Pubdate: Tue, 08 May 2001
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 2001 The Washington Post Company
Contact:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/491
Author: Donnie R. Marshall Administrator, Ann Landers
Note: Title by MAP Editor.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)

DEA HEAD WRITES ANN LANDERS

Dear Ann:

As the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the 
parent of three teenagers, I am extremely concerned about the problem of 
Ecstasy and the look-alike killer drug PMA. Many of your readers are also 
parents who are not familiar with the "rave" scene where these drugs are 
readily available to their children.

"Raves" are parties set up in various venues by promoters -- in warehouses, 
fields, stadiums or clubs. They are frequently advertised as alcohol-free 
events, giving parents a false sense of security.

Promoters hire security guards so that parties will appear safe, but they 
instruct the guards to look the other way when they encounter drug use.

In many cases, Ecstasy and other drugs are sold at raves for $25-$40 a 
pill, generating a huge profit for the manufacturers who make these pills 
for under 50 cents apiece. Ecstasy is called the "hug drug" because it 
lowers users' inhibitions and makes them crave physical contact and visual 
stimulation. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has determined that the 
drug can cause permanent changes in the brain's chemistry. Ecstasy use 
causes severe dehydration and can raise users' body temperatures to as high 
as 108 degrees. Some unscrupulous promoters, looking to sell bottled water 
at exorbitant prices, have turned off water supplies at rave venues, 
exacerbating the dangers for our children. Promoters have been known to 
leave overdosing kids in alleyways outside their premises.

Many kids believe Ecstasy is harmless, but its use has resulted in 
thousands of overdoses and several deaths. Parents should look for the 
warning signs of Ecstasy use -- strange paraphernalia including pacifiers, 
Vicks VapoRub, surgical masks and glowsticks. And kids who attend these 
raves should know that the hallucinogen PMA is being passed off as Ecstasy. 
This drug is marketed under brand names such as "Death" and "Mitsubishi 
Double Stack." Last year, three kids died in Chicago from PMA ingestion, 
and there have been seven deaths in central Florida attributed to PMA.

There is lots of misinformation about Ecstasy out there, particularly on 
the Internet, and some of it gives the mistaken impression that Ecstasy is 
harmless and even beneficial. I implore parents to become better educated 
about the dangers of Ecstasy and PMA, and ask them to warn their children 
about the real nature of the rave scene.

Donnie R. Marshall Administrator, DEA U.S. Department of Justice

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You have written a letter that could save many young lives and spare 
countless parents from a great deal of anguish.

Parents should be aware that there are a tremendous number of substances 
available to young people today, and educating yourselves about the dangers 
is the best way to protect your children.

To find out more about Ann Landers and read her past columns, visit the 
Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager