Towards the beginning of the cult classic "Dazed & Confused," a high school senior named Slater, inquires of baby-faced freshman Mitch, "are you cool?" What Slater is really asking--in this ode to 1970s youth and the counterculture--is do you smoke pot? Ahh the 70s. Back before the likeness on Grover Norquist's Bedtime With Bonzo night light (some guy named Reagan), kicked the kooky, corrupt and thoroughly counterproductive War On Drugs into high gear. And poof, this country suddenly lost its collective mind, suffering a lapse in judgment that vaunted well past ill-advised and just beyond "they have weapons of mass destruction" to what might best be labeled "the mind of Ted Nugent." [continues 587 words]
Drug seizures by DPS troopers increased in 2003 - making it the third highest dollar total in DPS history. According to 2003 statistics released recently by the Texas Highway Patrol, DPS troopers confiscated illegal drugs valued at $156.6 million while on routine patrol duty. That ranks third all-time behind 1994 ($196 million) and 2001 ($169 million). Texas troopers have led the nation in highway drug seizures for the last several years. The 2003 totals represent a 15 percent increase from the year before when more than $136 million in controlled substances were taken off the streets. Cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine seizures were all up over 2002. [continues 87 words]
San Marcos CISD Board Members unanimously approved a policy that lays out specific details for the random drug testing of students, It will be implemented in the 2004-2005 school year. After nearly a month and a half of "ironing out" a working procedure, policy committee member Joe Castillo said that he's confident in the committee's final product. "We made a lot of necessary changes," Castillo said. "The main complication we had is that we couldn't go to the Texas Association of School Boards for a policy, because we're entering new territory with drug testing." [continues 567 words]
Drug testing will be a reality in the San Marcos CISD for the 2004-2005 school year. Trustees on Thursday approved a plan to implement random drug testing for seventh through twelfth grade students involved in extracurricular activities. "I am extremely proud of the board of trustees. It takes a lot of courage to make a decision such as this," Superintendent Syl-vester Perez said. Trustees voted 6-0 in favor, with Lupe Costilla abstaining. Costilla said she had not yet seen the final draft of the proposal, which had been completed earlier in the day. [continues 334 words]
Drug testing is on hold. San Marcos CISD Trustees on Monday tabled a vote to initiate a drug testing program for the 2004-2005 school year. A lack of details included in the "sample" proposal combined with the absence of Trustees Lupe Costilla and Mark Cortez prompted the board to move the vote to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 22 at the DeZavala Elementary School library. "I'd feel more confident seeing the final policy before taking a vote," Trustee Judy Allen said. [continues 305 words]
San Marcos High School Coach Steve Van Nest further pursued a new drug testing policy for students involved in extracurricular activities Tuesday, addressing changes that have been made during recent committee meetings and a public forum. One more public forum will be held 7 p.m. April 5 at the San Marcos High School Auditorium to further address the issues involved. Van Nest, representing Athletic Director Bruce Bush, provided further specifics for the proposed policy and welcomed views from parents and residents. [continues 380 words]
When he instituted student drug testing at Natchitoches Central High School in Louisiana seven years ago, then-principal Julio Toro was also the parent of a student athlete. Not only did the testing program - which is still in effect there - prove to be a success, it also delivered a pleasant surprise. "It provides a means for students to be able to say no," said Toro, now principal of San Marcos High School. "It provided a way, when peer pressure or opportunity arose, for my son to say 'I can't do that.' I found that to be an unexpected benefit." [continues 947 words]
San Marcos High School Athletic Director Bruce Bush wants to "lead the parade" when it comes to drug testing students who participate in extracurricular activities. Bush proposed the mandatory drug testing policy to school board members Monday night. The board agreed to form a committee of parents and teachers to study the policies of other districts and determine how to implement the program. "I'm very supportive of this," said Board Pres-ident Barrie Breed. "I realize that we might be stepping out into the forefront on this but it's good for the kids and I think it will have a positive impact." [continues 495 words]
Red Ribbon Week 2003 will be celebrated from Saturday, Oct. 18 through Friday, Oct. 24. The San Marcos community participated in Red Ribbon Week for the first time in 1989, and has continued to support the effort every year since. This year theme is "Freedom is Drug Free Land." T-shirts are navy blue with a red, white and blue design on printed on the back side. A smaller image of the design is printed on the front. A committee of community members with representatives from all segments of the community work together each year to make the week-long event happen. Local social service agencies, school district personnel, law enforcement and interested community members work collectively to ensure that this year's campaign will be the best yet. [continues 349 words]
