Newsgroups: alt.drugs,alt.activism,misc.activism.progressive,alt.activism.d From: verdant@ucs.umass.edu (Sol Lightman) Subject: Brooks Pharmacy promulgates Drug War lies Message-ID: <1993Apr30.192843.5315@mont.cs.missouri.edu> Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1993 19:28:43 GMT The following pamphlet was obtained from a Brooks pharmacy. I'm reproducing it here in its full form. I will leave the vivisection to alt.drugs. For those of you who read this pamphlet and say `so what's the big deal?,' I would say your knowledge of illicit drugs and their effects is severely deficient, and that you should make an effort to educate yourself in this area. After the pamphlet is a sample letter to your local Brooks drugs store manager. I encourage you to send one out. I think that letters should also be sent to key bureaucrats in the Brooks company. These letters would have to be well researched, and would basically outline what a pamphlet like this should say. I've seen some excellent bits and peices floating around here about responsible drug use and drug use safety. This is the kind of material that should be included. If anyone wants to write or help write such a letter, mail me. Brian -- Parent Guide To Drug Abuse Some facts about drugs and alcohol to help parents understand as much as their children Brooks Pharmacy You'll like what we do for you -- Parent Guide to Drug Abuse How can you tell if your child is using drugs? There are many early warning signs you can watch for if you think your child may have a drug or alcohol problem. Remember that these simptoms can be indicators of other physical and emotional problems and shouldn't be considered diagnostic or conclusive in themselves. o sudden appetite or loss of appetite o neglect of personal appearance o acting intoxicated o redness of eyes o wearing sunglasses at inappropriate times o abnormally pale complexion o change in speech patterns and vocabulary o frequent, persistent illness, sniffles, cough o change in sleep patterns, such as insomnia, oversleeping, frequent naps o unexplained period or reactions of moodiness, irritability, hostility or depression o over-reaction to criticism or simple requests o lessening of accustomed family warmth o preoccupation with self o loss of interest in school, sports, hobbies o lack of energy o changes in friends; peer pressure is often a factor in drug and alcohol abuse o secretive phone calls o periods of unexplained absence from home o disappearance of money or valued items from home }}begin tirade }}for (temper = spent) do }} Now Hoooooooooooooooooolllllldd up!!!! }} }} I know I said I wasn't going to chop this thing up, }} But I just had to express my RAGE AND FRUSTRATION }} With this all too common Drug War tactic. }} }} I AM SICK OF TOLERATING THE DEMONIZATION OF }} DRUGS BY THE ESTABLISHMENT. THIS IS A CRIME }} I DEEM ALMOST AS INSIDIOUS AS THE PERSECUTION }} OF THE JEW AND THE BLACK MAN. WHAT THIS SECTION }} BASICALLY DOES IS TAKE ALL OF THE UNDESIRABLE }} TRAITS WHICH A CHILD CAN EXHIBIT AND EFFECTIVELY }} BLAME THEM ALL ON DRUGS. THE SECONDARY EFFECT }} OF THIS TACTIC IS TO FORM AN UNJUSTIFIED STEREOTYPE }} OF THE DRUG USER. }} }} IN THE WORDS OF FLAVOR-FLAV - I DON'T WANNA BE }} CALLED YO NIGGA!!! }} }} I AM NOT YOUR SCAPEGOAT!!! }} }}end tirade; -- Where to go for Help If you suspect your child of drug or alcohol abuse above all don't panic. Remain as calm as possible. There are numerous resources and agencies to help you decide the best way to deal with the problem. Some of them are: Your physician Hospital stress/crisis center Local mental health center State Agency for Drug Abuse Prevention Your church Your school Alcoholics Anonymous Al-Anon Local parents groups Some other sources of information: American Council for Drug Education 6193 Executive Blvd. Rockville, MD 20852 1-301-984-5700 National Federation of Parents for Drug-Free Youth 1820 Franwell Avenue Room 16 Silver Spring, MD 20902 PRIDE Robert Woodruff Building Volunteers Service Center Suite 1216 100 Edgewood Avenue Atlanta GA 30303 The Pyramid Project Pacific Institute for Research & Evaluation 3746 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Suite 200 Lafayette, CA 94549 Toll-Free Numbers: Cocaine Hot-Line: 1-800-262-2463 National Federation of Parents for Drug-Free Youth: 1-800-554-5437 National Institute on Drug Abuse: 1 -800-638-2045 Pyramid: 1-800-227-0438 PRIDE: 1-800-241-9746 -- Parent Guide to Drug Abuse There is probably nothing more frightening to parents than the thought of dealing with drug or alcohol problems in their family, specifically with their children. It appears that there are no hard and fast answers to prevention; drug problems plauge families of all types. Drug trafficking in the United States is big business - over $80 billion annually. So, how does a parent prepare for the problem? Prevention, of course, is the answer that begins with early education, both of parents and of children. If prevention doesn't work, early detection is critical. Identified in its early stages, drug and/or alcohol use or dependence can be eliminated, without long-tern negative effects. The