Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 2

2A FLORIDA TODAY, Monday. June 5, 1995 Disturbing trend: More teens are turning to marijuana Parents can use do-it-yourself drug test ically indicate guilt, because the kit tests an area, not a person, Traces may have been left by a friend or handled near a teen's desk, without your kid's direct participation, "The whole concept of doing things behind kids' backs to trap them is not what I perceive as healthy" social worker David Ulrich said. "But if my kids weren't going to school, if their behaviors were not responsible, or if they were doing things that raised my suspicions, who knows?" up to individual teachers and schools. "For the program to depends on how teachers use program," Scheurer said. "TrutMgl-ly, some might be more enthusiastic than others." Teachers are supposed to account for the 20 hours of time spent on drug education, but Scheurer said it is up to the school principal to make sure the time is being well-spent.

Why worry about a resurgence of a "harmless" social indulgence many remember fondly from three decades past? For one thing, today's marijuana isn't your father's pot It is more potent and has been linked' to increasing rates of teen lung and throat cancer and vehicle accidents. Largely gone are the dainty littje joints passed around in a circle in a darkened room. Marijuana leaves today are being stuffed into hollowed cigars called "blunts" you can pack the equivalent of six joints in a blunt, Roques said. Marijuana tested from te Woodstock Music Festival in 1969 contained only 0.2 percent to 1 percent of THC, marijuana's active ingredient. Marijuana tested by DEA officials last year contained 6 percent to 12 percent THC.

So what is a parent to do? "Be an informed parent," Roques said. "Tell your children about the hazards of drugs and know what they are doing. Be involved in their lives. "And, if you are sitting thefe with a cigarette in one hand and a drink in the other, you are riot setting a very good example. We have to be parents, not friends.

Set the ground rules. Show your kids that you mean business and that you care." Gannett News Service contributed to this report. Rocques said Americans shifted their sights to other social problems du jour violence, spousal abuse, recession, AIDS. Drug abuse stories stopped leading the evening news. America's schools, directed by Congress to shape the country's anti-drug message, have failed too, critics say.

In 1987, the federal Drug Free Schools Act began funneling hundreds of millions to schools to implement prevention programs. But many contend if schools had handled their role correctly or if Congress had insisted that block grants be earmarked only for scientifically tested programs teen drug use would be at least 20 percent lower, said Andy Johnson of the Institute for Prevention Research at the University of Southern California. The House, exasperated with the job schools are doing and seeking savings, stripped all $472 million of school anti-drug money from next year's budget A House-Senate conference committee restored half. Dan Scheurer, assistant superintendent for instruction for Brevard County schools, said the county offers a good program for drug education, but he is at a loss to explain the increase in marijuana use. "Brevard kids are no different than any others across the country," Scheurer said.

"This a national increase, not just an increase in marijuana smoking among local teens." "I don't know why the increase is happening. It tends to point to a social problem." Brevard schools spend more than $200,000 a year of federal funds on drug education using the "Here's Looking at You 2000" drug program. Each student is required to take at least 20 hours of classes on drug abuse each year. But, the job of implementing the program is left MARIJUANA, From 1A They also blame educators for having made little impact with billion in federal funds dedicated to prevention programs. "The drug counterculture of the '90s is making serious inroads with today's teens.

That includes (Brevard) county and hundreds of others across the country," said Wayne Roques, a prevention specialist for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in Miami. 'They are doing a "hell of a job." Increases in marijuana use are being tracked throughout the country. Nationwide, pot use was higher among white seniors in the class of 1994 (30 percent) than among blacks (21 percent), the Michigan study shows. Ten Brevard teen-agers attending a recent drug prevention and intervention program sponsored by PREVENT of Brevard admitted they smoke pot daily now.

In conversations with Florida 'Today, the boys, ages 14 to 18, agreed to talk about their experiences with marijuana on a condition of anonymity. PREVENT counselor Samantha Jones sat in on the discussion to corroborate their statements. Eight of the 10 have been arrested previously for offenses other drugs. However, all say they don't think -any dangers exist from marijuana and each plans to continue using the drug. 'i "Our program is not only directed at drugs.

We talk about the -pros and cons of using drugs, anger and stress management and having for others," Jones said. Saying that pot was very easy to all 10 teen-agers smoke pot before school and don't think it hurts their learning ability. Although Domingue doesn't ad- Hurricane Allison bears Parents mail the swipe to Barringer Technologies which runs it through an ion-mobility spectrometer to detect residues of coke, heroin, LSD, PCP, methamphetamine (speed), marijuanahashish, and derivatives of those drugs. Confidential results are returned by mail in a few days, and it all can take place without the teen's knowledge or participation. Stan Binder, CEO of Barringer, which markets DrugAlert, says a positive result does not automat plug in the brain.

