Pubdate: Fri, 08 Apr 2011 Source: Parksville Qualicum Beach News (CN BC) Copyright: 2011 Black Press Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/5ZThWm9Z Website: http://drugsense.org/url/3xEEhi0m Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1361 Author: Kieran Collery is a student at KSS KSS STUDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT DRUG USE Students of Kwalikum Secondary School are worried about the increasing prevalence of drug use within their age group. High school aged children are saying they now see a higher prevalence of experimentation and usage of harder drugs. High school parties generally involve most students drinking alcohol, with some students smoking tobacco or marijuana. "I don't think it's a big deal for someone to smoke weed once a week," said one student interviewed. "But nowadays, it seems like more and more people are using MDMA. I don't think people realized how serious it is. They compare it to weed but really it's a hard drug." MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, is finding an audience in the Oceanside community, specifically within the 17-21 age group of graduates and post-high school students. It gives the user an energetic high, and is popular with students at dances or for house parties. Most students asked replied that it was a "pure form of ecstasy, without any other drugs contaminating it." This is one of the myths used to promote sales and use of it at parties. In reality, MDMA is only an acronym of ecstasy's scientific name, Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, and is used by dealers to legitimize the drug. Students who have tried it also replied they did not know where it originated from, who produced it, or what it contained. "MDMA is a huge problem" said another student of KSS. "My friend uses it now, and he's been hanging out with different people and I don't like what he's becoming." This student had also been at a party when MDMA was slipped into his drink, causing him to become ill. "I was throwing up, it was disgusting." As prevalence of the drug increases, however, knowledge of it seems to be spreading. "I think kids are becoming more aware, and now there isn't as much hype about it at parties. Hopefully more people realize it's not a light drug, and should be taken seriously." - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.