following information will help you, as a parent, understand the dangerous effects of drug and alcohol abuse, and to make you more capable in preventing or identifying use. Drug Abuse In adolescence, drug abuse is the use of any chemical substance, legal or illegal, not prescribed by a physician, which causes mental, physical, emotional, or social harm to a person close to him/her. All drugs can be harmful. Multiple drug use is very common. Greater risks are taken when a combination of drugs are taken. Alcohol Ethyl alcohol, a depressant, is the active ingredient in wine, beer and all liquors. The alcohol content in one beer, one glass of wine, or one shot of liquor is the same. Over 3 million teens in this country are alcoholics and the average beginning age for drinking is 12.5 years. Alcohol interferes with learning and social adaptation, impairs judgment and increases risk taking. Chronic alcohol abuse is the leading cause of diseases of the liver, pancreas, brain, peripheral nerves, red blood cells. It also increases the risk of infection, is the leading cause of birth defects, and is able to act as a carcinogen (cancer causing agent). Alcohol is an addictive drug which can cause a physical dependence after prolonged use. Other Depressants (``Downs'') Depressants are drugs which depress the functions of the brain and central nervous system. They are taken in tablet or capsule form. Barbiturates: sedatives or drugs which make you sleepy. Although these drugs are prescribed by doctors for a few medical conditions, they are among our biggest drug abuse problems. Twice as many people die from overdoses of barbiturates as from overdoses of heroin. Barbiturates cause mental confusion, dizziness, and loss of memory... conditions which can cause people to forget how many pills they've taken. Mixing barbiturates with alcohol can be very dangerous, and is a frequent cause of accidental death. Barbiturates are very addictive and withdrawal from them can cause medical emergency - fear, restlessness, convulsions, even death. Common names for barbiturates include: Seconal ("red devils"), Nembutal ("yellow jackets"), Amytal ("blue heavens"), Luminal ("purple hearts"), Tuinals ("rainbows") or Quaaludes ("ludes"). Narcotics Narcotics act much like barbiturates. They are derived from opium or can also be made synthetically. Narcotics are mainly used in medicine as pain killers. They make people both physically addicted and mentally dependent. Opium: a white powder from the unripened seed of the poppy plant. It can be eaten, but is usually smoked in a pipe or mixed with marijuana. Morphine: extracted from opium, it is one of the most strong, medically used pain killers and is strongly addictive. Heroin: a strongly addictive drug prepared from morphine. Outlawed even from medical use, heroin creates a temporary high and is always addictive. The great need for heroin often leads to personal desperation and crime in an effort to get money to buy this expensive, illegal drug. Heroin can be sniffed, injected under the skin or into a vein. Stimulants These drugs stimulate the nervous system, making people more active, alert, and nervous. They relieve drowsiness and disguise the effects of fatigue and exhaustion. Regular use makes people irritable and overactive. The stronger stimulants produce temporary euphoria. They are not physically addictive but can produce a psychological dependence or craving. Withdrawal Symptoms are depression and headaches. Amphetamines (Speed): taken in tablet or capsule form, or injected into the bloodstream. They produce a decreased sense of fatigue, increase in confidence, talkativeness, restlessness, and an increased feeling of distrust of people and amphetamine psychosis (a serious mental illness in which the user loses contact with reality). This psychosis sometimes continues long after the person stops taking the drug. Cocaine: derived from cocoa leaves, this white powder is sniffed, liquefied and injected or smoked (free-basing). Cocaine produces a fast and powerful feeling of elation. Long term snorting can cause sleepiness, anxiety and delusions and can irritate the nostrils, throat and sinuses. Smoking allows cocaine to reach the brain faster than snorting, but does not allow the user as much control over how much is absorbed into the body. Therefor, smoking increases the chances for severe emotional reactions. Although rare, cocaine can cause death. Psychedelics Mind altering substances which change a person's perception of surroundings. They produce hallucinations and delusions. Marijuana: the crushed and chopped leaves from the hemp plant. Smoked in cigarettes (joints) or pipe, marijuana can produce a giddy feeling like drunkenness, change in perception or mood, feelings of well-being or fear, and possibly hallucinations. Commonly called ``grass'' or ``pot,'' marijuana contains the chemical THC and 421 other identified chemicals. Marijuana can cause overstimulated heart, chest pain, chronic bronchitis, loss of immune cells, cancer risk, brain damage, impaired performance, reduced respiratory resistance, sinusitis, pharyngitis, asthma, reproductive damage, and genetic