Pubdate: Thu, 14 Mar 2002
Source: Rolling Stone (US)
Copyright: 2002 Straight Arrow Publishers Company, L.P.
Contact:  http://www.rollingstone.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/373
Authors: Mark Longbine, A. Given, Scott McIntyre

DESIGNER-DRUG DEATH

WHEN I READ MARK BOAL'S ARTICLE on the designer-drug underground [RS888], I 
was horrified and sad, like driving by a hideous train wreck that you can't 
took away from. I know people like Joshua Robbins. Most of the time they're 
fun to live through vicariously, and sometimes they're not so fun. Luckily, 
all of them are still around. There will always be willing buyers eager to 
go where no one else dares. There will always be sad parents and loved ones 
left behind, mourning their loss. Such is life.

MARK LONGBINE, Austin, Texas

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

NOTHING CAN BE DONE FOR THE INDIVIDUALS who do not thoroughly investigate 
the substances they put into their bodies. People who ingest psychedelics, 
or any drug, for that matter, without doing background research on doses 
and appropriate conditions under which to take them, are the ones who will 
eventually overdose. Joshua Robbins may have excelled in classes at school, 
but taking, so many drugs in such a short period of time shows utter stupidity.

A. GIVEN, Chicago, Illinois

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

YOU SEEM TO BE PREOCCUPIED the idea that this Seventeen year-old died from 
his abuse of a legal drug. Thousands of teens die every year after 
poisoning themselves with alcohol, another legal drug, You make it seem as 
if he would still be alive if some kind of regulation had been in place or 
if a warning label had been included. Oh, please. The scumbag who sold him 
the stuff told him not to ingest it. Unfortunately, Josh Robbins was not 
nearly as exceptional as your article implies early on.

Drugs didn't kill him; his all-too-typical adolescent behavior did.

SCOTT MCINTYRE via the Internet 
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