal
Value Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically
active substances known.  No one has ever died from an overdose.  It is also
extremely versatile.

  Four of its general therapeutic applications include: relief from nausea and
increase of appetite; reduction of intraocular ("within the eye") pressure;
reduction of muscle spasms; relief from mild to moderate chronic pain.

  Marijuana is often useful in the treatment of the following conditions:
Cancer:  Marijuana alleviates the nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite
caused by chemotherapy treatment.  AIDS:  Marijuana alleviates the nausea,
vomiting, and loss of appetite caused by the disease itself and by treatment
with AZT and other drugs.

Glaucoma:  Marijuana, by reducing intraocular pressure, alleviates the
pain and slows or halts the progress of the disease.  Glaucoma, which damages
vision by gradually increasing eye pressure over time, is the leading cause of
blindness in the United States.

Multiple Sclerosis:  Marijuana reduces the muscle pain and spasticity caused
by the disease.  It may also relieve tremor and unsteadiness of gait, and it
helps some patients with bladder control.  Multiple sclerosis is the leading
cause of neurological disability among young and middle-aged adults in the
United States.

Epilepsy:  Marijuana prevents epileptic seizures in some patients.

Chronic Pain:  Marijuana reduces the chronic, often debilitating pain caused
by a variety of injuries and disorders.

  Each of these uses has been recognized as legitimate at least once by various
courts, legislatures, government, or scientific agencies throughout the United
States.  Currently, such well respected organizations as the National Academy
of Sciences (1982), the California Medical Association (1993), the Federation
of American Scientists (1994), the Australian Commonwealth Department of Human
Services and Health (1994), the American Public Health Association (1995),
the San Francisco Medical Society (1996), the California Academy of Family
Physicians (1996), as well as several state nursing associations have supported
the use of marijuana as a medicine.

  In addition, anecdotal evidence exists that marijuana is effective in the
treatment of arthritis, migraine headaches, pruritis, menstrual cramps, alcohol
and opiate addiction, and depression and other mood disorders. Marijuana could
benefit as many as five million patients in the United States.

  However, except for the eight individuals given special permission by the
federal government, marijuana remains illegal-even as medicine! Individuals
currently suffering from any of the aforementioned ailments, for whom the
standard legal medical alternatives have not been safe or effective, are
left with two choices: Continue to suffer from the effects of the disease; or
Obtain marijuana illegally and risk the potential consequences, which
may include: an insufficient supply because of the prohibition-inflated price
or unavailability; impure, contaminated, or chemically adulterated marijuana;
arrests, fines, court costs, property forfeiture, incarceration,
probation, and criminal records.

Background:
  The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 established the federal prohibition of
marijuana.  Dr. William C. Woodward of the American Medical Association
testified against the Act, arguing that it would ultimately prevent any
medicinal use of marijuana.

  The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 established five categories, or
"schedules," into which all illicit and prescription drugs were placed.
Marijuana was placed in Schedule I, which defines the substance as having a
high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in
the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical
supervision.  This definition is simply not accurate.  However, at the time
of the Controlled Substances Act, marijuana had been illegal for more than 30
years.  Its medicinal uses had been forgotten and its "reefer madness" stigma
was still prevalent.

  Marijuana's medicinal uses were rediscovered as a result of the tremendous
increase in the number of recreational users in the 1970s:  Marijuana's
popularity compelled many scientists to study its health effects.  They
subsequently discovered marijuana's remarkable history as a medicine,
inspiring many studies of its therapeutic potential; Many recreational users
who also happened to be afflicted with conditions for which marijuana has
therapeutic potential inadvertently discovered its medicinal benefits.

  As the news spread, the number of patients illegally using marijuana
medicinally began to increase.  Because marijuana is a Schedule I substance,
however, doctors were not allowed to prescribe it, and research approval and
funding were severely restricted.

The Struggle In Court:
  In 1972, NORML initiated efforts to reschedule marijuana by submitting a
petition to the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs-now the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA).

  After 14 years of legal maneuvering, the DEA finally acceded to NORML's
demand for the public hearings required by law.

  Following the hearings, which lasted two years and included thousands of
pages of documentation as well as the testimony of numerous physicians and
patients, a decision was reached.

  On September 6, 1988, the DEA's Chief Administrative Law Judge, Francis L.
Young, ruled:

Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active
substances known. [T]he provisions of the [Controlled Substances] Act permit
and require the transfer of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II. It would
be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for DEA to continue to stand between
those sufferers and the benefits of this substance.

        [Docket No. 86-22]>
  Marijuana's placement in Schedule II would allow doctors to prescribe it to
their patients.  Bureaucrats in charge of the DEA rejected Judge Young's ruling
and refused to reschedule!

  Two appeals later, NORML experienced its first defeat in the 22-year-old
lawsuit.  On February 18, 1994, the U.S. Court of Appeals (D.C. Circuit) upheld
the DEA's decision to keep marijuana in Schedule I.

  It seems that as long as the DEA-a law enforcement agency-is allowed to set
its own criteria used to determine what "medicine" is, the courts will be
unable to require the DEA to reschedule marijuana.

Temporary Compasssion
  In 1975, Robert Randall, a glaucoma patient, was arrested for cultivating
his own medicinal marijuana.  He won his case by using the "defense of medical
necessity," forcing the government to find a way to provide him with his
medicine.

  The Compassionate Investigative New Drug (IND) program was thus created,
through which patients could obtain marijuana from the government.  The
program, while helpful to some, was thoroughly inadequate at granting
legal access to the millions of patients who are in need of medicinal marijuana:

  Most patients didn't even consider the possibility that an illegal drug
might be their best medicine; Most patients lucky enough to discover marijuana's
medicinal value didn't find out about the IND program; Most of those who did
find out about the program couldn't find doctors willing to take on the
grueling, time-consuming task of filing an IND application.

  In June 1991, the Public Health Service announced that the program would be
suspended because it undercut the Bush administration's opposition to the use
of illegal drugs.  After that, no new Compassionate INDs were granted, and the
program was discontinued in March 1992.

  On January 4, 1994, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) announced that it
would reconsider the ban.  On July 18, 1994, the PHS decided that it would
adhere to Bush's heartless policy and announced that the IND program would
remain closed.

  Presently, eight patients continue to receive marijuana under the original
program; for everyone else it is officially a forbidden medicine.

Hope for reform:
  There is an enormous amount of public support for ending the prohibition of
medicinal marijuana: Between 1978 and 1996, 36 states pass legislation
recognizing marijuana's medicinal value.  (They remain stymied by the federal
government's blanket prohibition of marijuana, however.)  A 1990 scientific
survey of oncologists (cancer specialists) found that 54 percent of those with
an opinion favor the controlled medical availability of marijuana and 44
percent had already broken the law by suggesting at least once that a patient
obtain marijuana illegally.  These findings are later published in the Journal
of Clinical Oncology.

  At NORML's urging, U.S. Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass.) introduces
legislation in Congress in 1995 (H.R. 2618) to amend the federal law to allow
physician's to legally prescribe marijuana as a medicine to patients.  NORML
testifies before Congress in 1996 on behalf of medical marijuana.  The
legislature of Washington state appropriates over $100,000 in 1996 to conduct
clinical studies on patients to determine the effectiveness of medical
marijuana in the treatment of serious illnesses.  The appropriation also fund
research on cultivating medical marijuana in a tamper-free environment and
explores potential ways in which the state can legally distribute the drug
for medical use.  Due in part to the activism of NORML members, a California
initiative to legalize marijuana for medical purposes (Proposition 215) gathers
enough signatures to be placed on the November 1996 election ballot.  In August,
both the San Francisco Medical Society and the California Academy of Family
Physicians -- representing a combined total of almost 10,000 physicians
statewide -- endorse the proposition.

  The challenge for compassionate Americans is to translate this public
support into effective reform.  It may not be easy to break the DEA's
stranglehold on medicinal marijuana, but it can be done!
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\medical marijuana.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
About Medical Marijuana:
  Marijuana is medicine.  It has been used for thousands of years to treat a
wide variety of ailments.  Marijuana (Cannabis sativa L.) was legal in the
United States for all purposes - industrial and recreational, as well as
medicinal until 1937.

Today, only eight Americans are legally allowed to use marijuana as medicine.
NORML is working to restore marijuana's availability as medicine.  Medicinal
Value Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically
active substances known.  No one has ever died from an overdose.  It is also
extremely versatile.

  Four of its general therapeutic applications include: relief from nausea and
increase of appetite; reduction of intraocular ("within the eye") pressure;
reduction of muscle spasms; relief from mild to moderate chronic pain.

  Marijuana is often useful in the treatment of the following conditions:
Cancer:  Marijuana alleviates the nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite
caused by chemotherapy treatment.  AIDS:  Marijuana alleviates the nausea,
vomiting, and loss of appetite caused by the disease itself and by treatment
with AZT and other drugs.

Glaucoma:  Marijuana, by reducing intraocular pressure, alleviates the
pain and slows or halts the progress of the disease.  Glaucoma, which damages
vision by gradually increasing eye pressure over time, is the leading cause of
blindness in the United States.

Multiple Sclerosis:  Marijuana reduces the muscle pain and spasticity caused
by the disease.  It may also relieve tremor and unsteadiness of gait, and it
helps some patients with bladder control.  Multiple sclerosis is the leading
cause of neurological disability among young and middle-aged adults in the
United States.

Epilepsy:  Marijuana prevents epileptic seizures in some patients.

Chronic Pain:  Marijuana reduces the chronic, often debilitating pain caused
by a variety of injuries and disorders.

  Each of these uses has been recognized as legitimate at least once by various
courts, legislatures, government, or scientific agencies throughout the United
States.  Currently, such well respected organizations as the National Academy
of Sciences (1982), the California Medical Association (1993), the Federation
of American Scientists (1994), the Australian Commonwealth Department of Human
Services and Health (1994), the American Public Health Association (1995),
the San Francisco Medical Society (1996), the California Academy of Family
Physicians (1996), as well as several state nursing associations have supported
the use of marijuana as a medicine.

  In addition, anecdotal evidence exists that marijuana is effective in the
treatment of arthritis, migraine headaches, pruritis, menstrual cramps, alcohol
and opiate addiction, and depression and other mood disorders. Marijuana could
benefit as many as five million patients in the United States.

  However, except for the eight individuals given special permission by the
federal government, marijuana remains illegal-even as medicine! Individuals
currently suffering from any of the aforementioned ailments, for whom the
standard legal medical alternatives have not been safe or effective, are
left with two choices: Continue to suffer from the effects of the disease; or
Obtain marijuana illegally and risk the potential consequences, which
may include: an insufficient supply because of the prohibition-inflated price
or unavailability; impure, contaminated, or chemically adulterated marijuana;
arrests, fines, court costs, property forfeiture, incarceration,
probation, and criminal records.

Background:
  The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 established the federal prohibition of
marijuana.  Dr. William C. Woodward of the American Medical Association
testified against the Act, arguing that it would ultimately prevent any
medicinal use of marijuana.

  The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 established five categories, or
"schedules," into which all illicit and prescription drugs were placed.
Marijuana was placed in Schedule I, which defines the substance as having a
high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in
the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical
supervision.  This definition is simply not accurate.  However, at the time
of the Controlled Substances Act, marijuana had been illegal for more than 30
years.  Its medicinal uses had been forgotten and its "reefer madness" stigma
was still prevalent.

  Marijuana's medicinal uses were rediscovered as a result of the tremendous
increase in the number of recreational users in the 1970s:  Marijuana's
popularity compelled many scientists to study its health effects.  They
subsequently discovered marijuana's remarkable history as a medicine,
inspiring many studies of its therapeutic potential; Many recreational users
who also happened to be afflicted with conditions for which marijuana has
therapeutic potential inadvertently discovered its medicinal benefits.

  As the news spread, the number of patients illegally using marijuana
medicinally began to increase.  Because marijuana is a Schedule I substance,
however, doctors were not allowed to prescribe it, and research approval and
funding were severely restricted.

The Struggle In Court:
  In 1972, NORML initiated efforts to reschedule marijuana by submitting a
petition to the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs-now the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA).

  After 14 years of legal maneuvering, the DEA finally acceded to NORML's
demand for the public hearings required by law.

  Following the hearings, which lasted two years and included thousands of
pages of documentation as well as the testimony of numerous physicians and
patients, a decision was reached.

  On September 6, 1988, the DEA's Chief Administrative Law Judge, Francis L.
Young, ruled:

Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active
substances known. [T]he provisions of the [Controlled Substances] Act permit
and require the transfer of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II. It would
be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for DEA to continue to stand between
those sufferers and the benefits of this substance.

        [Docket No. 86-22]>
  Marijuana's placement in Schedule II would allow doctors to prescribe it to
their patients.  Bureaucrats in charge of the DEA rejected Judge Young's ruling
and refused to reschedule!

  Two appeals later, NORML experienced its first defeat in the 22-year-old
lawsuit.  On February 18, 1994, the U.S. Court of Appeals (D.C. Circuit) upheld
the DEA's decision to keep marijuana in Schedule I.

  It seems that as long as the DEA-a law enforcement agency-is allowed to set
its own criteria used to determine what "medicine" is, the courts will be
unable to require the DEA to reschedule marijuana.

Temporary Compasssion
  In 1975, Robert Randall, a glaucoma patient, was arrested for cultivating
his own medicinal marijuana.  He won his case by using the "defense of medical
necessity," forcing the government to find a way to provide him with his
medicine.

  The Compassionate Investigative New Drug (IND) program was thus created,
through which patients could obtain marijuana from the government.  The
program, while helpful to some, was thoroughly inadequate at granting
legal access to the millions of patients who are in need of medicinal marijuana:

  Most patients didn't even consider the possibility that an illegal drug
might be their best medicine; Most patients lucky enough to discover marijuana's
medicinal value didn't find out about the IND program; Most of those who did
find out about the program couldn't find doctors willing to take on the
grueling, time-consuming task of filing an IND application.

  In June 1991, the Public Health Service announced that the program would be
suspended because it undercut the Bush administration's opposition to the use
of illegal drugs.  After that, no new Compassionate INDs were granted, and the
program was discontinued in March 1992.

  On January 4, 1994, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) announced that it
would reconsider the ban.  On July 18, 1994, the PHS decided that it would
adhere to Bush's heartless policy and announced that the IND program would
remain closed.

  Presently, eight patients continue to receive marijuana under the original
program; for everyone else it is officially a forbidden medicine.

Hope for reform:
  There is an enormous amount of public support for ending the prohibition of
medicinal marijuana: Between 1978 and 1996, 36 states pass legislation
recognizing marijuana's medicinal value.  (They remain stymied by the federal
government's blanket prohibition of marijuana, however.)  A 1990 scientific
survey of oncologists (cancer specialists) found that 54 percent of those with
an opinion favor the controlled medical availability of marijuana and 44
percent had already broken the law by suggesting at least once that a patient
obtain marijuana illegally.  These findings are later published in the Journal
of Clinical Oncology.

  At NORML's urging, U.S. Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass.) introduces
legislation in Congress in 1995 (H.R. 2618) to amend the federal law to allow
physician's to legally prescribe marijuana as a medicine to patients.  NORML
testifies before Congress in 1996 on behalf of medical marijuana.  The
legislature of Washington state appropriates over $100,000 in 1996 to conduct
clinical studies on patients to determine the effectiveness of medical
marijuana in the treatment of serious illnesses.  The appropriation also fund
research on cultivating medical marijuana in a tamper-free environment and
explores potential ways in which the state can legally distribute the drug
for medical use.  Due in part to the activism of NORML members, a California
initiative to legalize marijuana for medical purposes (Proposition 215) gathers
enough signatures to be placed on the November 1996 election ballot.  In August,
both the San Francisco Medical Society and the California Academy of Family
Physicians -- representing a combined total of almost 10,000 physicians
statewide -About Medical Marijuana:
  Marijuana is medicine.  It has been used for thousands of years to treat a
wide variety of ailments.  Marijuana (Cannabis sativa L.) was legal in the
United States for all purposes - industrial and recreational, as well as
medicinal until 1937.

Today, only eight Americans are legally allowed to use marijuana as medicine.
NORML is working to restore marijuana's availability as medicine.  Medicinal
Value Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically
active substances known.  No one has ever died from an overdose.  It is also
extremely versatile.

  Four of its general therapeutic applications include: relief from nausea and
increase of appetite; reduction of intraocular ("within the eye") pressure;
reduction of muscle spasms; relief from mild to moderate chronic pain.

  Marijuana is often useful in the treatment of the following conditions:
Cancer:  Marijuana alleviates the nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite
caused by chemotherapy treatment.  AIDS:  Marijuana alleviates the nausea,
vomiting, and loss of appetite caused by the disease itself and by treatment
with AZT and other drugs.

Glaucoma:  Marijuana, by reducing intraocular pressure, alleviates the
pain and slows or halts the progress of the disease.  Glaucoma, which damages
vision by gradually increasing eye pressure over time, is the leading cause of
blindness in the United States.

Multiple Sclerosis:  Marijuana reduces the muscle pain and spasticity caused
by the disease.  It may also relieve tremor and unsteadiness of gait, and it
helps some patients with bladder control.  Multiple sclerosis is the leading
cause of neurological disability among young and middle-aged adults in the
United States.

Epilepsy:  Marijuana prevents epileptic seizures in some patients.

Chronic Pain:  Marijuana reduces the chronic, often debilitating pain caused
by a variety of injuries and disorders.

  Each of these uses has been recognized as legitimate at least once by various
courts, legislatures, government, or scientific agencies throughout the United
States.  Currently, such well respected organizations as the National Academy
of Sciences (1982), the California Medical Association (1993), the Federation
of American Scientists (1994), the Australian Commonwealth Department of Human
Services and Health (1994), the American Public Health Association (1995),
the San Francisco Medical Society (1996), the California Academy of Family
Physicians (1996), as well as several state nursing associations have supported
the use of marijuana as a medicine.

  In addition, anecdotal evidence exists that marijuana is effective in the
treatment of arthritis, migraine headaches, pruritis, menstrual cramps, alcohol
and opiate addiction, and depression and other mood disorders. Marijuana could
benefit as many as five million patients in the United States.

  However, except for the eight individuals given special permission by the
federal government, marijuana remains illegal-even as medicine! Individuals
currently suffering from any of the aforementioned ailments, for whom the
standard legal medical alternatives have not been safe or effective, are
left with two choices: Continue to suffer from the effects of the disease; or
Obtain marijuana illegally and risk the potential consequences, which
may include: an insufficient supply because of the prohibition-inflated price
or unavailability; impure, contaminated, or chemically adulterated marijuana;
arrests, fines, court costs, property forfeiture, incarceration,
probation, and criminal records.

Background:
  The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 established the federal prohibition of
marijuana.  Dr. William C. Woodward of the American Medical Association
testified against the Act, arguing that it would ultimately prevent any
medicinal use of marijuana.

  The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 established five categories, or
"schedules," into which all illicit and prescription drugs were placed.
Marijuana was placed in Schedule I, which defines the substance as having a
high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in
the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical
supervision.  This definition is simply not accurate.  However, at the time
of the Controlled Substances Act, marijuana had been illegal for more than 30
years.  Its medicinal uses had been forgotten and its "reefer madness" stigma
was still prevalent.

  Marijuana's medicinal uses were rediscovered as a result of the tremendous
increase in the number of recreational users in the 1970s:  Marijuana's
popularity compelled many scientists to study its health effects.  They
subsequently discovered marijuana's remarkable history as a medicine,
inspiring many studies of its therapeutic potential; Many recreational users
who also happened to be afflicted with conditions for which marijuana has
therapeutic potential inadvertently discovered its medicinal benefits.

  As the news spread, the number of patients illegally using marijuana
medicinally began to increase.  Because marijuana is a Schedule I substance,
however, doctors were not allowed to prescribe it, and research approval and
funding were severely restricted.

The Struggle In Court:
  In 1972, NORML initiated efforts to reschedule marijuana by submitting a
petition to the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs-now the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA).

  After 14 years of legal maneuvering, the DEA finally acceded to NORML's
demand for the public hearings required by law.

  Following the hearings, which lasted two years and included thousands of
pages of documentation as well as the testimony of numerous physicians and
patients, a decision was reached.

  On September 6, 1988, the DEA's Chief Administrative Law Judge, Francis L.
Young, ruled:

Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active
substances known. [T]he provisions of the [Controlled Substances] Act permit
and require the transfer of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II. It would
be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for DEA to continue to stand between
those sufferers and the benefits of this substance.

        [Docket No. 86-22]>
  Marijuana's placement in Schedule II would allow doctors to prescribe it to
their patients.  Bureaucrats in charge of the DEA rejected Judge Young's ruling
and refused to reschedule!

  Two appeals later, NORML experienced its first defeat in the 22-year-old
lawsuit.  On February 18, 1994, the U.S. Court of Appeals (D.C. Circuit) upheld
the DEA's decision to keep marijuana in Schedule I.

  It seems that as long as the DEA-a law enforcement agency-is allowed to set
its own criteria used to determine what "medicine" is, the courts will be
unable to require the DEA to reschedule marijuana.

Temporary Compasssion
  In 1975, Robert Randall, a glaucoma patient, was arrested for cultivating
his own medicinal marijuana.  He won his case by using the "defense of medical
necessity," forcing the government to find a way to provide him with his
medicine.

  The Compassionate Investigative New Drug (IND) program was thus created,
through which patients could obtain marijuana from the government.  The
program, while helpful to some, was thoroughly inadequate at granting
legal access to the millions of patients who are in need of medicinal marijuana:

  Most patients didn't even consider the possibility that an illegal drug
might be their best medicine; Most patients lucky enough to discover marijuana's
medicinal value didn't find out about the IND program; Most of those who did
find out about the program couldn't find doctors willing to take on the
grueling, time-consuming task of filing an IND application.

  In June 1991, the Public Health Service announced that the program would be
suspended because it undercut the Bush administration's opposition to the use
of illegal drugs.  After that, no new Compassionate INDs were granted, and the
program was discontinued in March 1992.

  On January 4, 1994, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) announced that it
would reconsider the ban.  On July 18, 1994, the PHS decided that it would
adhere to Bush's heartless policy and announced that the IND program would
remain closed.

  Presently, eight patients continue to receive marijuana under the original
program; for everyone else it is officially a forbidden medicine.

Hope for reform:
  There is an enormous amount of public support for ending the prohibition of
medicinal marijuana: Between 1978 and 1996, 36 states pass legislation
recognizing marijuana's medicinal value.  (They remain stymied by the federal
government's blanket prohibition of marijuana, however.)  - endorse the proposition.

  The challenge for compassionate Americans is to translate this public
support into effective reform.  It may not be easy to break the DEA's
stranglehold on medicinal marijuana, but it can be done!

About Medical Marijuana:
  Marijuana is medicine.  It has been used for thousands of years to treat a
wide variety of ailments.  Marijuana (Cannabis sativa L.) was legal in the
United States for all purposes - industrial and recreational, as well as
medicinal until 1937.

Today, only eight Americans are legally allowed to use marijuana as medicine.
NORML is working to restore marijuana's availability as medicine.  Medicinal
Value Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically
active substances known.  No one has ever died from an overdose.  It is also
extremely versatile.

  Four of its general therapeutic applications include: relief from nausea and
increase of appetite; reduction of intraocular ("within the eye") pressure;
reduction of muscle spasms; relief from mild to moderate chronic pain.

  Marijuana is often useful in the treatment of the following conditions:
Cancer:  Marijuana alleviates the nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite
caused by chemotherapy treatment.  AIDS:  Marijuana alleviates the nausea,
vomiting, and loss of appetite caused by the disease itself and by treatment
with AZT and other drugs.

Glaucoma:  Marijuana, by reducing intraocular pressure, alleviates the
pain and slows or halts the progress of the disease.  Glaucoma, which damages
vision by gradually increasing eye pressure over time, is the leading cause of
blindness in the United States.

Multiple Sclerosis:  Marijuana reduces the muscle pain and spasticity caused
by the disease.  It may also relieve tremor and unsteadiness of gait, and it
helps some patients with bladder control.  Multiple sclerosis is the leading
cause of neurological disability among young and middle-aged adults in the
United States.

Epilepsy:  Marijuana prevents epileptic seizures in some patients.

Chronic Pain:  Marijuana reduces the chronic, often debilitating pain caused
by a variety of injuries and disorders.

  Each of these uses has been recognized as legitimate at least once by various
courts, legislatures, government, or scientific agencies throughout the United
States.  Currently, such well respected organizations as the National Academy
of Sciences (1982), the California Medical Association (1993), the Federation
of American Scientists (1994), the Australian Commonwealth Department of Human
Services and Health (1994), the American Public Health Association (1995),
the San Francisco Medical Society (1996), the California Academy of Family
Physicians (1996), as well as several state nursing associations have supported
the use of marijuana as a medicine.

  In addition, anecdotal evidence exists that marijuana is effective in the
treatment of arthritis, migraine headaches, pruritis, menstrual cramps, alcohol
and opiate addiction, and depression and other mood disorders. Marijuana could
benefit as many as five million patients in the United States.

  However, except for the eight individuals given special permission by the
federal government, marijuana remains illegal-even as medicine! Individuals
currently suffering from any of the aforementioned ailments, for whom the
standard legal medical alternatives have not been safe or effective, are
left with two choices: Continue to suffer from the effects of the disease; or
Obtain marijuana illegally and risk the potential consequences, which
may include: an insufficient supply because of the prohibition-inflated price
or unavailability; impure, contaminated, or chemically adulterated marijuana;
arrests, fines, court costs, property forfeiture, incarceration,
probation, and criminal records.

Background:
  The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 established the federal prohibition of
marijuana.  Dr. William C. Woodward of the American Medical Association
testified against the Act, arguing that it would ultimately prevent any
medicinal use of marijuana.

  The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 established five categories, or
"schedules," into which all illicit and prescription drugs were placed.
Marijuana was placed in Schedule I, which defines the substance as having a
high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in
the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical
supervision.  This definition is simply not accurate.  However, at the time
of the Controlled Substances Act, marijuana had been illegal for more than 30
years.  Its medicinal uses had been forgotten and its "reefer madness" stigma
was still prevalent.

  Marijuana's medicinal uses were rediscovered as a result of the tremendous
increase in the number of recreational users in the 1970s:  Marijuana's
popularity compelled many scientists to study its health effects.  They
subsequently discovered marijuana's remarkable history as a medicine,
inspiring many studies of its therapeutic potential; Many recreational users
who also happened to be afflicted with conditions for which marijuana has
therapeutic potential inadvertently discovered its medicinal benefits.

  As the news spread, the number of patients illegally using marijuana
medicinally began to increase.  Because marijuana is a Schedule I substance,
however, doctors were not allowed to prescribe it, and research approval and
funding were severely restricted.

The Struggle In Court:
  In 1972, NORML initiated efforts to reschedule marijuana by submitting a
petition to the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs-now the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA).

  After 14 years of legal maneuvering, the DEA finally acceded to NORML's
demand for the public hearings required by law.

  Following the hearings, which lasted two years and included thousands of
pages of documentation as well as the testimony of numerous physicians and
patients, a decision was reached.

  On September 6, 1988, the DEA's Chief Administrative Law Judge, Francis L.
Young, ruled:

Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active
substances known. [T]he provisions of the [Controlled Substances] Act permit
and require the transfer of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II. It would
be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for DEA to continue to stand between
those sufferers and the benefits of this substance.

        [Docket No. 86-22]>
  Marijuana's placement in Schedule II would allow doctors to prescribe it to
their patients.  Bureaucrats in charge of the DEA rejected Judge Young's ruling
and refused to reschedule!

  Two appeals later, NORML experienced its first defeat in the 22-year-old
lawsuit.  On February 18, 1994, the U.S. Court of Appeals (D.C. Circuit) upheld
the DEA's decision to keep marijuana in Schedule I.

  It seems that as long as the DEA-a law enforcement agency-is allowed to set
its own criteria used to determine what "medicine" is, the courts will be
unable to require the DEA to reschedule marijuana.

Temporary Compasssion
  In 1975, Robert Randall, a glaucoma patient, was arrested for cultivating
his own medicinal marijuana.  He won his case by using the "defense of medical
necessity," forcing the government to find a way to provide him with his
medicine.

  The Compassionate Investigative New Drug (IND) program was thus created,
through which patients could obtain marijuana from the government.  The
program, while helpful to some, was thoroughly inadequate at granting
legal access to the millions of patients who are in need of medicinal marijuana:

  Most patients didn't even consider the possibility that an illegal drug
might be their best medicine; Most patients lucky enough to discover marijuana's
medicinal value didn't find out about the IND program; Most of those who did
find out about the program couldn't find doctors willing to take on the
grueling, time-consuming task of filing an IND application.

  In June 1991, the Public Health Service announced that the program would be
suspended because it undercut the Bush administration's opposition to the use
of illegal drugs.  After that, no new Compassionate INDs were granted, and the
program was discontinued in March 1992.

  On January 4, 1994, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) announced that it
would reconsider the ban.  On July 18, 1994, the PHS decided that it would
adhere to Bush's heartless policy and announced that the IND program would
remain closed.

  Presently, eight patients continue to receive marijuana under the original
program; for everyone else it is officially a forbidden medicine.

Hope for reform:
  There is an enormous amount of public support for ending the prohibition of
medicinal marijuana: Between 1978 and 1996, 36 states pass legislation
recognizing marijuana's medicinal value.  (They remain stymied by the federal
government's blanket prohibition of marijuana, however.)  A 1990 scientific
survey of oncologists (cancer specialists) found that 54 percent of those with
an opinion favor the controlled medical availability of marijuana and 44
percent had already broken the law by suggesting at least once that a patient
obtain marijuana illegally.  These findings are later published in the Journal
of Clinical Oncology.

  At NORML's urging, U.S. Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass.) introduces
legislation in Congress in 1995 (H.R. 2618) to amend the federal law to allow
physician's to legally prescribe marijuana as a medicine to patients.  NORML
testifies before Congress in 1996 on behalf of medical marijuana.  The
legislature of Washington state appropriates over $100,000 in 1996 to conduct
clinical studies on patients to determine the effectiveness of medical
marijuana in the treatment of serious illnesses.  The appropriation also fund
research on cultivating medical marijuana in a tamper-free environment and
explores potential ways in which the state can legally distribute the drug
for medical use.  Due in part to the activism of NORML members, a California
initiative to legalize marijuana for medical purposes (Proposition 215) gathers
enough signatures to be placed on the November 1996 election ballot.  In August,
both the San Francisco Medical Society and the California Academy of Family
Physicians -- representing a combined total of almost 10,000 physicians
statewide -- endorse the proposition.

  The challenge for compassionate Americans is to translate this public
support into effective reform.  It may not be easy to break the DEA's
stranglehold on medicinal marijuana, but it can be done!

 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Medicial Plants.TXT
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                                                                                         MEDICINAL  PLANTS
                                                                                           BY:Your Name Here   
     
                                                                       
         
 	I am doing this project because I think it would be interesting to figure out different
things  about medicinal plants and, I decided to try to focus on garlic because, for reason it is a medicinal plant and there is a range of reasons why garlic is important to us but there                         are things we need to be aware of though.
	
	For about 5000 years garlic has been known to reduce blood cholestrol levels.  Garlic tastes very hot, dry, and pungent.  The cloves (a part of the garlic plant) are used mostly for infections, especially for such symptoms as: chest problems, some digestive disorders, blood sugar levels; and so, can be helpful in later-onsets of diabetes.  Sometimes, the cloves are efffective for some types of skin infections and acne.  Garlic is best used if it is fresh.

	Things to be aware of about garlic:  Garlic acts as a natural heating element inside the human vody; and can irritate the stimach.  Do not take garlic in theapuetic classes during pregnacys, and lactating mothers.  Garlic can also cause stomach problems, such as heartburn.

	Garlic's strong aromatic action helps cleanses the body's lings, and skin.  To help reduce the strong odor of garlic; it has been suggested to eat gresh parsly.  To elimate the odor of garlic from the mouth (breath). 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Medicinal Marijuana.TXT
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If your every waking moment was consumed by pain and nausea, wouldn't you ask for medication? What if the only medication legally available would leave you unconscious or do nothing at all? If you were the one suffering, would you resort to the only treatment that allowed you to live normally even though it was illegal? Thousands of people across the country are forced to break the law to ease their pain. They have chosen marijuana over anything legally available because it has various medicinal properties that cannot be found anywhere else. Due to these many unique medicinal uses, marijuana should be reclassified as a valid, legal form of treatment.  
	Marijuana has many unique uses as a form of treatment. It has been used effectively to combat the nausea caused by chemotherapy, to reduce the internal pressure of the eyes of glaucoma patients, and to prevent the "wasting syndrome" in AIDS and cancer patients ("Marijuana for the Sick" A10). As an alternative to using actual marijuana, modern science has developed a synthetic form of THC, the active chemical in marijuana. However, this synthetic drug, called Marinol, is useless for most everyday treatment because it has the unpleasant side effect of being a powerful sedative. A member of Milwaukee's AIDS community, said that a friend of his was taking Marinol to increase his appetite: "He spends the whole day laughing and watching movies...He can't even drive a car because he's so out of it." (3/25/97)  In addition to that, Marinol only comes in pill form, which makes it useless for patients taking it for nausea. Marijuana has neither of those drawbacks. Because it is usually smoked, even the most nauseous patient can use it as well as easily regulate their intake ("Medical Marijuana" 23). No prescription drug offers the benefits and potential of marijuana. 
	Many people have testified to marijuana's validity as a unique form of treatment. One of these, Robert Randall, one of only eight patients supplied with marijuana by the federal government, was diagnosed with acute glaucoma and told that he would be blinded within five years (Brazaitis 1C). Randall "discovered by accident that smoking marijuana" relieved the internal pressure of his eyes (1C). After more than twenty years of smoking marijuana, Randall still has his vision, defying the predictions of his doctors (2C). Richard Brookhiser, a senior editor of  the conservative National Review who has admitted to using marijuana to treat the nausea caused by chemotherapy, claims that "if that moment comes to you, you will turn to marijuana." (Brookhiser 28) Rita Zweig further illustrates marijuana's effectiveness:  "If anything that is prescribed worked as well for me," she said, "I wouldn't use marijuana." (Snider A1)  These three people represent thousands of sufferers across the country who use marijuana as a form of treatment.     
	Marijuana as a form of treatment has gained support from the medical community. Such prestigious medical publications as the New England Medical Journal have come out in support of medicinal uses for marijuana (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 1/30/97 3A). In addition to that, a Harvard study showed that nearly 44% of doctors who treat cancer patients in the American Medical Association, a group officially opposed to marijuana, have actually recommended marijuana to ease the pain of their patients ("Medical Marijuana" 22).  Even with this support, the federal government has refused any sort of clinical testing or reclassifying.      
	Because of its medicinal value and the lack of an effective substitute, marijuana should be reclassified as a Schedule II drug instead of a Schedule I drug, which would allow it for certain medical uses. Other illegal drugs such as cocaine and heroin are classified as Schedule II, even though they are considered habit forming and dangerous, where marijuana, classified as a Schedule I, has never caused a death or overdose and is not considered addictive. The federal government refuses to reclassify marijuana because there "is no proof that smoked marijuana is the most effective available treatment for anything." (McCaffrey 27)  There can be no proof until marijuana has been tested in a series of clinical trials. There can be no clinical testing of marijuana because the federal government will not allow them (Conant 26). Anyone who has read the book Catch-22 will find this situation familiar.   
 	The government opponents of medicinal marijuana are against it for political rather than practical reasons. Clinton, who suffered in the polls after he admitted to smoking pot, has taken a strong anti-drug stance to follow in the popular vein of Reagan and Bush's "war on drugs." Congress has taken a strong anti-drug stance, which could be viewed as another example of Congress' detachment from the people they represent, since 35 states have laws that allow marijuana for medicinal use in certain circumstances. The newly passed referendums in Arizona and California demonstrate popular support of these laws, and that they couldn't be passed through California's legislature also demonstrates the representative's isolation from the voters. Federal law, which bans marijuana for all uses, makes all these state laws illegal. This issue represents the power struggle between the state governments and the federal government. The federal government has no constitutional right to ban drugs, especially not if it overrides a state law. This issue has become more than just marijuana for treatment of the sick, it has grown to include the federal government's desire to maintain its dominance over the state governments. Unfortunately, people whose morality and patriotism prevent them from using marijuana to treat their cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, or other illness pay the price. 
	The other opponents of marijuana as a form of medical treatment have presented several illogical arguments against it. Many opponents argue that marijuana is a "gateway drug" that often leads to harder drugs. This argument is easily disproved by the fact that use of "hard" drugs in the Netherlands has decreased significantly since marijuana was legalized ("Medical Marijuana" 23)u. Parents are often worried that prescription marijuana will mean that more of it will get into the hands of kids. Some of these parents have prescriptions for Morphine, Prozac, Zoloft, Dexedrine, or countless other mood-altering drugs which they successfully keep out of their children's hands.       
	Marijuana should reclassified so its unique medicinal value can be legally utilized to treat patients. How long would the loudest opponent of medicinal marijuana live incapacitated by nausea or Marinol before he would turn to marijuana? Maybe opponents should spend a month or two in chemotherapy before they deny patients the most effective means of relief.

Works Cited
	Brazaitis, Tom. "The Illegal Wonder Drug." Plain Dealer 2 July. 1995: 1C-2C.
	"Journal backs medicinal use of marijuana." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 30 Jan. 
		1997: 3A.
	"Marijuana for the Sick." New York Times 30 Dec. 1996: A10.
	Conant, Marcus. "This Is Smart Medicine." Newsweek 3 Feb. 1997: 26.
	McCaffrey, Barry. "We're on a Perilous Path." Newsweek 3 Feb. 1997: 27.
	"Medical Marijuana." Issues and Controversies on File 10 Jan. 1997: 22-23.
	Brookhiser, Richard. "Pot Luck." National Review 11 Nov. 1996: 27-28.
	Snider, Burr. "Inside a Marijuana Pharmacy." San Francisco Examiner 3 July. 
		1994: A1-A2. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Nightclubs and Drugs.TXT
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Cultural beliefs, expectations, and ideals - how they  contribute to drug use.
Why they cause certain anti-drug efforts to fail

	The extermination of illegal drugs has always been one of our most
important, worldwide issues.   Ending the existence of drugs is one of the
toughest and most complicated goals we face.   Despite our constant battle
against them, illegal substances continue to exist and thrive in our culture.  
 With all the effort we put into the war against drugs, why is there little success?  
Lack of effort is not a major reason our attempts are failing.  It is the lack of
understanding that leads to the misdirection and failure of our attempts. 
Obviously a strong desire to use drugs exists, and it is the prevention of this
desire that we need to focus on in order to wipe out drugs from our lives.  
             In fact, our focus is strongly on punishing drug users, yet applying laws
against committed drug crimes has not proven to be an effective solution.  Drugs
are still produced and distributed everywhere, and are taken by many. -- despite
	Obviously our focus is mid-directed.   Because all types of people use
illegal substances, pinpointing one specific group to "bust" is not effective. 
Recently, we have tried to track the location of drug use.  We find places where
drugs tend to be, and seek to close them down as an effort to decrease the overall
use of drugs. 
	This has proved to be an ineffective technique because it does not change
people's craving for drugs.  Reasons leading up to drug use still exist.  Arresting
people for drugs does not kill their desire to use them.   Closing down a crack
house does not end the residents addiction, it just forces them to move. 
Reprimanding committed crimes does not eliminate the reason they were
committed.  Addressing drug offenses after they have  been made is not an
effective deterrent because the desire for the drug's effect still remains.  
	Why is this desire more influential than the law?  Partly because the
potential benefits of drugs overwhelm us, and turn our focus away from the
potential dangers and consequences.  People will go to extreme lengths to be the
best, or better than what they presently are.  Culture's attitudes toward beauty,
money, power as a representation for success drives us to turn to drugs.    Drugs
symbolize power, status, freedom, and the ultimate "high" in our world.   Drugs
can help people achieve higher status, more power, as well as the overwhelming
physical and emotional "escape."  Ultimately, the desire for the drug high is
worth the risk -- which we conceive to be very small -- of being caught.   In
reality, the risk of getting caught is extremely slim.  Only a small percentage of
all drug crimes do get caught, so our fear of the law is minimal.  Therefore, we
continue to use drugs, and are rarely deterred by the infrequent actions taken to
stop what we so badly want to achieve.   In addition, many people are willing to
risk getting caught, because the benefits of drugs outweigh the risks.  
	 Despite our strong cultural expectations which encourage this rampant
drug use, we continue to rely on the law to solve the drug problem.  Today,  one
popular technique is closing down high-drug use establishments, the most
prevalent in our country being nightclubs.  These exist for people's pleasure, and
serve as a site of experimentation and enjoyment; in many different ways. 
People are interested in all aspects of clubs, and are drawn into being a part of
them.  Nightclubs are a combination of many aspects within the entertainment
industry; including music, fashion, beauty/modeling and acting.  Along with
working in, and striving to be a part of, these industries comes the pressure to
keep up with the competition.  Those involved in these industries compete just
as much as those who are not; generally, everyone strives to achieve what they
do not have.     
	 Our cultural beliefs about success in these areas include the use of drugs
as a means of reaching our goals.  Drugs have always been closely linked to the
entertainment industry, and regardless of their illegal status, many of us
succumb to the temptation.   This is often a direct result of the pressure and
competition that our culture puts each individual through.   We are not easily
deterred from using drugs because we refuse to give up our dreams and goals,
and often are willing to do whatever it takes along the path to success.  
	These strong values keep laws from stopping our drug use.  While the
closing of a nightclub may stop us from using drugs there, it will not stop us
from using them somewhere else.  Our desire to reach success and be accepted
do not die because of an these infrequent, insignificant actions.   When an
establishment closes down, people can easily find another one which fulfills the
same purpose.   For example, when a movie theater or restaurant closes, patrons
locate another one.  No one stops seeing movies because one theater closes.   No
one stops eating because one restaurant closes.  Needs and desires still exist -- 
and are no less important because there is one less way to achieve it.   
	Nightclubs apply the same way.  People attend to party, relax, socialize,
and be accepted.  These desires are not lessened because one place of achieving
them is unavailable, they simply need to be fulfilled elsewhere.   And they can
be -- because drugs produce the same effects regardless of where they are
ingested.   
	 Our world is full of nightclubs and other establishments that attract and
contain high amounts of drugs.    New establishments open constantly.  If one
closes, the activity which would have taken place there moves elsewhere. 
Recently, Manhattan's busiest nightclub, Limelight, was closed by the police.
The weekend after its close,  three other top Manhattan nightclubs recorded a
significant increase in attendants.  The approximately one-thousand regulars
from Limelight dispersed throughout the other three clubs.  Regardless of the
closing, the same people still went out.  The same people still did drugs.  The
only change was their location.   Results proved that intended activity was not
stopped, it just occurred somewhere else.  	
	The weekend Limelight closed, I spent time at each of the other three
main alternative Manhattan nightclubs.  After years of attending Limelight, as
well as these other clubs, I felt knowledgeable enough to determine what the
results of Limelight's close were.  I observed change in people's attitudes and
actions, drug use, and overall events of each night.  What I saw proved that the
closing of one nightclub did not end or change the events of the night.   The
other clubs were twice as packed, contained significantly more drug use, and
served as new locations for former Limelight patrons.  I saw the same faces
continuing to use drugs, their determination to do this obviously unaffected by
the closed club.  I also saw the negative effects of this overcrowding due to the
close of Limelight.  I saw people passing out from extreme heat and fights
occurring, direct results from the massive overcrowding.   Many reports of
accidents, illness, and physical problems at nightclubs are result of the
overcrowding and social conflict, but are seen through the media as a result of
illegal drug activity.  Despite Limelight's closing, the amount of drug use
remained the same, the place where it occurred was the only thing changed.
	 As a frequent club-goer, I have experience and knowledge about what
occurs in these clubs.  I have seen what draws people to them, and have
observed their actions to achieve the desired goals; whether they be social,
mental, physical, or financial/career related.  From my experiences, I have
learned that nightclubs exist to help people reach these goals, but are not the
only way they can be attained.  People who attend clubs to seek out drugs do so
for many different reasons, all of which still exist even if the nightclub does not. 
	 I have seen models addicted to drugs, flocking to nightclubs to be seen
and to enjoy the euphoric effects of the music, people and attention.  Yet they
have another reason for using drugs; to stay thin for their career (which
demands this look).  The majority of models use drugs consistently for this
reason alone, regardless if nightclubs are a part of their lives or not.   Cultural
beliefs about beauty ideals  -- not anything related to night life -- causes this use
of drugs.    
	I have seen teenagers influenced by older people, introduced and
sometimes hooked onto drugs by them.  The lure of the physical "high" as well
as peer pressure and the need for acceptance all contribute to their drug use. 
These reasons do not exist solely within the confines of nightclubs, rather they
are present everywhere -- in schools, on streets, basically anywhere children are. 
Some children find the physical effects of drugs so wonderful, that they will do
anything to get it again.  I know of  children as young as 14 using drugs alone, in
their homes, in school -- many places other than nightclubs, because their only
goal is to feel the physical "high."  They are unaffected by the closing of a
nightclub because they are only focused on the drug, not the surroundings. 
Children struggling towards adulthood, independence, and confidence - without
wisdom or knowledge to make educated decisions, often go to extreme lengths
(drug use)to fit in.
	A lot has been written about nightclub's role in our drug problem.   Many
have described clubs as "drug headquarters" where anyone can go to get any
drug they want.  Without these sources would drugs be harder to find? 
Certainly, it would not effect the amount of drugs produced.  With the same
quantity to sell, dealers (formerly inside clubs) would then  be on the streets,
seeking out  customers.  This way, the product is more available to the general
public.  In addition to those who look for drugs, those who wouldn't ordinarily
want them often end up trying them.  They are introduced into drugs by  are
intrigue and curiosity, as well as the clever coercion of dealers who have no
qualms about approaching anyone and everyone they can find.  A drug addict  
always knows where and how to get what they need.  And as long as there is
someone who wants a drug, there is someone else there to supply it 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\ONLY THOSE WITH NO HOPE TAKE DRUGS.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
Only Those With No Hope Take Drugs

	Beatle John Lennon once said "Only those with no hope take drugs."  But I believe the statement is partly true, because not only those with no hope take drugs but more and more young generations begin using drugs.  Moreover, others may use drugs out of curiosity, for a thrill, or to rebel.  Regardless of why drug use begins, many people continue the practice because they become dependent on the drug.  
In recent years, the age of users of drugs has descended dramatically, nowadays, even a eight year-old kid may use drugs.  Young people begin using drugs for numerous reasons.  Some experiment with drugs because their friends use them.  Many young people find it difficult to resist peer pressure, which comes from the influence of people their own age.  In addition, they are easily influenced by media, such as movies, music, TV, and etc.  Moreover, young people often have a sense, that death or other severe consequences of drug use will not affect them personally.  At the age of rebel, teenagers are curious of trying new things which they've been told forbidden. Adults may begin using drugs for some of the same reasons as young people.  In addition, the stress of life, job, and family pressures may lead people to seek relief in drugs.  
When people do not know how to handle their stress and depressions properly, they seek for ways that can solve, at least lessen their pains.  Using drugs is certainly one method to reduce pressures and stress when there is no help coming from others.  Because drug causes temporarily delusion of what a person sees, hears, and smells,  he or she might feel a sense of invulnerability.  It will make anyone from hell to heaven.  On the other hand, there are many ways, other than using drugs, that can help to solve one's problems.  There is always hope unless you don't give it a try.  Don't surrender to drugs!
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Pass the Peace Pipe.TXT
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	The cries of conservatives across America has grown to a riotous roar.  The problem is that the long-standing and unjust prohibition of the psychoactive drug marijuana has been lifted by voters in Arizona and California.  Under the new law, doctors can prescribe marijuana to those patients who can possibly benefit from the drug's medicinal purposes. Used for alleviating pain and suffering, the drug can provide needed relief for many people.  However, to the concerned, it appears that with the new propositions government has granted permission to posses and consume a drug that has been banned for decades.  The "smoke" has yet to settle in Washington, but a reaction to the new laws from the federal government seems unlikely.  Optimistic supporters hope that similar policies and propositions will soon come to voters in other states.
	The debate over the legalization of Cannabis Sativa, more commonly known as marijuana, is currently one of the more heated controversies in the country today. The drug has been unrightfully prohibited since the 1930's for its dangerous effects.  However, earlier and more primitive cultures were able to safely explore marijuana's usage for both medicinal and hallucinogenic properties.  The usage of marijuana has existed for thousands of years in many countries world wide and can be documented as far back as 2700 BC in ancient Chinese writings.  In the earlier cultures, marijuana usage was accepted and its effects documented.  However, the United States government overlooked all of the information and banned the drug.  Recently, however, there has been a resurgence in the opinion of the drug's positive medicinal purposes.
	Studies on the medicinal uses of marijuana have been conducted on many patients that suffer from various health problems.  In patients with the AIDS, the drug served as a beneficial way to stimulate appetite.  Thousands of AIDS patients already use marijuana illegally for this condition and have reported excellent results. For those AIDS victims, marijuana can reduce the nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite that are common to the syndrome. Another medical function for marijuana is to combat glaucoma, the leading cause of blindness in the United States. Glaucoma is an eye disease that results from pressure that builds up over time and causes great pain and vision loss to sufferers. In the glaucoma patients, marijuana can aid in relieving the intraocular pressure on the eyeball, and thereby alleviate the pain and sometimes stopping the progress of the condition. Multiple sclerosis is another incurable condition that could benefit from the legalization of marijuana.  The disease disrupts the normal functioning of the nerves in the brain and the spinal cord. The common agonizing symptoms include tingling, numbness, impaired weakness, difficulty in speaking, painful muscle spasms, loss of coordination and balance, fatigue, weakness or paralysis, loss of bladder control, urinary tract infections, constipation, skin ulcers, and severe depression. Cannabis , because of its relaxing qualities has a startling and profound effect on the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.  For the sufferers it stops muscle spasms, reduces tremors, restores balance, restores bladder control, and restores speech and eyesight.  Many wheelchair-bound MS patients report that after smoking marijuana they can walk.
	Those who oppose the medical usage of marijuana argue that the American Health Association neither accepts nor believes that marijuana serves any purpose in medicine. Doctors claim that there is a great risk that results from smoking the drug. Inhaling any burning substance is harmful to the lungs and could eventually produce detrimental effects including cancer.  Despite cannabis' known adverse effects to lung function, it has never been reported to cause a single instance of lung cancer.  On the other hand, tobacco, a legal and readily accessible poison, is expected to kill 400,000 people this year.  A solution to the doctors' concerns would be to consume marijuana  through alternative methods of ingestion that cause diminished effects on bodily health; smoking the drug with a different apparatus or ingesting it without smoking could greatly decrease the harmful effects to the human body.
	Currently, according to the current laws of the United States government, possessing, selling, or using marijuana is illegal. The federal government is proud of its tough policy on illegal drugs.   As citizens, we are all thankful to live in an environment protected from the unregulated drug market and crime that would likely from an unrestricted drug trade.  But the opportunities that are missed and the pain and suffering endured from the prohibition of marijuana, are oppression not protection.  Our country was founded on a policy of democracy, where people decide what is best for government.  The decision of marijuana legalization should be given to the voters just as in Arizona and California. For too long there has been a ban on marijuana, and it is time for the public to join together and force a change.  Someday soon perhaps voters and officials will be able to sit together and join in the tradition of passing the peace pipe.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\PERMEABILITY OF HYDROPHILIC MODEL DRUGS.TXT
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Grade            : 80%
School System    : university
Country          : sweden
Author Comments  : senior project
Teacher Comments : n/a
Date             : fall 95
Site found at    : chance

PERMEABILITY OF HYDROPHILIC
 
MODEL DRUGS ACROSS 2/4/A1 INTESTINAL
 
EPITHELIAL CELL MONOLAYERS














Supervisors:
 	
Vladan Milovic
Professor Per Artursson


SUMMARY


Investigations of the integrity and transport characteristics of 2/4/A1 cells have been done in this report. The cell line was isolated from rat fetal intestinal epithelial cells and transfected with thermolabile SV40 large T antigen.

These cells proliferated at 33 °C, but eliminated the antigen and ceased proliferating at a non-permissive temperature (39°C). At 39°C 2/4/A1 cells started to differentiate but simultaneously the cells also underwent massive cell death.

When cultured at 37°C these cells formed confluent and tight monolayers that seemed to have paracellular transport characteristics similar to that of the human intestine.
Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the development of multilayers at 33°C, monolayers at 37°C and defects in the cell layer due to apoptosis at 39°C.

Different immunostainings of ZO-1, E-cadherin and vinculin confirmed formation of tight and adherence junctions. Transepithelial resistance reached a plateau of 25-35 Ohm.cm2, which was similar to the small intestine. In transport studies 2/4/A1 cell line monolayers selectively restricted the permeation of hydrophilic permeability markers proportional to molecular weight and discriminated more accurately between the molecules of intermediate molecular weight  compared to Caco-2 cells. 

These results indicated that 2/4/A1 cells could be used as a model for hydrophilic drug absorption.














INTRODUCTION


The small intestine plays a crucial role in the absorption of drugs and nutrients.  Exogenous substances cross a series of barriers during the process of intestinal absorption: (1) the aqueous boundary/mucus layer, (2) a single layer of epithelial cells, and (3) the lamina propria, which contains the blood and lymph vessels that then transport the absorbed drugs to other parts of the body (Artursson 1991).

The cell monolayer is comprised of two parallel barriers: the cell membrane and the tight junctions. Most drugs are absorbed by a passive diffusion across the cell membrane by the transcellular route, or across the tight junctions between the cells - the paracellular route. Drug transport can also be carrier mediated, when the drug utilizes transporters located in the cellular membrane. Transcytosis is another kind of active transport, in which macromolecules can be transported across the intestinal epithelial cell in endocytosed vesicles.

The hydrophilic and charged drugs are absorbed after passing through the paracellular route,  the water-filled channels between the cells (Artursson 1991). Rates and extent of the paracellular transport are, therefore, highly influenced by  the structure and size of the tight junctions as well as by the size of the molecules. Only small and hydrophilic drugs can pass between the cells rapidly and completely; permeation of larger molecules can be limited proportionally to their size and lipophilicity (Hillgren et al. 1995).

Simple assay methods are needed for drug absorption studies. Excised intestinal tissue, isolated cells, membrane vesicles and in vivo models have distinct limitations, which have been previously discussed in detail (Audus et al. 1990; Artursson 1991; Hillgren et al. 1995). The most suitable method for the study of drug intestinal transport appeared to be the use of cultured intestinal epithelial cells. This model has several advantages over conventional drug absorption models: (a) it is less time-consuming; (b) it enables rapid evaluation of methods for improving drug absorption; (c) it allows an opportunity to use human rather than animal tissues; (d) it can minimize expensive and sometimes controversial animal studies.

Human colorectal carcinoma cell line Caco-2 is nowadays the most widely used and the best explored model for drug intestinal transport (Hidalgo et al. 1989; Artursson 1990; Artursson & Karlsson 1991). This cell line displays spontaneous enterocytic differentiation in culture and forms a polarized monolayer with apical brush borders and well differentiated tight junctions (Hidalgo, 1989). Drug transport studies across the Caco-2 cell monolayers showed a satisfactory correlation with other in vitro absorption models, e.g. rat intestinal segments (Artursson et al. 1993) and in vivo drug absorption (Lennernäs et al., 1995), although a considerable variability has been reported, being related to heterogenity, a number of sub populations, and number of passages (Walter & Kissel, 1995).

Caco-2 cells however, form monolayers that resemble colonic rather than small intestinal epithelial cells. Due to its well-formed tight junctions, Caco-2 cell monolayers have a transepithelial electrical resistance of 260 Ohm.cm2 which is similar to the transepithelial electrical resistance of the colon rather than of the small intestine (Hillgren et al. 1995). Therefore, there is a need to investigate drug intestinal transport in a model which has apparent transport characteristics corresponding to the human intestine, and several studies have been attempted to characterize a cell line that can be used for this purpose.

A novel intestinal epithelial cell line (2/4/A1) is derived from the rat fetal intestinal epithelial cells conditionally immortalized with thermolabile SV40 large T antigen, pzipSVtsa58 (Paul et al. 1993). According to the original report, these cells form more leaky monolayers, with paracellular transport characteristics similar to that of the human intestine. When cultured at 32°C these cells continually proliferate and display few markers of intestinal differentiation. However, after being switched to a non-permissive temperature (39°C), these cells cease proliferating and exhibit a more markedly differentiated phenotype. They form a polarized monolayer covered with a few microvilli; tight junctions are also present (Paul et al. 1993; Hochman, personal communication).

The 2/4/A1 cell line has been preliminary investigated in this laboratory. It appeared that cells grown at 39°C underwent massive apoptotic cell death simultaneously with differentiation, and that those grown at permissive temperature continued proliferating and form multilayers. However, when grown at an intermediate temperature (37°C), the cells underwent apoptosis to a lesser extent, but maintained their proliferative capacity sufficiently to form tight and continuous monolayers.	

The aim of this study was to investigate permeability of paracellular marker molecules across the 2/4/A1 cell line monolayers and to look at the characteristics of the cell line. 


MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cell culture

2/4/A1 cells were expanded in flasks at 33°C, in RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 2% fetal calf serum, 10 mM Hepes, 2 mM L-glutamine, 200 mg/ml geneticin, 1 mg/ml BSA, 2 mg/ml dexamethasone, 20 ng/ml EGF, 50 ng/ml IGF-I, 10 mg/ml insulin, 10 mg/ml transferrin and 10 ng/ml selenic acid (ITS premixTM, Collaborative Research), with 5-6% CO2 and 95% humidity.

The cells were seeded on Transwell polycarbonate filter inserts (Ĝ 6.5 mm) coated with ECL extracellular matrix (entactin-collagen IV-laminin; Promega, Madison, Wisconsin, USA), at a density of 100,000 cm2 in a serum-free RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 10 mM Hepes, 2 mM L-glutamine, 200 mg/ml geneticin, 1 mg/ml BSA, 2 mg/ml dexamethasone, 20 ng/ml EGF, 10 mg/ml insulin, 10 mg/ml transferrin and 10 ng/ml selenic acid.

Transport studies

Paracellular markers of different size and molecular weight labelled with 14C or fluorescein were used: mannitol (MW 182), fluorescein (MW 376), lucifer yellow (MW 450), polyethylene-glycol 4000 (MW 4000), and dextran (MW 50,000). The experiments were performed at 37°C in Hank's Balanced Salt Solution pH 7.2 under "sink conditions". When PEG 4000 was used unlabelled PEG 4000 was also added to the donor solution to limit possible drug metabolism. The labelled marker molecules, 250 ml, were added to the apical side of the monolayer and after 20, 40, 60 and 80 minutes the inserts were moved to new wells and 500 ml samples taken from the basolateral solution. Prior to the experiments samples of 50 ml were taken from the apical solutions for measurements of the initial concentration (C0). All solutions were preheated to 37°C, and a heating plate was used when the wells were moved. Transport was measured over time (days 1-10) and compared with the values obtained from Caco-2 monolayers used as standard.

The radioactivity of the samples was determined using a standard liquid scintillation technique. The apparent permeability coefficient was calculated as described before (Artursson 1990), using a Microsoft Excel 4.0 software package (Macintosh Power PC computer and Microsoft Office software) and templates modified by K. Palm.


Electrophysiological measurements
 	
Transepithelial electrical resistance, short circuit current and potential difference were measured by an in-house computer-based automatic system using a single unit Transwell diffusion chamber (Grċsjö & Karlsson, unpublished results). Development of electrical parameters in 2/4/A1 cells was studied over time (days 1-10). The data was processed using a Lab View software package modified by Grċsjö et al.

Cell morphology 

2/4/A1 cells were routinely monitored under phase-contrast microscope each day. At appropriate time points nuclei were stained with DAPI (4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindolole, Molecular Probes, Leiden, Holland). The percentage of apoptotic nuclei was quantified according to the method of Aharoni et al. (1995). Cells grown on filters at different temperatures were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) after fixation in glutaraldehyde and dehydration with 1% osmium-tetroxide and 1% uranyl acetate. The presence of actin was assessed by direct immunofluorescence with rhodamine-conjugated phalloidin. Development of tight junctions were studied by indirect immunofluorescence to ZO-1 protein, and adherence junctions by immunostaining to E-cadherin and vinculin. Immunohistology slides were processed under laser scanning confocal microscope (Leica, Heidelberg, Germany) and images were obtained by Silicon graphics software package.

Materials

If not otherwise indicated, cell culture media and supplements were purchased from Life Technologies AB, Täby, Sweden. Mouse monoclonal antibodies to SV40 large T antigen were from Oncogene Science, Uniondale, New York, USA, and rhodamine-conjugated phalloidin from Molecular Probes, Leiden, Holland. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies to ZO-1 were obtained from Zymed Laboratories Inc., San Francisco, USA, and mouse monoclonal antibodies to human E-cadherin from Transduction Laboratories, Lexington, Kentucky, USA. Mouse monoclonal antibodies to human and rat vinculin were from Serotec, Oxford, UK. 

Statistics

Numerical data is expressed as the mean + SD of four to six experiments. One-way ANOVA (corresponding to unpaired one-tailed Students t-test) was used to compare means. A 95% probability was considered significant.
RESULTS

Growth of 2/4/A1 cells

2/4/A1 cells seeded on ECL coated filter supports showed different growth rate dependent on the temperature. At 33°C 2/4/A1 cells proliferated rapidly, growing exponentially until day 4 after seeding and forming multilayers consisting of immature enterocytes. Growth was significantly reduced at 37°C and the cells formed monolayers. There was a decrease in cell number at 39°C and 10 days after seeding only 15% of the initial number of cells remained attached to the matrix. Apoptosis, as calculated per 1000 cells, was present at 33°C to a negligible extent, although the proportion of apoptotic cells raised steadily at 39°C. After 10 days no nuclei without apoptotic morphology were noted at this temperature. Number of apoptotic cells did not differ at the remaining two temperatures (Figure 1). 

 As estimated qualitatively by the immunohistochemical detection of SV40 large T antigen, the presence of the antigen was a prerequisite for growth in 2/4/A1 cells.  SV40 large T antigen was present in the entire nuclei at 33°C, less prominent at 37°C, and poorly stained in the nuclei at 39°C (Figure 2).















Figure 1. Cell number and apoptosis in 2/4/A1 cells seeded on ECL matrix at 33°C, 
37°C and 39°C. Cells were counted after staining with DAPI and apoptosis estimated 
in accordance to the accepted criteria. *, p<0.05; **, p<0.01.




































Figure 2. Expression of SV40 large T antigen in 2/4/A1 cells seeded at 33°C, 37°C and 39°C. Bar indicates 10 mm.

































Figure 3. ZO-1 (A,B,C), E-cadherin (D,E,F), and actin (G,H,I) in 2/4/A1 cells seeded at 33°C, 37°C and 39°C. Bar indicates 5 mm.





















Figure 4. Vertical sections of 2/4/A1 cell layers seeded to 33°C (A,C,E) and 37°C (B,D,F) stained to ZO-1 (A,B), E-cadherin (C,D) and vinculin (E,F). Bar indicates 5 mm.



Development of tight and adherence junctions

As estimated by the appropriate antibodies, ZO-1 protein was present in 2/4/A1 cells grown at all temperatures. Its distribution, however was uneven in the multilayers at 33°C, reaching an intensively stained network at 37°C. At the non-permissive temperature the ZO-1 pattern was discontinuous, indicating loosening of cell-to-cell contact preceding cell death (Figure 3, A-C). Adherence junctions were also present at all temperatures. E-cadherin formed a dotted network distributed diffusely in the cytoplasm at both 33 and 39°C; the pattern was located more closely near the cellular membrane at 37°C (Figure 3, D-F). Actin filaments were well developed at all three temperatures, showing stress fibers at 33°C and being distributed evenly at  37°C in the cell membrane. At 39°C the actin network indicated broadening of extracellular spaces and defects in the monolayer (Figure 3, G-I).

ZO-1 protein was located diffusely across the membrane at 33°C. On the contrary, at 37°C ZO-1 was located exclusively in the upper pole of the cell-to-cell junctions, indicating that normal tight junctions are formed at 37°C. At 39°C the ZO-1 formed a discontinuous pattern located at the upper pole of the monolayer, but with clear defects in the staining pattern indicating defects in the cellular layer. E-cadherin and vinculin were located below the ZO-1 band, forming a dotted network of filaments accumulated around the cell membrane (Figure 4).
Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the development of multilayers at 33°C, monolayers at 37°C, and defects in the layer due to apoptosis at 39°C (Figure 5). Tight junctions occurred at all temperatures, although those at 37°C were longer and appeared tighter than those at 33°C. At all temperatures, at least within the time interval studied, the brush border membrane surface remained undifferentiated, with  few microvilli and without visible brush borders. These data imply that 2/4/A1 cells may be presumably used as a model of paracellular transport, in which the influence of brush border enzymes and transcellular transport systems does not interfere with the paracellular pathway.

This data indicates that well developed tight and adherence junctions occur when 2/4/A1 cells are grown at 37°C. We therefore decided to evaluate 2/4/A1 cells grown at 37°C as a model for paracellular transport of hydrophilic drugs across the small intestine. 

Transepithelial resistance

TEER reached a plateau of 25-35 Ohm.cm2 after four days in culture. Resting potential and short circuit current were low throughout the time studied, and were consistent with the cellular morphology (Figure 6).  













Figure 6. Transepithelial resistance, resting potential and short circuit current of 2/4/A1 cell line monolayers seeded at 37°C. Experiments were performed in Hanks balanced salt solution at 37°C. N=6.









































Figure 5. Transmission electron microscopy of 2/4/A1 cells seeded at (a) 33°C, (b) 37°C and (c) 39°C. Bar indicates 5 mm.







































Transport studies

Transport experiments were studied 1, 2, 4, 6 and 10 days after seeding. 2/4/A1 cell line discriminated well between the paracellular markers of increasing molecular weight, maintaining such a selective permeability throughout the investigated period. Papp values for molecules with molecular weight around 400 were about 4.5x10-6 cm/s and correlated well to the human intestine (Figure 7). When compared to Caco-2 cell line, 2/4/A1 cells had 40 to 250 times higher Papp values and discriminated more accurately between the molecules of intermediate molecular weight (Figure 8). Transport of mannitol and PEG-4000 in a calcium-free medium showed a two-fold increase in comparison to normal values (Figure 9). Since the adherence junctions can not function properly without calcium, this data indicates that the permeation of the markers is restricted mainly to the paracellular pathway


















Figure 7. Permeability of hydrophilic marker molecules across 2/4/A1 cell line monolayers. N=6.






















Figure 8. Permeability of hydrophilic marker molecules across 2/4/A1 cell line monolayers (A) and Caco-2 cell line monolayers (B). Note that Papp values differ aprox. 100-fold. N=6.




















Figure 9. Permeability of mannitol (MW 182) and PEG-4000 across 2/4/A1 cell line monolayers in Hanks balanced salt solution with (left) and without calcium (right). N=4. 
*, p<0.05; **, p<0.01.
DISCUSSION


Cell cultures have been broadly used in the studies of drug intestinal transport. It has been generally accepted that the data obtained from the cell culture models are easy to interpret, since the influence of adjacent structures (submucosa, luminal enzymes, intestinal transit) has been minimized or completely abolished. However, most of the cell culture models used for the studies of drug intestinal transport are of cancer origin; there is a possibility that their transport characteristics may differ from the normal intestine. Furthermore, in Caco-2 cells the tight junctions are more similar to the colon than to the small intestine; also, for instance, T84 cells correspond to crypt cells, with a negligible role in the intestinal transport under in vivo conditions, and  the HT-29 cell line can be induced to mimic various cell types, but also showed a number of phenotypic variations and appeared to be a poorly reproducible model for drug intestinal transport (Artursson 1991; Hillgren et al., 1995). In addition, cells which undergo spontaneous differentiation (e.g. Caco-2) require to be kept in culture for several weeks, which obviously increases the costs of maintenance and experiments. Several attempts to cultivate normal intestinal cells appeared to be unsuccessful.

In order to overcome disadvantages of the use of cancer cell lines in studying intestinal transport, we evaluated a conditionally immortalized rat fetal intestinal epithelial cell line, 2/4/A1, as a possible alternative model. Such cells can be isolated from transgenic mice (Whitehead et al,1991), or, as was the case in our study, from rat fetal intestinal cells conditionally immortalized with a thermolabile SV40 large T antigen (Paul et al, 1993). These cells proliferate continuously at a permissive temperature (33°C), but cease proliferating and undergo apoptotic cell death at a non-permissive temperature (39°C). In the preliminary part of our study, we found out that 2/4/A1 cells preserved certain proliferative capacity when kept at an intermediate temperature (37°C), presumably due to an incomplete elimination of SV40 large T antigen. Growth rate at the intermediate temperature was significantly reduced in comparison to the growth at a permissive temperature. Furthermore, we have shown that 2/4/A1 cells at 37°C developed well differentiated tight and adherence junctions, which differed morphologically from the less developed tight junctions observed at 33°C. Our data also showed that intestinal transport systems located at the brush border membrane of the absorptive cell remained undifferentiated when 2/4/A1 cells were cultured at an intermediate temperature. Permeability characteristics of the model appeared to be more similar to human ileum than to human colon, as was the case with Caco-2 model: TEER values were 25-35 Ohm.cm2, similar to human ileum and slightly lower in comparison to the human jejunum (Lennernäs et al 1995). In spite of a great variability of TEER values in different clones and passage numbers of Caco-2 cells (Walter and Kissel, 1995), TEER values in 2/4/A/1 cells, according to our data, remained significantly lower than in any type or clone of the Caco-2 cells studied.

2/4/A1 cell line monolayers also selectively restricted the permeation of hydrophilic permeability markers proportional to molecular weight and size. Permeability of larger markers (PEG-4000, dextran) was negligible. This effect can be attributed exclusively to the selective nature of tight junctions in 2/4/A1 cells, since the permeability decreased rapidly after a calcium-free medium was introduced. Morphologic examination of the tight junctions (by immunostaining to ZO-1 protein, data not shown) clearly supported the evidence that tight junctions in 2/4/A1 cells were sensitive to calcium depletion and showed subsequent impairment in their function.

2/4/A1 cell line monolayers discriminated well between the molecules of an intermediate molecular weight, i.e. between 180 and 4000. Since most of the drugs transported via the paracellular route have molecular weight within this range, we conclude that 2/4/A1 cells fulfil the functional criteria to be used as a model for the hydrophilic drugs that utilize the paracellular pathway when absorbed in the human small intestine.

REFERENCES

Artursson P. Epithelial transport of drugs in cell culture. I. A model for studying the passive diffusion of drugs over intestinal absorptive (Caco-2) cells. J Pharm Sci 1990; 79:476-85

Artursson P, Karlsson J. Correlation between oral absorption in humans and apparent drug permeability coefficients in human intestinal epithelial (Caco-2) cell culture. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1991; 175:880-6

Artursson P. Cell cultures as models for drug absorption across the intestinal mucosa. Crit Rev Ther Drug Carrier Syst 1991; 8: 305-30

Artursson P, Ungell A-L, Löfroth J-E. Selective paracellular permeability in two models of intestinal absorption: Cultured monolayers of human intestinal epithelial cells and rat intestinal segments. Pharm Res 1993; 8: 1123-29

Artursson P. Cell cultures for characterization of intestinal drug absorption. In: E. Sandell (Ed.), Industrial Aspects of Pharmaceutics. Swedish Pharm Press, Stockholm, Sweden 1993: 274-284

Audus KL, Bartel RL, Hidalgo IJ, Borchardt RT. The use of cultured epithelial and endothelial cells for drug transport and metabolism studies. Pharm Res 1990; 7:435-51

Hidalgo IJ, Raub TJ, Borchardt RT. Characterization of the human colon carcinoma cell line (Caco-2) as a model system for intestinal epithelial permeability. Gastroenterology 1989; 3:736-49

Hillgren KM, Kato A, Borchardt RT. In Vitro systems for studying intestinal drug absorption. Med Res Rev 1995; 2:83-109

Lennernäs H, Palm K, Fagerholm U, Artursson P. Correlation between paracellular and transcellular drug permeability in the human jejunum and Caco-2 monolayers. Pharm Res (Suppl.) 1994; 10: 263

Paul ECA, Hochman J, Quaroni A. Conditionally immortalized intestinal epithelial cells: novel approach for study of differentiated enterocytes. Am J Physiol 1993; 265: C266-78

Walter E, Kissel T. Heterogenity in the human intestinal cell line Caco-2 leads to differences in epithelial transport. Eur J Pharm. Sci 1995; 3: 215-30

Whitehead RH, VanEeden PE, Noble MD, Ataliotis MD, Jat PS. Establishment of conditionally immortalized epithelial cell lines from both colon and small intestine of adult H-2Kb-tsA58 transgenic mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1993; 90:587-591







 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Persuasive Essay.TXT
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Persuasive Essay

In California there is still more controversial debate over the use of marijuana for medical purposes.  The advantage with using marijuana for medical reason is, it eases the pain, and relaxes them so they can enjoy the rest of their life.  For these terminally ill patients the marijuana also makes them happy and enjoyable to be around.  The disadvantage is that after smoking it for an extended period of time the majority of the patients will develop lung cancer.  That is not so bad for them considering there is no cure for their disease.  My stand point on this subject is that it is a good idea for marijuana to be used as a medical drug for the treatment in terminal illnesses.
The state law proposition 215 which says, that pot is legal to smoke if you are using it for medical reasons in terminally ill cases.  This proposition was on the November ballot and was voted into effect.  The federal law that was put into effect no to long ago, states that using marijuana for any reason including medical reasons is illegal.  This law was put into effect by the president Bill Clintion.  I feel that the law enforcers in California should ignore the federal law or appeal it in court.  
There is another drug that is illegal to use in any way but for medical reasons.  That drug is morphine, it is used in hospitals to relieve the sever pain of any patient.  The reason I know this is that recently my mother was in the hospital for a brain aneurysm and when she got headaches she was given morphine.  This is just like what is going on in California, people diagnosed with AIDS and other illnesses should be able to use strong medicines including marijuana to ease the suffering that they are experiencing.  
Especially in California where there are more AIDS cases there than any other place in the nation.  All over the state there are clinics that supply patients with pot for them to use to relax.  Some of these places have strict guidelines for acquiring marijuana and others do not have so strict guidelines.  One of the clinics or clubs(as they call them) was raided and shutdown by state narcotics agents.  The club's name was Cannabis Buyers Club,  which has thousands of members was the one shutdown.  The patients that received their pot there were upset.  City Hall, in the first week got 150 calls asking for help.  Officials went to the Healing Alternatives Foundation and asked for help.  Matthew Sharp, the foundation director and an AIDS patient told the mayor that he would not help because of the guidelines.
Matthew sharp also said he "really never liked to smoke pot."  But after he was diagnosed with wasting syndrome, the smoking helped him to relax and it helped he over come the nausea and start eating again. That is another way of how smoking pot has helped these patients start enjoying their lives more.  There are more patients with stories like his and that is why I feel that Proposition 215 should be enforce and not the federal law.  I think that California should appeal the federal law for the health and happiness of the patients.  That is my position on this subject. 

 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Phencyclidine The dust of angles.TXT
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The Dawn of a New Age

April, 1956 : The pharmaceutical company Parke & Davis first synthesize what they 
believe to be the perfect anesthetic (Souza, 1995). When administered to patients, it causes a 
completely dissociative state, with no significant respiratory or cardiovascular depression. 
Patients appear  to be awake, eyes open, breathing normally.but are unaware of their 
surroundings or the procedures being performed upon them (Souza, 1995). Indeed, this is the 
perfect drug. Unfortunately, like all good things,  this one has a darker side. 15% of patients 
awake from their slumber with what appeared to be an acute case of paranoid schizophrenia 
(Peterson; Stillman, 1978). The drug is PCP, and to this day it is the scourge of the 
underground drug community, and the focal point of intense scientific research. Parke Davis and 
Company did not know how terrible, and wonderful, a discovery they made that day; but our 
world has been changed forever because of it.quite possibly for the better.

	
The Dust of Angels

Phencyclidine, more commonly known as PCP, is a polycyclic compound belonging to 
the arylcyclohexylamine class of chemicals [figure 1.0] (Souza 1993). In pure form, it is a white 
powder which readily dissolves in water. The cyclohexamines are known for their the potent 
neurological effects, with PCP being the most potent. Almost every variation has been 
administered to, or abused by, humans at some time (Nintey Fifth Congress, 1978). All these 
compounds have similar pharmacological effects, which vary considerably according to the 
amount administered. Small doses produce a `drunken' state, in which subjects report a 
numbness in the extremities, while some species (like dogs and cats) become quite excited 
(Halberstadt, 1995). Intermediate doses have anesthetic and analgesic effects , with the psychic 
state resembling sensory isolation with one important exception: the sensory impulses (when 
tested electrophysiologically) reach the neocortex but "the neuronal signals are grossly 
distorted" (Halberstadt, 1995). Large doses, especially of PCP, may produce convulsions. Any 
dose produces cataleptoid muscle effects (Halberstadt, 1995). All the chemicals in this class 
produce a range a physiological effects, including tachydardia and hypertension (Halberstadt, 
1995). Unlike the other cyclohexamines, however, PCP causes severe "emergence delirium" 
when taken in moderate to anesthetic quantities (Halberstadt, 1995). On the other hand, 
ketamine, a close cousin of PCP, produces depressant effects which are more amplified than 
PCP without the psychotic aftereffects (although hallucinations are reported by patients during 
sedation, (Halberstadt, 1995)). In special cases, ketamine is still used as an anesthetic. (C.H. 
Badenhorst M.D, personal communication).

	Ten years after its initial discovery, phencyclidine found a new audience in the scientific 
and underground drug culture communities (Nintey Fifth Congress, 1978). At this time, a few 
Freudian psychologists carried out unauthorized experiments in which perfectly healthy patients 
were given PCP and observed (Nintey Fifth Congress, 1978). Although their research did not 
provide much useful data, it did begin a revolution in our knowledge of the chemical basis for 
schizophrenia (Nintey Fifth Congress, 1978). In 1987, the FDA removed Sernyl 
(phencyclidine's market name) from the human market and reserved it for use only as an animal 
tranquilizer, for which it is still used today (Peterson, 1978). Unfortunately, some individuals 
were still able to obtain the drug, either through theft or home synthesis in a garage laboratory 
(Nintey Fifth Congress, 1978). It was distributed under a number of slang terms, including 
PeaCe Pill, THC, and Love Boat; and rapidly spread throughout the country as a result of its 
low price and availability (Peterson, 1978). There were many casualties.not because of the 
drug, but because of its effects. Hospitals also noticed a sudden increase in paranoid 
schizophrenic admissions (Peterson, 1978), which naturally sparked more interest in this enigma 
of a drug, and raised many questions: Why were people addicted to a drug which seldom 
generated "good trips"? Why (and more importantly, how) was this drug causing episodes of 
paranoid schizophrenia? A new era in drug research for schizophrenia had been opened.

	
The Excitory Amino Acid Link

If one takes a moment to consider what a amazing drug PCP is, then it is easy to see 
just why scientists were so excited. Here was a single chemical which could induce 
schizophrenia (Restak, 1994), a bright arrow pointing to a possible cause of this terrible 
disorder. Scientists hypothesized that perhaps there were naturally occurring phencyclidine-like 
substances within the brain which malfunction and caused psychotic states (Restak 1994). This 
"magic" compound was jokingly referred to as "Angle Dustin" (Restak, 1994). In truth, these 
scientists were much closer to the truth than they thought.but there is an interesting twist.

	In the brain, there are three prevalent amino acid neurotransmitters: glycine, glutamate, 
and aspartate; collectively these are referred to as the excitory amino acids (Restak, 1994). 
They are secreted at nerve terminals, and interact with receptors on the neuron at the post 
synaptic membrane (Haberstadt, 1995). Without these neurotransmitters, the brain would 
simply cease to work. Too much of them, however, and the brain also tends to stop working. 
These neurotransmitters function by opening ion channels within a neuron, effectively 
depolarizing it; through "coupling via the glutamate receptor with other chemicals that initiate a 
chain reaction of interlinked chemical processes within the neuron" (Haberstadt, 1995). In other 
words, they excite the neuron by allowing charged ions to enter it. As said before, however, too 
much of these neurotransmitters would kill the neuron by exciting it to death. As a matter of fact, 
this is the principle damaging factor in stroke patients (Restak, 1994). When a neuron dies, it 
releases copious amounts of amino acid neurotransmitters which then kill other brain cells 
through the excitotoxic effect (Souza, 1993). In order to study this effect more fully, scientists 
used a glutamate analog known as NMDA (N-methyl-D-Aspartate) which was considerably 
more potent than glutamate by itself (Souza, 1993). Quite accidentally, the scientists also 
discovered an NMDA antagonist, which turned out to be phencyclidine. Now here is an 
interesting situation: PCP is known to be a "bad" drug, causing many unwanted effects and 
hardly any beneficial ones. NMDA (or more appropriately, the excitatory amino acids), on the 
other hand is a good drug; being necessary for normal brain functioning. Ironically, PCP is a N-
methyl-D-Aspartate antagonist and counteracts any damage done by excitotoxic levels of 
NMDA in laboratory animals (Restak, 1994). This is where a very important question is raised: 
What role do excitory amino acids play in schizophrenia? There are, of course, two possible 
directions to this question. Either schizophrenic patients have too much glutamate, or too little 
(Haberstadt, 1995). Unfortunately, the answer is never quite so simple; but some important 
pieces in the schizophrenia puzzle had been found (Haberstadt, 1995).


Biochemistry of an Angel 

	For the last decade, scientists have been hard at work trying to decipher the complex 
biochemistry of PCP. The results have been extraordinary, with the effects of phencyclidine 
depending on a magnificent symphony of receptor sites and chemical concentrations on the 
neuron. As was stated before, the effects of the excitory amino acids are mediated by the 
NMDA receptor subtype (in addition to 4 others) (Restak, 1995). It is known that one of 
PCP's major preferences lies with the NMDA receptor complex (Souza, 1993). The NMDA 
receptor "mediates ion flux through a channel permeable to Na+, K+, and Ca2+" (Souza, 1993). 
The ion flux is voltage dependent, which is in turn controlled by Mg2+ and phencyclidine (Souza, 
1993). On the other hand, the extent of channel activation is controlled by glycine through the 
use of NMDA agonists (Souza, 1993). Some polyamines have also recently been shown to use 
some sites to control glycine binding (Haberstadt, 1995). In addition, the NMDA and glycine 
receptors have been shown to exist in both antagonist and agonist conformations, depending on 
the relative concentrations of glutamate, glycine, and polyamine compounds (Haberstadt, 1995). 
It is through this rather complex series of checks and balances that the effects of PCP are 
mediated. In short, the effects depend on the extent of channel activation; which is dependent on 
at least five different receptor/binding sites.

	After considerable experimentation, the actual site of the PCP receptor was pinpointed 
as being within the actual channel gated by the NMDA excitory amino acid receptor (see figure 
2.0). There are several important points which support this conclusion. Most obvious is that the 
"PCP and NMDA receptors are co-localized in the central nervous system" (Souza, 1995). 
Second, the "PCP receptor ligands have been shown to inhibit NMDA-receptor-mediated 
conductance non-competitively in a voltage and use dependent fashion" (Souza, 1995). Lastly,  
the effectiveness of the PCP receptors is decreased by competitive NMDA receptor agonists 
but increased by competitive NMDA receptor antagonists (Souza, 1993), an exciting lead when 
it comes to determining the chemical mechanisms of schizophrenia, as related to a malfunction in 
the NMDA receptor function. Since PCP inhibits the NMDA receptor, the schizophrenic 
brain's NMDA receptors may be below normal functional parameters (Haberstadt, 1995).


The Crazy Angel is Blamed	

	There is no doubt that PCP induces a state very similar to positive symptom 
schizophrenia. There is some doubt, however, if PCP's tendency to block the NMDA channel 
is to blame for the relevant clinical symptoms (Halberstadt, 1995). The ability for the PCP 
molecule to bond with such effectiveness to the PCP receptor within the channel is certainly 
strong evidence, but some doubt the degree of blame. Fingers have also been pointed at the 
"haloperidol-sensitive sigma" receptor sites, and at monoamine reuptake sites (the core of the 
dopamine hypothesis for schizophrenia) (Halberstadt, 1995). These alternative sites are also 
receptive to a PCP molecule, and undoubtedly play a role in schizophrenia, but several lines of 
evidence support the PCP receptor as the major force behind the "psychotomimetic effects of 
PCP" (Svennson, 1995).

