Page 10 The Behrend Beacon Watch out for the drugs by Scott McCredie The Seattle Times Following are a few of the drugs most commonly combined: MDMA (Ecstasy) What is it? A stimulant and hallucino gen. Elevates mood and boosts energy. Also called "X" or "Adam," MDMA is usually taken in pill form. Effects wear off in 4 to 6 hours. Developed in Ger many in 1912 to sup press appetite. Symp toms of use include blurred vision, rapid eye movement, chills or sweating, confusion, severe anxiety, trance like state. Who uses it? In re- cent years it has moved from young adults who frequent dance clubs and raves to the general population. hazards Chronic use appears to damage the brain's ability to think and regulate emotion, and A rave in Texas looks like a blast affects memory, sleep and pain. Has been associated with in creases in heart rate and blood pressure, posing an extra risk for people with cir culatory problems or heart disease. Long-term health effects of frequent use remain unknown: has been linked to neu rotoxic damage in laboratory animals. Often comes adulterated by oti r drugs that may be more dangerous, su tr as methamphetamine or PMA, a dangef ous hallucinogen. Ecstasy taken in combo with Ritonovir, a protease inhibitor com monly prescribed for treatment of HIV, has proved particularly lethal. What is it'? A central-nervous-system depressant; until the early 1990 s it was widely available in health-food stores and used by bodybuilders to aid in fat reduction and muscle building. Odorless and colorless; usually taken in liquid form. Who uses it? Mostly in the nightclub scene among young adults. The hazards: Overdoses can cause loss of consciousness and coma. Particularly if combined with alcohol. Calf 3 can re- Crossword ACROSS 1 Defeat 5 Slightly drunk 10 Travel stamp 14 Mayberry kid 15 Hi, on HI 16 Biblical paradise 17 Word before theory or warfare 18 Censor 19 Tear 20 Eugene and Ed 22 Lessen 23 Luau staple 24 Shoot from cover 27 Titania 's mate 30 Pay close attention 34 Fit in 35 Some statistics 36 Horror-film street 37 Trout lure 38 Vegas 39 Bratislava's country 43 Edam or brie 46 Putting to the test 47 Anglo-Saxon kingdom 48 Surrenders 49 Permit to 50 Bodybuilder Charles 53 Basutoland, today 57 Clumsy clod 58 Nudge 61 Requirement 62 Burrowing mammal 63 The king of France 64 At rest 65 Wall upright 66 Wets fully 67 Little snakes Lincoln 31 Stares at DOWN 1 Brand image 2 Frank 3 Father 4 Part-time athlete 5 Postponing 6 Troubles 7 "Ulalume" author 32 Needle 33 English county 37 Cash penalty 40 Left empty 41 Positive votes 42 " Galahad" 43 "The Chronicles of Narnia" writer © 2002 Tribune Media Services, Inc As rghls reserved. Solutions 8 That girl 9 Kisser or mush 10 Source of teak 11 Brainstorm 12 Transmitted 13 Starter chips 21 Bird with a laughlike cry 22 Sketch artist 24 German POW camps 25 Dark blue 26 Man with an alibi? 27 Way overweight 28 Carillon components 29 Roper and 44 Colors 54 Williams and 45 Latvia's Koppel neighbor 55 Assist 50 Pauper's plea 56 Poetic works 51 Spree 58 Chicago transp 52 Doozy 59 G. Carroll 53 Sneak a peek 60 Bikini piece duce breathing to a rate low enough to more severe side effects than either drug cause death. When used with metham- used alone because both raise heart rate, plictamine, it can produce an increased blood pressure and body temperature. risk of seizure, breathing difficulties and nausea. Ketamine Inhalants What is it? More than 1,0(X) house hold and commercial products, such as cleaning solutions, paint products and lighter fluids, sniffed for an intoxi cating effect due to oxygen deprivation. Who uses it? Cheap and easy to get, they're one of the first substances abused. generally by those in late child hood or early teens, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The hazards: Producing headaches, nausea and slurred speech, inhalants damage the brain, kidneys and lungs, and can inhibit the oxygen-carrying capac ity of blood. Have been known to cause Sudden Sniffing Death syndrome, which is fatal heart failure. Methamplietamine What is it? An addictive stimulant taken ()Tall). snorted. injected or smoked. Produces euphoria or an intense "rush," depending on how it's taken. Who uses it? Although rates of use are increasing among youths, users are gen erally male. white and older than 26. The hazards: High doses can damage neuron cell endings, leading to irritabil ity, insomnia, confusion, tremors, con vulsions, paranoia and anxiety. Can also cause convulsions, stroke, stomach cramps and shaking. Using it with Ecstasy can produce F~►TtIREB tit rumen Friday, December 6, 2002 What is it? Sometimes called "Special K. - A rapid-acting general anesthetic usually used as an animal tranquilizer. Coming in liquid or powder forms, it can be injected, smoked, mixed with drinks or snorted. Causes ev erything from "feelings of pleasant weightless ness to out-of-body or near-death experience," according to the Na tional Institute on Drug Abuse. Hallucinatory effects last an