damage. One in 10 high school seniors smoke pot daily. The strength of THC in marijuana has increased from 1 to 4%. When a person mixes pot and alcohol, he/she is more likely to suffer alcohol poisoning because marijuana suppresses the vomit impulse in the brain. Studies also show that there is a definite decrease in performance skills four to six hours after intake, thereby effecting driving skills. In addition, because marijuana is fat soluble, one joint has a 1/2 life of 7 days and takes 4-6 weeks to be metabolized out of the body system. Hashish (Hash): also prepared from the hemp plant and smoked in a pipe or eaten. It is more powerful than marijuana. LSD (Acid): the best known and most powerful mind-changer. An amount too small to be seen with the naked eye can cause disorientation for up to 12 hours. Reactions to LSD are extremely unpredictable... distortion in time and space, brighter colors, vivid sounds, feeling of strangeness, a sense of beauty in common objects, sometimes fear and panic, sometimes psychosis. DMT: a power psychedelic prepared as a powder or liquid. It is usually injected into the vein or smoked with marijuana in ``joints.'' Psilocybin: comes from a mushroom and less potent than LSD, it takes a larger dose to produce the same effect. Peyote: from the peyote cactus, it causes strong visual effects. Mescaline: also from the peyote cactus. It is stronger than peyote itself. STP: laboratory-produced hallucinogen. Its effects can last up to three days. PCP (``Hog'' or ``angel dust''): animal tranquilizers. Its effects can include a feeling of numbness in the arms and legs, and hallucinations. Sprinkled in tobacco or marijuana cigarettes or taken in capsules, PCP can create a temporary psychosis very much like acute schizophrenia. It often leads to paranoia and has been linked to serious violence. -- This brochure is part of a series focusing on health and better living, provided as a public service by Brooks Drug, Inc. Brooks Pharmacy You'll like what we do for you 400-39 #0201129 SP50 -- Dear Brooks Manager, Recently I read a pamphlet which your Pharmacy distributes, and I was rather disappointed with the contents. The pamphlet is entitled "Parent Guide to Drug Abuse." It contains many inaccuracies about several illicit drugs. The most flagrant example is in the section on marijuana. The pamphlet states, in no uncertain terms, that marijuana causes brain damage, genetic damage, destruction of immune system cells, damage to the reproductive system, and asthma. Marijuana does none of these things. Neither has it been proven that marijuana use results in chronic bronchitis, impaired performance, cancer risk, or reduced respiratory resistance, which the pamphlet also claims. Needless to say, a pharmacy should not publish fallacies and scientific inaccuracies. I was certainly not impressed by your professionalism and scientific integrity upon reading this publication. In the area of treatment of drug abuse, the pamphlet was adequate, though caution should be taken to ensure the quality of the institutions which were recommended to families seeking help with a drug abuse problem. However, the pamphlet was totally negligent in distinguishing between responsible drug use and drug abuse. I realize that this is because you do not want it to appear that your pharmacy condones illicit drug use, but you should think of your customers. It is irresponsible to give families the impression that all drug use is abuse, and many problems can and have been caused by worried parents rushing their children off to centers for treatment which they simply do not need. In many cases the treatment has even proved to be damaging and destructive! Also, the pamphlet offers no advice at all for harm reduction. Many steps can be taken to limit the detrimental effects of drug abuse. In the case of marijuana, proper consumption techniques through the use of water-pipes can greatly reduce risks of throat damage. In the case of any of the psychedelic drugs, the family can work to provide a proper set and setting for the user to take his drug. This not only reduces the risk of psychotic episodes, but also will serve to bring back a loving sense of family unity -- the single most important factor in helping a drug abuser to recover. Again, you should think of your customer first. It may seem attractive to remain in step with federal drug control efforts, but you are hurting your consumers. More than sixty million Americans use illicit drugs. I am sure that they do not appreciate being slandered. I encourage you to live up to your slogan by taking the lead in family drug education -- please remove the pamphlet and replace it with something more accurate and useful. Sincerely, -- The University of Massachusetts at Amherst | _________,^-. Cannabis Reform Coalition ( | ) ,> S.A.O. Box #2 \|/ { 415 Student Union Building `-^-' ? ) UMASS, Amherst MA 01003 verdant@titan.ucs.umass.edu |____________ `--~ ; \_,-__/ * To find out about our on-line library, mail a message with the * pattern "{{{readme}}}" contained in the subject line. * You will be mailed instructions; your message will be otherwise ignored