	First, "PCP receptors have been shown to mediate the discriminative stimulus effects of 
PCP in rodents" (Svennson, 1995).  PCP researchers have trained animals to discriminate 
between PCP and saline solutions. When these animals are give one of a wide range of chemical 
substances (each from a distinctive chemical class), the animal's response is directly 
proportional to the rank order of the drug's binding power to the PCP receptor. Hence, a 
stronger PCP receptor bond leads to a better NMDA channel blockade, and a stronger drug 
response. On the other hand, there is no PCP-like result when the test animals are given drugs 
which selectively bind to sigma and/or dopamine reuptake sites (Svennson, 1995).

	Second, "psychotomimetic effects similar to those induced by PCP can be induced by 
ketamine, a related arylcyclohexamine derivative" (Sevvenson, 1995). This is a particulary 
strong point of evidence, especially when coupled with the following point: A dosage of 
ketamine ten times that of PCP is required in order to induce the same effect (Halberstadt, 
1995). This fits perfectly with ketamine's reduced effectiveness in binding to PCP receptors, 
which is approximately ten times less than that of PCP. Ketamine is also "essentially inactive" 
(Halberstadt, 1995) at both sigma receptor and dopamine reuptake sites. At this time it is 
important to note that PCP does indeed also bind to sigma receptors and dopamine reuptake 
sites, albeit with a lower affinity (Okuyama, 1994). This may be an important functional link 
between schizophrenia and PCP; since ketamine binds only to PCP receptors and does not 
induce paranoid schizophrenia. PCP, on the other hand, has a broader receptor range and does 
induce schizophrenia (Halberstadt, 1995).

	Finally, there is consistent evidence that PCP psychosis can be induced by serum 
concentrations of 20 nM (Souza, 1993). Any PCP levels which are higher than 400 nM are 
associated  with anesthetic effects. It has been shown that PCP receptors bind to PCP at 
concentrations of 30-50 nM, "suggesting a highly significant degree of receptor occupancy by 
levels of PCP present during low dose PCP psychosis" (Souza, 1993). This point is hammered 
home, considering that sigma binding and dopamine reuptake sites only bind to PCP along the 
order of 600 nM and 700 nM, respectivly (Souza, 1993). It is easy to see that the affinity these 
sites have for PCP is significantly lower than that of the PCP receptor. Hence, it is not very 
likely that the small amount of PCP needed for psychosis would be acting on anything except 
the PCP receptors. Once again, however, it is important to remember that PCP does not bind 
solely to PCP receptors.

Opposites Attract

	One of the prevailing theories of schizophrenia is the dopamine hypothesis, in which 
abnormal dopamine levels are implicated as its cause. This theory seems to conflict with the 
theory presented in this paper, in which abnormal functioning of the NMDA ion channel is seen 
as the cause. There is, however, another important aspect of PCP induced psychosis which has 
not yet been discussed: the link to the A10 dopamine releasing neurons (Restak, 1994).

	Most of the brain's dopamine is thought to be released from the A10-mesolimbic-
mesocortical system within the ventral tegmental region of the brain (Halberstad, 1995). This 
area is thought to play an important role in addiction to PCP since PCP seems to stimulate the 
release of dopamine, a behavior enforcing mechanism (Halberstad, 1995). How phencyclidine 
was is able to do this has remained a mystery until only recently. It was previously unknown as 
to which receptor was more important in stimulating dopamine release, the PCP receptor or the 
sigma receptor (Halberstad, 1995). To find out, scientists gave test animals one of five PCP-
receptor specific drugs; MK-801, PCP, (+)SKF, or ketamine (Restak, 1994). The degree of 
A10 excitation was then measured. With MK-801 being the most powerful PCP ligand, a 40% 
increase in A10 neuronal firing rate is detected. Following closely behind are PCP, (+)SKF and 
ketamine, respectively (Restak, 1994). This order correlates perfectly with the respective order 
of PCP receptor binding, strong evidence in supporting the role of the NMDA ion channel in 
A10 dopamine release (Restak, 1994). On the other end of the spectrum, giving test animals the 
potent sigma ligand (+)pentazocine resulted in only a 14% increase in A10 neuron firing rate 
(Halberstad, 1995), with DTG having no measurable effect (Halberstad, 1995). Moreover, A10 
activation by PCP is not attenuated by haloperidol; which has the highest known sigma receptor 
affinity (Halberstad, 1995). In other words, "The potency of PCP-like drugs to alter A10 activity 
was found to correlate positively with their affinity for the PCP receptor and consequently with 
their potency as NMDA agonists". (Halberstad, 1995)

	The obvious conclusion to draw from the above research is to say that stimulation of the 
A10 neurons is the result of NMDA channel blockage. In a strange twist however, this does not 
appear to be the case. The chemicals NPC 12626 and (ñ)CPP are among the most potent 
NMDA channel blockers known (Souza, 1995). When animals are given NPC 12626 or 
(ñ)CPP there is no change in A10 firing rate, even after 45 minutes of infusion (Souza, 1995). If 
this treatment is then followed up by infusion with PCP, then the normal 40% increase in 
dopamine firing is noted.not a higher rate as would be predicted by the current model (Souza, 
1995). Obviously, NMDA channel blockage is not behind the increased A10 neuronal firing 
(Souza, 1995). The mechanisim by which PCP does induce this effect is still subject to research 
(Halberstad, 1995). Regardless, phencyclidine does have an effect on dopaminerginc activity 
and dopamine does play an important role in schizophrenia (Souza, 1995). From this, one can 
see that PCP agonists or antagonists may well be useful in treating schizophrenia.

	
The Crazy Crazy Man

When applying PCP psychosis to schizophrenia, a rather intriguing question arises: 
What effect would PCP have on schizophrenics. The answer, of course, raises more questions 
than it answers.

	According to Crow, there are two types of schizophrenics, Type I and Type II 
(Halberstad, 1995). Surprisingly, this model fits quite nicely when these patients are treated with 
PCP. Type I schizophrenics have a "super sensitive response to the normal amounts of 
endogenous PCP ligand" (Halberstad, 1995). Type II schizophrenics, on the other hand, show 
"Dysfunction of the feedback look regulating PCP ligand activity, resulting in excess PCP ligand 
levels" (Halberstad, 1995). Type I's response is the result of excess A10 dopaminergic activity 
which makes the PCP receptor considerably more sensitive (Halberstad, 1995). Type II's 
response, the dysfunction of the feedback loop, "is analogous to hypthalmic-pituitary-adrenal 
(HPA) axis dysfunction in endogenous dysfunction (Halberstad, 1995). In general terms, a small 
dose worsens Type I but leaves Type II untouched (Halberstad, 1995). A larger dose of PCP 
worsens Type I to an even greater extent, while Type II shows moderate improvement 
(showing the amphetamine-like activity induced by PCP) (Halberstad, 1995). From this data, it 
can be concluded that people who have a psychotic response to PCP have a "biologic 
diathesis" (Restak, 1994) sensitivity to PCP resembling that which Type I patients exhibit; 
except with a diminished genotypic expression (Halberstad, 1995).

Curing the Ill

	A number of novel drug treatment ideas have arisen from all the PCP research, the most 
obvious of which is a attempted treatment of schizophrenia by drugs which keep the NMDA 
channel open. This is, however, more difficult than one would first expect. Direct stimulation on 
the channel is not possible, since neurotoxicity would result from excessive calcium ion levels 
within the neuron (Peterson, 1978). Instead, many of the current drugs call on glycine to 
stimulate the channel indirectly. Recall that glutamate is responsible for keeping the channel 
open, with help from certain reinforcing molecules like glycine and polyamines (PCP closes the 
channel, and causes psychosis).

	In one experiment, 11 schizophrenic patients were given 5-25mg of glycine per day as 
"a concomitant drug to the neuroleptic treatment" (Souza, 1993). Four of the initial eleven 
patients responded favorably to this, as would be expected. In a related open study, glycine 
was given to six chronic schizophrenic patients. Two of the subjects benefited, one of which 
deteriorated when denied the drug (Souza, 1993). Two other patients actually worsened as a 
result of the treatment, while the remaining four showed no change (Souza, 1993).

	In another study, five male schizophrenic patients were given the pro-drug known as 
Milacemide (Souza, 1993), which is an acetylated version of glycine. Milacemide is better able 
to cross the blood brain barrier, as compared to pure glycine (Souza,1993). Milacemide was 
given to five male schizophrenic patients after a three day medication free period (Souza, 1993). 
All of the subjects worsened, three of which could not complete the study due to increases 
suspiciousness, hostility, or agitation. The negative results, however, could have been the result 
of the 3 day drug free period preceding the test period (Souza, 1993).

	Although no real benefit has been shown by the preceding treatments, the principle 
behind their action is still strong. It has been suggested that tests be run on other glutaminergic 
drugs, like polyamines (Souza, 1993). The NMDA complex will probably be better stimulated 
by "direct glutamate agonists" (Halberstad, 1995), which we may be able to synthesize in the 
future without their neuron damaging effects. Regardless, we must not be dissuaded by these 
disappointing results. PCP does induce schizophrenia, and there must be a preventive or 
curative measure. 

Conclusion
It is ironic to think that a drug as terrible as phencyclidine could hold such incredible 
promise in cracking the mystery of schizophrenia. Although that day may be far in the future, 
PCP research has already opened many new doors in other areas of neurologic dysfunction; 
such as in the treatment of epilepsy and stroke damage. PCP has already been shown to have a 
number of good uses,If not anything else, this amazing substance has given us a fascinating look 
into the elegantly complex world of neurochemistry. 


Bibliography - dont forget this!
------------

Carroll, Marilyn. (1992). Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs. New York, N.Y: Chelsea House Publishers.

Halberstadt, A.L. (1995). The phencyclidine-glutamate model of schizophrenia. Clinical Neuropharmacology. (Vol. 18) 237-249.

Nintey Fifth Congress. (1978). Abuse of dangerous and illicit drugs - psychotropics, phencyclidine (PCP), and talwin; Hearings before the select committee on narcotics abuse and control house of representatives. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office.

Okuyama, Shigeru. (1994). NE-100, a novel sigma receptor ligand: Effect on phencyclidine-induced behaviors in rats, dogs, and monkeys. Life Sciences. (Vol. 55) PL133-138

Peterson, R.C, & Stillman, R.C. (1978). PCP-Phencylidine Abuse: An appraisal. New York, NY: National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Restak, R.M. (1994). Receptors. New York, N.Y: Bantam Books.

Souza, Errol B., & Clouet, D., & London, E.D. (1993). Sigma, PCP, and NMDA Receptors. New York, NY: National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Svensson, T.H. (1995). Mode of action of atypical neuroleptics in relation to the phencyclidine model of schizophrenia. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. (Vol. 15) 11S-18S


 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Pot 2.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
 Large Disk mini-HOWTO
  Andries Brouwer, aeb@cwi.nl
  v1.0, 960626

  All about disk geometry and the 1024 cylinder limit for disks.

  1.  The problem

  Suppose you have a disk with more than 1024 cylinders.  Suppose
  moreover that you have an operating system that uses the BIOS.  Then
  you have a problem, because the usual INT13 BIOS interface to disk I/O
  uses a 10-bit field for the cylinder on which the I/O is done, so that
  cylinders 1024 and past are inaccessible.

  Fortunately, Linux does not use the BIOS, so there is no problem.

  Well, except for two things:

  (1) When you boot your system, Linux isn't running yet and cannot save
  you from BIOS problems.  This has some consequences for LILO and
  similar boot loaders.

  (2) It is necessary for all operating systems that use one disk to
  agree on where the partitions are.  In other words, if you use both
  Linux and, say, DOS on one disk, then both must interpret the
  partition table in the same way.  This has some consequences for the
  Linux kernel and for fdisk.

  Below a rather detailed description of all relevant details.  Note
  that I used kernel version 2.0.8 source as a reference.  Other
  versions may differ a bit.

  2.  Booting

  When the system is booted, the BIOS reads sector 0 (known as the MBR -
  the Master Boot Record) from the first disk (or from floppy), and
  jumps to the code found there - usually some bootstrap loader.  These
  small bootstrap programs found there typically have no own disk
  drivers and use BIOS services.  This means that a Linux kernel can
  only be booted when it is entirely located within the first 1024
  cylinders.

  This problem is very easily solved: make sure that the kernel (and
  perhaps other files used during bootup, such as LILO map files) are
  located on a partition that is entirely contained in the first 1024
  cylinders of a disk that the BIOS can access - probably this means the
  first or second disk.

  Another point is that the boot loader and the BIOS must agree as to
  the disk geometry.  It may help to give LILO the `linear' option.
  More details below.

  3.  Disk geometry and partitions

  If you have several operating systems on your disks, then each uses
  one or more disk partitions.  A disagreement on where these partitions
  are may have catastrophic consequences.

  The MBR contains a partition table describing where the (primary)
  partitions are.  There are 4 table entries, for 4 primary partitions,
  and each looks like

  struct partition {
          char active;    /* 0x80: bootable, 0: not bootable */
          char begin[3];  /* CHS for first sector */
          char type;
          char end[3];    /* CHS for last sector */
          int start;      /* 32 bit sector number (counting from 0) */
          int length;     /* 32 bit number of sectors */
  };

  (where CHS stands for Cylinder/Head/Sector).

  Thus, this information is redundant: the location of a partition is
  given both by the 24-bit begin and end fields, and by the 32-bit start
  and length fields.

  Linux only uses the start and length fields, and can therefore handle
  partitions of not more than 2^32 sectors, that is, partitions of at
  most 2 TB.  That is two hundred times larger than the disks available
  today, so maybe it will be enough for the next ten years or so.

  Unfortunately, the BIOS INT13 call uses CHS coded in three bytes, with
  10 bits for the cylinder number, 8 bits for the head number, and 6
  bits for the track sector number.  Possible cylinder numbers are
  0-1023, possible head numbers are 0-255, and possible track sector
  numbers are 1-63 (yes, sectors on a track are counted from 1, not 0).
  With these 24 bits one can address 8455716864 bytes (7.875 GB), two
  hundred times larger than the disks available in 1983.

  Even more unfortunately, the standard IDE interface allows 256
  sectors/track, 65536 cylinders and 16 heads.  This in itself allows
  access to 2^37 = 137438953472 bytes (128 GB), but combined with the
  BIOS restriction to 63 sectors and 1024 cylinders only 528482304 bytes
  (504 MB) remain addressable.

  This is not enough for present-day disks, and people resort to all
  kinds of trickery, both in hardware and in software.

  4.  Translation and Disk Managers

  Nobody is interested in what the `real' geometry of a disk is.
  Indeed, the number of sectors per track often is variable - there are
  more sectors per track close to the outer rim of the disk - so there
  is no `real' number of sectors per track.  For the user it is best to
  regard a disk as just a linear array of sectors numbered 0, 1, ...,
  and leave it to the controller to find out where a given sector lives
  on the disk.

  This linear numbering is known as LBA.  The linear address belonging
  to (c,h,s) for a disk with geometry (C,H,S) is c*H*S + h*S + (s-1).
  All SCSI controllers speak LBA, and some IDE controllers do.

  If the BIOS converts the 24-bit (c,h,s) to LBA and feeds that to a
  controller that understands LBA, then again 7.875 GB is addressable.
  Not enough for all disks, but still an improvement.  Note that here
  CHS, as used by the BIOS, no longer has any relation to `reality'.

  Something similar works when the controller doesn't speak LBA but the
  BIOS knows about translation.  (In the setup this is often indicated
  as `Large'.)  Now the BIOS will present a geometry (C',H',S') to the
  operating system, and use (C,H,S) while talking to the disk
  controller.  Usually S = S', C' = C/N and H' = H*N, where N is the
  smallest power of two that will ensure C' <= 1024 (so that least
  capacity is wasted by the rounding down in C' = C/N).  Again, this
  allows access of up to 7.875 GB.

  If a BIOS does not know about `Large' or `LBA', then there are
  software solutions around.  Disk Managers like OnTrack or EZ-Drive
  replace the BIOS disk handling routines by their own.  Often this is
  accomplished by having the disk manager code live in the MBR and
  subsequent sectors (OnTrack calls this code DDO: Dynamic Drive
  Overlay), so that it is booted before any other operating system.
  That is why one may have problems when booting from a floppy when a
  Disk Manager has been installed.

  The effect is more or less the same as with a translating BIOS - but
  especially when running several different operating systems on the
  same disk, disk managers can cause a lot of trouble.

  Linux does support OnTrack Disk Manager since version 1.3.14, and EZ-
  Drive since version 1.3.29.  Some more details are given below.

  5.  Kernel disk translation for IDE disks

  If the Linux kernel detects the presence of some disk manager on an
  IDE disk, it will try to remap the disk in the same way this disk
  manager would have done, so that Linux sees the same disk partitioning
  as for example DOS with OnTrack or EZ-Drive.  However, NO remapping is
  done when a geometry was specified on the command line - so a
  `hd=cyls,heads,secs' command line option might well kill compatibility
  with a disk manager.

  The remapping is done by trying 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 255 heads
  (keeping H*C constant) until either C <= 1024 or H = 255.

  The details are as follows - subsection headers are the strings
  appearing in the corresponding boot messages.  Here and everywhere
  else in this text partition types are given in hexadecimal.

  5.1.  EZD

  EZ-Drive is detected by the fact that the first primary partition has
  type 55.  The geometry is remapped as described above, and the
  partition table from sector 0 is discarded - instead the partition
  table is read from sector 1.  Disk block numbers are not changed, but
  writes to sector 0 are redirected to sector 1.  This behaviour can be
  changed by recompiling the kernel with
   #define FAKE_FDISK_FOR_EZDRIVE  0 in ide.c.

  5.2.  DM6:DDO

  OnTrack DiskManager (on the first disk) is detected by the fact that
  the first primary partition has type 54.  The geometry is remapped as
  described above and the entire disk is shifted by 63 sectors (so that
  the old sector 63 becomes sector 0).  Afterwards a new MBR (with
  partition table) is read from the new sector 0.  Of course this shift
  is to make room for the DDO - that is why there is no shift on other
  disks.

  5.3.  DM6:AUX

  OnTrack DiskManager (on other disks) is detected by the fact that the
  first primary partition has type 51 or 53.  The geometry is remapped
  as described above.

  5.4.  DM6:MBR

  An older version of OnTrack DiskManager is detected not by partition
  type, but by signature.  (Test whether the offset found in bytes 2 and
  3 of the MBR is not more than 430, and the short found at this offset
  equals 0x55AA, and is followed by an odd byte.) Again the geometry is
  remapped as above.

  5.5.  PTBL

  Finally, there is a test that tries to deduce a translation from the
  start and end values of the primary partitions: If some partition has
  start and end cylinder less than 256, and start and end sector number
  1 and 63, respectively, and end heads 31, 63 or 127, then, since it is
  customary to end partitions on a cylinder boundary, and since moreover
  the IDE interface uses at most 16 heads, it is conjectured that a BIOS
  translation is active, and the geometry is remapped to use 32, 64 or
  128 heads, respectively.  (Maybe there is a flaw here, and genhd.c
  should not have tested the high order two bits of the cylinder
  number?)  However, no remapping is done when the current idea of the
  geometry already has 63 sectors per track and at least as many heads
  (since this probably means that a remapping was done already).

  6.  Consequences

  What does all of this mean?  For Linux users only one thing: that they
  must make sure that LILO and fdisk use the right geometry where
  `right' is defined for fdisk as the geometry used by the other
  operating systems on the same disk, and for LILO as the geometry that
  will enable successful interaction with the BIOS at boot time.
  (Usually these two coincide.)

  How does fdisk know about the geometry?  It asks the kernel, using the
  HDIO_GETGEO ioctl.  But the user can override the geometry
  interactively or on the command line.

  How does LILO know about the geometry?  It asks the kernel, using the
  HDIO_GETGEO ioctl.  But the user can override the geometry using the
  `disk=' option.  One may also give the linear option to LILO, and it
  will store LBA addresses instead of CHS addresses in its map file, and
  find out of the geometry to use at boot time (by using INT 13 Function
  8 to ask for the drive geometry).

  How does the kernel know what to answer?  Well, first of all, the user
  may have specified an explicit geometry with a `hd=cyls,heads,secs'
  command line option.  And otherwise the kernel will ask the hardware.

  6.1.  IDE details

  Let me elaborate.  The IDE driver has four sources for information
  about the geometry.  The first (G_user) is the one specified by the
  user on the command line.  The second (G_bios) is the BIOS Fixed Disk
  Parameter Table (for first and second disk only) that is read on
  system startup, before the switch to 32-bit mode.  The third (G_phys)
  and fourth (G_log) are returned by the IDE controller as a response to
  the IDENTIFY command - they are the `physical' and `current logical'
  geometries.

  On the other hand, the driver needs two values for the geometry: on
  the one hand G_fdisk, returned by a HDIO_GETGEO ioctl, and on the
  other hand G_used, which is actually used for doing I/O.  Both G_fdisk
  and G_used are initialized to G_user if given, to G_bios when this
  information is present according to CMOS, and to to G_phys otherwise.
  If G_log looks reasonable then G_used is set to that.  Otherwise, if
  G_used is unreasonable and G_phys looks reasonable then G_used is set
  to G_phys.  Here `reasonable' means that the number of heads is in the
  range 1-16.

  To say this in other words: the command line overrides the BIOS, and
  will determine what fdisk sees, but if it specifies a translated
  geometry (with more than 16 heads), then for kernel I/O it will be
  overridden by output of the IDENTIFY command.

  6.2.  SCSI details

  The situation for SCSI is slightly different, as the SCSI commands
  already use logical block numbers, so a `geometry' is entirely
  irrelevant for actual I/O.  However, the format of the partition table
  is still the same, so fdisk has to invent some geometry, and also uses
  HDIO_GETGEO here - indeed, fdisk does not distinguish between IDE and
  SCSI disks.  As one can see from the detailed description below, the
  various drivers each invent a somewhat different geometry.  Indeed,
  one big mess.

  If you are not using DOS or so, then avoid all extended translation
  settings, and just use 64 heads, 32 sectors per track (for a nice,
  convenient 1 MB per cylinder), if possible, so that no problems arise
  when you move the disk from one controller to another.  Some SCSI disk
  drivers (aha152x, pas16, ppa, qlogicfas, qlogicisp) are so nervous
  about DOS compatibility that they will not allow a Linux-only system
  to use more than about 8 GB.  This is a bug.

  What is the real geometry?  The easiest answer is that there is no
  such thing.  And if there were, you wouldn't want to know, and
  certainly NEVER, EVER tell fdisk or LILO or the kernel about it.  It
  is strictly a business between the SCSI controller and the disk.  Let
  me repeat that: only silly people tell fdisk/LILO/kernel about the
  true SCSI disk geometry.

  But if you are curious and insist, you might ask the disk itself.
  There is the important command READ CAPACITY that will give the total
  size of the disk, and there is the MODE SENSE command, that in the
  Rigid Disk Drive Geometry Page (page 04) gives the number of cylinders
  and heads (this is information that cannot be changed), and in the
  Format Page (page 03) gives the number of bytes per sector, and
  sectors per track.  This latter number is typically dependent upon the
  notch, and the number of sectors per track varies - the outer tracks
  have more sectors than the inner tracks.  The Linux program scsiinfo
  will give this information.  There are many details and complications,
  and it is clear that nobody (probably not even the operating system)
  wants to use this information.  Moreover, as long as we are only
  concerned about fdisk and LILO, one typically gets answers like
  C/H/S=4476/27/171 - values that cannot be used by fdisk because the
  partition table reserves only 10 resp. 8 resp. 6 bits for C/H/S.

  Then where does the kernel HDIO_GETGEO get its information from?
  Well, either from the SCSI controller, or by making an educated guess.
  Some drivers seem to think that we want to know `reality', but of
  course we only want to know what the DOS or OS/2 FDISK (or Adaptec
  AFDISK, etc) will use.

  Note that Linux fdisk needs the numbers H and S of heads and sectors
  per track to convert LBA sector numbers into c/h/s addresses, but the
  number C of cylinders does not play a role in this conversion.  Some
  drivers use (C,H,S) = (1023,255,63) to signal that the drive capacity
  is at least 1023*255*63 sectors.  This is unfortunate, since it does
  not reveal the actual size, and will limit the users of most fdisk
  versions to about 8 GB of their disks - a real limitation in these
  days.

  In the description below, M denotes the total disk capacity, and C, H,
  S the number of cylinders, heads and sectors per track.  It suffices
  to give H, S if we regard C as defined by M / (H*S).

  By default, H=64, S=32.

     aha1740, dtc, g_NCR5380, t128, wd7000:
        H=64, S=32.

     aha152x, pas16, ppa, qlogicfas, qlogicisp:
        H=64, S=32 unless C > 1024, in which case H=255, S=63, C =
        min(1023, M/(H*S)).  (Thus C is truncated, and H*S*C is not an
        approximation to the disk capacity M.  This will confuse most
        versions of fdisk.)  The ppa.c code uses M+1 instead of M and
        says that due to a bug in sd.c M is off by 1.

     advansys:
        H=64, S=32 unless C > 1024 and moreover the `> 1 GB' option in
        the BIOS is enabled, in which case H=255, S=63.

     aha1542:
        Ask the controller which of two possible translation schemes is
        in use, and use either H=255, S=63 or H=64, S=32.  In the former
        case there is a boot message "aha1542.c: Using extended bios
        translation".

     aic7xxx:
        H=64, S=32 unless C > 1024, and moreover either the "extended"
        boot parameter was given, or the `extended' bit was set in the
        SEEPROM or BIOS, in which case H=255, S=63.

     buslogic:
        H=64, S=32 unless C >= 1024, and moreover extended translation
        was enabled on the controller, in which case if M < 2^22 then
        H=128, S=32; otherwise H=255, S=63.  However, after making this
        choice for (C,H,S), the partition table is read, and if for one
        of the three possibilities (H,S) = (64,32), (128,32), (255,63)
        the value endH=H-1 is seen somewhere then that pair (H,S) is
        used, and a boot message is printed "Adopting Geometry from
        Partition Table".

     fdomain:
        Find the geometry information in the BIOS Drive Parameter Table,
        or read the partition table and use H=endH+1, S=endS for the
        first partition, provided it is nonempty, or use H=64, S=32 for
        M < 2^21 (1 GB), H=128, S=63 for M < 63*2^17 (3.9 GB) and H=255,
        S=63 otherwise.

     in2000:
        Use the first of (H,S) = (64,32), (64,63), (128,63), (255,63)
        that will make C <= 1024.  In the last case, truncate C at 1023.

     seagate:
        Read C,H,S from the disk.  (Horrors!)  If C or S is too large,
        then put S=17, H=2 and double H until C <= 1024.  This means
        that H will be set to 0 if M > 128*1024*17 (1.1 GB).  This is a
        bug.

     ultrastor and u14_34f:
        One of three mappings ((H,S) = (16,63), (64,32), (64,63)) is
        used depending on the controller mapping mode.

  If the driver does not specify the geometry, we fall back on an edu­
  cated guess using the partition table, or using the total disk capac­
  ity.

  Look at the partition table.  Since by convention partitions end on a
  cylinder boundary, we can, given end = (endC,endH,endS) for any
  partition, just put H = endH+1 and S = endS.  (Recall that sectors are
  counted from 1.)  More precisely, the following is done.  If there is
  a nonempty partition, pick the partition with the largest beginC.  For
  that partition, look at end+1, computed both by adding start and
  length and by assuming that this partition ends on a cylinder
  boundary.  If both values agree, or if endC = 1023 and start+length is
  an integral multiple of (endH+1)*endS, then assume that this partition
  really was aligned on a cylinder boundary, and put H = endH+1 and S =
  endS.  If this fails, either because there are no partitions, or
  because they have strange sizes, then look only at the disk capacity
  M.  Algorithm: put H = M/(62*1024) (rounded up), S = M/(1024*H)
  (rounded up), C = M/(H*S) (rounded down).  This has the effect of
  producing a (C,H,S) with C at most 1024 and S at most 62.

 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\pot.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
 Marijuana
     In this report I will show you my views on Marijuana, if it should be
legal, for medical and/or recreational purposes.

     Marijuana has many names: Dope, Marihuana, Ganja, Pot Mary Jane,
Cannabis Sativa (Scientific) to name a few.

    Marijuana originated in the middle east (Taiwan, Korea).  China plays
an important part in Marijuana's history.  Hoatho, the first chinese
physician to use Cannabis for medical purposes as a painkiller and
anesthetic for surgery.  In the Ninth Century B.C., it was used as an
incense by the Assyrians Herbal, a Chinese book of medicine from the second
Century B.C., was first to describe it in print.  It was used as an
anesthetic 5,000 years ago in ancient china.  Many (*) ancient cultures
such as the persians, Greeks, East Indians, Romans, and the Assyrians for
many things.  These were what they used it for: the control of muscle
spasms, reduction of pain, and for indegestion. Imagine that if they still
practiced this, instead of taking an Alka Seltzer after you had mom's Chili
or Tacos, you might be sitting in the living room on the LAY-Z Boy, smoking
a joint or however they would take it. The folk medicine of Africa and Asia
have used it as an herbal preparation.  A "mythical" and "legendary"
pharmacist and emperor Shen Nung thought using it as a seditive was all
right. In 2,700 B.C. that same "mythical" emperor said it helped female
weakness, gout, rheumatism, malaria, beri-beri (?), contipation, and
absentmindedness.

    In 1979 (A.D.) Carlton E. Turner visited China and found marijuana was
not in use in formal medical places.  J. D. P. Graham of the Welsh National
School of Medicine wrote, "One not need take to seriously the anecdotal use
of it's use for many purposes in China or by the Hindus in the
pre-Christian Millennia ...and by the Arabs!" In 1890 in England's "Lancet"
said cannabis extract was good for neuralgia, fits, migraine and
psychosomatic disorders but not for rheumatic conditions.  It is not easy
to tell the dosage because of the variations in potency and the
irregularity in absorbtion.  The time delay before the onset of the
possible effects of marijuana lowered it's popularity as a medicine as did
the introduction of a variety of new and better medicines like aspirin,
morpheine (habit forming), chloral, barbituates tranquilizers, and when it
got on the list of drugs thought by the world community to require legal
restrictions.

    Our first President, George Washington, grew cannabis on his
plantation.  The cannabis he grew was more fibrous and is better known as
hemp.  Hemp was used to make rope, twine, paper and canvas (the word
"canvas" comes from Cannabis) and was an important crop in the american
colonies.  In Jamestown, Virginia it was grown for it's fiber qualities in
1611. (Snyder, 1985) The U.S. Pharmacopeia had it listed as a useful
medicine from the year 1870 to 1941.  A Pharmacopeia is "a book of
directions and requirements for the preparations of medicines, generally
published by an authority; a collection or stock of drugs."   This tells us
the U.S. Pharmacopeia was an authority on the use of drugs for medical
purposes, and said that the use of marijuana for said purposes was helpful.
The U.S. Pharmacopeia last listed cannabis ("the dried flower tops of the
pistillate plants of cannabis sativa") in 1936.(Lovinge,1985,p434)  That
years epitome of the pharmacopeia and the national formula described the
drug for physicians thus:"a narcotic poison, producing a mild delirium.
Used in sedative mixtures but of doubtful value.  Also employed to color
corn remedies."  The next pharmacopeia released in 1942 (I gather they were
relaesed every six years) did not have cannabis sativa in it.  "The 1937
U.S.  dispensatory said:"Cannabis is used in medicine to relieve pain,
encourage sleep, and to soothe restlessness.  We have very little definite
knowledge of the effects of therapeutic quantities, but in some persons it
appears to produce a euphoria and will often relieve migrainic headaches.
One of the great hindrances to the wider use of this drug is the great
variability and the potency of different samples of Cannabis which renders
it impossible to approximate the proper dose of any individual smaple
except by clinical trial.  Because of occasional unpleasant symptoms from
unusually potent preparations, physicians have generally been overcaustious
in the quantities administered.  The only way of determining the dose of an
individual preparation is to give it in ascending quantities until some
effect is produced. (The Book suggested using a fluid extract - powdered
cannabis in solution, 4/5 alcohol  - three times a day, starting with two
or three minims.)"(Lovinge,1985,p434)

    Extracts, tinctures, and herbal packages of cannabis manufactured by
many drug companies, was available in any pharmacy until 1941 when "The two
main professional directories of drugs in the United States" dropped
it.(Snnyder 1985,p38) It is still used as a medicine in the Middle East and
Asia, and is completely legal in Amsterdam.  Since the 19th Century, it has
been recognized as as intoxicant in Europe, and an intoxicant for many
centuries in Central and South America, and in Asia. "An 1870 Book called
"The Hasheesh Eater" by Fitz Hugh Hudlow, discussed the intoxicating
properties of marijuana."(Snyder,1985,p39) Mexican farm workers emigrating
to the United States smoked marijuana regularly, and the surrounding
population..." quickly followed.

    California and Utah were the first to call it a narcotic and outlawed
it completely except for mecial purposes. "From 1914 to 1931, 29 States, 17
of them West of the Mississippi made it a criminal offense to possess or
use it."(Snyder,1985,p40) An army report from 1925 concerning the Panama
Canal Zone said it wasnt habit forming and no steps should be taken to keep
it from being sold or used.  The Uniform States Narcotic Act said all
states should control drug distribution.  "By 1937 marijuana use was
restricted by law" (Snyder,1985,p42) and the Marijuana Tax Act was signed
by President Roosevelt.  This act was made to collect more taxes and locate
people selling marijuana.  You had to pay $1 for medical use and $100 for
recreational use as tax.  This was a large factor why doctors quit using it
as a medicine.  "The Narcotics Drug Control Act of 1965 increased the
existing penalties for selling and distribution of marijuana and heroin..."
(Snyder,1985,p46) The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana
Laws (NORML) was founded in 1970.

Just the facts Ma'am:  It is illegal to own or sell marijuana.  It is a
misdemeanor not a felony.  Penalties vary widely in each state, for
growing and selling it is almost always a felony.  It can cause cancer in
the lungs and the throat IF smoked.  "Among the reasons to suspect
potentially injurious effect of cannabis use on the lungs, pointed out it
"the almost ubiquitous occurrennce of throat discomfort and irritation
associated with marihuana smoking" (Lovinge,1985,p15)but the same
carinogens are present in tobacco smoke. Marijuana takes away the
discomfort and nausea associated with chemotherapy taken to stop the
growth of cancer.  It also helps people with glaucoma and it keeps them
from going blind.  It doesn't lessen feelings and pain, it heightens them.
Users say they hear things better, and they see details they have never
seen before.  If made legal, it could be regulated by the U.S. government
(Food and Drug Administration?) as to how potent it would be. Or there
could be a "government monopoly on it controlling the cultivation,
importation, manufacture, wholesale distribution, and retail sales.
Controls could also be placed on the quantity, potency,, amount, price,
time and place of sale, and age of buyers.  This would do away with black
market activity, cost of law enforcement and tax
revenue."(Snyder,1985,p89) It would also keep alot of people out of
jail/prison and save the government money.

             Interview with a marijuana user.
Q: Do you think Marijuana has had any long lasting effects on you?
A: None besides the effects regular cigarrette smoke does to your lungs.
   Scientific facts prove there are none except the carcinogens produced by
   the smoke. It doesn't cause brain damage like your teachers tell you.
Q: How do you take it?
A: Smoke it. I use pipes, bongs, & papers.
Q: How often?  A: Quarter ounce a week, 15-18 joints a month.
Q: How much does it cost?  A: $200 an ounce, $2,500 lb...and thats minimum quality.
Q: How can you tell quality?
A: Smoke it.
Q: How are "Thai Sticks"?
A: Better than average. $65 1/4 ounce
Q: Where do you think most marijuana is grown?
A: 80% of all (in US) marijuana is grown in the US. 20% from Mexico &
   Jamaica In Alaska & Utahyou can have up to an ouce legally. The
   biggest growinng states are the Carolinas, & Texas. It grows wild
   in some places.  And cows wont eat it.
Q: Do you grow any?
A: Yes
Q: How many at 1 time (the most)?
A: 12...check them once a week.
Q: Are you in NORML?
A: Yes, South Florida chapter. I'm the secretary.
Q: Whats the highest price you've ever seen?
A: $150 1/4 ounce.
Q: Is sinsimilia good?
A: Yes $100-125 ounce. thats usually imported.
Q: can you use a plant more than once?
A: no. you kill the male plants as soon as you find their sex,
   and harvest the females.
Q: What kind do you grow?
A: Average weed.
Q: How do you get the seeds or what you need to grow them?
A: They are in the stuff I buy.
Q: Whats the best kind?
A: Depends on how it's grown.
Q: Do you think alot of people smoke weed?
A: If it was legal & sold for the same price as tobacco (since when
   does tobacco cost $200 an ounce?!?!) it would make 2.1
   BILLION! Tobacco makes 3.1 billion, and alcohol make 1.6 billion.
   (I have NO idea how much 1 ounce of tobacco costs, but it can't
   be more than $10. Marijuana sells for 20 times that much!  That
   would be OVER 40 BILLION!)
Q: Would it be better if legalized?
A: Yes, another taxable income for the government.  Prices would go down.
   The crime factor would be gone.  It would take the money out of the
   hands of criminal and put it in the hands of the government. It's not
   addictive, you can't overdose unlike alcohol, but the smoke does cause
   cancer.
Q: Would less people use it if legalized?
A: no.
Q: How much is caught by the government?
A: 2% of total in U.S. Basically thats the government admittinng
   that they are losing the war on drugs.
Q: How does it smell?
A: Usually good, sometimes bitter. a sweet smell.
Q: THC makes you high right? A: yes, they have found it
   causes no long lasting effects. Water Pipes/bongs remove 80% of the
   smoke
Q: Do you eat it?
A: No, eating uses up more. That way isn't cost effective.
                        (end of interview)

    Marijuana doesn't cause brain damage.  The smoke does cause cancer, but
so does tobacco.  The smoke can be reduced by up to 80% with special
paraphenalia.  We used to have limited knowledge on the subject, now our
knowledge is increasing. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\prohibition vs legalization.TXT
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			Decriminalization vs. Prohibition

	The idea of Drug Prohibition made sense: lower the availability of drugs by the use of law enforcement.  Unfortunately, Drug Prohibition means heavy costs while proving to be ineffective and counterproductive.
	I was thirteen when I saw drugs for the first time.  I was with some of my friends that live down the road from me.  They asked me if I wanted to get high with them.  At the time, I didn't know what getting high meant, so I asked them.  One of them pulled ut a long slender object, similar to a cigarette, but twisted on either end.  They told me it was something special.  I was still bewildered.  They said "It's pot, you know, marijuana?"  Immediately I said no.  I had seen several anti-dug commercials, all with the same motto, "Just Say No".  I felt so good about myself.  I had done the right thing.  I said no to my friends, which is a very hard decision to make at that age.  I was not going to be one of those sad cases, where my life is wasted away.  I was not going to be a crazed addict, who would stop at nothing to get a hit.  I was not going to be dodging the law my whole life.  I was going to be everything I wanted to be, and drugs were definitely not going to get in the way.  I promised myself I would not end up like Jimi Hendrix, or Janis Joplin, both found dead after overdoses, because I had the power to say no.  I had read stories and seen news flashes about the side effects of some drugs.  I had read newspaper articles about people in Rome, which is just a few minutes away, dying of heroin overdoses.  I had seen people on TV that were alive, but were not conscious of their surroundings, because of drug use.  Their lives were basically over.  I had listened to speakers preach that drugs were one of the Devil's tools.  There was no way I would even consider ever trying them, because once a person starts, they can't stop.
	It was a few years later that I heard the other side of the story.  I learned that not only were we losing the war on drugs, but that the war had been corrupted.  The government was wasting money on something without a cause, or hope.  It wasn't long after that when  I tried marijuana for the first time.  I remember it well.  I was with my sister, who was the only person that I couldn't say no to.  I took a hit.  Within fifteen minutes, I felt the most exquisite feeling I had ever experienced.  I felt as though I was in a different world.  It was at this moment that I knew things would be different for me, but I was still unsure about it, because I had heard of the dangers of drug use.  I decided to do a little research.  I looked in health magazines, I looked in Rolling Stone magazine, and I read some computer articles about the sixties.  I also casually talked to several people who had experience with drugs.  It was through this research that I found out some interesting facts.
	First was the mere cost of the war on drugs.  The federal government spends billions of dollars a year on drug enforcement and billions more on drug-related crimes and punishment.  The estimated cost to the United States for this war on drugs is $200 billion a year, or $770 per person, according to statistics posted by CNN, and that does not include the money spent by state and local governments.  Despite this expensive effort to enforce drug laws, the result is rather poor.
	According to the United States history, Prohibition has not only proved ineffective, but also counterproductive, when referring to the eighteenth amendment.  Not only is the illegality of drugs today also ineffective, it leads to huge profits for drug traffickers, which leads to other crimes.  Studies have shown that while the amount of money spent on the war on drugs has increased dramatically, so has the amount of drug use.  A study conducted by CNN has shown a twenty percent increase in the use of marijuana.
	Another interesting fact is that most illegal drugs are less dangerous, and could be legal. Even harsh drugs, such as heroin and cocaine are proving to be less dangerous.  In fact, in the twenties, cocaine was viewed as a wonder drug.  It was an effective pain killer, it relaxed the body and proved to dramatically reduce stress, yet it showed very few side effects.  After a while, however, people started finding new ways to use it.  These ways  would not only perform the tasks the drug was intended to perform, they would actually give the person a euphoric sensation.  However, these ways of using it were not as safe as using pills or soft drinks, which also had cocaine in them.  People died after inhaling too much cocaine.  The government had to take action, so they made cocaine completely illegal, taking away a very good drug.
	Heroin is also not as bad as was originally thought.  Heroin, like cocaine, is a very effective pain killer.  The problem with heroin is that it is highly addictive, and too much of it can kill.  However, this is the case with many prescription drugs.  Too much Tylenol could kill a person, as ibuprofen is definitely harmful in large amounts.  If heroin was used strictly for medical purposes, and was not only prescribed by doctors, but also regulated by doctors, it's use could be an asset.
	There is also the issue of marijuana.  Every year close to twenty thousand people die of alcohol related incidents.  Each year close to thirty thousand people die of tobacco related diseases, either lung cancer or emphysema, yet there has never been a death on record that is directly related to marijuana.  The only deaths related to marijuana have been murders associated with drug dealers and traffickers.  If marijuana was legal, these deaths would cease to occur.  Also, compared to the side effects of alcohol, the side effects of marijuana are minimal.  The only side effects of marijuana are induced hunger and what is referred to as "cotton mouth", which is a dry, pasty feeling in the mouth.  The side effects of alcohol, however include nausea, possibly vomiting, loss of coordination, not to mention deterioration of the liver and stomach.  Marijuana, like cocaine and heroin, could also have medical purposes.  THC, which is the chemical in marijuana that affects the nervous system, can be used to counteract the side effects of chemotherapy for cancer patients.  There is virtually no solid reason why marijuana should be illegal.
	I personally believe that some drugs should be legal.  If they are being used for medical purposes, the government should pass legislation tightening the availability of prescriptions for these drugs, not make them completely illegal, taking away their good sides as well as their bad sides. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Psychodelic Drugs.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
Alcohol

	Alcohol is one of the most widely used drugs in this society. It is accepted as a part of social life. Its use is widely promoted via sponsorship of sporting events. Advertising infers that drinking is the path to happiness, success, romance, etc. There are references to alcohol and its effects from earliest known writings. Alcohol is consumed in the beverage form and sold legally in this state to persons over 21.
	Alcohol is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the stomach and small intestine. It is distributed by the blood throughout the body, affecting literally every organ it touches in a matter of minutes. Enzymes in the liver metabolize alcohol at a rate of 10-15 ml (less than one half ounce) per hour. Hence, only time can sober someone up. Coffee, cold showers, or exercise do not work.
	The warm glow of disinhibition, "letting go" is a major desired effect of alcohol. People feel more sociable and talkative with small amounts of the drug. Alcohol is a relaxant, so many people drink to unwind from the demands of life. Because alcohol has been around for so long, its effects are well-known.
	Two key concepts to understand in dealing with alcohol use and abuse are impairment and tolerance. They are both problems in themselves and signals of possible additional difficulties.
	IMPAIRMENT refers to the deficits in performance, judgment, memory, and motor skills which occur because of alcohol consumption. Impairment becomes noticeable at blood levels of 0.05%, which can occur when as few as two drinks are consumed in an hour by a 160 pound person. The deceptive part about impairment is that, by definition, impaired judgment cannot recognize its own impairment. The individual thinks he or she is functioning well, when actually s/he is not. Later, there is impaired memory of the impaired performance.
	TOLERANCE means that a drug loses some of its effect with repeated use, and that higher and higher doses are needed. It is the body's way of adapting to having a foreign substance in the system.
	People develop a high tolerance to alcohol when they drink a great deal over an extended length of time. "WHILE TOLERANCE MAY SEEM TO SOME TO BE A DESIRABLE STATE, IT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES THE RISK OF ALCOHOLISM AND LONG-TERM HEALTH AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS". For example, a heavy drinker could still be lucid at 0.25%, whereas the average person would barely be able to function. Even so, the heavy drinker would be extremely dangerous on the highway.
	Thirteen percent of male and five percent of female college students nationwide are alcoholic. Persons are considered alcoholic if they exhibit three or more of the following symptoms for more than one month, or if the symptoms get repeated over a longer period of time: 
	1.Alcohol is consumed in greater quantities or for longer periods of time than the person intended; 2.The individual has a persistent desire to control or eliminate drinking, or has made one or more unsuccessful efforts to do this (for example, there are resolutions to "cut down," but these efforts disappear after a period of time); 3.Considerable time is spent in obtaining, using, or recovering from alcohol and its effects; 4.Intoxication or its aftereffects (e.g., hangovers) frequently occur at times when the person is expected to fulfill work, family or school obligations; or there is physically hazardous use (e.g., while driving); 5.The individual gives up or reduces social, recreational or job-related activities because of alcohol use; 6.Drinking continues despite the knowledge that alcohol causes the person to have social, psychological or medical problems; 7.Significantly increased tolerance has developed; 8.Withdrawal symptoms occur when initially attempting abstinence (e.g., flu-like symptoms, headaches, gastrointestinal distress, sweatiness, mood swings, irritability, anxiety); 9.Alcohol or other drugs are used to ward off the withdrawal. 
	Other long-term medical problems include high blood pressure, increased risk of heart attack, pancreatitis, various cancers, cirrhosis of the liver. Chronic heavy drinking in men is associated with testicular atrophy and breast enlargement. In women, as little as one drink a day greatly increases the risk of breast cancer. Drinking during pregnancy can cause birth defects and mental retardation.
	Alcohol is also fattening. One glass of wine daily added to the diet can result in a weight gain of ten pounds a year.