I ask the kids: How does a spark plug work in a car? If it starts to misfire, I can replace it with a new one. But we don't have flip-top heads. "Once a synapse is clouded with the drug and begins to misfire, it can't communicate properly, causing brain damage," he said. "It makes very smart kids become ordinary, average kids. And average kids become dumb, and dumb kids get dumber.

It interferes with thinking, causing learning difficulties and memory loss." Cost is another reason teens are flocking to the drug. A joint marijuana cigarette costs anywhere from a $1 to $5 depending on the strength and quality. Quarter ounces sell for $25 to $30; half-ounces for $50 to $150; and ounces $300 to $500, again, depending on the strength and quality. Teen-agers in the PREVENT class said they never have a problem finding a dealer at school. Many said they can get it free any day of the week.

That fact scares Roques. "We need to do more research down on the On Sunday, Gov. Lawton Chiles declared a state of emergency for the state's northwest and central Gulf Coast regions in anticipation of Hurricane Allison. Warnings were issued from An-clote Key, 18 miles north of Clearwater, to Pensacola. A tropical storm warning was issued from Anclote Key south to Bonita Beach, a resort town between Fort Myers and Naples.

The hurricane appeared headed toward Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson or Taylor counties, state officials said. "This area of the coast is the worst in the country for storm surges," said Mike Rucker, meteorologist for the state Division of Emergency Management The coastline along the Big Bend is flat, causing water to rise rapidly during storms, Rucker explained. State officials also were considering recommending the evacuation of Panama City Beach, the most populated area in the hurricane's projected path, Rucker said. But David Miller, Bay County's emergency management director, said Sunday afternoon he had no immediate plans to order evacuations. "I follow the directives from the National Hurricane Center, and they are still saying it will hit the Apalachicola area," Miller said.

Apalachicola is about 60 miles strong competition, including Tom Stoppard's "Arcadia." In addition to best musical, "Sunset Boulevard" was honored for best actress-musical, Glenn Close; featured actor-musical, George Hearn; sets, John Napier and lighting, Andrew Bridge. The musical's awards for book By Sue MacDonald Gannett News Service Remember George Orwell's Big Brother in 1984 How about a version for the "90s, starring Big Mother? Big Father? Despite teens' protestations they don't do drugs, parents now can use a $25 do-it-yourself test to obtain hard evidence of drug use. The mail-order kit is DrugAlert Parents wipe a piece of material across a computer keyboard, desk top, baseball bat any place drugs might have been used. vocate teen-agers smoking pot before school, he does agree with their reasoning. A college student, Domingue said he smokes before writing term papers to boost his creativity.

"You don't feel the stress. Ideas are clearer." Domingue thinks teen-agers are smoking more pot because they realize the government and drug experts are feeding them a line. "Marijuana is responsible for far less problems to society than alcohol and cigarettes," he said. But Rockledge police Lt. Dave Andrews, involved in drug education for more than 15 years, said teens need to remember that marijuana can cause harm.

"Teens need to understand that there is clear scientific evidence that marijuana is a drug that can have hazardous effects," he said. Marijuana causes from five to 15 times greater lung damage than cigarette smoking, depending on how much you smoke, Andrews said. "When I teach this in school, I tell them the synapse is the spark FLORIDA TODAY Hurricane Hot Line For frequent updates on hurricaneadvisories and preparedness tips, call Florida Today NewsNow 511. Dial 511 then enter category 1 090. To receive a copy of hurricane maps and tips by fax modem, enter 1096.

Each call is 50 cents for five minutes. Calling details below. forced to leave their homes. "The best our fire department can do is to ask them to wear a body tag, so we can identify their body when it's all over," said Morris Smith, the emergency management director for Jefferson County, referring to people who refuse to leave. The coastal regions of the Panhandle suffered severe flooding during Tropical Storms Alberto in July and Beryl in August The floods caused $22.2 million in damages to residences, farm land and the oyster industry in Franklin County.

"Show Boat," the lavish production of the landmark Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II musical, followed with five awards. "Love! Valour! Compassion!" by Terrence McNally was chosen best play. The story of eight gay men during one summer won over D. 729 N. Harbor City Blvd.

Melbourne 242-0101 Personal Watercraft Experts Service Authorized POLARIS' South Tire AND AUTO SERVICE on marijuana and other drugs, so we will know how to attack this problem," he said. Kids today need to have reasons not to use drugs, because they're available and they know other people use them and sing their praises literally, Roques added. During the 1980s, the country waged war against drugs on several cultural fronts. President Reagan and his wife, Nancy, proffered the "just say no" mantra. Millions spent on in-your-face public service ads steadily reinforced the hazards of illegal drugs.

Together, these factors concentrated the national focus and attention on drug abuse, said James Copple, national director of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, in Alexandria, Va. The country exercised a national will to address its drug problem. But as drug numbers steadily declined from a peak in 1979, the national will began to erode, Copple said. In the past four years, anti-drug messages practically have disappeared from TV, he added. Panhandle southeast of Panama City Beach, where Miller predicts 50,000 people are vacationing along the stretch of sugar-sand beaches.

"It would be worse if it hit on the Fourth of July when we have 175,000 tourists, like we did last year when Tropical Storm Alberto hit," Miller said. The Big Bend is sparsely populated, but is dotted with small towns and is known for its marshy coastline. TOne popular barrier island, St. George, has a number of beach homes and motels and many homes are built on stilts, Rucker said. Other barrier islands and coastal towns pose similar hazards.

Dog Island, off Franklin County's coast, is only accessible by boat and would need to be evacuated, Rucker said. Coastal residents spent Sunday afternoon preparing for the storm. At Shell Point 25 miles south of Tallahassee and 50 miles northeast of Apalachicola, a light rain fell as cars lined up with trailers to get small boats out of the water. Owners of larger powerboats and sailboats lashed them down with extra lines and stowed away moveable objects. "There's a lot of folks pulling their boats out" said George Taff, whose family owns Shell Point Marina.

"Anything else, we're making sure they're tied real good to the docks." Tony Awards and score were granted last month by the Tony nominating committee because there were no other nominees in those categories. "Show Boat" was chosen best musical revival. "The Heiress," a stage adaptation of the Henry James novel "Washington Square," took home four awards. 5 If you modem, Today's withtnebO FLAT0DAY You three ways: CompuServe users can access FLORIDA TODAY Newslink forum HURRICANE, From 1A A tornado caused by Tropical Storm Gordon last November killed one person and injured 35 in Barefoot Bay. Ninety-eight homes were and 246 damaged.

Allison, upgraded from a tropical storm Sunday morning, was moving north at 16mph with maximum sustained winds of almost 75 mph, according to National Hurricane Center advisories. I "Typically with a Category 1 hurricane, folks in mobile homes are advised to leave. And it can produce a significant storm surge," Rappa-portsaid. At 11 p.m. Sunday, Allison's center was at 28.2 north latitude and 86.1 west longitude, about 120 miles south-southwest of Apalachicola, a Franklin County town about 50 miles southwest of Tallahassee in the Panhandle.

It was moving north at i 16 mph. Emergency officials said manda-; tory evacuations of coastline areas ere occurring in Franklin, Liberty, Wakulla, Taylor and Jefferson counties. There was heavy northbound traffic on roads away from the coast including many vehicles towing boats. Officials said "mandatory" adds extra emphasis to the situation and does not mean that people will be Fully Trained Equipped To Perform Valve Jobs 705 NORTH U.S. 1 COCOA 632-0575 MV02106 I If 11 '4 1 7 Yi I ft 7 PIZZA SUBS 'Q YATil 91 a I 1 ft! ft 1 1 Kt 1 REE 60595-61 195 VI.

A mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm Only one coupon per visit. Coupon valid 'Sunset Boulevard' wins best musical, 7 3 TUESDA tsmmmsx "Sunset Boulevard," Andrew Lloyd Webber's extravagant adaptation of one of Hollywood's most famous films, was named best musical Sunday as the 1995 Tony Awards celebrated a sparse Broadway season. It won seven Tonys, more than any other show. I i (nnnniTwl of grrater than the cost of the newspaper. mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm have a computer with a you can reach Florida editors and reporters news sports parents the the Fa 6 Chicken Pox are very common in school age children.

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Second-class postage paid at Melbourne, FL 32901. Vol. 30. No. 77 Monday, June 5, 1995 Subscriber services See section 3 Circulation Mike Coleman, publisher 242-3777 Michael Jung, advertising 242-3806 Bennie Ivory, executive editor 242-3898 Melinda Meers, managing editor 242-3617 Jay Clark, human resources 242-3750 Jim Williamson, controller 242-3707 Kelly Harville, market development 242-3737 Stan Yoshida, circulation 242-3850 Dave Preisser, production 242-3550 Carol Hammack, customer relations 242-3922 Dorothy Martini, MIS 242-3579 2 Advertising CLASSIFIED DISPLAY Central.

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