March 4J 970
THE CAROLINA JOURNAL Page 7
am curious, but...” ♦ the drug scene
1
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By Mike McCulley
Potentially, drug abuse can kill. In
feality, however, the effects are various,
»mplex, and dependent upon the extent
and type of drug abuse of each individual.
Irregardless of their reasons for drug
nse, persons who use them do exist — in
yowing numbers. Their ignorance of
possible consequences is staggering,
^fence, these articles will present some
fects and typical case •histories to be
^alyzed and evaluated privately.
Pi’eaching connotates condemnation.
Consider the articles as you may; they
*P6ak only to inform.
agencies responsible
Responsibility for drug control and
preventing abuse is delegated to various
levels of government although they have
singular aims. Division of the effort to
^op drug abuse is basically local, state,
3nd Federal.
Local agencies in Charlotte, for
^ample, would be the Charlotte Police
department, Mecklenburg County Police,
and State Health Department local
offices.
State-level organizations would be the
State Bureau of Investigation (SBI),
offices of the State Health Department,
®nd the state Attorney General.
Prom Washington, the Federal Bureau
^ Investigation (FBI), Justice
department's Bureau of Dangerous Drugs
and Narcoties, and HEW's Food and Drug
"ranch all participate in various forms of
'■tug activity.
The basic concept is simple,
•■ohibition, investigation, prosecution.
Each level handles drug matters, often in
conflicting jurisdictions and procedures.
Inherent in functioning with these
duplicated agencies is lack of
organization. A user or prossessor of
ntarijuana, for instance, may break
Federal and State law, be arrested by
local authorities, and tried in the court
which appears to have the Jurisdictional
advantage.
Many prosecution decisions are
arbitrary, that is, inconsistent. Federal
prosecution is often declined in marijuana
cases in favor of State action. This is
primarily because of more serious matters
requiring Federal investigation and the
lack of adequate manpower to fully
handle drug abuse cases.
PAST HISTORY OF DRUG ABUSE
Definitely the drug abuse situation is
not a creation of the rampant sixties nor
even the progressive fifties. The problem
is actually centuries old; today, the drugs
are different and the money to buy them
is more available.
During the Civil War, numerous
casualties on both sides were often saved
from death by swift amputations. To
relieve operative pain and after-suffering,
opium was used in a haphazard manner to
any and all who wanted it. Many did
survive their medical amputation, but
their opium addiction made their lives
unalterably changed.
The same problem appeared in World
War II; newer alkaloids of opium replaced
it, but still "forced addiction" occurred.
In the past, abusers used "hard"
narcotics, like morphine, heroin, opium
derivatives, etc. Until the early 1940s, the
majority of "dopers" in
the United States was the criminal
element of society, those who trafficed in
them around the world.
Also important to remember is that these
drug abusers of the past were full-fledged
adults, normally into their thirities at
least. Today's problem in drugs represents
an inverse of history.
CLASSES OF DRUGS
Generally, drugs can be depicted in
classes by their effects on humans, and
also their addictive (habit-forming) or
non-addictive power.
Hard narcotics include: opium,
morphine (opiate), and heroin. The above
are all strongly addictive and rapidly so.
Milder narcotics would be: Cocaine,
certain synthetics such as Methadon or
Demerol, and various other synthetic
products on the market under trade
names and sold by prescription only, as
Seconal (a sleeping pill), etc. Also in this
group must be included codeine (an
opium derivative) which is an ingredient
in many prescription cough medicines.
These "milder" narcotics are addictive to
some extent but do not carry the strong
"hook" of the hard narcotics.
Marijuana is classified by, iteelf.
Currently, in the medical breakdown.
Marijuana is listed with narcotics rather
than with hallucinogens. It appears to be
an arbitrary device for organization since
marijuana has effects of both classes to
some degree.
Servomation
Cindy Teal
Miss UNCC. 1970
Next, hallucinogens such as: LSD,
DMT, peyote, mescaline, STP (also
DOM), psilocybin, and psilocyn.
The final category is depressant or
stimulant drugs which are non-narcotic in
class but are habit-forming at a slower
rate than "hard" narcotics. Two varieties
are the depressants (barbituric acid,
barbiturates) and stimulants
(amphetamine, methamphetamine,
phenmetrazine, etc.).
BACKGROUND ON DRUGS
Relatively little attempt will be made
to provide medical statistics on the drugs
in the articles to follow. It seems evident
that for general iitformation such things
as how used, how often, color, taste,
price, etc., would provide more nearly
that information the uninformed have
desired. It may be commented that the
drug addicts, users, and abusers posses
much of the knowledge of these articles.
For them knowledge should not be
limited to that first "joint" or "trip".
Fools often die in ignorance. A majority
will perhaps find the facts to be presented
enlightening, so they may know "where
it's at" by knowing instead of doing. On
some drugs, one DOING matters a great
deal.
Informed lookers can be willing to
accept any consequences, able to judge
whether to leap, fall in, or walk on by. It
seems only reasonable that the
uninformed be told.
Future articles of this series will
deal with “hard” narcotics, then
marijuana, and finally LSD.
i
392-7331
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