					Cocaine and Crack

	Cocaine is an alkaloid extracted from the leaves of the coca plant. It is a stimulant and euphoric substance that has powerful effects on the human brain. The practice of sniffing ("snorting") cocaine actually dates back to the beginning of this century as knowledge spread about cocaine's ability to induce feelings of well-being and increased energy. At that time, cocaine was also available in over-the-counter tonics and potions.
	Crack is cocaine that has been processed so that it can be smoked. It is generally sold in small quantities and distributed in small glass vials or small plastic bags. When crack is smoked, it produces an immediate, short-lived effect. Intravenous use ("shooting up") also results in rapid onset of effects, while the effects of sniffing are delayed several minutes.
	The onset of the high, or rush, from cocaine and crack is reported by users to be intense and pleasurable. Some users have called the rush "an orgasm of the brain." The rush lasts only a few seconds, followed by a 20 minute high. Individuals report an increased sense of well-being and self-confidence, along with a decrease in fatigue and hunger. Some people report that they experience cocaine as an "aphrodisiac". There is a social aspect to cocaine use as well, as cocaine is frequently obtained from "friends" and consumed in small get-togethers.
	Cocaine (and in particular "crack") is one of the most addictive drugs known to humankind. Laboratory studies have shown that animals, when offered the option to self-administer cocaine, will continue to administer the drug until they die, ignoring their needs for food and water.
	It is reported that as many as one out of every three crack users become addicted to cocaine. There is no scientific way to predict who will become addicted. However, there has been a good deal of news media attention given to stories of successful people who have lost themselves, their jobs, fortunes, and families because of their involvement with cocaine. The problems cocaine causes in people's lives are so severe and the pull to use the drug again is so strong that it generally takes people two years of rehabilitation to recover from a cocaine addiction, once they seek treatment.
	Crack is a very rapidly addicting form of cocaine, with addiction often becoming apparent within a matter of weeks. Some users have reported becoming addicted after their first experience with this form of cocaine. Thus crack is an especially dangerous form of the drug.
	Cocaine can be quite toxic to the cardiovascular system and cause death. Death occurs from one of two primary effects. Cocaine can cause a spasm of the coronary arteries, which supply the heart with blood, and cocaine can also disrupt the rhythm of the heart by interfering with its electrical conduction. There is no way to tell who is sensitive to these effects. As in the cases of these athletes, being in excellent physical shape is no protection. Furthermore, what is a non-lethal dose for one person may be lethal for another, and this makes the question of dosage a risky one for the novice users. In high dose or prolonged use (binges) users often exhibit extreme irritability (which may explode to violence), and paranoia.
	While the high from cocaine is generally well understood by the general public, less well-known is the withdrawal or "crash": fatigue, prolonged sleep and severe depression. These symptoms escalate as the frequency of use or the dose increases, leading many people to use the drug again soon. This sets up the addictive cycle, and people have been known to go on "cocaine binges" to cope with such crashes. During a binge, an individual may use up hundreds and even thousands of dollars' worth of cocaine, and put them selfs in significant risk. For those injecting cocaine, this could mean 10 or more injections in a night, with increased risk for AIDS if sterile needles are not used. To complicate matters medically, users often consume large quantities of alcohol to handle their crashes.
				
						Other "Speed" Drugs

	Two other stimulants are known to be abused locally. They have many similarities to the cocaine drugs, but have some important differences. Methamphetamine (meth, crank, crystal) has the stimulant properties of cocaine, but lasts from four to six hours. It can be taken orally or injected. Recently a drug called "ice" known in Japan and other countries has come to Oregon. Ice is a smokable form of methamphetamine, just as crack is a smokable form of cocaine. The effects of ice last for a long time, 14 hours or more, with a similar potential for addiction, irritability and paranoia as cocaine.
	The other stimulant of concern is a prescription drug called Ritalin (Methly Phenidate). It is prescribed by physicians for hyperactive children, but is often diverted by drug abusing parents. This drug is a powerful stimulant. When abused, the tablets are crushed and mixed with water, then injected. The problem associated with Ritalin abuse, besides the typical stimulant problems, has to do with the chemicals used to make the tablet. Talc (like talcum power) is used to hold the pill together. Talc does not dissolve in the body or bloodstream, and can clog veins, causing embolisms and strokes.



						LSD

	LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is an extremely powerful hallucinogen--100 times as potent as psilocybin and 4000 times as potent as mescaline.  LSD or "acid" saw its heyday in the late 1960s and early 1970s but is still used today. It is usually taken orally, in tablets, capsules or on blotter paper.
	The attraction. The effects of LSD begin within an hour of ingestion and last from 2 to 12 hours. The effects taper off gradually. Users provide a variety of reasons for taking the drug, including a desire to experience something profoundly beautiful, a wish to achieve a transcendent state, enhance their creativity or take a vacation without going anywhere.
	Sights and sounds may be merged and intensified, and the sense of time may be altered. Visual hallucinations often occur and can be novel and fascinating . Because LSD diminishes an individual's capacity to differentiate the boundaries of one object from another, and oneself from the environment, some users report a pleasant feeling of oneness with the world.
	The description above is one side of the coin, the so-called "good trip." The other side of the coin is the "bad trip," in which hallucinations, loss of boundaries, and perceptual changes are experienced as unpleasant and scary . This can cause paranoid feelings, extreme anxiety and/or panic, and in some cases a psychotic reaction, triggering a process which, in some, is not always reversible. There is no way to predict which individuals will have good or bad trips. Even expe rienced users can have an unanticipated bad trip, some even requiring psychiatric hospitalization.
	Another problem with LSD is the occasional occurrence of flashbacks, strong evoked memories of the LSD experience. Flashbacks often cause fear in the user and are especially dangerous if the individual is driving a car or operating machinery. 
	Short-term effects on the body can include increased blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, muscular weakness, trembling, nausea, chills, hyperventilation, and impairment of motor coordination.
	Another drug, PCP (Angel Dust) is sometimes marketed as LSD. It is cheaper and easier to make, and it is potentially lethal. 

						Ecstasy

	Like cocaine, Ecstasy (3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is not a new drug. It was synthesized in 1914 by a pharmaceutical company for use as an appetite suppressant, but was never marketed. It has been "rediscovered" in recent years and goes by the name of MDMA, ADAM, XTC, X, "the love drug," and the "hug drug."  It is chemically similar to but less potent than MDA.
	The drug is taken orally and produces a high which lasts two to four hours. After the initial onset of symptoms, which can be seriously unpleasant, some users report a period of relaxation and emotional openness, where problems seem to disappear and the user feels receptive to those around him. He or she may feel self-assured, friendly, and sociable. Such feelings are, of course, obtainable without drugs, but Ecstasy seems to provide a shortcut for some who may have problems in these areas. Users report that the drug has a "mind-expanding" effect without the extreme reactions found in some of the hallucinogens, such as LSD.
	One of the problems with Ecstasy is the initial onset of symptoms, which usually begins with a jittery feeling accompanied by teeth-gnashing, sweating, blurred vision, and an increase in pulse rate and blood pressure. These latter two symptoms have been implicated in seizures and heartbeat irregularities, and the drug effect on certain brain centers has led to psychotic reactions in some individuals (hallucinations, paranoid delusions, misinterpretation of reality). There is no way to predict in advance who will be affected in this way. Because this drug appears to have milder effects than some of the other drugs discussed, some users double or triple their dose, creating serious medical problems. Repeated use of the drug produces tolerance (that is, the drug becomes ineffective), and it can produce a crash.
	A recent study found that one of the by-products created when Ecstasy is metabolized is a toxic substance harmful to nerve endings. This seems to cause Parkinson's disease-like symptoms in persons as young as 30 years of age. These symptoms do not appear immediately, but may occur after a period of time. They are apparently non-reversible.
				
						Mushrooms

	There are a number of plant materials which have LSD-like effects and which come under the heading of mushrooms or "shrooms" as they are often called. These include the psilocybe mexicana and several other species which have the active ingredient psilocybin. Mushrooms are generally dried and then eaten. Mescaline originally came form the "buttons" which grow on the top of peyote cactus. Several varieties of psilocybin mushrooms grow and are illegally marketed in the Northwest.
	The initial effects of psilocybin are experienced in 30 minutes and the high generally lasts several hours. Small doses can reportedly produce feelings of physical and mental relaxation and pleasant changes in mood and perception. Larger doses can produce marked changes in perception, with the user experiencing effects similar to those found with LSD.
	With mescaline, the effects appear slowly and last from 10-18 hours. Commonly reported effects include euphoria, heightened sensory perception, visual hallucinations, alterations in body image, and some muscular relaxation.
	With regard to perceptual processes, the unpleasant effects of these drugs are similar to those found with LSD.  In addition, psilocybin can cause dizziness, light-headedness, abdominal discomfort, numbness in the mouth, nausea, vomiting, shivering, facial flushing, sweating, and fatigue. With mescaline, nausea and vomiting frequently occur, and high doses can produce low blood pressure, cardiac depression, slowed respiration, and headache. These side effects have the potential to be medically serious.
	Both psilocybin and mescaline can be manufactured in the laboratory.

					Marijuana

	Marijuana consists of the dried leaves and flowering tops of the hemp plant (cannabis sativa). The plant's principal psychoactive ingredient is delta-9 THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). Hashish or "hash" is the dried resin from the tops and leaves of the female plant. It contains a higher concentration of the THC and is therefore more potent. Both marijuana and hash are usually smoked.
	When smoked, the effects of marijuana produces a feeling of euphoria which gives rise to a tendency to talk and laugh more than usual. Color, sound, and taste, touch and/or smell may be enhanced and experienced as pleasant and fascinating. Muscular relaxation may occur, as well as a sense of well-being and relief from tension.
	Cannabis impairs the ability to perform complex motor tasks such as driving a car. It also impairs short-term memory and logical thinking. At very high doses, effects can be similar to those of hallucinogens, and the user can experience confusion, restlessness, hallucination, paranoia, and anxiety or panic.  These problems have become more noted in recent years, as the strains of marijuana now available are many times more potent than the marijuana of the early 1970s.
	Heavy use appears to interfere with brain cell functioning, producing problems with sequencing ability, time sense, depth perception, memory storage, and recall. Chronic heavy users sometime demonstrate apathy, loss of energy, confusion, and memory problems. 
	Long-term use of THC is also associated with lower sperm counts in males and alterations in sperm shape and mobility. In women, irregularities in menstruation and ovulation occur. Pregnant women who are heavy marijuana smokers have higher levels of miscarriages, still-births and genetic disorders.
	Marijuana smoke contains more cancer-causing agents than tobacco smoke. Laboratory studies have shown pre-cancerous cellular changes in the lung tissue of long term users.



					Warning Signals 
			     Signs That The Chemical Has Taken Control

	The following symptoms and behaviors, when related to chemical use (including alcohol, of course), indicate that a person has seriously overindulged. Beyond this, these symptoms could indicate a more serious problem or addiction:

					   MEDICAL

•Accidents or injuries •Nausea and vomiting •Mysterious bruises •Gastritis •Blackouts (cannot remember something while drinking) •Passing out (unconsciousness) •Emergency room visits 

				ACADEMIC/EMPLOYMENT

•Academic failure/poor work performance •Missing classes/absenteeism from work •Not living up to one's potential •Difficulties with deadlines or procrastination 

					    SEXUAL

•Impotence •Sexual assault •Inability to resist unwanted sexual advance •Engaging in sexual activities that are contrary to values 

				SOCIAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL

•Loss of self-respect •Mood swings •Panic and unexplained fears •Depression •Property damage •Paranoia •Fights and arguments •Social isolation and withdrawal •Problems with legal or college authorities •Causing emotional pain to friends or loved ones 

				DRINKING/USING BEHAVIOR

•Sneaking drinks or drugs or using alone •Hiding bottles/drugs •Consuming more than intended •Inability to predict how much one will consume •Using again right after sobering up •Using to relieve anxiety, insomnia, pain or depression •Using to feel more confident in social situations •Spending substantial amounts of money on alcohol and drugs •Preoccupation with next high •Centering one's recreational activities around chemicals •Family members or friends expressing concern about one's drinking or other drug use •Feeling annoyed or angry when one's chemical use is discussed •Inability to carry out an intention to "cut down" 

					State Laws


	The following chart describes the penalties for POSSESSION of key drugs (the schedules are more inclusive) according to the Federal Drug Schedules:

                              Max. Prison Time Max .Fine SCHEDULE #   Class 
Heroin, LSD, other hallucinogens
marijuana, others                   10 years  $100,000  SCHEDULE II Class C Felony
Methadone, morphine, amphetamines
cocaine,                          PCP5 years  $100,000  SCHEDULE II Class A Misdemeanors
Non-amphetamine stimulants,          1 year     $2,500    SCHEDULE IV Class C Misdemeanors
some depressants1 
Valium-type tranquilizers, some 
less potent depressants              30 days  $500      SCHEDULE V   Violation
Dilute mixtures, compounds
with small amounts of controlled drugs   None  $1,000

	Delivery of less than five grams or possession or less than one ounce of marijuana is a violation. established mandatory evaluation, education and treatment services for those under 18 years old. If services are successfully completed, the charge will be dropped.
	Alcohol is an illegal drug for those under 21 years of age. For a driver under 18 ANY detectable amount of alcohol (above .00 BAC) is grounds for losing the license.
	That pretty much sums it up for psychodelic drugs. I hope this proved to you that if you use a psychodelic drug that you should stop, unless it is alchol because it is not as bad as LSD, pcp, or anything you have to inject or snort.  So I sign out with I hope you learned something, I mean you had to you could'ent have know all of this information.


Biblyography

        Name                   Year                   Type
	
Microsoft Encarta               96'                 Encyclopedia
Dartmouth collage                95'                 Brochure
White House                     97'                  Internet
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Rethinking Marijuana.TXT
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	Recently, both California and Arizona took the long needed initiative and approved the use of marijuana for medical purposes.  The California bill says that patients may use marijuana with a doctor's recommendation.  It does not, however, allow doctors to prescribe the drug.  Arizona voters passed a bill that swings out even further to the left than California's.  Voters in Arizona think that people should be able to use any illicit drug for bona fide medical purposes.  A recommendation by two doctors is enough to warrant a prescription.  Unfortunately, the bills passed in both states are terribly vague and are destined to be abused.
	Legalization of marijuana for medical purposes is a step in the right direction, but California and Arizona are going about it the wrong way.  The chemical in marijuana that has medicinal benifits is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).  Studies have shown that marijuana can ease pain, relieve nausea, and generally relax a person.  Marijuana is cheap and easy to produce, so if legalized, it would be plentiful and probably widely used.  The problem is that there are as many harmful effects from smoking marijuana as there are benefits.  It slows reflexes, dulls the brain, and sometimes causes hallucinations and/or cancer.  There's no mystery about why it is illegal in most parts of the world... including the U.S.
	There is a simple solution that is not being discussed by the hard-headed bureaucracy.  THC is easily removed from the plant and could be administered as medicine in pill form.  What a novel idea!  No... actually it isn't novel at all.  Many other forms of illegal drugs are dispensed as medicine is this manner.  Steroids (Cortizone, Prednizone and others) and opiates, namely codeine and morphine, are prescribed regularly to patients for pain relief.  Of course the doctors don't dispense poppy seeds or cocaine, the drug comes in a pill.  The amount of the drug is carefully regulated to prevent most side effects but to still have the medicinal qualities.  THC would be just as easy to put in pill form, plus it has an important advantage over many other pain relieving drugs; THC is not adictive.  Abuse of Tylenol 3 with Codeine(tm) is a very rare occurrence, even though it can become addictive.  Therefore, the abuse of a doctor prescribed THC pill would be even less common.
	The solution of putting THC in a pill has not been suggested before because it doesn't satisfy the ultimate goal of either side of the debate.  Those who are for legalization, such as Ethan Nadelman, the director of an institute that promotes deregulation of illicit drugs, are using medicine as an excuse to get marijuana legalized for recreational purposes.  Those against legalization know the motives of people like Nadelman and are worried that any relaxation of the law will lead to more deregulation.  The compromise of putting THC in a pill should partially satisfy both extremes of the argument.  It should also eliminate concern that legalization of marijuana for medical purposes will lead to the legalization of other illicit drugs.  Marijuana would remain illegal but THC could be legalized in a manner that makes it very hard to abuse.  Those who want marijuana legalized are using medicinal purposes as the backbone of their argument.  This is the medicine they asked for. The drug would be available only by prescription, so it could be used only by people who legitimately need it.
	Why forgo a valuable medical resource because the abuse of that resource is illegal?  This type of ultra conservative thinking would eliminate most of the medications on the market today.  No more cough syrup, it has alcohol in it.  Robitussin(tm) is out of the question.  There are enough opiates in a bottle to kill someone.  Proponents of the legalization of marijuana are not really arguing over the legalization of the drug as a medicine.  They want marijuana to be completely legalized.  On the other hand, the status quo and red tape are keeping a perfectly good medicine off the market.  A little less convention and a little more compromise would calm the uproar about legalization of marijuana.  
 








































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Ritalin Research Paper



Drugs and Behavior
 Abstract

	Ritalin (Methylphenidate) is a mild CNS stimulant. In medicine, Ritalin's primary use is treatment of Attention Deficit /Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The mode of action in humans is not completely understood, but Ritalin presumably activates the arousal system of the brain stem and the cortex to produce its stimulant effect. Recently, the frequency of diagnosis for ADHD has increased dramatically. More children and an increasing number of adults are being diagnosed with ADHD. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) (Bailey 1995), prescriptions for Ritalin have increased more than 600% in the past five years. Ritalin has a long history of controversy regarding side effects and potential for abuse, however it greatly benefits those with ADHD.











Ritalin Research Paper
Psychological effects of Ritalin 
Ritalin (Methylphenidate) is manufactured by CIBA-Geigy Corporation. It is supplied in 5 mg., 10 mg., and 20 mg. tablets, and in a sustained release form, Ritalin SR, in 20 mg. tablets. It is readily water soluble and is intended for oral use. It is a Schedule II Controlled Substance under both the Federal and Vermont Controlled Substance Acts. Ritalin is primarily used in the treatment of Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) (Bailey 1995). 
ADHD is a condition most likely based in an inefficiency and inadequacy of Dopamine and Norepinephrine hormone availability, typically occurring when a person with ADHD tries to concentrate. Ritalin improves the efficiency of the hormones Dopamine and Norepinephrine, increasing the resources for memory, focus, concentration and attention (Clark 1996). 
Ritalin has been used for more than 30 years to treat ADHD. Nervousness and insomnia are the most common adverse reactions reported, but are usually controlled by reducing dosage or omitting the afternoon or evening dose. Decreased appetite is also common but usually transient (Long 1996).
According to Clark (1996), children, adolescents and adults diagnosed with ADHD usually report the following effects when successfully treated with Ritalin: 
•Improved concentration. 
•Better "focus". 
•Improved ability to complete their work. 
•Improved intensity of attention and longer attention span.  
•Reduced distractibility.  
•Reduced impulsivity.
•Reduced restlessness and overactivity.
•Improved patience. 
•More elaborate expressive vocabulary.
•Better written expression and handwriting (especially in            children). 
•An improved sense of "alertness". 
•Improved memory for visual as well as auditory stimuli.

Ritalin's Effect on Neurotransmitter Systems 
Ritalin exhibits pharmacological activity similar to that of amphetamines. Ritalin's exact mechanism of action in the CNS is not fully understood, but the primary sites of activity appear to be in the cerebral cortex and the subcortical structures including the thalamus. Ritalin blocks the reuptake mechanism present in dopaminergic neurons. As a result, sympathomimetic activity in the central nervous system and in the peripheral nervous system increases. Ritalin-induced CNS stimulation produces a decreased sense of fatigue, an increase in motor activity and mental alertness, mild euphoria, and brighter spirits. In the PNS, the actions of Ritalin are minimal at therapeutic doses (Clinical Pharmacology Online 1997).
Ritalin is the quickest of all oral ADHD stimulant medications in onset of action: it starts to achieve benefit in 20 - 30 minutes after administration, and is most effective during the upward 'slope' and peak serum levels. Ritalin's effect is brief: Most people experience 2-3 hours of benefit, but after 3 hours, benefits drop off rapidly. Some individuals, especially children, may obtain 4 or even 5 hours of positive effect (Clark 1996). 

Social Factors Leading to increased use of Ritalin
Recently, there has been a dramatic upsurge of interest in using stimulants (mainly Ritalin) for children and adults for the increasingly popular diagnosis of ADHD. According to Persky (1996), the high frequency of the diagnosis of ADHD is a uniquely American phenomenon. Children and adults are now under greater pressure to perform and to do well academically or in the workplace. The chilling message in school and at work is "Perform or Else." Because of this high intensity atmosphere, the use of Ritalin has become attractive. This has resulted in an acute "epidemic" of ADHD and the treatment of choice is Ritalin (Persky 1996).
For example, after education reforms spearheaded by Ross Perot in Texas in 1984, Ritalin use in the state doubled. One Texas mother says she is being hounded by teachers to put her two boys on Ritalin against their psychologist's advice. Another mother says she had to ask a school board member to intervene when teachers at her child's school also pressed for Ritalin use("Critics say Ritalin," Houston Chronicle, May 1996).
	Ritalin is an effective treatment for people with ADHD. Because it allows them to filter out distractions and improve concentration, some schools and parents force Ritalin on children who may have nothing more than a severe case of childhood. At a popular church preschool, approximately 20 percent of children are on Ritalin. Even a Little League coach urged Ritalin for a 9-year-old catcher to improve his performance. Ritalin's safety and efficacy is what has turned it into teachers' and parents' little helper. It solves, or in some cases masks, children's behavioral problems ("Critics say Ritalin," Houston Chronicle, May 1996).

Social Impact of Ritalin
	According to Clark (1996), people who have ADHD come from every imaginable social, vocational, educational and emotional background. ADHD is a condition which may afflict physicians, attorneys, carpenters, actors, politicians, casino employees, executives, and homemakers. While Ritalin is a very important aspect of treatment, in many or most cases it is only part of the overall treatment effort. Stimulants (mainly Ritalin) specifically affect attention span, concentration, focus, and distractibility. No alternative medications, nor any other form of treatment, address these symptoms of ADHD as well as stimulants like Ritalin. 
Learning disabilities, such as reading difficulties or anxiety, are sometimes misdiagnosed as ADHD or co-exist with ADHD. Ritalin will help the child sit still in class, but may not deal with the real culprits keeping the child from learning. Many pediatricians believe children younger than 6 -- even if they have ADHD -- should wait to be medicated until they learn basic rules of behavior. Yet while liberal estimates are that six out of 100 children suffer from the disorders, six out of 30 preschoolers in one group at a Day School in Houston take Ritalin. Teachers are often the only ones who get an inkling that a child may have ADHD, and are within their rights to call a parent and suggest the child be evaluated for the disorder. No teacher should be permitted to suggest a specific medication or pursue the topic once the parent demurs. ("Critics say Ritalin," Houston Chronicle, May 1996). 
After a slowdown of Ritalin use in the 1970's, the pendulum began to swing back in the 1980's. It has swung so far, that in 1994 about 9 tons of Ritalin was produced (DEA in Persky 1996).

Patterns of Abuse
According to Bailey (1995), epidemiologists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) describe Ritalin abuse over the last two decades as "sporadic but persistent," and rates of use fluctuate over time. When purchased in pharmacies with a valid prescription, Ritalin tablets cost 25 cents to 50 cents each. In the illicit street drug market, tablets sell for $3 to $15 each. While street prices in the Midwest are now at the low end ($3 to $5 per tablet) compared with some West Coast locations, they have been rising over the past few years. In 1994, an upsurge in illicit street use of Ritalin was reported on the U.S. West Coast and in the Midwest. Non-medical use consisting of snorting crushed Ritalin tablets or dissolving the powder in water and "cooking" it for intravenous injection was reported at Chicago and Detroit. Anecdotal reports suggest that suburban, white abusers are more likely to snort Ritalin, while African American inner-city abusers are more likely to inject it (Bailey 1995). 

Conclusion
Ritalin is an extremely useful medication. It has minimal side effects after the first few months. It works quickly, wears off quickly, and because of this targets some ADHD issues optimally. No other stimulant medication impacts so specifically on alertness, concentration and focus. 
	Individuals with ADHD may respond well to psychotherapy, behavior modification, and other interventions. Successful treatment of ADHD begins with careful diagnosis, followed by proper prescription of medications. An accurate diagnosis, in conjunction with carefully developed and targeted treatment, should limit abuse and ensure continued success in treating ADHD.    











References
Bailey,  W. J.  (1995). Factline on non-medical use of Ritalin. Factline Number 9 November 1995,  [on-line], pp. 1-7. Available: Http://www.drugs.indiana.edu/.
Clark, C. G. (1996). Stimulant Medications. Diagnosis and Treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder, [on-line], pp. 1-12. Available: Http://www.ADDCLINIC.com/.
Clinical Pharmacology Online, Ritalin.. (1997). Clinical Pharmacology Online. Gold Standard Multimedia Inc., [On-line], Available: Http://www.gsm.com/., p. 1.
Critics say Ritalin has become panacea for children's scholastic, 
	behavioral problems. (1996, May 23). Houston Chronicle via Nando.Net, [on-line], pp. 1-3. Available:    Http://www.Nando.net/.
Long, P. W.  (1996). Methylphenidate, Brand name Ritalin, Drug Monograph. In, Internet Mental Health Drug Monograph. 
	[On-line], Available: Http://www.mentalhealth.com/. (pp. 1-7). Ottawa, Canada.
Persky, M. (1995, May). LISTENING TO RITALIN: The New Epidemic.. The Northern California Psychiatric Physician, 5, 43-45.

 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Ritalin 3.TXT
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	In recent years, more and more kids seem to be on a prescription drug called Ritalin(methylphenidate).  This drug is being handed out more and more by doctors as a way of treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a complex neurological impairnment that prevents kids from concentrating.  According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, it rose fron 200 grams per 100,000 people to over 1400 grams per 100,000 people in the last fifteen years.  The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that about one student in every classroom is believed to experience the disorder.  The rate of Ritalin use in the United States is at least five times higher than in the rest of the world according to federal studies.  Are doctors just catching this disabling affliction more often? Or does society just want a convenient way to solve a complicated problem.  
	Ritalin is a central nervous system stimulant that is somewhat similar to amphetamines.  It was created in 1955, classified as a controlled substance in 1971, and became the drug of choice for ADHD in 1981.  It is also used in treating narcolepsy.  It is thought to activate the brain stem arousal system and cortex, and, like cocaine, works on the neurotransmitter dopamine.  It appears to increase the levels of dopamine in the frontal lobe where attention and impulsive actions are regulated.  When taken in its intended form under a doctor's prescritption, it has moderate stimulant properties.  There has been a great deal of concern about it's addictive qualities and adverse affects.  
	ADHD is a relatively new disorder.  It was introduced in 1980, where it was labeled ADD(attention deficit disorder).  In the 1950's, children were simply labeled "hyperkinetic."  The term "hyperactivity" was added in 1987, hence the name ADHD.  Not all children have the hyperactivity, and thus are labeled to have ADD.  ADD is not treated with Ritalin; antidepressants are more commonly used.  One of the problems with the label ADHD is that just because a child may be overly hyper, doesn't mean the child is not paying attention.  The problem is, the child is paying too much attention to too many things at the same time.  
	ADHD is children's #1 childhood psychiatric disorder.  The prevalence is three times as likely in boys than girls.  The children tend to be very bright, but are poor students because they cna't settle down.  They blurt questions out before they are asked.  They can't wait their turn, stop fidgeting their legs and tapping their pencils.  They tend to be forgetful, have problems following directions, and lose things easily, as well as their tempers.  This behavior occurs constantly.  This may be a reason why teachers and school psychologists are adament in their beliefs; these kids are disrupting their classrooms, so they want the problem solved immeditately, and take the "quick fix" approach.  Experts believe that more than two million children (3-5%) have the disorder.  
	Some scientists believe ADHD is a result of a problem in pregnancy ranging from fetal alcohol syndrome to exposure to lead in utero.  Others suggest that ADHD is hereditary.  Dr. Russel Barkley, of the University of Minnesota reports that nearly half the ADHD children have a parent, and more than one third have a sibling, with the disorder.  	 
	Ritalin as prescribed is taken orally, and takes effect in about 30 minutes and lasts for about 3-4 hours.  Kids usually take 5-10 mg doses three times a day.  Although many experts report that Ritalin is a positive treatment in 9 out of 10 patienst, and many parents and students claim the drug is a benefit in their lives', there are many who question the drug's long-term effects, dangers, misdiagnosis, and non-medical abuse.  	Diagnosis for ADHD isn't as easy as you think.  There is no blood test, no x-ray, or no cat scan to determine a biological cause for the disorder.  Teachers, even in preschool strongly advocate the drug(negative reinforcement???).  School psychologists are even prescribing the drug before giving an evaluation because there are so many referrals and a lack of school psychologists (1:2100 students).  Many times, it has been shown, that psychiatrists who often diagnose for ADHD in children, are disdiagnosing disorders similar to ADHD such as learning disabilities, depression or anxiety disorders; disorders that do not neccessitate Ritalin as a therapy.  Some doctors who are reluctant to prescribe Ritalin find that the childeren's parents just switch doctors and find doctors who will.  Unfortunately, this is surprisingly easy.  Doctors surveyed by the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine said they send ADHD children home in about an hour.  The children are not only sent home with just a prescription, but rarely any follow up care of additional therapy is adnministered.  Experts in the field of ADHD say behavior modification techniques and extra help in school is a better way in treating the disorder.  Since it takes time to sit down and go through therapy sessions, and it takes time for parents to fit tis all into their lifestyle, a pill is much more convenient.  There are no long term studies on the effects that it has on children, so many fear what complications may occur later on in life.  
	Correct diagnosis would occur if doctors would take the time to provide a complete examination of the patient.  To make a correct ADHD diagnosis, it is important to review the child's family history, give abstract cognitive tests, observe their behavior, and run a slew of behavioral exams.  Other disorders must be ruled out first.  Parents need to make sure a complete evaluation is carried out before putting a pill in a child's mouth.  One would think that every parent would explore every option before relying on medication only.  
	Diagnosis would also be much easier if doctors could find a flaw in the brain.  Several studies have shown that ADHD brains look and function slightly different that "normal" brains.  PET(positron emission tomography) has shown that ADHD brains use less glucose in the prefrontal lobe.  The prefrontal lobe is the center for impulse control and attention.  By using less glucose-or energy, this would then agree with the child's behavioral problems.  Other tests show that there is less electrical activity in the same region of the brain.  Nonetheless, these studies have not yet been proven to be the cause for the disorder.  
	Many people are concerned with the non-medical use of Ritalin, also.  Ritalin is a Schedule II controlled substance, which means it is a very powerful drug, and in the same category as cocaine, methadone, and methamphetamines.  The Manufacturer of Ritalin, Ciba-Geiby Corporation, cautions doctors that many adverse side effects are possible under normal dosage such as: nervousness, insomnia, decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, heart palpitations, headaches, rise in heart rate and blood pressure, skin rashes, itching, abdominal pain, weight loss, digestive problems, toxic psychosis, psychotic episodes, and severe depression upon withdrawal.  Many question if such a drug should be so freely handed out to children because of it's possible dangerous effects.  Parents are even trying to lessen the restrictions on Ritalin so they won't have to make monthly doctor visits.  
	It's rise on the black market has also been increasing.  Since it is so widely available, many kids sell the pills for 3-15 dollars a pill.  The buyers then crush up the pill and snort it, giving an intense high similar to cocaine.  Some also dissolve it in water and inject it intravenously.  In these forms, it is highly addictive, and withdrawal symptoms are also similar to cocaine.  Some of the side effects at these high doses may be life threatening:  loss of appetite(may cause serious malnutrition), tremors and muscle twitching, fevers, convulsions, and headaches(may be severe), irregular heartbeat and respiration(may be profound and life threatening), anxiety, restlessness, paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, excessive repetition of movements and meaningless tasks, and formicaton(sensation of bugs or worms crawling under the skin).  It seems to be abused by high school kids and college students predominantly.  Although the drug is too complex to manufacture illegally, and it doesn't create the euphoric effect that cocaine has, it seems to be an aid in studying for final exams.  It allows students to stay up all night allowing them to cram much easier.  
	 It is important to remember that too many children in America are suffering from this ailment, and yet too many kids are getting pills instead of proper care.  Although Ritalin currently seems to be an effective way in treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, we must not treat this disorder hastily.  Our society must realize that prescription drugs can have just as many complications as street drugs.  Befor writing out a prescription, or carelessly diagnosing ADHD, we must remember that these are kids we are dealing with.  They put all their faith in us to help them, and not just to medicate them.   








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Ritalin 5.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
The Dark side of a Wonder Drug-A Selected Collection of Testimony on the
Safety of Ritalin

     "We give our children every day, yet we punish adults for taking speed," 

stated a concerned parent(Ritalin Zone).  A trip to the principal's office used 

to mean big trouble. These days, more kids are showing up in the school 

office just to get their midday dose of Ritalin.  Ritalin, the drug used to treat 

hyperactivity in children, is being seized on by a generation worried about 

controlling inappropriate behavior. But some doctors think Ritalin is being 

prescribed to children who are simply having trouble in school.  The numbers 

suggest they have good reason to worry.  The number of prescriptions for 

Ritalin increased four-fold from 1990 to 1995, making the stimulant one of 

the most prescribed drugs in the country. No one knows exactly what's 

behind the surge in Ritalin use, but experts speculate it's due to everything 

from increased awareness of attention disorders in schools to teachers and 

parents becoming less tolerant of unruly behavior.

     Some local school offices have become virtual noon-time pharmacies. At 

one Ottawa-area board of education, the number of medications dispensed to 

students by office administrators has increased 20 per cent over the past 18 

months. A good chunk of those pills are Ritalin. "We always worry that we're 

a half-step away from giving someone the wrong dosage," says John Beatty, 

the board's superintendent of school operations(Ritalin Boy).  "In certain 

school systems there's been a teacher who has seen it work and they'll start 

suggesting it as an option for all children who are acting out," said Linda 

Budd, a St. Paul, Minn., psychologist who has written the book Living With 

the Active/Alert Child. "We've got some teachers we call "Ritalin bullies' - 

he's not paying attention to me so he needs Ritalin"(Ritalin Zone).  Marcia 

Ruberg, a school psychologist in Cherry Hill (N.J.) School District, said the 

number of children taking Ritalin varies greatly from class to class, 

depending on "the teacher's belief system"(Ritalin).  At some schools, 

children as young as seven are asked to take their Ritalin themselves. The 

little blue pills have become so common in school yards that some kids are 

reportedly selling their spare Ritalin to friends, who take it in the hope of 

getting a buzz.  "Every parent wants their child to be at the top of the class," 

says Dr. Andre Cote, clinical director of the Children's Mental Health 

Treatment Center at the Royal Ottawa Hospital. "What we might be seeing is 

that people are trying to improve their kids' performance by giving them 

medication"(Health: Ritalin).

     Others worry that Ritalin has become an easy answer for busy families 

trying to cope with a hyperactive or aggressive child on their own. Dr. 

Thomas Millar, a retired Vancouver child psychiatrist, believes ADHD is not 

a disorder, but behavior that discipline and better parenting can fix.  "Ritalin 

may calm the child," says Millar, "but it does nothing to increase his or her 

tolerance for life's demands, and when the Ritalin runs out, the symptoms 

return''(ADHD: Ritalin).  Even proponents of Ritalin fear that normal, 

rambunctious children may be being labeled with a disease for which there is 

still no clear test.  "Basically, you are taking children who are in conflict with 

adults and drugging them," said Dr. Peter R. Breggin, a Bethesda, Md., 

psychiatrist and leading opponent of the drug. "You have a child who is 

depressed, who can't concentrate, who is having trouble in school and you're 

drugging him instead of saying what can we do to attend to the child's 

needs"(Discover Ritalin).  Lawrence H Diller MD, agrees with Dr. Breggin 

by saying, "It is easier to medicate a child than work with a dysfunctional 

family, decrease the size of a large classroom or increase funding for special 

education"(Wonder Drug).  Part of the problem is that while the experts 

stress that any child who may have an attention disorder should be thoroughly 

assessed to rule out other problems, it can take months, even a year or more, 

to get a referral to a specialist.  "When the mother goes and sees the family 

physician and says, "The teacher told me little George can't sit still, he 

wanders all over the class, he has difficulty concentrating,' the general 

practitioner may be tempted to say, "Well I know what your problem is, take 

that pill and come and see me in two weeks,' "says Dr. Peter Byonsen, a child 

psychologist(Team Ritalin). 

     As many as two million children have been diagnosed as having Attention 

Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The preferred 

form of treatment for these alleged disorders is a powerful drug called Ritalin 

-- a Schedule II controlled substance, as are cocaine and methadone.  

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder is a baffling brain disorder. Children 

who have it are hyperactive, have a short attention span and are easily 

distracted. Most experts believe that ADHD stems from biochemical 

malfunctions in the brain.  Children with ADHD are usually in constant 

motion, tapping fingers or toes, wiggling in chairs, jumping up and down 

during meals, flitting from one activity to another. They often have problems 

relating to other children.  "It really makes their life miserable," Sarah 

Newtwater, a clinical psychiatrist, says. "It interferes with all kinds of 

activities in life - their relationship in the family, the school, their learning 

ability, their social contact with other kids"(Bad Ritalin).  Parents of kids 

with ADHD have a two to three times greater risk of separating or divorcing 

than parents of kids with a physical disability or chronic illness. Though 

parents may suspect a problem in the pre-school years, it's often not 

diagnosed until a child starts school, when they begin failing or getting into 

trouble.