hour or less. Who uses it? Another of the so-called "club ;,, drugs," popular among young adults at raves and other underground parties. The hazards: In higher tdoses, can cause loss of §consciousness, reduced breathing rate and heart & rate abnormalities Dance Safe, which pro motes safety within the rave and night club community, reports that it is "ex tremely dangerous to combine with downers like alcohol, Valium or GHB." Rohypnol What is it? Brand name for Flunitrazepam, a powerful sedative that, although illegal in the United States, is manufactured legally in other countries and widely prescribed in Europe for the short-term treatment of severe sleep dis orders. A small white or green tablet; can be swallowed, snorted or injected. Fre quently used in combination with alco hol and other drugs. Creates a sleepy, re laxed, drunk feeling that lasts 2 to 8 hours. Who uses it? Heroin and alcohol abus ers; high-school and college students; and those at raves and nightclubs. The hazards: Often known as the date rape drug; it has no taste or odor when dissolved in a drink. Used with alcohol, it produces disinhibition and amnesia. May cause blackouts. Can produce physical and psychological dependence. The 80s never looked so good by Mike DeArmond Knight Riddler Newspaper It's here! Parents, run for your picket signs. Or wait. Stop and think for a second. The kids that grew up with Atari and "Mario Brothers" are now in their 20s and 30s. They've matured, so why can't the content of their video games? Get over the violence for minute and understand that "Grand Theft Auto . Vice City" is an advanced sandbox-type environment where you do can almost anything you like. Fol low the violent mission? Or go lie peaceably on the beach? It's your choice. The game, the latest in the popular GTA series, is set in Miami in 1986. Your main ob jective: Find the people who spoiled your cocaine deal and, well, kill them, of course! Character sequences are ably voiced by celebrities such as Ray Liotta, Tom Sizemore, Dennis Hopper, Gary Busey and Jenna Jameson. They use the foul language you'd expect from the thugs that move the plot forward. Most missions are of the go-to-the country-club-with-a-golf-club -to-beat- the-guy-who-owes-us-money variety. There are plenty of side missions, most which include stealing vehicles. Hard up for cash? Jack a taxi and give people rides. Need some extra health? Ride your Harley down the strip and pick up a prostitute. The visuals are stunning. An entire r 1 I Through the looking glass 1 I by Mike Pingree, KRT Campus I WHERE DID YOU GET THIS, IF I MAY ASK? A man mailed a package of high-tech telephone equipment at the post office in Nuremberg, Germany. But two postal workers inside stole the package, opened it, and decided to sell the stuff and make a quick buck. Unfortunately, they tried to make the sale at a second-hand shop where, unbeknownst to them, the proprietor happened to be the man who had mailed the goods in the first place. He immediately called the police. GET READY HONEY, I'M COMING HOME! I Four times during the past year, an elderly man has robbed a pharmacy I I in Marseilles, France, stealing the entire stock of the anti-impotence drug I HAS ANYONE SEEN MY CAR? A man parked his old junk of a car behind a Massachusetts fire station next to two other beat-up automobiles, unaware that the other two ve hicles were there to be ripped apart by the Jaws of Life as part of the firefighters' rescue training. While he was gone, his car was erroneously turned into a large mass of scrap metal. I -I oo JAMES DITHERED TWYTS by et= w city is rendered accurately right down to the 'Bos-style fonts on billboards. Time passes, day to night. Occasion ally it rains. The sunset creates a glare A scene from the game: The pixelated player checks out some gigabytes. on your windshield, making it hard to see the women in thongs walking on the beach. The controls are tight, from some handling variations for various weap ons to those of vehicles. A bus is slow and turns awkwardly, while a motor cycle weaves smoothly through traf fic. And the music! Will someone please explain how they crammed the equiva lent of seven CDs onto one game disc? When driving, you can flip through eight stations, each with about 15 Karl Benacci, Features Editor -- - Jgh On of art such as, 'Dteuner sur l'Herbe, sans les Tetes' songs such as Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean" along with DJs and commercials. "Vice City" has some surprises for "Grand Theft Auto" veterans, includ- PHOTO FROM ROCKSTARGAMES.COM ing new weapons, such as a chain saw I'd like to say more good things about this game, but I'm busy. If you need me, you can find me on Ocean Drive under a big palm tree. GRAND THEFT AUTO: VICE CITY Platform: Play Station 2 Publisher: Rockstar Carnes Rating: M for blood and gore, vio lence, strong language, strong sexual content ... you get the idea. More info: www.rockstargames.com
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