Parents Warned Of Club Drugs

Three years ago, the Arlington Heights Police Department warned kids about the dangers of marijuana, speed and acid. Those were the good 'ol days. Today, it's all about designer club drugs such as Ecstasy, gamma hydroxybutyric acid and rohypnol - also known as the date rape drug.

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School resource officer Doug Hajek and emergency room physician Troy Foster talked to about 50 parents at South Middle School in Arlington Heights about club drugs Thursday night. Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights sees about 100 kids a month who take various amounts of these drugs, said Foster.
That number is on the rise, and many are as young as 12 years old, Foster added.
"These kids are very surprised at the effects of these drugs," Foster said. "The problem is oftentimes we can't even pick up these drugs in a person's system."

Most club drugs are cheap and look like prescription pills. Some can easily be made at home with instructions found on the Internet. The high of these drugs ranges from two to 18 hours, but the low lasts for days, Hajek said. "Kids think club drugs are safe, that Ecstasy isn't that big of a deal, but they're wrong," Hajek said.

The most common club drug is Ecstasy, which costs about 20 cents to make and sells for about $25 per tablet on the street, Hajek said. Ecstasy produces a feeling of total peace and understanding and enhances senses like touch and sight.

The high lasts for a couple of hours, but the depression - also called "Tuesday morning suicide" - can last days. Users will often chew on pacifiers to keep from grinding their teeth. Long-term Ecstasy use can lead to muscle breakdown, seizures, stroke, kidney problems, cardiovascular system failure and death.
About one in 10 teenagers has tried Ecstasy, and hundreds have died overdosing, Hajek said.

Used in combination with alcohol, these drugs can be even more dangerous. In recent years, there has been an increase in reports of club drugs used to commit sexual assaults.
Another type of popular club drug is date rape drugs, like rohypnol, which has 10 times the power of valium.

Rohypnol is often slipped into women's drinks because it removes inhibitions and causes blackouts and memory loss. "Women wake up in a ditch and don't even remember going to the club, " Hajek said. "Do you think they are going to report that?" Unlike alcohol, most club drugs have no scent, so it's hard for parents to detect. Parents should check their kids' eyes for dilated pupils and eyes rolling to the back of their heads as a sign of club drug use, Hajek said. "You can't hide your eyes," he said. "They are the window to the soul."

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