     Doctors in every field of study related to ritalin are having trouble 

deciding on what the increase of ritalin is from.  "Some pediatricians are 

guilty of over-diagnosing," says Mary Anne Garber, Ph.D., who co-authored 

the book Beyond Ritalin with husband Stephen (an Atlanta psychologist) and 

Robyn Spizman. "We are not pro or con medication, but we certainly don't 

think it should be the first avenue"(Ritalin).  Dr. Normand Carrey, a child 

psychiatrist the Royal Ottawa Hospital, agreed by saying, "ADHD has 

become too much of an easy diagnosis"(Ritalin Boy).  On the other hand, 

leading B.C. experts on ADHD say the growing number of children taking 

Ritalin doesn't mean the drug is being wrongly prescribed.  Rather, more 

doctors are aware of the disorder and are diagnosing it.  "The numbers may 

be up, but I would say the numbers are appropriately up, in the vast majority 

of cases,'' said Dr. Derryck Smith, head of psychiatry at B.C.'s Children's 

Hospital, and the next president of the B.C. Medical Association(Ritalin).  

Dr. Craig Fabrikant, chief psychologist at the Institute for Child Development 

at Hackensack University Medical Center, agreed by saying, "In some cases, 

the drug is perceived as a panacea, but if it is effectively prescribed and 

appropriate precautions are taken with accurate diagnosis, the drug is worth 

its weight in gold"(H+W:Ritalin).

     Doctors say another part of a big increase in ritalin sales may be that a 

growing number of adults are being diagnosed with ADHD. Until recently, 

doctors believed that children with attention deficit disorders eventually 

outgrew them once they reached adolescence and adulthood. Not so.  "You 

have little Jack who took Ritalin for five years who's now working at Corel 

and every five minutes he's fidgety, and he remembers that he used to take 

Ritalin as a kid and it helped and maybe it can help him now in his career," 

Jane Peters, Ph.D., says(Team Ritalin).  Other adults are being diagnosed for 

the first time as the disorder is detected in their own children.  "More and 

more ADD has become a condition that is well known, for which a medical 

solution really gives instantaneous results," says Ryan Watson, a child 

psychologist. "Ritalin works and it works fast"(Wonder Drug).

     How far should doctors go with these prescriptions?  Increasingly doctors 

are prescribing Ritalin to even pre-schoolers.  Researchers at the Children's 

Hospital of Eastern Indiana recently studied Ritalin on children aged four to 

six to determine just how safe and effective it is in the younger population. 

The preliminary results show that the drug can improve cognitive skills in 

children with ADHD. Two of 30 children studied were pulled out of the 

study because of side effects, but none of the side effects were serious.  But 

not every child who has trouble concentrating has ADHD.  Nor does he need 

Ritalin or other stimulants, experts say.  "The one question that any good 

clinician needs to keep in the back of his or her mind is, "Why?' " says Susan 

Cummings, a psychologist at the children's hospital. "If a child walks into the 

doctor's office and the parent says, "He's restless, he can't concentrate,' ask 

why"(Discover Ritalin).  There could be problems in the family, a crisis such 

as a divorce or separation, anxiety of starting a new school or moving to a 

new home. "Even something as simple as poor nutrition can reduce attention 

span, yet it can easily be overlooked if a doctor does only a cursory 

examination," Susan Carney, M.D., says(Ritalin).  Dr. Joel Wallach DVM, 

MD, author "Rare Earths Forbidden Cures", adds that there are many things 

that can be done instead of drugs by saying, "What kind of society are we 

that approves of methamphetamines, tranquilizers and uppers, but not 

mineral supplements?"(Ritalin).  Sometimes the child may have a learning 

disability or another type of disease may be mistaken as ADHD. 


     What is in the future for ritalin?  Henry Pisterman, clinical psychologist, 

says, "Ritalin, like any other drug, can be abused"(Ritalin Zone).  And if 

doctors are leisurely prescribing the pills, there will be problems. Pisterman 

wonders just how well children on the drugs are being monitored.  But while 

Jerry Kilroy, Ph.D., worries that Ritalin is being overused, "it worries me just 

as much that a kid who needs help isn't getting it"(Ritalin Boy).  Hopefully 

people will educate themselves about a drug that effects his or her body 

before acting on a whim. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Ritalin.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
Hopkins 3

	The parents of six year old James Patrick Smith receive a phone call from the
school guidance counselor informing them of their child's recent hyperactive behavior. 
After a short conference, the guidance counselor suggests to the parents a solution for
young James' problem; as a result, the family visits their family doctor and the doctor
diagnoses James with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) during a one hour appointment. 
To remedy the disorder, the doctor prescribes the "savior drug" for ADD patients;
children are almost always fed the drug Ritalin, a prescription medicine that packs a
strong euphoric punch (Machan 151).  The preceding hypothetical situation commonly
occurs in the United States at a growing rate which may be too fast for the nation to
contain.  The over-prescription of the drug Ritalin to correct ADD produces many
negative side effects upon patients and society.
	In the vast market of prescription drugs, Ritalin, one of the most highly used
drugs, also carries with it some of the greatest medical drawbacks.  ADD or Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) stands tall as America's number one psychiatric
disorder (Hancock 52).  Estimates suggest that more than two million children live with
the disorder; in addition, according to Dr. Daniel Safer of Johns Hopkins University, over
1.3 million regularly consume Ritalin for treatment of ADD (Hancock 52).  Ritalin
appears to be a popular choice for doctors, but the daily effects of the drug, which family
physicians do not see, creates questions as to how well the drug actually works. 
Scientifically know as methylphenidate, Ritalin stimulates the central nervous system
with similarities to amphetamines in the nature and extent of its effects; furthermore, it
supposedly activates the brain stem arousal system and the cerebral cortex (Bailey 3). 
The key factor remains that doctors and researchers are not sure of what precisely occurs
when Ritalin invades the human body.  Hancock notes that no definite long-term studies
exist to assure parents that Ritalin does not cause more or less havoc in their child, nor 
Hopkins 4
does any disease accompany prolonged usage (52).  Testing results released by the
Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in February 1996, show a study of mice in which a
rare form of liver cancer arose as a result of Ritalin; however, the FDA still regards
Ritalin as "safe and effective" (Hancock 56).  Offering almost as many side effects as the
number of people who take the drug, Ritalin alters many different aspects of the body. 
Just a few symptoms cited by Bailey include:  nervousness, insomnia, loss of appetite,
dizziness, heart palpitations, headaches, extreme weight loss, skin rashes, possible
psychotic episodes, and severe withdrawals (3).  Most physicians would not admit to
being blind about the true consequences of Ritalin, and most families never receive the
needed information to make an educated decision about Ritalin whether or not to take the
drug.
	To be a potent drug with many numerous physical effects, Ritalin is not respected
by doctors who spend only a short amount of time with patients before prescribing the
"wonder drug" as treatment.  Findings of a recent survey by the Archives of Pediatric and
Adolescent Medicine, report that almost half of the pediatricians surveyed said they send
ADD/ADHD children home within a hour (Hancock 52).  Time appears to be on the side
of the doctors which leaves patients and their families holding a possible "time bomb" of
Ritalin.  With assembly line-like characteristics, physicians turn patients in one door and
out the other without conversing with teachers, reviewing a child's educational level, nor
doing psychological evaluations (Hancock 52).  After children use all the Ritalin given
with one prescription, new prescriptions are required for additional doses (Bailey 5). 
Doctors as well as pharmacies benefit monetarily from the constant appointments to the
doctor and the many prescriptions respectively, for a drug that may be doing more harm
than good.  No X-ray, blood scan, or CT scan determines who does or does not need
Ritalin (Hancock 52).  Hancock states that prescribing Ritalin has become more of an art 

Hopkins 5
form rather than a scientific method (52).  Physicians hand out Ritalin without proper
research and examination of each individual.
	Using Ritalin creates psychological changes in addition to the medical effects
which become evident.  Throughout life every person loses concentration or does not pay
attention to the present situation; however, if ADD was based upon the individual
occurrences that all humans experience, then the entire world would be diagnosed with
ADD and consuming Ritalin.  Citing the main criticism of Ritalin, Hancock states the
drug is simply a quick fix for children living in an impatient world (52).  "It takes more
time for parents and teachers to sit down and talk to kids; it takes less time to get a child
a pill," states Dr. Sharon Collins, a pediatrician in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where reportedly
eight percent of the children are on Ritalin (Hancock 52).  Parents many times initiate the
pursuit to obtain Ritalin with hopes that the "miracle drug" can work to help their child
achieve more.  Leutwyler writes of anecdotes about parents seek to find an ADD/ADHD
diagnosis for their child so that he or she may possibly study more intently, focus on
tests, and get better overall grades (14).  Children obtain false senses of security which
leads many to put trust in a capsule or a pill and disregard individual responsibilities to
work without the aid of a drug.  Stating a similar fact, Machan explains that children
must learn to be held responsible for their behavior and every physical condition cannot
be corrected by a drug (151).  Russel A Barkley of the University of Massachusetts
Medical Center states that "we are giving kids medication rather than dealing with their
problems" (14).  Psychological dependence upon a medication is an addiction to
something that is almost always not necessary especially when Ritalin with its unknown
effects is used a tool by impatient parents.
	Ritalin creeps into society as a drug with a big name and reputation for being
widely used; in addition, the illegal side effect of abuse comes along into the picture. 
Classified as a Schedule II controlled substance, Ritalin comes under strict regulations 
Hopkins 6
and quotas from the federal government dictating the amount of the drug that can be
manufactured (Bailey 2).  Abusing the drug usually takes place by snorting or injecting
Ritalin into the body which stimulates cocaine-like effects along with an armful of
unwanted symptoms that invade normal biological processes (Bailey 4).  Intravenous use
of Ritalin as Bailey explains,  exposes the body to many dust particles and even smaller
bacteria which can attach to the needle, flow straight into the blood, and contaminate the
circulatory system (4).  Snorting Ritalin, which is more common, harms the body just as
much as does intravenous abuse.  Ritalin tablets contain hydrochloride salt which
produces dilute hydrochloric acid when it comes in contact with moisture; once inside
the nasal passages, the acid burns the tender nasal tissues which controls the olfactory
sense in the body (Bailey 5).  The price that some people pay to damage their bodies
expresses the lack of common sense which abusers have.  In the illicit street drug market,
tablets usually cost between three to fifteen dollars for a  tablet that is no larger than a tic
found in the woods in size (Bailey 2).  As ADD diagnosis increases, doctors' demand for
Ritalin increases to distribute to the patient; however, due to government restrictions on
manufacturing quotas, the amount of the drug available is limited and abuse of the drug
hinders the number of pills on the legal market (Bailey 2).  Hancock alerts that one of the
most common places of illegal sell of Ritalin lies on the school yards of America;
enterprising children see the opportunity to make some money and neglect their parents'
waste of money every time a prescription is written (56).  Even government regulations
cannot control Ritalin with policemen on every playground in the United States.  Society
reaps a harvest of  malignant effects by the abuse of Ritalin and most people see nothing
wrong.
	God has given the knowledge to researchers and developers of pharmaceuticals to
design drugs in order that people benefit from the use.  If doctors abuse the privilege to
diagnose afflictions and distribute medicines, then society will become corrupt with 
Hopkins 7
drugs and illegal drug sells.  Physicians must respect the privilege and give drugs to those
who are medically in need of it and not just as a pacifier.  Ritalin can be a help if the
proper research and study determines what the drug actually effects and who requires the
drug for healthier living and better focus on life.Hopkins 3

	The parents of six year old James Patrick Smith receive a phone call from the
school guidance counselor informing them of their child's recent hyperactive behavior. 
After a short conference, the guidance counselor suggests to the parents a solution for
young James' problem; as a result, the family visits their family doctor and the doctor
diagnoses James with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) during a one hour appointment. 
To remedy the disorder, the doctor prescribes the "savior drug" for ADD patients;
children are almost always fed the drug Ritalin, a prescription medicine that packs a
strong euphoric punch (Machan 151).  The preceding hypothetical situation commonly
occurs in the United States at a growing rate which may be too fast for the nation to
contain.  The over-prescription of the drug Ritalin to correct ADD produces many
negative side effects upon patients and society.
	In the vast market of prescription drugs, Ritalin, one of the most highly used
drugs, also carries with it some of the greatest medical drawbacks.  ADD or Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) stands tall as America's number one psychiatric
disorder (Hancock 52).  Estimates suggest that more than two million children live with
the disorder; in addition, according to Dr. Daniel Safer of Johns Hopkins University, over
1.3 million regularly consume Ritalin for treatment of ADD (Hancock 52).  Ritalin
appears to be a popular choice for doctors, but the daily effects of the drug, which family
physicians do not see, creates questions as to how well the drug actually works. 
Scientifically know as methylphenidate, Ritalin stimulates the central nervous system
with similarities to amphetamines in the nature and extent of its effects; furthermore, it
supposedly activates the brain stem arousal system and the cerebral cortex (Bailey 3). 
The key factor remains that doctors and researchers are not sure of what precisely occurs
when Ritalin invades the human body.  Hancock notes that no definite long-term studies
exist to assure parents that Ritalin does not cause more or less havoc in their child, nor 
Hopkins 4
does any disease accompany prolonged usage (52).  Testing results released by the
Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in February 1996, show a study of mice in which a
rare form of liver cancer arose as a result of Ritalin; however, the FDA still regards
Ritalin as "safe and effective" (Hancock 56).  Offering almost as many side effects as the
number of people who take the drug, Ritalin alters many different aspects of the body. 
Just a few symptoms cited by Bailey include:  nervousness, insomnia, loss of appetite,
dizziness, heart palpitations, headaches, extreme weight loss, skin rashes, possible
psychotic episodes, and severe withdrawals (3).  Most physicians would not admit to
being blind about the true consequences of Ritalin, and most families never receive the
needed information to make an educated decision about Ritalin whether or not to take the
drug.
	To be a potent drug with many numerous physical effects, Ritalin is not respected
by doctors who spend only a short amount of time with patients before prescribing the
"wonder drug" as treatment.  Findings of a recent survey by the Archives of Pediatric and
Adolescent Medicine, report that almost half of the pediatricians surveyed said they send
ADD/ADHD children home within a hour (Hancock 52).  Time appears to be on the side
of the doctors which leaves patients and their families holding a possible "time bomb" of
Ritalin.  With assembly line-like characteristics, physicians turn patients in one door and
out the other without conversing with teachers, reviewing a child's educational level, nor
doing psychological evaluations (Hancock 52).  After children use all the Ritalin given
with one prescription, new prescriptions are required for additional doses (Bailey 5). 
Doctors as well as pharmacies benefit monetarily from the constant appointments to the
doctor and the many prescriptions respectively, for a drug that may be doing more harm
than good.  No X-ray, blood scan, or CT scan determines who does or does not need
Ritalin (Hancock 52).  Hancock states that prescribing Ritalin has become more of an art 

Hopkins 5
form rather than a scientific method (52).  Physicians hand out Ritalin without proper
research and examination of each individual.
	Using Ritalin creates psychological changes in addition to the medical effects
which become evident.  Throughout life every person loses concentration or does not pay
attention to the present situation; however, if ADD was based upon the individual
occurrences that all humans experience, then the entire world would be diagnosed with
ADD and consuming Ritalin.  Citing the main criticism of Ritalin, Hancock states the
drug is simply a quick fix for children living in an impatient world (52).  "It takes more
time for parents and teachers to sit down and talk to kids; it takes less time to get a child
a pill," states Dr. Sharon Collins, a pediatrician in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where reportedly
eight percent of the children are on Ritalin (Hancock 52).  Parents many times initiate the
pursuit to obtain Ritalin with hopes that the "miracle drug" can work to help their child
achieve more.  Leutwyler writes of anecdotes about parents seek to find an ADD/ADHD
diagnosis for their child so that he or she may possibly study more intently, focus on
tests, and get better overall grades (14).  Children obtain false senses of security which
leads many to put trust in a capsule or a pill and disregard individual responsibilities to
work without the aid of a drug.  Stating a similar fact, Machan explains that children
must learn to be held responsible for their behavior and every physical condition cannot
be corrected by a drug (151).  Russel A Barkley of the University of Massachusetts
Medical Center states that "we are giving kids medication rather than dealing with their
problems" (14).  Psychological dependence upon a medication is an addiction to
something that is almost always not necessary especially when Ritalin with its unknown
effects is used a tool by impatient parents.
	Ritalin creeps into society as a drug with a big name and reputation for being
widely used; in addition, the illegal side effect of abuse comes along into the picture. 
Classified as a Schedule II controlled substance, Ritalin comes under strict regulations 
Hopkins 6
and quotas from the federal government dictating the amount of the drug that can be
manufactured (Bailey 2).  Abusing the drug usually takes place by snorting or injecting
Ritalin into the body which stimulates cocaine-like effects along with an armful of
unwanted symptoms that invade normal biological processes (Bailey 4).  Intravenous use
of Ritalin as Bailey explains,  exposes the body to many dust particles and even smaller
bacteria which can attach to the needle, flow straight into the blood, and contaminate the
circulatory system (4).  Snorting Ritalin, which is more common, harms the body just as
much as does intravenous abuse.  Ritalin tablets contain hydrochloride salt which
produces dilute hydrochloric acid when it comes in contact with moisture; once inside
the nasal passages, the acid burns the tender nasal tissues which controls the olfactory
sense in the body (Bailey 5).  The price that some people pay to damage their bodies
expresses the lack of common sense which abusers have.  In the illicit street drug market,
tablets usually cost between three to fifteen dollars for a  tablet that is no larger than a tic
found in the woods in size (Bailey 2).  As ADD diagnosis increases, doctors' demand for
Ritalin increases to distribute to the patient; however, due to government restrictions on
manufacturing quotas, the amount of the drug available is limited and abuse of the drug
hinders the number of pills on the legal market (Bailey 2).  Hancock alerts that one of the
most common places of illegal sell of Ritalin lies on the school yards of America;
enterprising children see the opportunity to make some money and neglect their parents'
waste of money every time a prescription is written (56).  Even government regulations
cannot control Ritalin with policemen on every playground in the United States.  Society
reaps a harvest of  malignant effects by the abuse of Ritalin and most people see nothing
wrong.
	God has given the knowledge to researchers and developers of pharmaceuticals to
design drugs in order that people benefit from the use.  If doctors abuse the privilege to
diagnose afflictions and distribute medicines, then society will become corrupt with 
Hopkins 7
drugs and illegal drug sells.  Physicians must respect the privilege and give drugs to those
who are medically in need of it and not just as a pacifier.  Ritalin can be a help if the
proper research and study determines what the drug actually effects and who requires the
drug for healthier living and better focus on life. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Schitzophrenia.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 


By:  Michael Dugger
and Amanda Peachrin

Mental Disorders
	
	The term mental disorder means psycological and behavioral syndromes that deviate signicantly from those typical of human beings enjoying good mental health.  All that mumbo jumbo means that a person with a mental disorder was a few cards short of a full deck.  This is probably not the persons fault that they are like this they were just born this way.  These people are not all a like.  They are not even in exact classes because all of the classes have not been seperated yet.  In most cases a normal person that has no disorders is afraid of these type of people.  This is because they do not want to turn out the way these people are.  A common example of a mental disorder is down syndrome.  There was a television program in the early 90's that featured a boy that had to live with this terrifying disorder.  This show was very inspirational for all people with disorders.  The boy's name was Corky who fought all aspects of the disorder.  Them being from physical triumphs to just everyday kids harrassing him at school.  The show was taken off the air in 1993 because of sponsers.
	Records of types of disorders are unknown along with many of other records of treatments to people inflicted with a disorder.  This is mainly because in the early 1900's people thought that people with disorders were just stupid and they did not investigate further into the matter.  The quanity of people that have a disorder is unknown.  There is an estimated guess that 15% of the U.S. population has some sort of disorder but that is not factual.  This is because the survey people only can estimate from the people who check theirselves into a institution, the ones who do so make up 3% of the 15% estimation.  The U.S.  in 1990 spent an estimated 148 billion on treating mental diorders.  

Childhood Disorders
	
	Several Mental disorders are evident first in infancy, childhood, and adolescence.
	Mental retardation is characterized by the inability to learn normally and to become as an independent and socially responsible as others of the same age in the same culture.  A retarded person go through a lot of emotional problems because of the society making fun of these people.  A retarded person has an IQ of less than 70.  
	Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder includes conditions marked by inappropiate lack of attention, by impulsiveness, and by hyperactivity, in which the child has difficulty organizing and completing work, is unable to stick to activities or 



follow directions, and is excessively restless.
	Anxiety disorder include fear of leaving home and parents, excessive shrinking from contact with strangers, and excessive, unfocused worrying and fearful behavior.
	Persuasive developement disorders are characterized by distortions in several psychological functions, such as attention, perception, reality testing, and motor movement.  An example is infantile autism, a condition marked by unresponsiveness to other people, bizarre responses, and gross inability to communicate to the others in the world.

Paranoid Disorder
	
	The central feature of the paranoid disorders in a persons dilusion, for instance that he or she is being persecuted or conspored against.  In other form, the dilusion consists of unreasonsably jealousy.  the person maybe resentful, angry, sometimes violent, socially an outcast or isolated, seclusive, and eccentric.  The disorder usually starts in middle or late adult life and can be seriously disrupting to social and maritalrelationship.   

Anxiety Disorders	
	
	Anxiety is the predominant symptom in two conditions: panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.
	In phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorders, also considered anxiety disorders, fear is experienced when an individual tries to master other symptoms.  A phobia is an irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that is so intense that it interferes with everday life.  Obsessions are repetitive thoughts, images, ideas, or impulses that make no sense to the person.  He or she can fear being unable to avoid committing a violent act, for example, or worry over whether some small duty has been performed.  Compulsions are repetitive behaviors performed dutifully to try to ward off some future event.  examples of such behavior include repeated washing of the hands or counting and recounting ones belongings.  

Schitzophrenia

	The specific term for a shcitzo is a group of serios disorders beginning usually in adolescence or young adulthood.  This mental disorder has a lot of different symptoms but the main ones are diturbances in thought, perception emotion and interpersonal relations.  What this disorder basically means is that the person is split minded but by no means mean they have a split personality.  Split personality means that the one person acts like two people or several people.  This disorder always 


occurs before a person hits middle age.  All scientists agree that there is no single cause for schitzophrenia.  What is known is that LSD is one of the major causes.  There is a better chance for an offspring from a parent that has the disease is more likely to get the disorder than any other Joe thats a parent does not have this horrible disorder.  Schitzophrenia is has a greater chance in twins more than a single baby.  The chances increase to about 35 to 58%.  And that statistic takes me to my example of schitzophrenia.  His name is Jimmy Sanders.  If a person knew him well like I do they would just call him Cat.  He is definetly a Schitzo.  He dresses like a hippy!  His attire is made up of the following:  Red or black bandana, black straight leg jeans, white under shirt, usually a red, black, or green silk shirt buttoned half way up, jean jacket or trench coat, black combat boots, wallet with a chain, and the best of all a red silk sash.  Cat also has many accesories that he struts with they are:  Boom box, metal detector, and the coolest bike ever seen it is a very highly modified shwinn.  It has a long, skinny body like the Cat, with a 10-speed tire on the back with a small scooter tire on the front.  The exterior has a shiny chrome finish, the bike also has some sort of skull mounted to the front of it.  Now if anyone would own that much weird stuff they have to have a few screws lose in their head.  from long days of observing Jimmy and his behaviors I have noticed that the definition of a schitzo sums Jimmy right up.  One day one can talk to Cat and not have no problems with him.  Like one day I was sitting on a buddy of mines front porch waiting for Cat to walk by.  Finally Jimmy walked by and I said, "Hey."  
Cat said,"Got any guns for sell?"  
My buddy replied,"No, I just bought a 357."
Cat said, "That all get the job done.  Now that was a pleasant conversation with Jimmy.  So that scenario represents what I will call Bluegill #1.  Now deep down in Jimmy's heart there is a mean side.  One day down at the old football field in the small town of Clinton Earnie Simpson was doing a little running.  Cat strutted down to the field and started doing some detecting with his fine metal detector.  Earnie went over to Cat and said, "Finding anything?"  Jimmy grabbed his knife and waved it in Earnie's face.  
Cat roared,"You know there is a jail in this town. 
Earnie said,"Uh, yal."
Cat screemed, "Ya wanted go there?"
Earnie replied, "What for?"
"Harrassment" roared Cat.  Earnie took of because he thought Cat was going to kill him with his knife.  Now that situation showed the mean side of Jimmy Sanders.  That mean side I will call Bluegill #2.  So the short term for schitzophrenia is Split Minded and that is definetly Jimmy.  Jimmy has two mindes the nice Cat (Bluegill #1) is when Jimmy is seen with not so weird clothes on and he usually is not talking to himself or nonliving objects.  Jimmy mean mind (Bluegill #2) is when one sees Jimmy talking to trees and other nonliving objects.  This is known because when schitzos' are really messed in the head on one certain day they are meaner than usuall.  Schitzophrenia can be worse one day more than an other.  So from all that I was trying to get that schitzophrenia occurs in twins more than single offsprings that there is some chance that the hippy might just possibly have an identicle twin.  That would be a bless to Clinton if there was another Jimmy struttin' around town.  So next time you see Cool Cat say hello.  He is not a bad guy he just has a few problems in the head.

	Most mental disorders can be treated and in most cases there can be a 85% recovery.  The only problem is to convince the person into taken medication because they think they are fine.  In some cases people with a disorder think that the goverment is making them take the drugs.    

 


By:  Michael Dugger
and Amanda Peachrin

Mental Disorders
	
	The term mental disorder means psycological and behavioral syndromes that deviate signicantly from those typical of human beings enjoying good mental health.  All that mumbo jumbo means that a person with a mental disorder was a few cards short of a full deck.  This is probably not the persons fault that they are like this they were just born this way.  These people are not all a like.  They are not even in exact classes because all of the classes have not been seperated yet.  In most cases a normal person that has no disorders is afraid of these type of people.  This is because they do not want to turn out the way these people are.  A common example of a mental disorder is down syndrome.  There was a television program in the early 90's that featured a boy that had to live with this terrifying disorder.  This show was very inspirational for all people with disorders.  The boy's name was Corky who fought all aspects of the disorder.  Them being from physical triumphs to just everyday kids harrassing him at school.  The show was taken off the air in 1993 because of sponsers.
	Records of types of disorders are unknown along with many of other records of treatments to people inflicted with a disorder.  This is mainly because in the early 1900's people thought that people with disorders were just stupid and they did not investigate further into the matter.  The quanity of people that have a disorder is unknown.  There is an estimated guess that 15% of the U.S. population has some sort of disorder but that is not factual.  This is because the survey people only can estimate from the people who check theirselves into a institution, the ones who do so make up 3% of the 15% estimation.  The U.S.  in 1990 spent an estimated 148 billion on treating mental diorders.  

Childhood Disorders
	
	Several Mental disorders are evident first in infancy, childhood, and adolescence.
	Mental retardation is characterized by the inability to learn normally and to become as an independent and socially responsible as others of the same age in the same culture.  A retarded person go through a lot of emotional problems because of the society making fun of these people.  A retarded person has an IQ of less than 70.  
	Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder includes conditions marked by inappropiate lack of attention, by impulsiveness, and by hyperactivity, in which the child has difficulty organizing and completing work, is unable to stick to activities or 



follow directions, and is excessively restless.
	Anxiety disorder include fear of leaving home and parents, excessive shrinking from contact with strangers, and excessive, unfocused worrying and fearful behavior.
	Persuasive developement disorders are characterized by distortions in several psychological functions, such as attention, perception, reality testing, and motor movement.  An example is infantile autism, a condition marked by unresponsiveness to other people, bizarre responses, and gross inability to communicate to the others in the world.

Paranoid Disorder
	
	The central feature of the paranoid disorders in a persons dilusion, for instance that he or she is being persecuted or conspored against.  In other form, the dilusion consists of unreasonsably jealousy.  the person maybe resentful, angry, sometimes violent, socially an outcast or isolated, seclusive, and eccentric.  The disorder usually starts in middle or late adult life and can be seriously disrupting to social and maritalrelationship.   

Anxiety Disorders	
	
	Anxiety is the predominant symptom in two conditions: panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.
	In phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorders, also considered anxiety disorders, fear is experienced when an individual tries to master other symptoms.  A phobia is an irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that is so intense that it interferes with everday life.  Obsessions are repetitive thoughts, images, ideas, or impulses that make no sense to the person.  He or she can fear being unable to avoid committing a violent act, for example, or worry over whether some small duty has been performed.  Compulsions are repetitive behaviors performed dutifully to try to ward off some future event.  examples of such behavior include repeated washing of the hands or counting and recounting ones belongings.  

Schitzophrenia

	The specific term for a shcitzo is a group of serios disorders beginning usually in adolescence or young adulthood.  This mental disorder has a lot of different symptoms but the main ones are diturbances in thought, perception emotion and interpersonal relations.  What this disorder basically means is that the person is split minded but by no means mean they have a split personality.  Split personality means that the one person acts like two people or several people.  This disorder always 


occurs before a person hits middle age.  All scientists agree that there is no single cause for schitzophrenia.  What is known is that LSD is one of the major causes.  There is a better chance for an offspring from a parent that has the disease is more likely to get the disorder than any other Joe thats a parent does not have this horrible disorder.  Schitzophrenia is has a greater chance in twins more than a single baby.  The chances increase to about 35 to 58%.  And that statistic takes me to my example of schitzophrenia.  His name is Jimmy Sanders.  If a person knew him well like I do they would just call him Cat.  He is definetly a Schitzo.  He dresses like a hippy!  His attire is made up of the following:  Red or black bandana, black straight leg jeans, white under shirt, usually a red, black, or green silk shirt buttoned half way up, jean jacket or trench coat, black combat boots, wallet with a chain, and the best of all a red silk sash.  Cat also has many accesories that he struts with they are:  Boom box, metal detector, and the coolest bike ever seen it is a very highly modified shwinn.  It has a long, skinny body like the Cat, with a 10-speed tire on the back with a small scooter tire on the front.  The exterior has a shiny chrome finish, the bike also has some sort of skull mounted to the front of it.  Now if anyone would own that much weird stuff they have to have a few screws lose in their head.  from long days of observing Jimmy and his behaviors I have noticed that the definition of a schitzo sums Jimmy right up.  One day one can talk to Cat and not have no problems with him.  Like one day I was sitting on a buddy of mines front porch waiting for Cat to walk by.  Finally Jimmy walked by and I said, "Hey."  
Cat said,"Got any guns for sell?"  
My buddy replied,"No, I just bought a 357."
Cat said, "That all get the job done.  Now that was a pleasant conversation with Jimmy.  So that scenario represents what I will call Bluegill #1.  Now deep down in Jimmy's heart there is a mean side.  One day down at the old football field in the small town of Clinton Earnie Simpson was doing a little running.  Cat strutted down to the field and started doing some detecting with his fine metal detector.  Earnie went over to Cat and said, "Finding anything?"  Jimmy grabbed his knife and waved it in Earnie's face.  
Cat roared,"You know there is a jail in this town. 
Earnie said,"Uh, yal."
Cat screemed, "Ya wanted go there?"
Earnie replied, "What for?"
"Harrassment" roared Cat.  Earnie took of because he thought Cat was going to kill him with his knife.  Now that situation showed the mean side of Jimmy Sanders.  That mean side I will call Bluegill #2.  So the short term for schitzophrenia is Split Minded and that is definetly Jimmy.  Jimmy has two mindes the nice Cat (Bluegill #1) is when Jimmy is seen with not so weird clothes on and he usually is not talking to himself or nonliving objects.  Jimmy mean mind (Bluegill #2) is when one sees Jimmy talking to trees and other nonliving objects.  This is known because when schitzos' are really messed in the head on one certain day they are meaner than usuall.  Schitzophrenia can be worse one day more than an other.  So from all that I was trying to get that schitzophrenia occurs in twins more than single offsprings that there is some chance that the hippy might just possibly have an identicle twin.  That would be a bless to Clinton if there was another Jimmy struttin' around town.  So next time you see Cool Cat say hello.  He is not a bad guy he just has a few problems in the head.

	Most mental disorders can be treated and in most cases there can be a 85% recovery.  The only problem is to convince the person into taken medication because they think they are fine.  In some cases people with a disorder think that the goverment is making them take the drugs.    

 



By:  Michael Dugger
and Amanda Peachrin

Mental Disorders
	
	The term mental disorder means psycological and behavioral syndromes that deviate signicantly from those typical of human beings enjoying good mental health.  All that mumbo jumbo means that a person with a mental disorder was a few cards short of a full deck.  This is probably not the persons fault that they are like this they were just born this way.  These people are not all a like.  They are not even in exact classes because all of the classes have not been seperated yet.  In most cases a normal person that has no disorders is afraid of these type of people.  This is because they do not want to turn out the way these people are.  A common example of a mental disorder is down syndrome.  There was a television program in the early 90's that featured a boy that had to live with this terrifying disorder.  This show was very inspirational for all people with disorders.  The boy's name was Corky who fought all aspects of the disorder.  Them being from physical triumphs to just everyday kids harrassing him at school.  The show was taken off the air in 1993 because of sponsers.
	Records of types of disorders are unknown along with many of other records of treatments to people inflicted with a disorder.  This is mainly because in the early 1900's people thought that people with disorders were just stupid and they did not investigate further into the matter.  The quanity of people that have a disorder is unknown.  There is an estimated guess that 15% of the U.S. population has some sort of disorder but that is not factual.  This is because the survey people only can estimate from the people who check theirselves into a institution, the ones who do so make up 3% of the 15% estimation.  The U.S.  in 1990 spent an estimated 148 billion on treating mental diorders.  

Childhood Disorders
	
	Several Mental disorders are evident first in infancy, childhood, and adolescence.
	Mental retardation is characterized by the inability to learn normally and to become as an independent and socially responsible as others of the same age in the same culture.  A retarded person go through a lot of emotional problems because of the society making fun of these people.  A retarded person has an IQ of less than 70.  
	Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder includes conditions marked by inappropiate lack of attention, by impulsiveness, and by hyperactivity, in which the child has difficulty organizing and completing work, is unable to stick to activities or 



follow directions, and is excessively restless.
	Anxiety disorder include fear of leaving home and parents, excessive shrinking from contact with strangers, and excessive, unfocused worrying and fearful behavior.
	Persuasive developement disorders are characterized by distortions in several psychological functions, such as attention, perception, reality testing, and motor movement.  An example is infantile autism, a condition marked by unresponsiveness to other people, bizarre responses, and gross inability to communicate to the others in the world.

Paranoid Disorder
	
	The central feature of the paranoid disorders in a persons dilusion, for instance that he or she is being persecuted or conspored against.  In other form, the dilusion consists of unreasonsably jealousy.  the person maybe resentful, angry, sometimes violent, socially an outcast or isolated, seclusive, and eccentric.  The disorder usually starts in middle or late adult life and can be seriously disrupting to social and maritalrelationship.   

Anxiety Disorders	
	
	Anxiety is the predominant symptom in two conditions: panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.
	In phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorders, also considered anxiety disorders, fear is experienced when an individual tries to master other symptoms.  A phobia is an irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that is so intense that it interferes with everday life.  Obsessions are repetitive thoughts, images, ideas, or impulses that make no sense to the person.  He or she can fear being unable to avoid committing a violent act, for example, or worry over whether some small duty has been performed.  Compulsions are repetitive behaviors performed dutifully to try to ward off some future event.  examples of such behavior include repeated washing of the hands or counting and recounting ones belongings.  

Schitzophrenia

	The specific term for a shcitzo is a group of serios disorders beginning usually in adolescence or young adulthood.  This mental disorder has a lot of different symptoms but the main ones are diturbances in thought, perception emotion and interpersonal relations.  What this disorder basically means is that the person is split minded but by no means mean they have a split personality.  Split personality means that the one person acts like two people or several people.  This disorder always 


occurs before a person hits middle age.  All scientists agree that there is no single cause for schitzophrenia.  What is known is that LSD is one of the major causes.  There is a better chance for an offspring from a parent that has the disease is more likely to get the disorder than any other Joe thats a parent does not have this horrible disorder.  Schitzophrenia is has a greater chance in twins more than a single baby.  The chances increase to about 35 to 58%.  And that statistic takes me to my example of schitzophrenia.  His name is Jimmy Sanders.  If a person knew him well like I do they would just call him Cat.  He is definetly a Schitzo.  He dresses like a hippy!  His attire is made up of the following:  Red or black bandana, black straight leg jeans, white under shirt, usually a red, black, or green silk shirt buttoned half way up, jean jacket or trench coat, black combat boots, wallet with a chain, and the best of all a red silk sash.  Cat also has many accesories that he struts with they are:  Boom box, metal detector, and the coolest bike ever seen it is a very highly modified shwinn.  It has a long, skinny body like the Cat, with a 10-speed tire on the back with a small scooter tire on the front.  The exterior has a shiny chrome finish, the bike also has some sort of skull mounted to the front of it.  Now if anyone would own that much weird stuff they have to have a few screws lose in their head.  from long days of observing Jimmy and his behaviors I have noticed that the definition of a schitzo sums Jimmy right up.  One day one can talk to Cat and not have no problems with him.  Like one day I was sitting on a buddy of mines front porch waiting for Cat to walk by.  Finally Jimmy walked by and I said, "Hey."  
Cat said,"Got any guns for sell?"  
My buddy replied,"No, I just bought a 357."
Cat said, "That all get the job done.  Now that was a pleasant conversation with Jimmy.  So that scenario represents what I will call Bluegill #1.  Now deep down in Jimmy's heart there is a mean side.  One day down at the old football field in the small town of Clinton Earnie Simpson was doing a little running.  Cat strutted down to the field and started doing some detecting with his fine metal detector.  Earnie went over to Cat and said, "Finding anything?"  Jimmy grabbed his knife and waved it in Earnie's face.  
Cat roared,"You know there is a jail in this town. 
Earnie said,"Uh, yal."
Cat screemed, "Ya wanted go there?"
Earnie replied, "What for?"
"Harrassment" roared Cat.  Earnie took of because he thought Cat was going to kill him with his knife.  Now that situation showed the mean side of Jimmy Sanders.  That mean side I will call Bluegill #2.  So the short term for schitzophrenia is Split Minded and that is definetly Jimmy.  Jimmy has two mindes the nice Cat (Bluegill #1) is when Jimmy is seen with not so weird clothes on and he usually is not talking to himself or nonliving objects.  Jimmy mean mind (Bluegill #2) is when one sees Jimmy talking to trees and other nonliving objects.  This is known because when schitzos' are really messed in the head on one certain day they are meaner than usuall.  Schitzophrenia can be worse one day more than an other.  So from all that I was trying to get that schitzophrenia occurs in twins more than single offsprings that there is some chance that the hippy might just possibly have an identicle twin.  That would be a bless to Clinton if there was another Jimmy struttin' around town.  So next time you see Cool Cat say hello.  He is not a bad guy he just has a few problems in the head.

	Most mental disorders can be treated and in most cases there can be a 85% recovery.  The only problem is to convince the person into taken medication because they think they are fine.  In some cases people with a disorder think that the goverment is making them take the drugs.    


By:  Michael Dugger
and Amanda Peachrin

Mental Disorders
	
	The term mental disorder means psycological and behavioral syndromes that deviate signicantly from those typical of human beings enjoying good mental health.  All that mumbo jumbo means that a person with a mental disorder was a few cards short of a full deck.  This is probably not the persons fault that they are like this they were just born this way.  These people are not all a like.  They are not even in exact classes because all of the classes have not been seperated yet.  In most cases a normal person that has no disorders is afraid of these type of people.  This is because they do not want to turn out the way these people are.  A common example of a mental disorder is down syndrome.  There was a television program in the early 90's that featured a boy that had to live with this terrifying disorder.  This show was very inspirational for all people with disorders.  The boy's name was Corky who fought all aspects of the disorder.  Them being from physical triumphs to just everyday kids harrassing him at school.  The show was taken off the air in 1993 because of sponsers.
	Records of types of disorders are unknown along with many of other records of treatments to people inflicted with a disorder.  This is mainly because in the early 1900's people thought that people with disorders were just stupid and they did not investigate further into the matter.  The quanity of people that have a disorder is unknown.  There is an estimated guess that 15% of the U.S. population has some sort of disorder but that is not factual.  This is because the survey people only can estimate from the people who check theirselves into a institution, the ones who do so make up 3% of the 15% estimation.  The U.S.  in 1990 spent an estimated 148 billion on treating mental diorders.  

Childhood Disorders
	
	Several Mental disorders are evident first in infancy, childhood, and adolescence.
	Mental retardation is characterized by the inability to learn normally and to become as an independent and socially responsible as others of the same age in the same culture.  A retarded person go through a lot of emotional problems because of the society making fun of these people.  A retarded person has an IQ of less than 70.  
	Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder includes conditions marked by inappropiate lack of attention, by impulsiveness, and by hyperactivity, in which the child has difficulty organizing and completing work, is unable to stick to activities or 



follow directions, and is excessively restless.
	Anxiety disorder include fear of leaving home and parents, excessive shrinking from contact with strangers, and excessive, unfocused worrying and fearful behavior.
	Persuasive developement disorders are characterized by distortions in several psychological functions, such as attention, perception, reality testing, and motor movement.  An example is infantile autism, a condition marked by unresponsiveness to other people, bizarre responses, and gross inability to communicate to the others in the world.