WACO - Friends, players and colleagues were surprised and saddened by the resignation of Baylor basketball coach Dave Bliss on Friday, while a member of a committee investigating possible rules violations by the team said the work is far from done. Bliss resigned after the committee found that he was involved in two players receiving improper financial aid and that staff members did not properly report failed drug tests. The investigation began after junior forward Patrick Dennehy was reported missing in mid-June. He was later found dead at a rock quarry near campus and former teammate Carlton Dotson was charged with his murder. [continues 836 words]
WACO, Texas - Since one of his players vanished six weeks ago and a former player was charged with murder, Baylor University's basketball coach has been wondering if he missed any signs that such a tragedy was about to unfold. "What you do is you second-guess yourself," coach Dave Bliss said Monday. "... Were there things that had indicated to us that this situation may have the opportunity to occur?" The decomposed body of Patrick Dennehy, a 6-foot-10 center, was found Friday night in a field three miles south of town and was identified Sunday. [continues 703 words]
For the third straight year, drug seizures by Texas Department of Public Safety troopers on traffic patrol topped the $100 million mark. According to 2002 statistics released this week by the Traffic Law Enforcement Division, DPS troopers intercepted illegal drugs valued at $123.8 million while on normal patrol duty. Texas troopers have led the nation in highway drug seizures for the last several years, officials said. "Seizing drugs intended for someone's neighborhood is just one positive byproduct of our normal patrol activities," said DPS Director Col. Thomas A. Davis Jr. [continues 119 words]
More than 760,000 marijuana plants growing in Texas were eradicated in 2001 by DPS officers, the Texas Air National Guard, the Drug Enforcement Administration and local law enforcement agencies. Most plants were growing wild, but 48,700 others were cultivated outdoors or indoors by marijuana traffickers, officials said Tuesday. DPS investigations into marijuana cultivation (indoor and outdoor) resulted in the arrests of 160 people and the seizure of 77 firearms. The domestic marijuana eradication (DME) program has operated in Texas since 1987. In 2000, more than 415,700 marijuana plants were eradicated, 71 people were arrested and 53 weapons were seized. [continues 215 words]
Editor's note: This is the second part of two articles on the use of marijuana and other illicit drugs as a remedy for the symptoms of serious illnesses. In the next few days, the state House of Representatives is expected to consider HB 513, which would allow doctor approved support of marijuana use by severely ill patients, as "an affirmative defense" in criminal cases. The medicinal use of marijuana is just one of the issues in an ever-growing controversy surrounding drug policy reform. [continues 1058 words]
Editor's note: This is the first in a two-part series on the history and current use of marijuana as a medicinal remedy. With new legislation being contemplated by the Texas Legislature allowing the medical use of marijuana supported by a physician's recommendation as an allowable defense in criminal cases, there remains some debate as to the merits and efficacy of marijuana as a remedy. "We, the five-fingered beings are related to the four leggeds, the winged beings, the spiritual beings, Father Sky, Mother Earth, and Nature. We are all relatives. We cannot leave our relatives behind." Betty Tso: Traditional Navajo [continues 1619 words]
Few Believe Murray Lee Dyer's Case Will Ever Come To Trial. Like most of the felony drug charges filed after a spring 1999 Hays County Narcotics Task Force sting in Wimberley, Dyer's case will likely be dropped, local defense attorneys say. Why? Because integral to the case is the testimony of Roy Parrish, a 48-year-old habitual felon and ex-con who, witnesses say, peddled pills, alcohol and marijuana to area teens and adults to make friends and eventually persuade them to sell him dope. [continues 1949 words]
For the first time in Hays County and possibly in all of Texas, jurors will decide this week if marijuana seized from a local legalization advocate was grown solely as medicine. District Judge Robert T. Pfeuffer on Tuesday ruled admissible the "medical necessity" defense of Jeffrey "Zeal" Stefanoff, whose Rolling Oaks home was raided by the Hays County Narcotics Task Force three years ago. "This is a landmark case," said attorney David Sergi, who presented two expert witnesses in a hearing held Tuesday outside the presence of the jury pool. [continues 492 words]
The Texas D.A.R.E. Institute is the target of an internal investigation launched by Southwest Texas State University to determine whether the organization violated research protocol by carrying out studies in Texas high schools without university approval. Since Texas D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) was established at SWT in 1990 and designated the nerve center for program training and coordination in Texas, it has expanded its prevention program from 300 officers in 150 school districts to 1,200 officers in more than 500 school districts, now reaching some 800,000 Texas students each year. [continues 1199 words]
Roy Parrish was working for the police, but he didn't act like it. While cooperating with the Hays County Narcotics Task Force -- a joint effort of the San Marcos Police and Hays County Sheriff's Departments -- on a four month marijuana investigation in Wimberley, the informant frequently threw huge parties at his Task Force financed hotel room, supplying booze and barbecue, often to minors. At least that's the accusation raised in a recent Texas Observer article on the May 24 shooting death of 25-year-old Alexander "Rusty" Windle -- a Wimberley resident killed during the Task Force's raid of over a dozen homes that night. The comments have raised eyebrows around San Marcos, a town that, earlier that month, committed another task force to aggressively enforce underage drinking laws. [continues 1162 words]