Paranoid Disorder
	
	The central feature of the paranoid disorders in a persons dilusion, for instance that he or she is being persecuted or conspored against.  In other form, the dilusion consists of unreasonsably jealousy.  the person maybe r
 


	 

	
	

	 

	
	


	 

	
	
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Short review of the book entitled E for Ecstasy.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
Communication law and ethics
Banned book report


The book entitled E for Ecstasy, by Nicholas Saunders, is a book of history, information, and stories about the illegal drug ecstasy.  The author presents a vast amount of information about many aspects of the drug such as the history of the invention of the drug, information about how the drug effects people in different ways, positive reasons to use the drug, side effects and negative reasons to use the drug, and an overview of how the drug has been accepted into various societal groups.
	A shipment of this book, which was published in England in 1994, was ceased by Australian customs agents in the spring of 1994 and has been banned in Australia ever since.  The ban on this book is currently still in place and being upheld by the Australian government due to the way the book portrays the drug ecstasy in a primarily positive way.  According to the author of the book, even anti-drug groups are opposed to the ban because they believe both sides of the story should be heard.
	As I read this book, at first I felt a temptation to try ecstasy due to the positive way in which the drug was described.  After reading further into the text, however, much more detailed information about the drug is brought fourth.  For example, the book associates use of ecstasy with the cultures of all kinds of illegal drugs.  In my opinion, the ban should be lifted because the book does not just give the positive information about this drug.  While the book does side towards the use of the drug, it does provide all kinds of interesting information and education including negative data about the drug.  If information about drugs is kept in the dark, people will be tempted to seek information in potentially harmful ways.  If information flows freely, however, people can usually be trusted to make smart choices.
	The latest twist to this otherwise traditional story is that the entire text of the book is now available on the Internet, as is the text of many other banned books.  E is for Ecstasy can be found at: http://hyperreal.com/drugs/e4x/     While it is ironic that the citizens of Australia can now gain electronic access to this banned book, the more important issue is one of the Internet's ability to give people world wide access to anything.  This is just one more example of electronic information flowing into a country where it not allowed.  Because of the ease at which banned books can now be obtained anywhere, the future of what we now know as banned books has been forever altered.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Should Marijuana Be Legalized for Medical Purposes.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
Should Marijuana be Legalized for Medical Purposes? 
	Marijuana has been used extensively as a medical remedy for more than five thousand years.  In the early 1900s, medical usage of marijuana began to decline with the advent of alternative drugs. Injectable opiates and synthetic drugs such as aspirin and barbiturates began to replace marijuana as the physician's drug of choice in the twentieth-century, as their results proved to be more consistent than the sometimes erratic effects of the hard-to-dose potencies of marijuana (Grinspoon).  The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 made cannabis so expensive to obtain that its usage as a medical remedy in the U.S. came to a halt.  Although now illegal in the U.S., marijuana continues to be used for both medical and recreational purposes by many Americans.  There are a variety of opinions both for and against the re-legalization of marijuana today. Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the legalization debate is whether marijuana should be legalized for medical purposes.
	All drugs, both prescription and non-prescription, are federally 'Scheduled' by the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency). A drug's scheduling under Federal law is determined "according to [its] effects, medical uses, and potential for abuse" (Claim V).  In this classification system, marijuana is a Schedule I drug, grouped with heroin, LSD, hashish, methaqualone, and designer drugs. These are drugs having "unpredictable effects, and [causing] severe psychological or physical dependence, or death" (Claim V).   
	A closer analysis of the DEA's Federal Scheduling system reveals that, according to various studies by physicians on both sides of the legalization debate, marijuana does not  meet the requirements of a Schedule I drug, but not those of Schedule II.   The difference between the two classes is that Schedule I drugs may lead to death, while those on Schedule II are less likely to do so.  Proponents of legalization cite information that indicates marijuana is a relatively "safe" drug. "There is no known case of overdose; on the basis of animal models, the ratio of lethal to effective dose is 40,000 to 1" (Grinspoon).  Even some opponents of marijuana legalization support reclassification. Two physicians, in a widely distributed opinions piece entitled "Marijuana Smoking as Medicine: A Cruel Hoax", wrote;  "While the reclassification of THC to Schedule II might be understandable, this would not be the result of smoking the crude drug marijuana, which would as a result become more available and more readily diverted for non-medical use"  (Nahas).  Although this evidence clearly does not support the legalization of marijuana, it highlights one of many discrepancies that cloud this smoky debate.  
	Lester Grinspoon, MD, is a proponent of the medical legalization and re-classification of marijuana. In the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. Grinspoon wrote an article entitled "A Plea for Reconsideration".  In this plea, Grinspoon suggests that marijuana should be reclassified to a Schedule II class drug, so that it might be legally prescribed.  He writes:
           In a 1990 survey, 44% of oncologists said they had suggested                                                	     that a patient smoke marihuana for relief of the nausea 
           induced by chemotherapy. If marihuana were actually unsafe           	     for use under medical supervision, as its Schedule I status  	     explicitly affirms, this recommendation would be unthinkable.    	     It is time for physicians to acknowledge more openly that 	  	     this present classification is scientifically, legally, and 	  	     morally wrong. (Grinspoon)
Like many other physicians fighting for the re-classification of marijuana, Dr. Grinspoon makes claims only towards the drug's medical benefits.  However, their rhetoric in calling the issue "morally wrong" suggests that they may have other motives as well.  
Furthermore, the fact that "44% of oncologists" suggested their patients use marijuana, despite its illegality, may suggest that many of these physicians have little respect for post-prohibition laws. The article also fails to address the negative side-effects of marijuana that result from smoking the plant. 
	While there are many physicians who support the  reclassification (and, sometimes, legalization) of marijuana, still others make different claims. In July of 1995, one month after "Marijuana as Medicine- A Plea for Reconsideration" was published in JAMA,  the Department of Health and Human Services held its first research conference on marijuana.  At this conference, several respected physicians noted that "marijuana use during pregnancy has harmful effects on children's intellectual abilities... compulsive marijuana use may lead to an addiction similar to that of other illicit drugs..." (Claim V); and, finally, that "marijuana use can put a serious choke-hold on users who try to quit" (Claim V). Conflicting reports, such as these, are at the center of the smoke filled battle concerning medical legalization.  In this case, the physicians assembled at the conference commented only on the drug's negative effects, and they failed to discuss any possible beneficial effects.   
	Although there are physicians both for and against the medical legalization of marijuana, the DEA enforces the laws.  The DEA regularly makes publications against legalization.  Claim V of these publications is entitled "There are no Compelling Reasons to Prescribe Marijuana or Heroin to Sick people".  In this claim, the DEA makes contradictory claims to those published in JAMA by Dr. Grinspoon. The DEA claims that "Not one American health association accepts marijuana as medicine.  Statements issued by these organizations express concern over the harmful effects of the drugs and over the lack of solid research demonstrating that they might do more good than harm" (Claim V).  However, in reading the DEA's clam, one must keep in mind that "drugs" (as they use it) includes both marijuana and heroin, and therefore may be partially invalid when applied to the central marijuana debate. By using the word "they", the DEA groups marijuana with more dangerous drugs.  It should also be recognized that the DEA has an obvious bias against legalizing drugs; if all drugs were legal, who would continue to pay their salaries? 
	Doctors and the DEA, however, are not the only ones with opinions about marijuana's medical re-legalization.  Mike Dooley, a member of the National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws (NORML), made  news when he recommended that Elvy Musikka, a patient legally supplied with marijuana from the U.S. government, spoke to an "Experimental Living" class at Western Michigan University:  "Elvy Musikkia, a professional speaker, has glaucoma and take marijuana as part of her treatment for the eye disease.  Glaucoma patients smoke marijuana cigarettes because it relieves the eye pressure that leads to blindness" (Kemp). However, Dooley supports more than the medical legalization of marijuana.  "Dooley says using marijuana for medical purposes is just one use of the plant, but people need to recognize that it has more positive uses" (Kemp). Like many other advocates of legalization, Dooley wants more than just medical legalization:  "'Why are we outlawing this particular plant?' Dooley said. 'What is wrong with adults smoking marijuana in their own environment?'" (Kemp). Opponents of legalization efforts worry that legalization for medical purposes will eventually lead to non-medical abuse.
	An example of this type of medical abuse can be found in the 1995 Comedy, Friday.  In the film, a corrupted priest tries to obtain marijuana from Smokey, a neighborhood pot addict.  Upon noticing the marijuana, he says "Excuse me brother, what we call drugs at 74th street Baptist Church, we call a sin" (Friday), representing the views of many Christians today.  Only a short time later, however, he changes his mind, saying: "Why don't you give me a little bit for my cataracts?" (Friday).   This film makes a comment on the attitudes of U.S. society today towards marijuana, and re-legalization.   By making a medical excuse for using marijuana in the film, Brother William  conveys the worries of many Americans today about medical legalization of the drug.  While it may be suggested that Friday is satirist comedy, and therefore not "real", critics of the film and of legalization will point out that later in the movie, the characters make an outright plea for legalization.
	Religious figures in real life express stronger anti-legalization opinions than those in the movies.  In 1986, "representatives of four Oregon church groups, representing a combined membership of tens of thousands, unveiled a plan to attack the proposed legalization of marijuana from the pulpit" (Danks).  The representatives cited experiences like those Reverend John Jackson; Jackson spoke about how his son's drug habit broke up the family.  "'It got to the point that I kept a weapon,' Jackson said. 'My son didn't act like my son.  I got to the point where I thought if he came into the room I would kill him" (Danks).  Many would be quick t discount the reverend's opinion, however, especially after hearing of his fatal mentality. It should also be noted that Jackson's son, who is now in the army, "graduated to harder drugs after using marijuana as a 10-year-old" (Danks). 
	Other religious groups have more extreme views on legalization.   In an on-line publication entitled "Marijuana and Christians: Cure or Curse?", a group for "Aggressive Christianity" writes that: "Through the innocently appearing guise of the 'natural herbal high' called marijuana, Satan has found an open doorway for invasion into the minds of millions of people" (Marijuana and Christians).  These "Aggressive Christians" decree that marijuana is one of Satan's tools and should not be legalized for any purpose.  However, in calling it "Satan's tool" they incorporate little knowledge of the drug's true effects, both positive and negative.  For these extremists, there is apparently no reason for Satanists not to use marijuana.  Groups such as these "Aggressive Christians" represent the most conservative side of the battle over legalization. 
	College campuses are often recognized for their liberal views and high drug consumption levels.  Adam Djurdjulov, a journalism senior and Arizona Daily Wildcat opinions editor writes a column that appears in that publication on Mondays.  In his column, titled "Airing it Out," he recently wrote an article, "Smoking marijuana is as accepted as the word 'damn.'"  In this column, Djurdjulov criticizes the increasing acceptance of marijuana use.  He states his un-professional medical opinion on marijuana, saying it "[is] a substance that destroys motivation and wazzu brain cells" (Djurdjulov).  Although he makes a valid argument that  drug use proliferates on today's college campuses, Djurdjulov weakens his own credibility when he suggests that Americans 'kick out' Bill Clinton from President of the United States for exercising his right to free speech, writing "Hell, on MTV in June 1992, Clinton quipped that if he tried marijuana again, he would inhale" (Djurdjulov). Although many  Americans might disagree with Clinton's "liberal" policies towards drug use,  few would condone his  removal from office, solely  for exercising his first amendment rights.  Like the "Aggressive Christians," Djurdjulov's non-scientific, extremist position somewhat destroys his credibility, along with the credibility of his statements.  Other college students feel differently about legalization.
	Oliver Petri, a freshman at the University of Arizona, is a proponent of marijuana legalization for medical and recreational purposes.  In an interview, Petri explains that "I once knew a woman with cancer.  She grew [marijuana] plants in her backyard and smoked weed to relive her suffering.  It should totally be legal" (Petri).
Petri's comments epitomize the views of many college students who advocate legalization.  Few of these students, however, have any knowledge of the medical uses and properties of the drug they consume  for recreational purposes.  Petri also admittedly supports medical legalization initiatives because he thinks it will make marijuana easier to find.
	California's proposition 215 is an initiative that would legalize marijuana for medical purposes.   "[Proposition 215] would permit patients with cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, arthritis, and other serious illnesses to grow, posses and use marijuana" (Lacayo). Despite criticism  of Prop 215 that suggests the initiative is "too loosely constructed", polls show that California voters favor it by almost 2-1 (Lacayo).  Opponents of the initiative worry that anyone will be able to legally obtain and use marijuana under Proposition 215,  "'This proposition is not about medicine,' charges Orange County Sheriff Brad Gates, co-chairman of Citizens for a Drug Free California, the campaign opposing Prop 215.  'It's about the legalization of marijuana'" (Lacayo).  Voters like Sheriff Gates are unable to consider medical legalization because of their fears of increased recreational use. There opinion, then, means nothing when applied to the issue on a smaller scale.     
	Reputable sources on marijuana's true effects are hard to come by.  Conflicting reports suggest that personal opinion might be more of a factor than it should be in many reports about the drug's effects and toxicity.  Words such as "dangerous" and "harmful" are often used by  figures on both sides of the legalization debate, with little explanation of their definitions.  No-one knows what the results of a non-biased study on marijuana's medical future might contain, because conflicting "non-biased" studies continue to proliferate on both sides of this debate.  Because of the wide availability of marijuana today,  it is not surprising that marijuana usage for many today is a personal, rather than legal, decision.
	



















Works Cited
"Claim V: There Are  No Compelling Medical Reasons to Prescribe 	Marijuana or Heroin to Sick People."  DEA- Publication: Speaking 		out Against Drug Legalization: Claim V. Online. Internet. 6 August 	1996. 
Danks, Holly. "Churches Fight Marijuana Legalization." The 	Oregonian. 	21 June 1986: C1.
Djurdjulov, Adam.  "Smoking is as accepted as the word 'damn.'" The 	Arizona Daily Wildcat. 14 October 1996: 4.
Friday. Dir. Gerry Lively. Perf. Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, John 	Witherspoon.  Videocassette. New Line Home Video, 1995.
Grinspoon, Lester, MD, and Bakalar, James. "Commentary: 	Marijuana as 	Medicine- A plea for reconsideration." Journal of the American 	Medical Association. June 1995. 
Kemp, Roxine. "Speaker to Talk About Medical Marijuana, 	Legalization." Western Herald. News. Online. 16 October 1996. 
Lacayo, Richard. "Marijuana: Where There's Smoke, There's Fire." Time 	8 October 1996: 36-37.
Nahas, Gabriel, MD, and Pace, Nicholas, MD "Marijuana Smoking as 	Medicine: A Cruel Hoax."  Usenet Newsgroups.  Online. 16 	August1996.
"Marijuana and Christians: Cure or Curse?"   Aggressive Christianity. 	Online. Internet. 6 October 1996. 
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Should Medical Marijuana be legalized .TXT
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                                  Proposition 215
Medical Marijuana Initiative Section 1. Section 11362.5 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:  11362.5. (a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the Compassionate Use Act of 1996.  (b) (l) The people of the State of California hereby find
and declare that the purposes of the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 are as follows: (A) To ensure that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes where that medical use is deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a physician who has determined that the person's health would benefit from the use of marijuana in the treatment of cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, or any other illness for which marijuana provides relief. (B) To ensure that patients and their primary caregivers who obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes upon the recommendation of a physician are not subject to criminal prosecution or sanction.  (C) To encourage the federal and state governments to
implement a plan to provide for the safe and affordable distribution of marijuana to all patients in medical need of marijuana.  (2) Nothing in this act shall be construed to supersede  legislation prohibiting persons from engaging in conduct
that endangers others, nor to condone the diversion of marijuana for nonmedical purposes. With standing any other provision of law, no physician in this state shall be punished, or denied any right or privilege, for having recommended marijuana to a patient for medical purposes.  (d) Section 11357, relating to the possession of marijuana, and Section 11358, relating to the cultivation of marijuana, shall not apply to a patient, or to a patient's primary caregiver, who possesses or cultivates marijuana for the personal medical purposes of the patient upon the written or oral recommendation or approval of a physician.  (e) For the purposes of this section, "primary caregiver" means the individual designated by the person exempted under this act who has consistently assumed responsibility for  the housing, health, or safety of that person. Sec. 2. If any provision of this measure or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the measure which can be given effect without the  invalid provision or application, and to this en d the provisions of this measure are severable. 
On November 5th, Californians approved Prop. 215, allowing patients to use medical marijuana.  Voter support of this historic new law was 55.7% in favor verses only 44.3% opposed, a spread of 11.4 points. 
The passage of Proposition 215 would give the people of California legal access to a remarkably safe, highly versatile, and potentially inexpensive medicine. Patients find marijuana helpful for nausea and vomiting, for glaucoma and as an appetite stimulant. It is used for the relief of muscle spasms and seizures, as well as osteoarthritis, menstrual cramps, migraine and other forms of chronic pain. It is safer than most prescription
medicines and often works better, with less serious side effects. 

If marijuana were not prohibited, it would also be less expensive than most conventional medications. The cost of medical marijuana would be $20 to $30 an ounce, or about 30 cents per cigarette. Once cigarette usually relieves the nausea and vomiting produced by cancer chemotherapy. So does a standard dose of Zofran, the best legally available treatment, which costs $30 to $40 - at least 100 times the price of marijuana. According to a 1995 poll conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union, 85 percent of Americans think marijuana should be available as a medicine. Interest in medical  marijuana is becoming so great that physicians in California and elsewhere may soon be asked to assume responsibilities for which they are unprepared. Nineteenth-century doctors were more sophisticated about marijuana than contemporary ones. Between 1840 and 1900, more than 100 articles on the therapeutic use of the drug then known as Indian hemp were published in European and American medical journals. When medical use in the United States was effectively outlawed by the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, the American Medical Association, to its credit, opposed the ban. Since then, unfortunately, the medical community has become largely ignorant about marijuana and has been a victim and an agent in the spread of misinformation. This situation is finally beginning to change. Doctors are learning about marijuana in an unusual way not from articles in medical journals or from drug company advertisements, but from their patients. There have been many cases observed that many patients who use marijuana to relieve symptoms from muscle spasms to severe depression. Their doctors respond in different ways.  A few condemn marijuana use, and some pretend to ignore it or profess indifference, but most offer some encouragement or moral support despite the fact that marijuana is classified under federal law as "unsafe for use under medical supervision."
Obviously doctors confronted with medical need can recognize the foolishness of this law. But most are either afraid to do anything more or unable to provide further help because they know to little. Physicians will find that more and more patients are approaching them with questions about marijuana. They will have to learn which
symptoms and disorders may be better treated with marijuana than with conventional medications. They will also need to instruct patients who are unfamiliar with marijuana in the best ways to use it. To accomplish that, they must listen more carefully to their patients and educated themselves and one another about this medicine.
Physicians have long recognized the need for continuing medical education (CME) to keep themselves up to date on new drugs and techniques. As Proposition 215 comes to California, physicians should do their part in fulfilling its promise by organizing CME courses on the medical use of marijuana.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Should steroids be banned from society .TXT
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Travis Redfield
Eng. 101, 12/2/96


Should steroids be banned
from society?


	It's amazing what athletes will do to achieve higher levels of performance and to get an edge on the rivaled competition.  Often people do not realize the long term effects that result from the decisions they make early in life.  This resembles the obvious phenomenon with steroids.  Steroids became a spreading exposure to athletes in the Olympics and other major sporting events during the 1950's.  This use of steroids among athletes became apparent when Canadian sprint runner Ben Johnson tested positive for steroid use after winning the gold medal for the 100 meter dash during the 1988 Olympics.  Now a skinny fifteen year old can just walk down to the local gym and find sellers to obtain the drug that will make him the idol of all his classmates.  Being such an attractive drug, as shown in the analogy above, and seeming harmless to the unaware user, steroids can have a potentially jeopardous effect.  Consistently, users, new and experienced, have no knowledge to the dangerous consequences' steroids can have on their minds and bodies.  Although steroids cause minimal deaths in our society, banning of steroids is purely justified because steroids have extremely perilous side effects on the unsuspecting user.
	Though steroids are known as a somewhat dangerous substance, they are legal to possess and consume, and there has not been a true clinical study that proves such possible side effects are linked to medical problems of steroid users.  Sure, there has been several cases where someone has died and an otopsy showed the person was using steroids, but this does not mean they are a lethal drug as some medical professionals have stated.  Some advocates believe that because steroids are legal, and since it's the decision of the user to take the drug, steroids are not causing a problem in society.  Alcohol and cigarettes are consumed by millions, causing deteriorating effects on their bodies, but there has never been a protest to put a ban on the items because of their harmful nature.  So how are steroids any different?  Some people may state that the wide spread use of steroids among athletes is forcing young upcoming athletes to use steroids, even though it's against their morals.  This is because they know they can not compete adequately  against their opponents who are using steroids to achieve higher levels of performance.  One might say this is how competition works though.  Race car drivers and gymnasts are out there every day, pushing themselves harder and harder, going just a little faster, or doing a new, more difficult trick.  Many believe they are forced by their own desire to win, and the hazardous risks they take, be it taking a corner a little faster or pulling an extra flip in a routine, are no different than the risks a football player, wrestler, or weight lifter takes when they choose to use steroids to increase their skills.  Many believe these reasons make steroid abuse morally justified, and say their use in sports and other activities are just an added element in boosting performance.
	It is true, there has not been any defined medical research to prove steroid abuse is linked to severe medical implications, but words of warning from chronic users dealing with massive medical difficulties they believe were a result of steroid abuse is just cause to prove the harmful effects of steroids.  Alcohol and cigarettes are major contributors to the deaths of thousands each year.  Frequently we see a family member, or friend, suffering from diseases and health conditions caused by smoking and drinking.  These conditions can often lead to an early, horrible death for the individual.  Many find these experiences an obstantial reason to not drink and smoke.  In a similar situation, young athletes see their former athletic idols suffering from medical problems caused by steroids.  These professionals will even admit to their former steroid abuse in hopes to persuade the thousands of young athletes participating in steroid abuse each day.  I find it hard to reason how young athletes can simply ignore the warnings of these suffering abusers.  This can partly be blamed on the lack of education about steroids a young athlete will receive.  Nevertheless, when they see the effects steroids have in the long run on such professional athletes as Lyle Alzado, they should realize the need to give up their abuse, even if they must sacrifice the chance to win that gold medal, or give up that buff body they always dreamed of.  If an abuser was to listen to what a former addict has gone through, and possibly died from, he may be persuaded to give up his addiction, and in the end, he will find himself at an advantage because he will live a longer, healthier life.
	In addition, the severe physiological and psychological dependencies caused by steroids are consistent among the underground of ripping steroid users, causing personal problems with the user as well as family and friends of the user.  Once a young abuser achieves the chiseled physique he always dreamed of, there is no turning back.  It would only be his worst nightmare to give up steroids and relapse to the scrawny little body he had before his steroid use.  An athlete that learns the performance advantages he gains from steroids will, in a short time, become use to the edge he has obtained, and will soon be craving more.  For him to simply drop his addiction cold turkey, and go back to being second best, is not even an option anymore.  These addictions, as with most addictions, will cause the user to lose interest in friends and family, concentrating only on enhancements to his physique and athletic performance(Hemme, pg 58).  Even worse, the drug can cause will known "roid rages" (Voy, pg. 223).  This involves the spontaneous acts of violence and abuse towards anyone a user comes intact with.  This is usually a worse scenario with non-athletic steroid abusers because athletes such as football players can release a good share of their rage on the playing field.  Some sever addictions can include symptoms such as increased libido, sexual perversion, and psychotic episodes (Voy, pg. 223).  Because of severe symptoms of steroid addiction, it is an effective measure of the abuser's family and friends to take necessary action in order to help an abuser with his addiction.
	Adolescent steroid abusers can also experience complex physiological, and pycological problems, some of which result in permanent effects.  For some reason a widespread use of these so called "natural drugs" has become apparent among the teenage age group in the last four to five years.  They seem to believe such drugs as Marijuana and steroids do not have damaging effects on their bodies because they are natural substances.  Just because Marijuana comes from a plant found in nature, or the suddenly popular hallucinogenic mushrooms found in farm pastures that grow naturally, does not mean they are not going to have harmful effects on the body.  These substance's teenagers use are a toxin produced by the plants to keep animals, and humans, from eating them.  Though steroids are a form of the natural male hormone testosterone, they are far more high in concentration then what are bodies produce naturally. This high concentration is no doubt toxic to our bodies, and can result in harmful side effects.  At an early age, anything such as drugs are going to have an increased effect.  Most teenagers are unaware of these enhanced effects that steroids have on them, thus making the drug increasingly dangerous.  The massive doses, medical experts say, not only affect the muscles but also sex organs and nervous system including the brain (Schrof, pg. 235).  Neil Carolan warns us, "Even a brief period of abuse on a child whose body and brain chemistry are still developing is extremely harmful and possibly permanent."  The deaths related to steroids of several high school athletes each year is more than adequate cause to ban steroids.  Consequently, if professional athletes are taking steroids, then a young high school athlete may go under the misconception that steroids are harmless.  Indeed it would serve well for high school PE instructors to teach their students about the effects of steroids and the ethics involved.  Often parents discover their child's steroid abuse and become shocked, but with the constant push a child receives to excel in sports and not having the teaching needed to know the effects and dangers of steroids, it is not the child's failure, but society is to blame.
	With competition becoming more and more aggressive among women's athletics, it is not uncommon to find many of the women athletes harming their bodies with the use of steroids.  This is a scary situation because, as we know, steroids are a form of the male hormone testosterone and are not suited for a woman.  Women do have a similar, but different hormone called Estrogen released naturally in their bodies.  The massive doses of steroids that women will take when they are "cycling" on steroids will have many dangerous side effects(Hemme, pg. 158).  Some of these side effects are unknown, and the long term effects of steroid abuse among women is also unsure.  The short term effects involve, deepened voice, loss of scalp hair, growth of facial hair as well as chest and back hair, and genital problems can also result.  It is unreal that a woman will continue using steroids after noticing some of the immediate effects steroids have on her.  Possibly, some women may not believe that steroids are going to damage their body.  Again, the dangerous effects these drugs can have on women and all individuals are indeed reasoning for their prohibition.
	The lack of official research is no reason to allow the legal existence of steroids in our society.  Just because there is no indubitable evidence proving the dangerous side effects of steroids does not mean they do not exist.  How many individuals must suffer from the addiction of steroids before we take the necessary action to abolish sanctioned use of steroids?  Each year, more and more famous retired athletes are admitting to their steroid use during their career, and are certain the medical difficulties they are enduring are a direct result from their steroid abuse.  People need to listen to what these retired athletes have to say, and use their experiences with steroid use to teach our young about the dangers involved.  Furthermore, a complete professional research of long and short term effects caused by steroids on men, women and adolescents, is far overdue.  Certainly the banning of steroids  will not only help the lives of current users, but prevent the further spread of addiction to steroids in our communities.  

 
Works cited
Voy, Robert.  Drugs, Sport, and Politics.  Leisure Press, 1991

Schrof, Joannie M.  Pumped Up.  U.S. News & World Report, 1992

Hemme, John.  Steroids in the 90's.  Group Press, 1994,

 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Smoking Banana Peels.TXT
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			Smoking Banana Peels

	
Back in the 1960s a lot of young poeple took drugs and these people 

would try anyhing to get a "high." One Craze was called " Smoking Banana 

Peels " and that is what this is about . 

	It all started around 1967 when somebody wrote a letter to a hippie

paper in Berkeley , California to the ' Berkeley Barb ' and explained how 

to smoke a banana peel to get high. First you have to peel the banana peel

and then scrape the white material that is next to the peel out . You then

must put this white material in the oven at 200 Degrees C. until it is dry

then roll it into a cigarette. A bunch of other hippie papers copied the 

instructions and it became a craze and even TIME and NEWSWEEK wrote about it.

	Someone I know says he smoked banana peels once but he was "tripping"

on mushrooms at the time so he didn't know if it made him high or not. A 

friend of mine tried smoking banana peels recently and he sasys it only gave

him a little bit of a headache.

	Scientists said that their is a chemical in the banana peels called

serotonin and norepinephrine that are related to hallucinogens such as LSD 

or " Acid " but it still doesn't work. Some people say the banana craze was

started by some hippies as a hoax because you can't make bananas illegal.

A man from the United Fruit Company said in NEWSWEEK " The only trip you can

take with a banana is when you slip on the peel. " 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Smoking Cessation .TXT
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The first article for review is titled Self-efficacy, Health Locus of Control, and Smoking.  This article studies how the participants confidence levels and health locus prior to entering treatment predicts results of the quitting program.  The program is called "Fresh Start" and was conducted in Victoria, Australia.  It consisted of three groups:
		(A)  those who made an attempt (Stop for one day),
		(B)  those who met criteria in A, and did not smoke for duration of program,
		(C)  those who abstained for six months.
	Confidence was tested by questionnaires (post, during and at 6-month period).  Health Locus is defined by how the participant attributed health outcomes (internal, external or by chance).  The results of this experiment showed that those individuals across the three groups who had high levels of self-efficacy was related not to the number of attempts to quit, but the success of the attempts, while "the role of Health Locus of Control [was found to be] complex needing further investigation" (Stuart, Borland, & McMurray, 1994, p. 1).
	The second article for review is titled, Sensation Seeking, Nicotine Dependence, and Smoking Motivation in Female and Male Smokers.  This study was conducted using a sample of French smokers (36 F, 60 M) and non-smokers (23 F, 45 M).  The goal of the experiment was to study "the relationship between sensation seeking and smoking" (p. 221).  The objectives of the study was (a) to see if smokers are higher in sensation seeking than their non-smoking  counterparts, (b) to see if there are any gender forces in smoking and sensation seeking, and (c) to examine "in each sex, the nature of the relationship between sensation seeking and smoking" (p. 221).
	These three items were measured on four sub-scales, they are:
		1) 	The Disinhibition subscale (DIS) - shows desire to be socially open, extroverted

		2)	The Thrill and Adventure Seeking subscale (TAS) - shows desire, extreme physical activities.

		3)	The Experience Seeking subscale (ES) - shows search for new and exciting life experiences.
		4)	The Boredom Susceptibility subscale (BS)
	After the evaluation of multiple questionnaires was completed, results of the subscale analysis was as follows:
		(a)	Smokers score higher in sensation seeking regardless of sex, than non- smokers.

		(b)	Women scored higher scores than men in the ES subscale (trend).

		(c)	Men scored higher on AIS and TAS scale than women.

		(d)	ES and BS subscales had a significant main effect for smoking status.
	This study concludes by showing "that smokers score higher on measures of sensation seeking than do non-smokers" (p. 224).  This aids the belief that sensation seekers may be more open to become dependant on smoking, as opposed to those who score low on sensation seeking activities.  Finally, women scoring higher on the ES subscale, was attributed to mass media and emerging cultural trends that have lured more women to be independent and more experience seeking than in the past.
	The next article in the subject of smoking is titled Measuring Readiness and Motivation to Quit Smoking Among Women in Public Health Clinics.  This study was a pilot program to test as an instrument in the stage readiness and motivation of 495 women of lower socioeconomic class in Chicago.  Since this segment of the smoking population has not declined when other have, it reveals the reasoning behind the study and therefore it is necessary to "develop and validate an instrument to measure progress across all stages of readiness" (p. 497) to aid motivation.
	The instrument spoke of is a questionnaire by Diclemente, et al., (1991) and Prochaska, et al. (1992), modified to meet the literacy level of female subjects of the lower socioeconomic level.  The questionnaire was given to smokers "in prenatal, family planning, and well-child health clinics" (p. 498).  The stages of Prochaska and Diclemente's were expanded to ensure sensitivity because most of the women of low SES fell into the first category; precontemplation (no intent to quit smoking in the next 6 months).  The experimenters, therefore, "were interested in measuring movement within the early stages of change" (p. 498).  Through the use of Biener and Abrams (1991) contemplation ladder, the experimenters were able to make this expansion.  The experiment also evaluated other variables, they were: "smoking status, age, education level, pregnancy status, and type of clinic" (p. 501).  Results of this newly formed instrument to detect finer movement across the precontemplation stage of readiness yielded the following:
	(a)	"Readiness was higher for women who were pregnant" (p. 505).

	(b)	Higher readiness equalled higher motivation, confidence, and action.

	(c)	Stages unrelated to other variables (age, education, stress, or race).

	(d)	Stages of readiness to quit was negatively related to habitation factors (p. 506).
This experiment concludes by stating there instrument meets the low literacy needs of low SES women and that the instrument has shown sensitivity and reliability "to track the movement of motivation and readiness to quit in such a group" (p. 506).
	The fourth article for summary is Cigarette Smoking: Effects Upon Self-Rated Stress and Arousal Over the Day.  This experiment dealt with the "typology" of smokers.  Its main objective was to find evidence that contradicts the arousal modulation theory of smoking.  Subjects were divided into two groups; smokers that smoked for arousal and those who smoked for sedative reasons.  The experiment was done over the course of one day, which was divided into four time blocks; first cigarette = first time block, while last cigarette of the day was the fourth time block (rest of the day was divided into blocks 2 and 3).  Subjects made self reports before and after each cigarette for that day.
	For subjects in the stress group, stress was high before each cigarette and decreased afterward, increasing again prior to the next cigarette (cyclicle pattern).  Subjects in the arousal group over the day yielded an increase in arousal in block one, that increased gradually until high in later afternoon, then decreasing at night.  These outcomes lend support to the theory that the main problem with the arousal modulation theory "is the linkage of stress and arousal" (p. 394).  This study provided "an alternative viewpoint: that stress control and arousal control are separate and orthogonal" (p. 395), and research into sub-groups of smokers is needed.
	Attributional Correlates of Cessation Self-Efficacy Among Smokers was an experiment designed to examine the association of past failed attempts at quitting smoking, with Self- Attribution and Self-efficacy.
	One hundred and twenty-one male and female subjects who were seen smoking at a small campus or mall were asked to complete an open-ended questionnaire concerning the subject at hand.  The questionnaire was designed to elicit information for the following categories:
	(1)	Demographic and historical data.
	(2)	Attributional statement and dimensional ratings.
	(3)	Composite attributional indices.
	(4)	Cessation self-efficacy.
	Results from the open-ended attribution questionnaire found "three main categories:  personal factors, situational factors, and combined personal and situational factors" (p. 315).  Analysis of these categories and sub-categories suggest "that attributional processes are related to cessation among smokers" (p. 317).  Smokers who were confident in future quit attempts, attributed past failures to unstable and/or controllable factors; while those with low confidence, attributed past failure to stable and/or uncontrollable factors.  The main factors to help explain failed attempts at cessation were self-blame, perceived ideas concerning past failures and having family/friends who smoke.
	The experimenters conclude by suggesting that therapists should "focus on the similarities" (p. 319) of different models of attribution to create therapies that aid in helping clients to "[attribute] abstinence failures to changeable, controllable factors" (p. 319) which based on their findings increase the self-efficacy of smokers.
	The last article is a study of self quitters by H.J. Garney, et al. that followed 235 people who quit smoking on self intuitive alone, for a period of twelve months.  The project was run through to determine what factors caused the participants to fail in their attempt to quit smoking.  More importantly, the study looks at the post-quitting period, not as a single entity, but as several critical time frames of said post-quitting period.
	The number of people who relapse is quite high among those who used self-quitting techniques is why this study is important.  It sheds light in the areas of the scientific study of the addictive habit of cigarette smoking and it provides many useful and helpful hints to those who have previously failed in their attempts to stop smoking.
	The purpose of this study, as stated by its authors is as follows:  "to provide prospective information on predictors of early and later relapse for smokers who made a self-initiated quite attempt" (p. 365).  From 251 subjects, 235 were chosen and each initiated their quit attempt four days after a baseline was taken.  Each subject, whether they were successful in their attempt or fell prey to relapse, were kept in contact with the experimenters through telephone or personal interviews to monitor the subjects status and to ask questions concerning their difficulties.
	The study's baseline measured the subjects on many variables, such as; level of motivation, confidence, and psychological stress.  It also observed personal variables like, the smoker's history, demographics, environment and lifestyle.  An interview schedule in conjunction with various tests (ex., Smoking Test Patterns, Russel, et al., 1974) and electronic equipment to measure carbonmonoxide levels were used to generate the baseline accurately.
	Follow up measures included getting information from subjects concerning their productivity after quitting smoking, at the one month mark.  If they relapsed at all, or if they had abstained from smoking how their attitudes were on psychological stress, confidence to remain abstinent, as well as frequency and strength of temptations to smoke.  These follow up measures were used again at the 3 month mark, and at the 12 months mark for those who were still able to abstain.  Carbonmonoxcide levels and saliva samples were tested to verify subject's claims of abstinence.  The projects definition of "relapse" is an important note here, it is as follows:  "relapse was defined as 7 or more consecutive days of smoking, or 7 or more consecutive episodes of smoking" (p. 369).
	At the 12-month follow up only 12.8% of the sample population of 235 subjects managed not to fall into relapse.  For those who relapsed, results indicate that the greatest amount of relapse occurred by the first two weeks of post-self-quitting.  The percentages of relapses in the first two weeks are:
				13% - day 1
				32% - by day 3
				49% - by week 1
				62% - by week 2
	The relapses increase to 76% at the end of month one, and then levels off finally at 87.2% between months one and twelve.  From the results obtained an analysis was done to find which baseline predictors had the strongest effect on relapse.  The relapse times were divided into four categories:  Abstains during: a) 0-7 days; b) 8-30 days; c) 31-364 days and d) at 365 days (* groups A, B and C did not make it to 365 days abstinence).  Outcomes revealed the following: (most significant at the top of the list and decreasing effect as the list goes down).
	(a)	not quitting as long as you did the last time you tried to quit.
	(b)	lower motivation to quit.
	(c)	lower confidence to quit for 3 months.
	(d)	have a spouse/significant other who smokes.
	(e)	greater alcohol consumption than baseline.
	Multivariant results compared groups A, B, and C individuals with group D (those who abstained for 365 days).  The most significant baseline predictors in descending strength are:
	(a)	short term confidence in maintain abstinence.
	(b)	not equalling prior longest quit time.
	(c)	started smoking to maintain weight.
In comparison, between group A and D, a person with one standard deviation higher in confidence is half as likely to start smoking again.  The odds are the same for someone who does not meet or surpass their longest prior quitting duration.  The weight motive differed for gender type.  Women are more likely not to relapse, and men were more likely to they use the weight motive.  While results for comparing groups B and C with group D have basically the same predictors of relapse; less short-term confidence and baseline alcohol consumption.
	This study has found that relapse in the first early weeks of cessation are higher than recent literature suggests, compared to those who attend stop smoking type clinics.
	Example:	Self-quitters			Clinic
					62%		vs		10% (past 2 weeks)
					76%		vs		20% (to 1 month)

	The other conclusions the study has made are:

1)	It is the "length" of the prior longest quit duration and the number of times one has tried to quit is important.  (If the person doesn't match longest time frame, he/she is more likely to quite due to motivation and confidence factors).

2)	Attitude prior to quitting:  The level of commitment, motivation and confidence are directly related to relapse.  Therefore, higher levels of factors yield longer quitting times and vice versa.

3)	Baseline Alcohol consumption:  If a person had high levels of alcohol consumption during baseline, the person is likely to continue this practice and therefore be exposed in social settings which provide cues to smoke and he/she will be more likely to succumb to the temptation of smoking.

4)	Any Smoking during cessation:  Any smoking whatsoever by a person during the cessation period dramatically increases the chances of relapse.  For example in this study, out of 215 who did smoke any amount at all, only 10 went on to abstain, 205 went into full relapse.
		In addition, the study revealed that neither age, gender, education, amount smoked, social support or increased psychological stress levels at the one month mark did not have a significant effect on relapse.  And finally, clinical implication are to advise potential patients with the four main conclusions mentioned here.


	DIARY OF AN ATTEMPT AT SMOKING CESSATION FOR ONE DAY 
	(Thursday, December 7, 1995)


Biological Factors

	-	Felt generally tired all day.
	-	Teeth and gums ached.
	-	Tension throughout the day in shoulders and abdominals.
	-	Nostrils and mouth dry.
	-	Eyes dry and very "head drowsy".

Behaviours Recorded

	-	Couldn't sit still (as I usually could, eg., watching T.V.).
	-	Excessive snacking (calorie intake estimated by roommates at 7000 cal.).
	-	I was observed pacing a lot in mid-afternoon and continually looking into the fridge but taking nothing out.
	-	Roommates say I was "hyper-sensitive" to any type of comments, remarks, criticisms directed towards me.
	-	I was overly critical of everything I watched on T.V. (programs and commercials).
	-	Tried to counteract biological factors (ex., splashed cold water on face, had 3-20 minute periods of exercise [walking], brushed teeth more, had rest periods).
	-	Smoked 4 cigarettes throughout the day.

Urges

	-	I had urges to eat and snack all day.
	-	Urges to do "something" but didn't know what to do.
	-	Urges and craving to smoke (mentally to calm me down, physically to eliminate withdrawal symptoms).

Variations in Arousal

	Though I was generally tired all day, there were peak times when I was particularly more tired; these times were at 11:00 am, 3:30 pm and between 7:00-8:00 pm.  At these times there was a duality between being on the verge of sleep and at the same time being really alert and somewhat excitable.  Because it is during exam time, I knew if I didn't smoke, I would get nothing done at all for this day.  So, I allowed myself 4 cigarettes for this day (a decrease from 25/day) to allow some type of productivity to take place.  As a result of attempting to quit smoking I was only able to read two chapters for one course, on a day that there was not classes and I did not have to work, this production level was very low.  It was at these three time periods of heightened duality mentioned above (and once prior to going to bed as a reward and a relaxant) that I smoked.  During these times, I could not make myself do anything, I could not focus on any one thing, my attention was popping from one thing to the next, which led me to ruminate excessively.  In turn this led me to smoke in order to relieve the frustration caused by ruminating.  After smoking, I would be calm.  Smoking relieved my stress and anxiety, and increased the awareness and focus relating to the tasks that I wanted to accomplish.  This cycle repeated itself four main times throughout that day.

	References
Carton, S., Jouvent, R., Widlcher (1994).  "Sensation Seeking, Nicotine Dependence, and  	Smoking Motivation in Female and Male Smokers" in Addictive Behaviors, 19(3), (p. 219- 227).  Pergaman Press Ltd., Oxford, England.

Crittendens, K.S., Manfredi, C., Lacey, L., Warnecke, R., & Parsons, J. (1994).  "Measuring  	Readiness and Motivation to Quit Smoking among Women in Public Health Clinics" in Addictive Behaviors, 19(5), (p. 497-507).  Pergaman Press Ltd., Oxford, England.

Garvey, A.J., Hitchcock, J.L., Heinold, J.W., Rosner, B. (1992).  Addictive Behaviors, 17,  	(p. 367-377).  Pergamon Press Ltd., Oxford, England.

Grove, R.J. (1993).  "Attributional Correlates of Cessation Self-Efficacy Among Smokers" in 	Addictive Behaviors, 18(3), (p. 311-320).  Pergaman Press Ltd., Oxford, England.

Parrott, A.C. (1993).  "Cigarette Smoking: Effects Upon Self-Rated Stress and Arousal over the  	Day", in Addictive Behaviors, 18(4), (p. 389-395).  Pergaman Press Ltd., Oxford, England.

Stuart, K., Borland, R., McMurray, N. (1994).  "Self-Efficacy, Health Locus of Control, and  	Smoking Cessation" in Addictive Behaviors, 19(1) (p. 1-12).  Pergaman Press Ltd., Oxford, England. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Smoking.TXT
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I can stop whenever I want

Good afternoon, 

I can stop whenever I want. Does that sound familiar to you? if it does you are probably part of the 80% smokers who are teens. And studies show, that young smokers are likely to start doing drugs, selling drugs, and so forth. Young smokers start smoking at 12 or 13 just to get a taste of what it's like. 
Some of them find it disgusting and unhealthy and some find it cool usually because their peers introduced it to them. Tobacco use kills about 420,000 smokers each year. Recent studies also indicate that about 53,000 non smokers die each year from second hand smoking. You surprised heh? You shouldn't be, because all of those anti tobacco commercials on Television and on every single pack of cigarettes isn't there for nothing. It's there to prevent all of you teens to get hooked on cigarettes or even think about starting to smoke.  Smoking is legal almost everywhere in the world, but it shouldn't be because Marijuana smoking isn't. Cigarettes are addictive and they usually lead the smoker to marijuana use or to other kind of drugs. That's why I think that young teenagers shouldn't start smoking at young age. All of you people out there who think that they can stop whenever they want, well I have news flash for you. 1 out of 10 smokers succeed in quitting smoking in United-States. Everyone thinks that they have an iron will and they keep on delaying the time to stop, I'll just stop as my new year resolution, I'll stop in a month, a week, a year. Smoking is really hard to quit, it's an addictive habit and you really need an iron will to stop it. There are also a few consequences I think I should mention from ciggarette smoking. First of all, as you all know, ciggarette smoking turns your teeth yellow so you can forget about those perfect teeth with the crest smile. The second consequence is, smoking costs around 4 $ a day for a normal smoker which comes up to 2500 $ per year, think what you could do with all that money. And the most common and harmful consequence of smoking is, lung and mouth cancer. Think about it, is it worth: having bad breath, turning your teeth yellow, wasting 2500 $ per year and risking lung cancer just for a bad habit you picked up because of peer pressure? Hopefully, in the futur, teens aren't going to think anymore that they could stop whenever they want and they won't even think about trying to smoke. 

 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\SmokingBad For your Heath.TXT
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Drugs 8-5				          Matt 
Project					          4-96		

                   SMOKING---Bad For Your Heath
Introduction

 I studied, whether people that  do not smoke have a greater lung capacity than people that do smoke.  I asked 20 of my friends.
Procedure
What I hypothesized is that people who do not smoke have a greater lung capacity than people who do smoke.  The way that I tested my hypotheses, is I called up  20 people, mostly from my camp, and found 10 people that smoked, and 10 people that did not smoke.  All of  the kids were 14 to 15yrs. old and 5ft to 6ft tall.  All of the adults were 5ft to 6ft-2in. tall.  8 kids and 2 adults were on each side. The format I used looks like this


Name:
Phone #
 Sex:
Age:
Height:
Do you smoke:    
Then after, asking them the questions, I asked them to take a deep breath and then let it out as long as they could and I timed them doing it.  


Conclusion
My hypothesis about non-smoker's having a greater lung capacity is correct.  It is proven to be correct by my chart.  The reason that non-smoker's have a greater lung capacity is that smoking, causes problems in your lungs. It is terrible for your whole body but especially your lungs.  That is why my hypothesis was correct. 
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\speed methylamphetamine.TXT
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                     "Speed"  Methylamphetamine
                                                                        Andy Dittrich
                                                                        English 102

	Since I have started school at U.N.R, I have been expose to a more variety of drugs than high school.  Speed (Methylamphtamine) is a drug that I totally despise.  I was in shock because I did not realize how many students were addicts to this drug.  I have always known what this drug does to people because I know someone that is addict to speed.  The drug is one of the most addicting drugs out there and I hope the information I  have researched on can make you never think twice about trying this addicting drug.
	Speed is a stimulant, a drug that can make one feel cheerful and wide awake for days after days.  Students use the drug for intensive study habits or during depressing moments of school.  On Speed, users never want to eat because the drug shrivels up their stomach that causes massive weight loss.  One of the reasons' women use the drug is to lose weight, which is an extremely unhealthy way of doing it.  What Speed  does is it effects the middle nervous system, and stimulates the brain.  The drug causes insomnia, restlessness, and a fake sense of acting normal.  People either snort the drug up the nose or smoke it through the mouth.  After staying up for days on Speed the drug where's off and a person will sleep for days, there is a larger fatigue and one will be so damn depressed.
	I stopped talking to a friend because he was so addicted to this horrible drug called Speed.  One thing I noticed is he was a totally different person when he was using speed.  Whenever he was high on the drug he was a great guy with all this incredible energy, nothing would ever possibly make him upset.  Though when the drug wore off he was so grouchy that no one could stand a single bit of being around him.  Every little thing you did when he was coming down on Speed annoyed him and it made me wonder if I was wrong at times.  I remember a group of us walking through the mall one day and we were teasing him about some girl he was courting at the time.  He had not been on the drug at the time and was upset he couldn't find any because he was so addicted.  The next thing you know he was trying to fight me in the middle of the whole mall.  My other friends had to hold him down on the ground because he was so out of control.  Till that day I have always thought that people exaggerated on how addicting and nerve wrecking the drug could be.  Apparently for me to realize how addicting the drug could be was I had to witness it first hand by someone I knew.  
	I never knew till this research that using Speed can cause heart failure, increases blood-pressure, disorientation and even cause one to hallucinate.  I have noticed first hand that when a person is in denial about being addicted to the drug is when they are addicted.  My friend used the drug for so long that he even knew how to disguise his addiction so good.  Every time I explained him that the drug controlled him, he would just deny it.  He would always say, "There are users and there are abusers and all I am is a user."  
	It is a horrible fact that students at this school often use Speed before and during exams.  I can understand  that one needs to stay alert and ready during exam time, but the only reason students use the drug is because of their bad study habits.  When studying, the drug will keep you so wired and you will study more in one hour than you ever could before.  This drug will sure enough change one's personality to the extreme.  People use the drug for all sorts of reasons.  Often times when people can not keep up with their work, need to lose weight, depressed, insecure, loneliness and insecure about themselves.  
	Over all I feel sad about this whole issue and I wish the drug would be demolished off the face of this world.  After all the trauma people in this society go through some people let a yellowish powder substance control their lives.  I feel drugs in our society is a big issue and people need to pull together to stay drug free.  In my opinion the war on drugs is the war on people.  Drugs have always been in our society forever and I feel the best thing we as people can do is just educate our youth of the dangers of drugs.  I just feel that people will always be exposed to drugs as a metaphor to there are good choices and there are bad choices.  What made me write this paper is that students on this campus use this drug and it is a problem we as people can not ignore.  I hope some of my personnel experiences and facts I have mentioned about this drug can be a learning  experience for you and keep you from trying it.         
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Synthetic Drugs of Abuse.TXT
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Synthetic Drugs of Abuse


 I
t seems that primitive man at times wished to escape his reality. He or she probably found some natural herbal drugs to facilitate this desire. In fact abuse of the coca leaf and the opium poppy has been occuring the last 3000 years, and probably longer. The mescaline containing peyote cactus has been abused by the indians for even longer. They thought it was a gift from god because they often realised profound truths when they where inebriate(at least, thats what they thought!). 

I
n the 19. century the structure of mescaline was elucidated. It was also discovered that the synthesis of N-methyl  mescaline, would increase the drugs potentcy, when compared to the precursor. The first acceptet semi-synthetic drug for medical use was heroine. Many semi-synthetic drugs followed. After a longer period fully synthetic drugs appeared. Among theese where : ephedrine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, phenylpropanoleamine (appetite suppresant), nitroglycerine and amylnitrite. Amphetamine, methamphetamine and amylnitrite were abused for their pleasant pharmacological response. Amphetamine and methamphetamine was used as a recreational drug, which made the user restless, euphoric and alert. Amylnitrite produced strong rushes of euphoria. The average man could not seem to control his/hers use of the drugs, and as a consequence, all of theese products where put under federal control. They cannot be obtained legally without a prescription from a doctor. People with an insight in chemistry and a lack of morale, startet to produce these compunds for their own financial gains. 

T
 
he really clever chemists avoided doing anything illegal by creating pharmacologically-active compunds, which where derived from known illegal drugs. Not only where they able to produce similar compounds, but many of the new compunds where much more potent than the original drug. This created the so-called designer drug phenomenon.  A very common abused drug is a resulat of this development : MDMA ; or as the ravers prefer to call it, "ecstacy". It is an amphetamine that produces euphoria, CNS  stimulation and mild hallucinations. Many of the new drugs were also highly addictive. A couple of years ago cocaine freebase, better know as "crack", gained popularity. The drug gave the user a ten minutes long "high". The drug is physically addictive the first time it is used. Another even more addictive and potent drug appeared on the american market in 1994. It is called methcathinone, or "cat". The user is high for 72 hours after using only 10-20 mg. Although the user does not get physically addictet right away, the rush is so pleasant, that only very few people has reported using it only once. The largest problem with this new drug is that it can, unlike cocaine freebase, be prepared from OTC   products and with very little, or even none, knowledge in chemistry. It has not been seen in Denmark yet, but will indoubtly pose a serious threat to the experimenting part of the population in only few years. 



T
o prevent the designer drug trend to develop further, the DEA  introduced a new term called CsA . Drugs with similar structure and effects as controlled substances were thereby also made illegal. At the same time the substance p2p was put under federal control. P2p was/is the main source of (meth)amphetamine precursor material. Because of this the street avability of (meth)amphetamine fell. Only months after this law modification, the streets where flooded with a new and even more potent drug : 4-methylaminorex; know as euphoria. This drug is made from non-controlled substances. 

T
hroughout the history of synthetical drugs, amphetamine(speed) and methamphetamine(meth), have had the greatest "succes" on the street. In the last ten years the rate of which new illegal drugs are seen, have grown in ten fold. Every time the DEA has tried to prevent the production of drugs, either by putting chemicals under control, or through propaganda, it has resultet in more initiative from the clandestine chemists. For these people it is a sport til beat the system, and most of them do not have ethics concerning the health of other people. The civilized world uses enormous amounts of resources to fight the drug problem. I personally belive that drugs should be legalized. The mobs way of living  would then become extinct and the worlds largest source of crime would be erased. A small sum of the money used to fight the former drug problem could then be used to inform people of the dangers concerning various substances. Perhaps more people would become addicted this way, but the gouverment would save so much money that other people could be saved, and thereby making the score even. 



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f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Tabacco Companies Targeting Young People.TXT
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Tobacco Companies Targeting Young People
	
	Every day, 3,000 kids start smoking, most of them between the ages of 10 and 18. These kids add up to 90 percent of all new smokers (Roberts 38). These statistics show us that young people are the main targets of the tobacco companies. The cigarette manufacturers will deny it, but advertising and promotion play a very important part in making these statistics a reality.
	The two main companies in this advertising war are Marlboro and Camel. Marlboro uses a western cowboy called the Marlboro Man, while Camel uses Joe Camel, a hip cartoon character. Everywhere you go there is billboards or some other kind of advertisement on these two shady characters. When I say shady, I imply that these characters are not just figures we see but they are traps just waiting to lure the next victim in. As kids look through magazines and see Joe Camel driving a cool car and surrounded by beautiful women they get the idea that in order to be somebody they need to smoke a Camel cigarette. It is not right to prey on young people just because they are unaware of the dangers of smoking.
	The tobacco industry denies that these symbols target people less than 21 and claim that their advertising goal is simply to promote brand switching and loyalty. Many people disagree with this statement such as Illinois Rep. Richard Durbin who said "If we can reduce the number of young smokers, the tobacco companies 

                                                         
will be in trouble and they know it"(Roberts 38).
	The problem we are facing is not only with the tobacco companies but with the young people also. The reason why I say this is because most youths know that they are being targeted. If these kids realize that the advertising is manipulating them, why do they still smoke? The ads reflect an image of rebellion and fitting in.  These are all the things a young person, between childhood and adolescence, needs and desires. This type of advertising, on top of peer pressure, is the mystery behind the rise in adolescent smoking.
	How do we stop the future of America from smoking? Here are three things that the experts recommend. Try to convince your children that smoking is not cool. Talk to your kids at a young age about the dangers of smoking. Identify family members who smoke and ask them to stop (Thomas 450). These are things we all need to stress to our kids, without forcing them. When a parent tries to force a child to do any thing the child automatically, puts up his/her defense and rebels. This is a big reason why a lot of kids start. They're just trying to be independent and make decisions on their own. 
	Children are the most important thing we are given in life. Let's try to educate them while they're young to be independent thinkers and to not be manipulated by the tobacco companies. Maybe if my parents had used some of these techniques I would have never started. 	

                                                            


                         Outline
Thesis: Statistics show us that young people are the main target of the tobacco companies.


 
 I . Introduction



 II. Two main companies



III. Tobacco industries claims
 


 VI                                                         

Tobacco Companies Targeting Young People
	
	Every day, 3,000 kids start smoking, most of them between the ages of 10 and 18. These kids add up to 90 percent of all new smokers (Roberts 38). These statistics show us that young people are the main targets of the tobacco companies. The cigarette manufacturers will deny it, but advertising and promotion play a very important part in making these statistics a reality.
	The two main companies in this advertising war are Marlboro and Camel. Marlboro uses a western cowboy called the Marlboro Man, while Camel uses Joe Camel, a hip cartoon character. Everywhere you go there is billboards or some other kind of advertisement on these two shady characters. When I say shady, I imply that these characters are not just figures we see but they are traps just waiting to lure the next victim in. As kids look through magazines and see Joe Camel driving a cool car and surrounded by beautiful women they get the idea that in order to be somebody they need to smoke a Camel cigarette. It is not right to prey on young people just because they are unaware of the dangers of smoking.
	The tobacco industry denies that these symbols target people less than 21 and claim that their advertising goal is simply to promote brand switching and loyalty. Many people disagree with this statement such as Illinois Rep. Richard Durbin who said "If we can reduce the number of young smokers, the tobacco companies 

                                                         
will be in trouble and they know it"(Roberts 38).
	The problem we are facing is not only with the tobacco companies but with the young people also. The reason why I say this is because most youths know that they are being targeted. If these kids realize that the advertising is manipulating them, why do they still smoke? The ads reflect an image of rebellion and fitting in.  These are all the things a young person, between childhood and adolescence, needs and desires. This type of advertising, on top of peer pressure, is the mystery behind the rise in adolescent smoking.
	How do we stop the future of America from smoking? Here are three things that the experts recommend. Try to convince your children that smoking is not cool. Talk to your kids at a young age about the dangers of smoking. Identify family members who smoke and ask them to stop (Thomas 450). These are things we all need to stress to our kids, without forcing them. When a parent tries to force a child to do any thing the child automatically, puts up his/her defense and rebels. This is a big reason why a lot of kids start. They're just trying to be independent and make decisions on their own. 
	Children are the most important thing we are given in life. Let's try to educate them while they're young to be independent thinkers and to not be manipulated by the tobacco companies. Maybe if my parents had used some of these techniques I would have never started. 	

                                                            


                         Outline
Thesis: Statistics show us that young people are the main target of the tobacco companies.


 
 I . Introduction



 II. Two main companies



III. Tobacco industries claims
 


 VI. Other problems


 
  V. Stopping them from smoking


 
 VI. Conclusion
                                                          

Tobacco Companies Targeting Young People
	
	Every day, 3,000 kids start smoking, most of them between the ages of 10 and 18. These kids add up to 90 percent of all new smokers (Roberts 38). These statistics show us that young people are the main targets of the tobacco companies. The cigarette manufacturers will deny it, but advertising and promotion play a very important part in making these statistics a reality.
	The two main companies in this advertising war are Marlboro and Camel. Marlboro uses a western cowboy called the Marlboro Man, while Camel uses Joe Camel, a hip cartoon character. Everywhere you go there is billboards or some other kind of advertisement on these two shady characters. When I say shady, I imply that these characters are not just figures we see but they are traps just waiting to lure the next victim in. As kids look through magazines and see Joe Camel driving a cool car and surrounded by beautiful women they get the idea that in order to be somebody they need to smoke a Camel cigarette. It is not right to prey on young people just because they are unaware of the dangers of smoking.
	The tobacco industry denies that these symbols target people less than 21 and claim that their advertising goal is simply to promote brand switching and loyalty. Many people disagree with this statement such as Illinois Rep. Richard Durbin who said "If we can reduce the number of young smokers, the tobacco companies 

                                                         
will be in trouble and they know it"(Roberts 38).
	The problem we are facing is not only with the tobacco companies but with the young people also. The reason why I say this is because most youths know that they are being targeted. If these kids realize that the advertising is manipulating them, why do they still smoke? The ads reflect an image of rebellion and fitting in.  These are all the things a young person, between childhood and adolescence, needs and desires. This type of advertising, on top of peer pressure, is the mystery behind the rise in adolescent smoking.
	How do we stop the future of America from smoking? Here are three things that the experts recommend. Try to convince your children that smoking is not cool. Talk to your kids at a young age about the dangers of smoking. Identify family members who smoke and ask them to stop (Thomas 450). These are things we all need to stress to our kids, without forcing them. When a parent tries to force a child to do any thing the child automatically, puts up his/her defense and rebels. This is a big reason why a lot of kids start. They're just trying to be independent and make decisions on their own. 
	Children are the most important thing we are given in life. Let's try to educate them while they're young to be independent thinkers and to not be manipulated by the tobacco companies. Maybe if my parents had used some of these techniques I would have never started. 	

                                                            


                         Outline
Thesis: Statistics show us that young people are the main target of the tobacco companies.


 
 I . Introduction



 II. Two main companies



III. Tobacco industries claims
 


 VI. Other problems


 
  V. Stopping them from smoking


 
 VI. Conclusion
                                                          

Tobacco Companies Targeting Young People
	
	Every day, 3,000 kids start smoking, most of them between the ages of 10 and 18. These kids add up to 90 percent of all new smokers (Roberts 38). These statistics show us that young people are the main targets of the tobacco companies. The cigarette manufacturers will deny it, but advertising and promotion play a very important part in making these statistics a reality.
	The two main companies in this advertising war are Marlboro and Camel. Marlboro uses a western cowboy called the Marlboro Man, while Camel uses Joe Camel, a hip cartoon character. Everywhere you go there is billboards or some other kind of advertisement on these two shady characters. When I say shady, I imply that these characters are not just figures we see but they are traps just waiting to lure the next victim in. As kids look through magazines and see Joe Camel driving a cool car and surrounded by beautiful women they get the idea that in order to be somebody they need to smoke a Camel cigarette. It is not right to prey on young people just because they are unaware of the dangers of smoking.
	The tobacco industry denies that these symbols target people less than 21 and claim that their advertising goal is simply to promote brand switching and loyalty. Many people disagree with this statement such as Illinois Rep. Richard Durbin who said "If we can reduce the number of young smokers, the tobacco companies 

                                                         
will be in trouble and they know it"(Roberts 38).
	The problem we are facing is not only with the tobacco companies but with the young people also. The reason why I say this is because most youths know that they are being targeted. If these kids realize that the advertising is manipulating them, why do they still smoke? The ads reflect an image of rebellion and fitting in.  These are all the things a young person, between childhood and adolescence, needs and desires. This type of advertising, on top of peer pressure, is the mystery behind the rise in adolescent smoking.
	How do we stop the future of America from smoking? Here are three things that the experts recommend. Try to convince your children that smoking is not cool. Talk to your kids at a young age about the dangers of smoking. Identify family members who smoke and ask them to stop (Thomas 450). These are things we all need to stress to our kids, without forcing them. When a parent tries to force a child to do any thing the child automatically, puts up his/her defense and rebels. This is a big reason why a lot of kids start. They're just trying to be independent and make decisions on their own. 
	Children are the most important thing we are given in life. Let's try to educate them while they're young to be independent thinkers and to not be manipulated by the tobacco companies. Maybe if my parents had used some of these techniques I would have never started. 	

                                                            


                         Outline
Thesis: Statistics show us that young people are the main target of the tobacco companies.


 
 I . Introduction



 II. Two main companies



III. Tobacco industries claims
 


 VI. Other problems


 
  V. Stopping them from smoking


 
 VI. Conclusion
                                                          

Tobacco Companies Targeting Young People
	
	Every day, 3,000 kids start smoking, most of them between the ages of 10 and 18. These kids add up to 90 percent of all new smokers (Roberts 38). These statistics show us that young people are the main targets of the tobacco companies. The cigarette manufacturers will deny it, but advertising and promotion play a very important part in making these statistics a reality.
	The two main companies in this advertising war are Marlboro and Camel. Marlboro uses a western cowboy called the Marlboro Man, while Camel uses Joe Camel, a hip cartoon character. Everywhere you go there is billboards or some other kind of advertisement on these two shady characters. When I say shady, I imply that these characters are not just figures we see but they are traps just waiting to lure the next victim in. As kids look through magazines and see Joe Camel driving a cool car and surrounded by beautiful women they get the idea that in order to be somebody they need to smoke a Camel cigarette. It is not right to prey on young people just because they are unaware of the dangers of smoking.
	The tobacco industry denies that these symbols target people less than 21 and claim that their advertising goal is simply to promote brand switching and loyalty. Many people disagree with this statement such as Illinois Rep. Richard Durbin who said "If we can reduce the number of young smokers, the tobacco companies 

                                                         
will be in trouble and they know it"(Roberts 38).
	The problem we are facing is not only with the tobacco companies but with the young people also. The reason why I say this is because most youths know that they are being targeted. If these kids realize that the advertising is manipulating them, why do they still smoke? The ads reflect an image of rebellion and fitting in.  These are all the things a young person, between childhood and adolescence, needs and desires. This type of advertising, on top of peer pressure, is the mystery behind the rise in adolescent smoking.
	How do we stop the future of America from smoking? Here are three things that the experts recommend. Try to convince your children that smoking is not cool. Talk to your kids at a young age about the dangers of smoking. Identify family members who smoke and ask them to stop (Thomas 450). These are things we all need to stress to our kids, without forcing them. When a parent tries to force a child to do any thing the child automatically, puts up his/her defense and rebels. This is a big reason why a lot of kids start. They're just trying to be independent and make decisions on their own. 
	Children are the most important thing we are given in life. Let's try to educate them while they're young to be independent thinkers and to not be manipulated by the tobacco companies. Maybe if my parents had used some of these techniques I would have never started. 	

                                                            


                         Outline
Thesis: Statistics show us that young people are the main target of the tobacco companies.


 
 I . Introduction



 II. Two main companies



III. Tobacco industries claims
 


 VI. Other problems


 
  V. Stopping them from smoking


 
 VI. Conclusion
                                                          

Tobacco Companies Targeting Young People
	
	Every day, 3,000 kids start smoking, most of them between the ages of 10 and 18. These kids add up to 90 percent of all new smokers (Roberts 38). These statistics show us that young people are the main targets of the tobacco companies. The cigarette manufacturers will deny it, but advertising and promotion play a very important part in making these statistics a reality.
	The two main companies in this advertising war are Marlboro and Camel. Marlboro uses a western cowboy called the Marlboro Man, while Camel uses Joe Camel, a hip cartoon character. Everywhere you go there is billboards or some other kind of advertisement on these two shady characters. When I say shady, I imply that these characters are not just figures we see but they are traps just waiting to lure the next victim in. As kids look through magazines and see Joe Camel driving a cool car and surrounded by beautiful women they get the idea that in order to be somebody they need to smoke a Camel cigarette. It is not right to prey on young people just because they are unaware of the dangers of smoking.
	The tobacco industry denies that these symbols target people less than 21 and claim that their advertising goal is simply to promote brand switching and loyalty. Many people disagree with this statement such as Illinois Rep. Richard Durbin who said "If we can reduce the number of young smokers, the tobacco companies 

                                                         
will be in trouble and they know it"(Roberts 38).
	The problem we are facing is not only with the tobacco companies but with the young people also. The reason why I say this is because most youths know that they are being targeted. If these kids realize that the advertising is manipulating them, why do they still smoke? The ads reflect an image of rebellion and fitting in.  These are all the things a young person, between childhood and adolescence, needs and desires. This type of advertising, on top of peer pressure, is the mystery behind the rise in adolescent smoking.
	How do we stop the future of America from smoking? Here are three things that the experts recommend. Try to convince your children that smoking is not cool. Talk to your kids at a young age about the dangers of smoking. Identify family members who smoke and ask them to stop (Thomas 450). These are things we all need to stress to our kids, without forcing them. When a parent tries to force a child to do any thing the child automatically, puts up his/her defense and rebels. This is a big reason why a lot of kids start. They're just trying to be independent and make decisions on their own. 
	Children are the most important thing we are given in life. Let's try to educate them while they're young to be independent thinkers and to not be manipulated by the tobacco companies. Maybe if my parents had used some of these techniques I would have never started. 	

                                                            


                         Outline
Thesis: Statistics show us that young people are the main target of the tobacco companies.


 
 I . Introduction



 II. Two main companies



III. Tobacco industries claims
 


 VI. Other problems


 
  V. Stopping them from smoking


 
 VI. Conclusion
 . Other problems


 
  V. Stopping them from smoking


 
 VI. Conclusion
  








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Teen Drug Use.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
        Teen Drug Use

According to the 21st annual Monitoring the Future study,
conducted by the University of Michigan Survey Research Center
and funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, cigarette
smoking among high school seniors rose for the third straight
year in 1995.  Since 1992, the smoking rate has risen by more
than one-fifth among seniors, with one in three (34 percent) now
saying they smoked in the 30 days prior to the survey.

Use of marijuana among seniors has also increased since 1992,
reversing a 14-year trend.  Among 1995 seniors, 21.2 percent
said they had used marijuana in the last 30 days, compared with
the low of 11.9 percent in 1992.  During the same period,
students' perceptions of the risk of marijuana use has declined,
from 78.6 percent who perceived igreat riski in regular use in
1991 to 60.8 percent in 1995.

Students' perceptions about the harmfulness of various other
drugs have also declined, according to the survey findings.  For
example:

36.4 percent of the seniors in 1995 perceived igreat riski in
trying LSD once or twice, down from a high of 46.6 percent in
1991.

54.6 percent of the seniors in 1995 perceived igreat riski in
trying crack cocaine once or twice, down from a high of 62.4
percent in 1992.

24.8 percent perceived igreat riski in having one or two
alcoholic drinks nearly every day, down from a high of 32.7
percent in 1991.

65.6 percent perceived igreat riski in smoking one or more packs
of cigarettes per day, down from high of 69.4 percent in 1990.

 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Teens and Drug Abuse.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
Drug Use Among Teenagers 


~~~ While  I was conducting my research, I located the actual survey results and decided to include them with this essay.  (I included them at the end of my essay). ~~~

The three main drugs that are used among teenagers are Marijuana, LSD, and a variety of inhalants.  The use of these drugs seem to be of an astronomical amount according to the survey conducted by the University of Michigan. 

   

Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried,
shredded flowers and leaves of the hemp plant (Cannabis Sativa). You may hear marijuana called by street names such as pot, herb, weed, boom, Mary Jane, gangster, or chronic. There are more than 200 slang terms for marijuana.

 Sinsemilla (sin-seh-me-yah; it's a Spanish word), hashish
 ("hash" for short), and hash oil are stronger forms of
 marijuana.

All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. This means they
change how the brain works. They all contain THC
(delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical in
marijuana. But there are also 400 other chemicals in the
marijuana plant.





LSD

 LSD is very potent:   the effective  dose is measured  in         micrograms (ug)  -- however,  the lethal  dose is  literally thousands of times  that, making the  drug essentially  non-toxic.  LSD can  be  administered  a number  of  ways,  the  most common:  orally through  paper, sugar cubes,  on a piece  of gelatin, or by pill;  intravenously; or intramuscularly.   A
standard dose  with  noticeable  hallucinogenic  effects  is about 100-200 ug.  The intensity of the trip is proportional to the  size of  the  dose --  it  is interesting  to  note, though, that the duration of the trip seems to stay the same at higher doses (Freedman, 1984).  The initial effects begin 20-40 minutes  with  a  sense  of  euphoria  and  dizziness.  Hallucinations then begin  to occur, with  the trip  peaking for 4-5 hours after about an  hour since the drug is  taken.

Inhalants

People use certain inhalants to obtain a "high."  These inhalants could be anything from glue to certain fumes.  Inhalation of dangerous and toxic substance is extremely dangerous and can cause serious health problems or death.


The Reasons for Drug Use To Climb Among Teenagers

Stupidity is one reason!  There are many reasons why drug use continues to climb.  The laws are not strict enough for teenage offenders.  When a teenager, or any other person, is caught possessing Marijuana they receive a "slap on the wrist."  They receive a fine or some sort of community service punishment and that is it.  Another reason would be the idea that, "everyone else does it and nothing bad happens to them, I might as well do it too!"  Teenagers see other people using drugs and do not realize the negative affect that the drug has on that person, so they start themselves.  Another reason would be the ease of obtaining drugs.  If I wanted to include some Marijuana with this essay, I very easily could.  It is extremely easy to obtain any kinds of drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes for teenagers.  One reason I do not think is a increase in drug use is peer pressure.  I feel that peer pressure does not cause drug use among teens.  Most teenagers do not use drugs.  


Stop This Problem

There are many solutions to this problem.  Stricter laws, stricter school policies about drugs and alcohol ( a few months ago, a girl was suspended for a long period of time from school for having aspirin with her, a student at Cranston West came into school drunk, threw up, fell on the floor and was only suspended for only 7 days!!! ), crackdown on students that are constantly in trouble with drugs, have a strong faculty and police presence around all known "hang out" areas, and HARSH PUNISHMENTS for offenders.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\The Advantages of being legal.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
Matt Streett 
English 102~D							
The Advantages of Being Legal

	There are many arguments on the question of whether or not to legalize marijuana. 
The benefits of legalizing marijuana include its medicinal value and its many uses to
produce commercial products like paper, rope, oil, textiles, and canvas.  Another good
reason to legalize marijuana is that hundreds of thousands of non-violent drug offenders
are overpopulating prisons, costing taxpayers millions of dollars.  Legalization would also
put marijuana dealers out of business and it would bring revenue to the government like
alcohol and tobacco does.  Some opposition to legalizing marijuana is that traffic fatalities
would increase, and that more people like school teachers and bus drivers would be
smoking legally purchased marijuana.  They also believe that more young people would
smoke more marijuana.
	Marijuana is medicine and has been used as medicine for thousands of years to
treat a wide variety of ailments.  It is one of the safest therapeutically active substances
known.  Marijuana is often useful in the treatment of cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, multiple
sclerosis, epilepsy and chronic pain. For cancer patients, marijuana alleviates the nausea,
vomiting, and loss of appetite caused by chemotherapy treatment.  It does the same for
people with AIDS.  By reducing intraocular pressure, marijuana helps slow or halt the
gradual increasing eye pressure suffered by glaucoma patients. Marijuana reduces the
muscle pain and spastically caused by multiple sclerosis. It also helps some patients control
their bladders. With some epileptic patients, marijuana prevents seizures. Marijuana is also
a very effective pain reliever. 
	Hemp, a plant mainly grown for its use as a fiber source, is from the same plant
that produces marijuana. It is different because industrial hemp is grown with minute
amounts of delta-9 and tetrahydrocannibinol, abbreviated as THC, which is the element in
marijuana that gives the 'high sensation'. Industrial hemp is one of nature's strongest and
most versatile agricultural crops. It can be used to produce various things such as textiles,
paper, clothing, plastics, cosmetics, food stuffs, insulation, and animal feed. Hemp seeds
can be used to make high protein foods and the oil can be used to produce non-toxic
paint, varnish, detergent, diesel fuel, ink, and lubricating oil. 
	One acre of hemp produces as much fiber as two to three acres of cotton and one
acre also produces as much paper as two to four acres of trees. The advantage of using
paper products produced by hemp is that hemp's growing cycle is around one hundred
days, while it takes trees years to grow to produce the same amount of paper. Hemp was
cultivated in the U. S. until 1937, when the Marijuana Tax Act outlawed marijuana. In
1942 the government encouraged American farmers to cultivate hemp for the war effort,
but then in 1955 prohibitionists had reasserted a total ban on production. Now the DEA,
Drug Enforcement Administration, remains firmly opposed to any notion of revising the
federal laws to allow hemp's domestic cultivation. 
	Every year 400,000 Americans are arrested for marijuana and thousands of them
are sent to prison. Marijuana users and dealers account for sixty percent of all prisoners
today. Because of new anti-drug laws, these prisoners can be jailed for up to thirty years,
and most are, even for minor crimes. Federal and State governments are spending billions
to build more prisons to house hundreds of thousands of non-violent drug offenders. 
	Legalization would kill the black market for marijuana. Marijuana sales would be
regulated by state and federal governments. It would also help the economy by a reduction
in law enforcement costs, and police could focus more on dangerous drugs such as
cocaine, heroin, and crystal meth. 
	Some people who oppose the legalization of marijuana say that traffic fatalities
would increase. The myth is that 40% of drug related emergency room visits are marijuana
related. The fact is that this statistic purposely excludes the legal drug of alcohol, a drug
notorious for causing violence and accidents. A marijuana related emergency room visit
does not mean marijuana caused the incident. If the patient admits to using marijuana days
or weeks before the incident or if someone involved in the incident is found only
possessing marijuana, then the emergency room admission is counted as marijuana related. 
	At first, the amount of people using marijuana may increase. The idea that people
like school teachers, day care providers, and bus drivers smoking legally purchased
marijuana and endangering others is something that should not be worried about. Do these
people drink alcohol before going to work or smoke cigarettes during work? They are
mostly responsible adults and if they choose to smoke the legally purchased marijuana,
they would do it responsibly. 
	Most recreational marijuana smokers will continue to smoke even if marijuana is
never legalized. I was forced to temporarily quit smoking because of the system. I used to
occasionally smoke until my room was searched at the college I attended freshman year. I
felt that my personal rights were violated when every room on my hall was searched after
someone set off a firework. The search was conducted by a R.A., a person who is my age,
and it was done without my roommate or I present . Nothing was left in plain sight, in
fact, all of the paraphernalia was found in a backpack which was in a filing cabinet that
was in my closet. I felt as though I did not commit a crime, but as though I was the victim.
As former president Lincoln said, " Prohibition goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it
attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation, and a makes a crime out of things that
are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our
government was founded." 
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\The Legalization of Marijuana.TXT
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									Allyson Runyon
                                                                       

	The legalization of marijuana as a prescription drug should be allowed.  Medical research shows that marijuana has therapeutic value in patients with various types of cancers, some neurological disorders, and AIDS patients.  The marijuana eases some of the effects of chemotherapy such as nausea and dizziness.  It also controls muscle spasms and contractions and aids in the relaxation of patients with neurological disorders.
	Many researchers and administrations of the government, such as the Drug Enforcement Administration(D.E.A.) feel that legalizing marijuana is  an unnecessary approach in the treatment of patients.  Many of them feel that not only those people with the diseases and the disorders will use the drug, but other people will want to use it for everyday problems.  First, a doctor must prescribe the marijuana in order for a patient to take it. It would be almost impossible for a person to obtain the drug without a prescription.  It is up to the doctor whether or not the patient needs it.  The D.E.A. also has fears about the possible addiction to the drug and its effects in society.  As with any other drug, the possibility of addiction is a concern, but when a doctor prescribes the marijuana, he will have the chance to control and monitor the intake of the patient.  There are many other drugs that are legal with the same types of effects such as codeine, cocaine, and morphine.  If drugs like those are legal and are under control, then a drug like marijuana that is very similar to them, should also be legalized and easily kept under control.
	Many other complaints of the legalization of marijuana have been argued and show no relevance in reasons of why marijuana should not be legalized.  The D.E.A. is trying to make the argument that by legalizing marijuana, the drug problem in America will worsen.  The way the DEA sees this issue is that  if they allow marijuana as a medicine, there is the fear that there will be many more people using it.  Then after using it, they will see how good they feel and that they are functioning fine.  When that effect hits the people, that will raise questions of why marijuana is illegal at all.  That is an invalid fear because if that was the case, then drugs like morphine and cocaine, which are prescribed legally, would be causing problems. Those legal uses are not adding in any significant way to the country's drug problems, so marijuana should not either.
	Many of the government organizations have expressed their opinion that the patients being used in these experiments by marijuana lobbyists to bring attention to their real motive: legalizing marijuana in general.  It is unfair for the government to make the public try to believe that these medical researchers are the bad guys and the government is trying to protect the public from the evil.
	As much research has conducted, it has be proven that marijuana has been effective in treating sick patients with their discomforts.  The many arguments of the government and the D.E.A. have yet to be proven.  Until those arguments are proven and considered legitimate reasons for not legalizing marijuana, the medical world should encourage their patients to use the marijuana as if it were legal.  Eventually, it will be proven that marijuana is a wise choice for the sick.
	.   
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\The Need for Weed.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
	Just in, California has become the first state to legalize pot!  Unfortunately, for all you proud owners of a two-foot-bong or a three-inch bowl, you must have a prescription from a medical doctor before you light up.  Perhaps it's only a crack in the ice, but it is a start to a long-awaited, controversial issue that needs to be touched upon again.
	In the fall of 1996, Proposition 215 was passed in California, legalizing the medical use of marijuana.  Even though the majority (56%) voted to pass 215, opponents plan to continue to fight the measure.  It was also so in Arizona, where Proposition 200, the Drug Medicalization, Prevention, and Control Act, won 65% of the vote.  It says that Arizona's doctors can prescribe marijuana, heroin, and LSD for patients when there is "medicinal value" (California 62).  The passing of these two propositions has also helped the release of prisoners convicted of drug possession (---).  With jail capacity already overflowing, if you were to lock up a dealer, you therefore create a job opening.
	Bob Randall, president of the Alliance for the Cannabis Therapeutics, a Washington-based patients' right group, says as many as five-million sick Americans might benefit from the legal access to marijuana.  Marijuana has been found to: relieve nausea and stimulate appetite in people with cancer and AIDS, control muscle spasms among people with multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorder, reduce eye pressure among people with glaucoma, and some 
say it also controls seizures, eases chronic pain, and relieves depression.  Dr. Ernest Rosenbaum, a San Francisco cancer specialist, says he and many doctors quietly recommend marijuana to patients who didn't respond to other medications.  A 1991 Harvard study found that about 40 % of cancer specialists surveyed had recommended marijuana to relieve chemotherapy nausea, and about 48% said they would prescribe the drug if it were made legal.
	An article was written in the October, 28, 1996 Time issue about a former police commissioner, Jo Daly, who was diagnosed with colon cancer.  Jo started chemotherapy for her cancer, but the side effects included "nuclear implosion."  Then came a burning pain under the nails of her toes and fingers.  The good news was that she eventually found relief.  The bad news was that it came from marijuana.  Daly tried Marinol, a substitute the FDA approved as a synthetic version of THC (marijuana's psychoactive ingredient), without success before she ended up turning to pot.  Even after the positive results and outcomes of patients using marijuana, not everyone is in favor of legalizing the drug.  Some people are still uptight about the whole issue of legalizing marijuana and continue to set aside the benefits of pot.  "This proposition is not about medicine," charges Orange County Sheriff Brad Gates, co-chairman of Citizens for a Drug-Free California, the campaign opposing Prop. 215. "It's about the legalization of marijuana" (36).

	Well, wake up, America!  There are far more benefits from the drug then just medical.  Making the drug legally available, with tight regulatory controls, would end the black market and with it, much of the violence; legalization would reduce the number of people in prison, which in turn would reduce the government budget.  For 20 years the authorities in Amsterdam have simply ignored the use of pot, which is regularly sold in 4,000 coffee shops in amounts up to 30 grams a customer.  Their coffee shops sell an estimated $67,500,000 worth each year (most of which is Dutch-grown) while the Siberia Cafe sells an estimated $1,000 of hash and marijuana a day.  It's all done in the open, with the Dutch government collecting the taxes on the receipts (Just 114).
	It is reckoned that some thirty-million Americans, roughly Canada's population, have tried marijuana.  Of those, about ten-million smoke pot every month, and unlike our president, most of them inhale.  In Glasgow, one-half of all students between the ages of 14 and 25 admit to smoking pot "every day."  Marijuana has become the US' 'biggest cash crop' despite the death penalty for growing the plant.  The estimated thirty-two billion dollar market has spurred many gardeners to make a career out of cultivating the plant. 
	In a Pensacola Florida News Journal, statements from an article titled, "Marijuana use rising; foes to blame pop culture." were pulled:
	- It Beats crack," said David Spencer, a 24-year-old Pensacolian who 	smokes two or three joints a week.  "Beats drinkin', 'cause you don't 	want to get into a fight or you don't get sick.  Smoking weed ain't going 	to kill you like cigarettes will.  Only thing it'll do is make you chill 	out and hungry."

	- And people in Pensacola are grabbing the T-shirts and other merchandise 	with illustrations of giant marijuana leaves on them.  "It sells great," 	said Joyce Smith, manager of Spencer's in University Mall, about pot-	related merchandise.  "We can't keep it in stock."

	- "If you're allowed to drink alcohol, there's no reason that you 	shouldn't be allowed to smoke something that's natural," says Rick May, 	26, a Pensacolian who smokes a few joints a year.  "Marijuana doesn't 	cause the problems that alcohol does.  You don't hear about people 	getting stoned and going to pick in a fight or getting in a car and 	driving somewhere."

	From magazine articles to surveys, it's almost unanimous that marijuana should be legally available to the public.  I took a survey within the school and found out these results:
	* 34 out of 45 people feel that marijuana should be legalized.
	* 28 have smoked pot or at least tried it once in his/her life.
	* 31 would smoke pot if the drug were to become legal.
	How many times must we analyze the issue of marijuana?  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that legalizing the drug with a heavy and strict tax would instantly improve the economy, not to mention the medical and social benefits from the drug.  If we were to legalize the drug tomorrow, our national debt could be cut in half and our taxes might take a dive.  America's society is so caught up in believing what is good and bad for us.  If we were smart, we would stop our bitchin', let the drug become legal, and watch what would happen for a change.  Perhaps that is what everyone is afraid of, change!






WORKS CITED:
	"The California Marijuana Vote", National Review, December 23, 1996, 62.
	"Just Say Maybe", Forbes, June 17, 1996, 114.
	"Marijauna use rising; foes to blame pop cutlure", Pensacola Florida News Journal, 1994.
	"Marijuana: where there's smoke, there's fire", Time, October 28, 1996, 36.



















Should Marijuana Be Legalized?  
YES:
NO:
                                                                                                                                                      Have You Ever Smoked Pot Before?
YES:
NO:
                                                                                                                                                      Would you smoke pot if it were to become legal?
YES:
NO:
                                                                                                                                                      
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\The Trip Journey to the Center of Terence Mckennas Inner El.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
The Trip: Journey to the center of Terence McKenna's inner elf.
Terence McKenna has become one of the most (in)famous figures in the exploration of psychedelia
and its impact on society and technology.  Here McKenna espouses his theories on psychedelic mushrooms,
virtual reality, shamanism and evolution.

This is definitely one of the strangest and most interesting articles I have ever read.  At
first it seems almost totally incomprehensible and inconceivable, but after reading it over a
couple of times with a good dictionary and thesaurus it begins to make sense.
In this article McKenna explains one of his trips on magic mushrooms.  He describes this
trip as "a virtual reality tour of God's cerebral cortex, hosted by the Lucky Charms leprechaun". 
He then goes on to tell how this trip affected his life and how it was such a complete shock that
it caused the literal turning inside-out of his intellectual universe.  He was knocked off his feet
and set himself the goal of understanding this.  His quest led him all over the world, exploring
traditions of magic-religious drug usage.
In the years since his fateful encounter with the self-transforming machine elves of
hyperspace, McKenna has fashioned his mental Merzbau on the New Age lecture circuit, where
he has earned the benediction of the psychedelic High Priest himself, who dubbed him "the
Timothy Leary of the 90's".
McKenna has written several books as well as having rave bands set his ruminations to
billowing techno-trance music.
The main focus of this article is on McKenna's theory, which is concocted from
psychedelic Darwinism, fringe linguistics, and New Age eschatology.  This theory is based on
the notion that "Hallucinogenic plants may have been the catalysts for everything about us that
distinguishes us from other primates, except perhaps the loss of body hair".
During one of McKenna's more memorable trips the mushroom told him that it is
literally not from this world; in fact, it is an alien symbiote whose spores were borne across the
galaxy.
This may all seem a little far fetched to most people, but nothing is impossible! 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Tobacco in America.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
			Tobacco in America 


     Everyday 3,000 children start smoking, most them between the ages of
10 and 18. These kids account for 90 percent of all new smokers. In fact,
90 percent of all adult smokers said that they first lit up as teenagers
(Roberts). These statistics clearly show that young people are the prime
target in the tobacco wars. The cigarette manufacturers may deny it, but
advertising and promotion play a vital part in making these facts a reality
(Roberts). 
     The kings of these media ploys are Marlboro and Camel. Marlboro uses a
fictional western character called The Marlboro Man, while Camel uses Joe
Camel, a high-rolling, swinging cartoon character. Joe Camel, the "smooth
character" from R.J. Reynolds, who is shown as a dromedary with complete
style has been attacked by many Tobacco-Free Kids organizations as a major
influence on the children of America. Dr. Lonnie Bristow, AMA (American
Medical Association) spokesman, remarks that "to kids, cute cartoon
characters mean that the product is harmless, but cigarettes are not
harmless. They have to know that their ads are influencing the youth under
18 to begin smoking"(Breo). Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia
report that almost as many 6-year olds recognize Joe Camel as know Mickey
Mouse (Breo).  That is very shocking information for any parent to hear. 
   The industry denies that these symbols target people under 21 and claim
that their advertising goal is simply to promote brand switching and
loyalty. Many people disagree with this statement such as Illinois Rep.
Richard Durbin who states " If we can reduce the number of young smokers,
the tobacco companies will be in trouble and they know it "(Roberts). So 
what do the tobacco companies do to keep their industry alive and well? 
Seemingly, they go toward a market that is not fully aware of the harm that 
cigarettes are capable of.  
    U.S. News recently featured a discussion of the smoking issue with 20
teenagers from suburban Baltimore. The group consisted of ten boys and ten
girls between the ages of 15 and 17. When asked why they started smoking,
they gave two contradictory reasons: They wanted to be a part of a peer
group. They also wanted to reach out and rebel at the same time. " When you
party, 75 to 90 percent of the kids are smoking. It makes you feel like you
belong," says Devon Harris, a senior at Woodlawn High. Teens also think of
smoking as a sign of independence. The more authority figures tell them not
to smoke, the more likely they are to pick up the habit (Roberts). The
surprising thing is that these kids know that they are being influenced by
cigarette advertising.
    If these kids know that this advertising is manipulating them, why do
they still keep smoking? The ads are everywhere, especially in
teen-oriented magazines, such as Rolling Stone and Spin. The ads also fuel
some of the reasons the children gave for starting. They represent
rebellion, independence, acceptance and happiness. These are all the things
a young person, between childhood and adolescence, needs and desires. This
type of advertising, on top of peer pressure, is the mystery behind the
rise in adolescent smoking. 
    How do we stop the future of America from smoking? Here are three
things that the experts recommend. Try to convince your children that
smoking is not cool. Talk to your kids at a young age about the dangers of
smoking. Identify family members who smoke and ask them to stop (Thomas).
   Children are the most valuable commodity we are given in life. Let's try
to educate them while they're young to be independent thinkers and to not
be swayed by the tobacco companies who are trying to take advantage of
their mind and body. 







Works Cited

"Bill Clinton vs. Joe Camel." U.S. News & World Report. 2 Sep. 1996: 12.
Infotrac.  Online. 27 Oct. 1996.

"Selling Tobacco to Kids."  America.  17 Feb. 1996: 3. Infotrac.  Online.
27 Oct. 1996.

Roberts, Steven. " Teens on tobacco; kids smoke for reasons all their own."
U.S. News & World Report.        
    18 Apr. 1996: 38. Infotrac. Online. 27 Oct. 1996. 

Thomas, Roger E. "10 steps to keep the children in your practice
nonsmokers." American Family                 
    Physician.  Aug. 1996: 450. Infotrac. Online. 27 Oct. 1996.

Breo, Dennis L. "Kicking Butts-AMA, Joe Camel and the 'Black Flag' war on
tobacco."  JAMA, The            Journal of the American Medical
Association.  29 Oct. 1993: 1978. Infotrac. Online. 27 Oct. 1996.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\tobaco.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
      Tobacco Advertising and its dangerous effects on young people.
      Tobacco Advertising Makes Young People Their Chief Target 


     Everyday 3,000 children start smoking, most them between the ages of
10 and 18. These kids account for 90 percent of all new smokers. In fact,
90 percent of all adult smokers said that they first lit up as teenagers
(Roberts). These statistics clearly show that young people are the prime
target in the tobacco wars. The cigarette manufacturers may deny it, but
advertising and promotion play a vital part in making these facts a reality
(Roberts). 
     The kings of these media ploys are Marlboro and Camel. Marlboro uses a
fictional western character called The Marlboro Man, while Camel uses Joe
Camel, a high-rolling, swinging cartoon character. Joe Camel, the "smooth
character" from R.J. Reynolds, who is shown as a dromedary with complete
style has been attacked by many Tobacco-Free Kids organizations as a major
influence on the children of America. Dr. Lonnie Bristow, AMA (American
Medical Association) spokesman, remarks that "to kids, cute cartoon
characters mean that the product is harmless, but cigarettes are not
harmless. They have to know that their ads are influencing the youth under
18 to begin smoking"(Breo). Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia
report that almost as many 6-year olds recognize Joe Camel as know Mickey
Mouse (Breo).  That is very shocking information for any parent to hear. 
   The industry denies that these symbols target people under 21 and claim
that their advertising goal is simply to promote brand switching and
loyalty. Many people disagree with this statement such as Illinois Rep.
Richard Durbin who states " If we can reduce the number of young smokers,
the tobacco companies will be in trouble and they know it "(Roberts). So 
what do the tobacco companies do to keep their industry alive and well? 
Seemingly, they go toward a market that is not fully aware of the harm that 
cigarettes are capable of.  
    U.S. News recently featured a discussion of the smoking issue with 20
teenagers from suburban Baltimore. The group consisted of ten boys and ten
girls between the ages of 15 and 17. When asked why they started smoking,
they gave two contradictory reasons: They wanted to be a part of a peer
group. They also wanted to reach out and rebel at the same time. " When you
party, 75 to 90 percent of the kids are smoking. It makes you feel like you
belong," says Devon Harris, a senior at Woodlawn High. Teens also think of
smoking as a sign of independence. The more authority figures tell them not
to smoke, the more likely they are to pick up the habit (Roberts). The
surprising thing is that these kids know that they are being influenced by
cigarette advertising.
    If these kids know that this advertising is manipulating them, why do
they still keep smoking? The ads are everywhere, especially in
teen-oriented magazines, such as Rolling Stone and Spin. The ads also fuel
some of the reasons the children gave for starting. They represent
rebellion, independence, acceptance and happiness. These are all the things
a young person, between childhood and adolescence, needs and desires. This
type of advertising, on top of peer pressure, is the mystery behind the
rise in adolescent smoking. 
    How do we stop the future of America from smoking? Here are three
things that the experts recommend. Try to convince your children that
smoking is not cool. Talk to your kids at a young age about the dangers of
smoking. Identify family members who smoke and ask them to stop (Thomas).
   Children are the most valuable commodity we are given in life. Let's try
to educate them while they're young to be independent thinkers and to not
be swayed by the tobacco companies who are trying to take advantage of
their mind and body. 







Works Cited

"Bill Clinton vs. Joe Camel." U.S. News & World Report. 2 Sep. 1996: 12.
Infotrac.  Online. 27 Oct. 1996.

"Selling Tobacco to Kids."  America.  17 Feb. 1996: 3. Infotrac.  Online.
27 Oct. 1996.

Roberts, Steven. " Teens on tobacco; kids smoke for reasons all their own."
U.S. News & World Report.        
    18 Apr. 1996: 38. Infotrac. Online. 27 Oct. 1996. 

Thomas, Roger E. "10 steps to keep the children in your practice
nonsmokers." American Family                 
    Physician.  Aug. 1996: 450. Infotrac. Online. 27 Oct. 1996.

Breo, Dennis L. "Kicking Butts-AMA, Joe Camel and the 'Black Flag' war on
tobacco."  JAMA, The            Journal of the American Medical
Association.  29 Oct. 1993: 1978. Infotrac. Online. 27 Oct. 1996.
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\U S Scourge Spreads South of the Border.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

U.S. SCOURGE SPREADS
 SOUTH OF THE BORDER


____________________


A Written Final Project
Presented to 
Professor Larry Herzog
San Diego State University


____________________


MAS 355
The U.S. Mexico International Border


____________________


by
Leo P. Dano Jr.
December 02, 1996



	In a recent newspaper article written in the San Diego Union Tribune called "U.S. Scourge Spreads South."  A very disturbing fact was opening drug doors just south of our own community, which is why I chose to do an in depth study of the easiness of drug purchase in our southern neighbor.  It's not new news but a overwhelming growth in the usage of drugs, especially Rohypnol.  
	"The Mexican border town called Tijuana across from San Diego, California, once was a famous as a playground for drunken sailors and college students.  Today, authorities on both sides of the border warn, it has turned into a gangland run by a growing number of ruthless cartels that sell drugs.  It is no longer just marijuana (pot), but a growing problem with other types of drugs like Heroin, Crystal Methamphetamine,  and Cocaine." 
	I recently visited the neighbor city of Tijuana and rode in a Tijuana taxi and was immediately met with a taxi driver named Jose, a Tijuana taxi driver in an open-necked, baby blue silk shirt, he sizes up the tourists trudging off the footbridge from the United States.  "Taxi, sir?  You want pharmacy?  I get you a good pharmacy," he urges, stepping from a line of beckoning taxi drivers in big belts and straw cowboy hats.  "Good prices! No prescriptions!"  Do I look like I want drugs?!   I didn't even  solicit the business.  I almost felt weird because this is exactly what I was planning to do my paper on.  Soon he is nosing his long yellow Oldsmobile through scruffy streets choked with pharmacies.  I asked for Somas-a drug that gives the user a feeling of drunkenness without all the liquor, and illegal in the United States.  In less than 45 minutes I was able to purchase the drug right over the counter.  Of course, I didn't actually purchase the drug, but kindly told the pharmacy that his price was too high.
	This just goes to show you how easy it was to get an illegal drug just 30 minutes from SDSU.  And instead of being sold by gun-toting drug traffickers, it is available in much of Latin America with a doctor's prescription--often easily obtained.  It appears to be crossing the U.S. border via booming pharmacies in cities such as Tijuana.
	The sudden popularity of the drug (Somas) has returned the spotlight to Mexico's border drugstores, which for years have done a thriving business with Americans but have recently exploded in number with the Tijuana residents.  "Tijuana residents are nearly twice as likely to have used an illegal drug as Mexicans nationwide."   
	Drugs are not only a problem with our poverty ridden society here in U.S., but with a lot of our middle to upper class are now being the focus of drug usage.  In a recent news broadcast, Rancho Bernardo, Scripps Ranch, and other well to do communities are being hit with a heroin craze with our youths.  I couldn't believe people would actually want to stick a needle in their arm for joy and pleasure.  It is no longer the sniff, smoking of drugs but a whole new trend of slamming (using needles to induce a drug).  Even the worldwide scare of Aids doesn't keep the drug of heroin from society.  Dirty needles also scar the arms of the heroin addict for life.  "At the municipal jail, inmates detained the night before for minor infractions such as loitering or fighting in public pull up their sleeves and bare arms covered with needle tracks."   
	Rohypnol is another nightmare for every parent in America which is another easily obtained drug in the pharmacies in Tijuana. This is the drug also known as the "date-rape drug," which has been televised many of times.   But unlike heroin or cocaine, Rohypnol has a respected corporate manufacturer--the Swiss pharmaceutical giant F. Hoffman-La Roche, which produces in Mexico City.  There are so many American tourists buying drugs that Tijuana's pharmacies have doubled in the past five years and now number around 700.
	With their cheap, government-controlled prices, they have drawn tens of thousands of Californians, often retirees, who snap up brand-name blood pressure, cholesterol and other medications, often saving 50% of more.  and thanks to looser regulations, the pharmacies also readily sell drugs that are unavailable or require prescriptions in the United States, from Prozac to treatments for Aids and cancer.
	On Tijuana's Avenida Revolucion, a tourist strip where merchants hawk liquor and Cuban cigars amid the blare of mariachi music, bustling drugstores with names like Pharmacy America and New York Pharmacy ring up an average of $3000.00 in sales a day, a local Tijuana pharmacist said.
	While they lack hard proof, U.S. authorities have told the Mexican government at a couple of meetings in the past month that they believe the pharmacies are selling Rohypnol to young Americans.  Mexican officials say they are cracking down.  Well, they say they are, but are they?  With so much government corruption, especially in the city of Tijuana, you can only think of how much money is being made in this enterprise and who's getting some kick-backs.
	My recent visit to Tijuana indicates that Rohypnol is still readily available.  It has become a revolving door doctor atmosphere.  The U.S. police first began to spot abuse of Rohypnol, the brand for drug flunitrazepam, in 1993.  Although it has never been approved for use in the United States, the sleeping medication is sold legally in 64 countries.
	But it wasn't insomniacs who use the drug in Florida and Texas, where Rohypnol first became a problem.  The small, inexpensive pills were popped by addicts to heighten a heroin trip, or by teenagers who wanted to feel drunk.  Rock star Kurt Cobain overdosed on Rohypnol and champagne a month before killing himself.
	The most widely know cases are that Rohypnol is blamed in numerous date-rape cases.  Men allegedly have slipped it into their companions' drinks, rendering them unconscious.  Since the drug causes short-term memory loss, women have awakened  confused and dishelved, only to learn that they have been assaulted.
	The Drug Enforcement Agency says it has logged more than 2,400 criminal cases involving Rohypnol.  As it increasingly turns up in California, legislators are trying to establish prison terms for people possessing or selling the pills, nicknamed "roofies."  Last month, Florida put Rohypnol into the same legal category as heroin and cocaine.
	Worried about the abuse, Hoffman-La Roche has slashed its Rohypnol distributors in Mexico from 200 to 16  and said it hired a former DEA agent, who established that there was no diversion from its Mexico City factory.  The U.S. authorities don't see much of a let-up in the amount of Rohypnol from hitting the streets.
	Even with recent actions, Rohypnol has become much tougher to obtain and sell, several drugstore owners said.  Nonetheless,  in a personal visit to 15 pharmacies,  I was able to find one willing to sell it over the counter.  Others suggested nearby doctors who would provide a prescription.  I went to nearby medical office lined with oil paintings of Jesus,  I filled out a brief form asking if I had ulcers or heart attacks.  At no point was I asked of my symptoms.  A doctor with a white coat glanced at the form and asked what drug I wanted.   "Rohypnol," I replied.  "Each prescription is $25," he responded.  The visit lasted a brief 10 minutes.  No comment on the exact location of the medical office in order to protect my source of information.
	I took the prescription to one the Tijuana pharmacies and the price for Rohypnol was $10.  While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration frowns on the practice, there is nothing stopping Americans from buying most medicines from Mexican pharmacies.  U.S. Customs normally allows Americans to bring in a "personal supply" of prescription drugs-up to 90 days worth, to be declared a the border.  The average age of the consumer was around 34 (when I asked one of the United States Customs agents).  I feel the Rohypnol problem is fairly new in California, but also Californians may simply be stuffing the drug in tote bags or pockets.
	Rohypnol is also apparently being smuggled to the United States from Columbia, where Hoffman-La Roche has a plant.  But what is turning up in Texas and California is from Mexico and appears to be coming through the pharmacies.  The Haight Ashbury Clinics, a San Francisco group, recently conducted Hoffman-La Roche- funded studies of Rohypnol in Florida and Texas.
	I made a recent phone call to the Los Angeles Police Department and found out that the police officers were provide free kits to detect Rohypnol in urine.  In the state of Florida they use the kit to convict date-rapists.
	""Here we have everything, and it's very accessible," said Sanjuana Covarrubias, director of the Centros facility in Tijuana." 
	Some U.S. officials would like even tougher action.  Specifically, the DEA is pushing to have the sedative classified as a Schedule 1 drug, as Florida did last month.  that permits prosecutors to seek sentences such as those imposed for selling heroin or cocaine.
	Currently, the drug flunitrazepam is classified in the United States as a schedule four drug, defined as substances with low potential for abuse and acceptable for medical use in the United States.  When the drug is legally administered, it is used for the short-term treatment of insomnia and as a mild sedative.  Rohypnol is marketed in one milligram and two milligrams varieties, with two milligrams being considered a "heavy dose."
	During my research, I found that most of the people bringing the drug across are very young aged, college students.  All they have to do is fill out a declaration form (which lists what they are bringing across the border).
	The Office of National Drug Control Policy says the use of Rohypnol may lead to the development of physical and psychological dependence.  The risk of dependence increases with dose and duration and can be considered greater in patients with histories of alcohol and drug abuse.  One physical dependence has developed, abrupt termination of the drug will result in withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, muscle pains, extreme anxiety, tension, confusion and irritability.  Extreme cases of withdrawal may experience numbness and tingling of the extremities, hypersensitivity to light and noise, convulsions and hallucinations.  I believe that education on this drug and it's effects need to be addressed in the near future; if not now, because our youths are going to suffer in the long run and so will out communities.
	Rohypnol is very hard to detect and only one way to get a positive reading is to do a urine sample.  Even this detection process is very costly, which means it is hard to prosecute because of this reason.  You have to be specifically trying to detect this type of drug in order to get a positive reading. 
	In conclusion, it is very evident on the problem with drugs in the border town of Tijuana.  I have identified  the danger of drugs, easiness in obtaining drugs in Tijuana, U.S. side usage, Mexico side usage, Rohypnol, affects and side affects and finally the U.S. noticing the problem and taking a step to combat the drug.  I feel that the United States is not well educated on the problem with Rohypnol here in this country.  Most parents would never know of such a drug existed, and especially the easiness of obtaining the drug.  I might have heard of the drug once being a student here at SDSU, but it exists and seems to be the hush-hush; lets keep it ourselves secret drug.  We need to take a stand and get the media involved in this, so the parents of an unexpected casualty doesn't have to hear about it from an autopsy report.  The literature and statistics are there, but finding it can be a different task at hand.   A war on drugs can't be won unless we all take an active role in the cause!




















BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Dibble, Sandra.  "U.S. Scourge spreads South."  The San Diego Union Tribune  Sunday, 	November 17, 	1996.

Trotta, Dan.  "FEATURE-U.S.-Mexico border becomes fertile new killing ground."  	Reuters, October 24, 1996. 
	
	
	
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Weed.TXT
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Wether you call it Hemp, Mary Jane, Pot, Weed; it doesn't matter. It is still Cannabis Sativa, or cannabis for short. And it is still illegal. The use of marijuana as an intoxicant in the United States became a problem of public concern in the 1930s. Regulatory laws were passed in 1937, and criminal penalties were instituted for possession and sale of the drug. "Marijuana" refers to the dried leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant, which contains the non-narcotic chemical THC at various potencies. It is smoked or eaten to produce the feeling of being "high." The different strains of this herb produce different sensual effects, ranging from a sedative to a stimulant.

The term "marijuana" is a word with indistinct origins. Some believe it is derived from the Mexican words for "Mary Jane"; others hold that the name comes from the Portuguese word marigu-ano, which means "intoxicant". The use of marijuana in the 1960's might lead one to surmise that marihuana use spread explosively. The chronicle of its 3,000 year history, however, shows that this "explosion" has been characteristic only of the contemporary scene. The plant has been grown for fiber and as a source of medicine for several thousand years, but until 500~ AD its use as a mind-altering drug was almost solely confined in India. The drug and its uses reached the Middle and Near East during the next several centuries, and then moved across North Africa, appeared in Latin America and the Caribbean, and finally entered the United States in the early decades of this century. Marijuana can even be used as "Biomass" fuel, where the pulp (hurd) of the hemp plant can be burned as is or processed into charcoal, methanol, methane, or gasoline. This process is called destructive distillation, or 'pyrolysis.' Fuels made out of plants like this are called 'biomass' fuels. This charcoal may be burned in today's coal-powered electric generators. Methanol makes a good automobile fuel, in fact it is used in professional automobile races. It may someday replace gasoline. 



Marijuana has many medical purposes also. The cannabis extract was available as a

medicine legally in this country until 1937, and was sold as a nerve tonic-but mankind has been using cannabis medicines much longer than that. Marijuana appears in almost every known book of medicine written by ancient scholars and wise men. It is usually ranked among the top medicines, called 'panaceas', a word which means 'cure-all'. The list of diseases which cannabis can be used for includes: multiple sclerosis, cancer treatment, AIDS (and AIDS treatment), glaucoma, depression, epilepsy, migraine headaches, asthma, pruritis, sclerodoma, severe pain, and dystonia. This list does not even consider the other medicines which can be made out of marijuana-these are just some of the illnesses for which people smoke or eat whole marijuana today. There are over 60 chemicals in marijuana which may have medical uses. It is relatively easy to extract these into food or beverage, or into some sort of lotion, using butter, fat, oil, or alcohol. One chemical, cannabinol, may be useful to help people who cannot sleep. Another is taken from premature buds and is called cannabidiolic acid. It is a powerful disinfectant. Marijuana dissolved in rubbing alcohol helps people with the skin disease herpes control their sores, and a salve like this was one of the earliest medical uses for cannabis. The leaves were once used in bandages and a relaxing non-psychoactive herbal tea can be made from small cannabis stems. Also cannabis, as any other biomass fuels, are clean burning and do not increase the amount of CO2 the atmosphere, therefore making breathing easier for may people.

Attempts at legalizing marijuana in the US going on for a long time. But just recently two states, California and Arizona, voted to legalize it for medical purposes only, but the US government still enforces the federal law, stating that federal law overrules state law. As said by Dr Cliff Schaffer: "In all my study and review of the information regarding this issue, one question keeps coming back to me. Let's assume - for the sake of argument - that marijuana has no medical value whatsoever, despite the fact that it has a several thousand year history of medical use and that a prescription drug is made from its primary active ingredient. Let's assume - for the sake of argument - that all these medical marijuana patients are just fooling themselves. Even in that case, what would we stand to gain as a society by punishing sick people and putting them through an already overloaded criminal justice system? Even if they are deluding themselves-

what benefit is there to prosecuting sick people?"



In conclusion to this, it is important to state that there have been hundreds of studies showing that smoking cannabis is potentially harmful to the brain and body and the same number of studies almost, if not totally, contradicting what these have stated. 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Whats Wrong with Our Food and Drugs.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
What's wrong with our food and drugs?
	Do you really want to know what is wrong with our food?  If you knew just half of what went into your food you would be disgusted.  That is why I am here, to inform you.  First of all, the packaging factories are hardly suitable to be a place to package raw meat.  Rats are running all over the place and flies and other dirty insects are abundant.  You would assume that old rotten meat would be disposed of, wouldn't you, but it's not.  The mea is packaged anyway and sent to a store where a consumer will buy it unknowingly.  You could be that consumer.  Would you like that?  And what about meat that hsa fallen on the dirty, mildew covered floors of the factories?  You would think that it would be thrown away, right?  Well, you are wrong again.  The meat is just picked back up and packaged.  I don't know about you but I think something has got to be done to keep our food clean and edible. 
	The other half of this story is the ridiculous cures that some people are receiving.  I have heard of alcohlics who are trying to breaktheir habits being given a bottle of medicine that contains 80 % alcohol.  Something there doesn't sound right.  People are being given the same treatment for epilepsy and all sorts of other disorders.  How is alcohol going to help someone that has epilepsy?  The only thing these nonsense treatments are doing is making the physical ailments that these people have worse.  If you were terribly sick do do you think alcohol would cure you?  That's what I thought too.  We need to put some money into researching and developing some worthwhile cures that  will actually do something.
	I have now informed you of two major problems that this nation faces and if something is not done to solve them then many people could end up sick or even dead.  What we need to do is evaluate our problems and then fix them instead of ignoring them.


 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Why Drugs should be legalized!!!!.TXT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 
Why Drugs should be legalized!!!!

Man, as a creature, is inherently bored. Since the dawn of time, it has been the natural instinct of
man to find alternative methods to enhance his being. The many means by which man has turned to
include sex, gambling, and the consumption of substances beyond the requirements of nutrition. The
consumption of substances can be further broken down into legal and illegal substances. The
question then becomes, who are we to place labels on certain substances by deeming them legal and
prohibit others by creating penalties for their use? 

The issue of prohibition is certainly not a new one to our nation. In 1919, the 18th Amendment
prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of alcoholic beverages. "Suddenly honest,
responsible Americans who just wanted a drink, were turned into criminals. Respectable bars
became underground speak-easys, and legitimate liquor manufacturers were replaced by criminal
bootleggers." Gang warfare, bribery, and criminal activity reached an all-time high. Standards on
illegal alcohol were much lower than those on the previously legal alcohol which led to the blinding or
death of many consumers. Finally in 1933, politicians buckled and repealed the 18th Amendment.
The Prohibition attempt of the early 20th century provides the perfect historical support for the
decriminalization of drugs. 

"Prohibition will work great injury to the cause of temperance. It is a species of intemperance within
itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by
legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A Prohibition law strikes a blow at
the very principles upon which our government was founded." 

The rise in violent crime over the years has been a concern to most. A major cause of this increase in
crime is the illegal trafficking of drugs. As violent crime continues to increase, we are unable to
devote our financial resources and time into preventing and prosecuting those who commit crimes
such as murder, rape, and assault. The reason we are unable to devote these resources where they
are needed is because we are foolishly spending them on a battle that we cannot win-the "War on
Drugs." 

Prior to Ronald Reagan's "War on Drugs," America's crime rate had been declining. Since the
introduction of the new wave drug laws, violent crimes have increased 32% between 1976 and
1985. Eighty percent of all violent street crimes are now drug related. 

Most of the violent crime associated with drugs can be traced directly to the drug dealers and not
the users. "The 'war on drugs' drives up prices, which attracts more people to the drug trade. When
potential profit increases, drug dealers resort to greater extremes, including violence." For example,
the street price of heroin has risen 5,000 times that of hospital costs. These artificial prices lead to
turf wars in which one dealer attempts to protect his sales from another. These turf wars cause
dealers to kill each other, law enforcement officials, and often innocent bystanders. The rising cost of
the drugs causes desperate addicts to commit robberies in order to keep up with the inflating prices. 

If the importation, sale and use of drugs were legal, the open competition would eliminate the
profitability of drug dealing. Without the economic incentive to commit violent crimes, the violence of
drug dealing would be dramatically reduced. In addition to the elimination of the economic incentive,
the health risk factor would help to reduce the role of the drug dealer. A potential customer would
probably choose to buy a market-tested product from a pharmacy as opposed to buying a product
of unknown dosage and quality from a corner dealer. 

Without the lure of potential profits, the drug dealing profession would lose its luster. A major
problem is that children in lower-class areas see selling drugs as the only way to make money.
Minimum wage salaries can not compare to the huge profits associated with dealing. Failing to
acquire job skills at an early age, they run the risk of never finding a real job and living off welfare
their entire lives. In a lower-class area, the drug dealers are seen as the center of the community.
They become role models for the children, replacing their parents. Eliminating the drug dealer will
force these young children into the reality that education is the way out of the ghetto-not selling
drugs. 

Prohibition laws cannot be effectively enforced. In a free society, if people want a product, they will
be able to find a way to get it, whether or not it is legal. "No matter how many Americans are
arrested for drug use, no matter how many pushers are put in jail, the War on Drugs cannot
succeed. Look at any major American prison with its human cages, iron gates, armed guards, and
continual surveillance. Drugs are still readily available in prison. If brutal repression cannot keep
drugs out of our prisons, then turning our entire country into a prison will not keep drugs off our
streets." 

Decriminalization would not necessarily endorse drug use, but instead it would at least accept the
notion that government action in a free country cannot prevent it. The economic law of supply and
demand states that if a product is demanded, someone is always willing to supply it for the right
price. The problem with criminalizing a product is that it drives down the supply which increases
price and, as mentioned earlier, leads to more violence. 

"The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the prohibition law. For
nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws
which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this country is
closely connected with this." 

The next issue becomes one of safety. A major danger of drug use in today's society is the
potentially harmful effects. Such problems as the spread of HIV/AIDS, overdoses, and physical
withdrawal could be curbed if drugs were kept under the watchful eye of law. Take for example the
issue of HIV/AIDS. This arises mainly from the circulation of dirty hypodermic needles. By legalizing
the sale of injection drugs, clean, unused hypodermic needles could be supplied. This would greatly
reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS. In parts of the Netherlands and France, safe houses are provided
that give addicts a safe environment to shoot up their drugs. While sounding absurd, it provides a
clean, safe area for the addict to use while kept under strict observation. 

Another big problem associated with illegal drug use is the likelihood of an overdose, whether
intentional or not. While there is no way to prevent overdose suicides, many overdoses can be
attributed to the fact that some drugs are made too strong. Should the government choose to legalize
the sale of drugs, they can then take it one step further and regulate these drugs. They can inspect
the dosages applied and can confirm the relative safety of drugs to be sold on the open market.
Similar to the manner in which the Food and Drug Administration operates, an organization could be
set up to monitor the quality of the drugs. This would not only make certain drugs a lot safer, but it
could also regulate quantities in which they are sold. Drugs could only be sold in certain amounts and
would come with instructions as to how much it is safe to consume. 

In 1988, over 48,000 Americans died from alcohol abuse, 400,000 from cigarette-related illnesses
and less than 3,000 from illegal drugs. Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop testified that
tobacco is just as addictive as heroin and less so than marijuana. Illegal drugs are by no means good
or safe, but they cause far less medical damage than either alcohol and nicotine-legal intoxicants.
Over 40 million Americans now use drugs occasionally, but most do so responsibly and in
moderation. The small percentage who are addicts deserve our help, not our judicial persecution. 

Drug use cannot be prevented and the most rational solution would be to educate the people about
the risks, and encourage moderate use. Criminalization makes this kind of rational behavior
impossible. By legalizing drugs, education could accompany the purchase of the drugs in the form of
a Surgeon General's Warning or an educational pamphlet. 

The potential payoffs of the decriminalizing of drugs goes way beyond simple, obvious results.
Currently, addicts often refrain from seeking medical attention due to the fear of possible legal
complications. This most often occurs with pregnant women, which subsequently effects their
drug-addicted babies. The war on drugs also costs the government a tremendous amount of money
in the hiring of police and all judicial players. The courts become backed up with ridiculous cases.
Without drug-related cases, our judicial system could run a lot more efficiently and effectively. Drug
hunting often leads to unnecessary death of innocent police officers killed in the line of duty. This fear
of death causes police to often incite brutality or harass honest citizens. 

There is no evidence to support the notion that legalization would cause an increase in drug use. "In
Europe, several countries have decriminalized drugs and actually seen a significant drop in drug use."
The "forbidden fruit" appeal would be taken away. Part of the attraction of using drugs is the idea
that the action is illegal and goes against authority. Without the "rebel element," drugs no longer have
the attraction and lure that they previously did. For every person encouraged by the removal of
possible incarceration, one will be discouraged by the legality of using drugs. 

Take for example the decriminalization acts taken in Switzerland. In 1975, major provisions were
made to the Swiss Narcotics Law in which penalties for trafficking were increased and penalties for
consumption were drastically reduced. According to Richard J. Bonnie, there was no correlation
between the laxative laws and increased use. The only drug that saw any kind of increased use was
marijuana, a basically harmless drug. 

One must also consider the economic possibilities that accompany the decriminalization of drugs.
The nation's GNP (Gross National Product) only counts legal transactions. If drugs were legalized, a
significant effect could be seen on the GNP helping to make our economy stronger in relation to
other countries. Profits could be taken out of the drug dealers hands and into the hands of an honest
entrepreneur. Companies could manufacture and market their drug-related products and
pharmacists could sell the products allowing both to make a considerable profit. The advent of drug
stores, similar to liquor stores, would help the economy by introducing new businesses into the
society. The government could levy a high excise tax on the drugs and could thereby make a
considerable amount of money that they could put into education or something more important. 

The War on Drugs is also a strict violation of our rights as Americans. One of the greatest things
about this country is our ability to live our lives as we see fit. The War on Drugs directly threatens
this right. Under "zero tolerance" laws, the government has seized thousands of cars, boats, and
other vehicles. These seizures take place without search warrants, probable cause, and due process.
This property is then sold at public auctions with the proceeds going to hire more police and to buy
more weapons. 

The War on Drugs has become just that-a war. In December 1989, 20,000 U.S. troops invaded
Panama, capturing Manuel Noreiga, at a cost of 1,000 innocent Panamanians killed. This action was
in total disregard of international law and policy. In July 1990, Newsweek ran an expose on a secret
Pentagon plan to invade South America in an attempt to destroy the drug trade. Such an action
could have led to the death of many innocent civilians, the economic destruction on South America,
an increase of taxes and an increase of inflation in the states. 

Most of the major arguments applied against the decriminalization of drugs deal with the notion that
drugs are bad, dangerous, and harmful to society. It becomes difficult to praise the use of such drugs
as crack, heroin, and cocaine. Instead, looking at it objectively, one can come to understand that
without legalization, the drug use will still exist. Decriminalizing drugs is just a form of damage control
that will hopefully lessen the negative externalities on society. The aforementioned arguments,
however, cannot even be applied to the case for the decriminalization of marijuana and hemp
products. 

Marijuana does nor cause crime or aggressive behavior. In fact, the use of marijuana makes an
individual more passive and less likely to engage in any form of violent behavior. Marijuana is not
physically addictive and its psychological dependence is less than that of most legal drugs in use
now. It does not lead to the use of harder drugs. In fact, most marijuana users use no other drugs
except alcohol. 

"At least forty million Americans have tried marijuana at least once and at least fifteen million
Americans continue to use it on a regular basis. . .The overwhelming percentage (perhaps ninety
percent) of marijuana users use the drug only for recreational purposes. . .It is well established that
the moderate, recreational use of marijuana-in the doses and frequencies with which it is customarily
used-presents no risk of physical or psychological harm to the user, over either the short or the long
term." 

Putting aside the fact that marijuana is not a bad or even dangerous drug, one must look at what
marijuana and hemp can do for our society. When posed with the question, "if you could have any
choice, what would be the ideal way to stop or reverse the greenhouse effect?" Steve Rawlings, the
highest ranking officer in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, responded, "Stop cutting down the
trees and stop using fossil fuels." The problem that Rawlings foresaw was the lack of a viable
substitute for wood, for paper, and for fossil fuels. 

The solution? There is "such a plant that could substitute for all wood pulp, paper, all fossil fuels,
would make most of our fibers naturally, would make everything from dynamite to plastic, grows in
all 50 states, and that 1 acre of it would replace 4.1 acres of trees, and that if you used about 6% of
the land to raise it as an energy crop-even on our marginal lands, this plant would produce all 75
quadrillion billion BTU's needed to run America each year." 

The problem? This plant is the hemp plant-the very plant that marijuana comes from. Marijuana, and
thusly, the hemp plant is illegal. The absurd fact is that the plant that could possibly save the world
from global warming cannot be grown because of a harmless drug. The response given by Dr. Gary
Evans of the U.S. Dept of Agriculture and Science, the man in charge of stopping the global
warming trend, was, "if you really want to save the planet with hemp, then [hemp activists] would
find a way to grow it without the narcotic top-and then you could use it." This ignorance by the U.S.
government is not only frightening but discerning. 

Marijuana also has many practical medical purposes. The Medical Plant Garden, a part of the
Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, is currently working on a medicine that is made from
the active ingredient in marijuana (THC)}. This capsule, consisting of 95% THC could be used to
replace Marinol, which combats nausea and vomiting problems in cancer patients and fights the
wasting sickness suffered by most AIDS patients. Marijuana can also be used to alleviate symptoms
of certain diseases such as glaucoma, cancer, and AIDS. Only a small handful of the people, though,
have been prescribed the drug when thousands have applied. 

DEA administrative law Judge Francis L. Young called marijuana "one of the safest therapeutically
active substances known to man." He recommended that marijuana be made legally available for
medical purposes. This would be a considerable change in the drugs legal status. Young feels that
the drug could aid many patients suffering from nausea-inducing chemotherapy and muscle spasms
of multiple sclerosis. Young wrote in a 69 page ruling, "The evidence in this record clearly shows
that marijuana has been accepted as capable of relieving the distress of great numbers of very ill
people, and doing so with safety under medical supervision. It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and
capricious for DEA to continue to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this
substance in light of the evidence in this record." 

Israeli scientists had recently found a skeleton of a fourth century woman who they believed died in
childbirth. Scientists found what they believe to be ashes or the burned remains of a cannabis plant,
suggesting that the ancient woman used marijuana as a method of reducing labor pains. 

N.O.R.M.L (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) is a fully recognized
organization that lobbies for the "removal of criminal penalties for the individual who uses marijuana
in private" as it is "consistent with traditional American values of the right to privacy, personal choice,
and individual freedom." N.O.R.M.L.'s Board of Directors reads like a "Who's Who" in the world
of science. Such distinguished members include Dr. Kary Mullis, the winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize
in chemistry; Dr. Lester Grinspoon, Harvard Medical School Professor; Dr. Louis Lasagna,
chairman of the National Academy of Sciences committee and dean of the Sackler School of
Biomedical Sciences at Tufts University; Ann Druyan, secretary of the Federation of Scientists;
Druyan's husband, Carl Sagan, co-producer of the PBS series Cosmos; and many more. 

Marijuana, in addition to not being a dangerous drug, has been documented to have practical
medical purposes and environmental purposes. The legalization of marijuana-a drug that the
criminalization of is so impossible to enforce-would not only not harm society, but could actually
benefit it. 

The question then becomes, how should legalization be approached? In addition to decriminalization,
the government must understand that education is also of the utmost importance. Rehabilitation and
prevention awareness programs are very important in preventing widespread drug use. One must
understand that the drug addict is not a criminal but a victim. Incarceration is not the solution. "The
limits of criminal sanctions must be recognized and not applied to private social conduct that
constitutes no direct harm to others." 

Legalizing drugs would allow them to be available to those who would benefit from their medical
use. Research would also be encouraged as scientists could search for new and practical uses of
drugs. There are many wonderful uses of drugs that have not yet been identified or perfected and
with expanded research, we could discover these new possibilities. 

Of course, some restrictions would have to be set. Likely, an age restriction would have to be
adopted. Restricting the use of drugs to adults only, and educating the youth of the potential dangers
should help curb adolescent abuse. Prohibiting acts such as driving a vehicle under the influence of a
mind-altering substance would likewise be necessary. Another necessity would be the destruction of
all those with prior criminal records due to the arrest or conviction on drug-related charges. Of
course, the right of the non-smoker would have to be paramount. In a public facility, non-smoking
areas would have to be set up. 

A system of drug regulation that would include the above provisions, public health and agricultural
regulations, and a form of taxation would discourage abuse, protect public health and safety, reduce
crime, and raise revenue. "Regulation is the inevitable replacement of prohibition." 
 








































f:\12000 essays\drugs & alcohol (127)\Why I Think They Should Legalize Pot.TXT
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Why I Think They Should Legalize Pot
By Hagbard Celine

	There has recently been lots of contreversy over whether they should legalize marijuana, or not.  I think they should, and there is lots of important evidence and reasons to support this.  If drugs were legalized, this country would be a much nicer place to inhabit and for this reason and others, the government should stop cracking down on harmless pot users.  Here are the reasons why weed should be legalized in the United States:

	First, our prisons are so full of drug users like harmless pot smokers and such that we do not have any place to stick real criminals.  A friend of my brother's was killed by a drunk driver about three years ago when he went off to college.  The guy who did it got community service time, and a year without his liscense.  This is not justice, and changes need to be made.  We can't throw every little pot head in jail just because they like grass.  After all, it's not like it's cocaine or something, which should still be illegal.

	Second, marijuana is not even as bad as some of the stuff that's legal.  You are more in control of your senses than when trashed, and not nearly as violent.  Nobody has ever died directly from getting stoned.  Smoking a joint is not as likely to cause cancer as a cigarette, and weed isn't addictive.  In fact, there are very little bad sides to smoking marijuana.  It doesn't even burn your throat as much when you smoke it in a bong as do cigarettes.

	Thirdly, if the price of pot went down quite a bit, then there would be no crime because of it.  Pot would be very good for our economy, and pot farmers would make lots of money.  It's easy to grow, hence the nickname "weed."  And the price would drop so much that a dime bag would be a penny bag, and a 100-sack would be a dimer!

	Finally, it's unconstitutional to limit our pursuit of happiness.  When I'm stoned, I'm quite happy.  Everything is cool when you're baked.  If the government makes pot illegal, they are taking away your right to pursue being happy, because you're happy when you're under the influence of marijuana.

	For these reasons and MANY others, the United States government ought to end the ban on drugs.  Only if they do can we have "justice for all."