Topics:

• Ranting and Raving
• Cigarette Ads Target Youth
• Parents' Guide to Talking to Kids

Ranting and Raving

Have you ever heard of X, Adam, Clarity, Lover’s Speed or Special K?  How about Roofies, GHB, Liquid Ecstacy, Chalk, Ice or Meth?  If not you are among the many who may not be aware of the newest rave-club drugs.

Club drugs are a seemingly popular group of mind-altering drugs with hallucinogenic properties.  Most often these drugs are sold and consumed at raves or all night dance parties.  Although these parties have been around for at least a decade, they have become very popular amongst teens and young adults.  Some ravers report they attend the parties only to dance, while others openly disclose that the music, dancing, and drugs are the main attraction.

No one ever said that dancing will kill you - but taking these club drugs might.  Thought to be harmless, these drugs can produce a variety of side effects.  Examples include, but not limited to: hallucinations, paranoia, confusion, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, chills, sweating and dehydration.  Many partygoers who take these drugs will dance all night without any sleep, nourishment, or water - risking exhaustion, heat stroke, dehydration or kidney damage.

Ecstasy (X, Adam, Clarity, Lover's Speed) is a synthetic drug that acts simultaneously as a stimulant and a hallucinogen.  Users often take “E” to heighten their sensory perception, claiming that the sense of touch and feeling is extremely more sensitive than normal.  Ecstasy is commonly taken in pill form and depending on where and by whom the pills were made will depend on the brand.  Each pill has a monogram on it or a name.  Popular brands of Ecstasy locally are “X,” “Caliber,” “Pokemon” or “Mustangs.”

Ketamine (Special K or K) is an anesthetic.  Use can result in loss of attention span, memory and in higher doses, amnesia, depression and breathing problems.  Many users have reported out of body experiences or near death experiences when they used Ecstasy and “K” together.

Rohypnol (Roofies) is a clear liquid that can be unknowingly mixed with beverages.  Commonly referred to as the “date rape drug,” it has been known to cause blackouts.  Gammahydroxbutyrate (GHB, G, Liquid Ecstasy) causes extreme relaxation and is taken in liquid form.  One capful is equivalent to a six-pack of beer.

Methamphetamine (Speed, Ice, Chalk, or Meth) commonly causes psychotic behavior, heart problems, aggression and violence.  “Meth” has resurfaced and is popular among twenty somethings.  Part of the allure of these drugs is that they are readily accessible, relatively cheap, and the effects of the high is long lasting.

(Provided by Carbon, Monroe & Pike Drug and Alcohol)

Cigarette Ads Target Youth

Since almost all smoking initiation begins at a young age, the issue of their responses to cigarette advertising has been widely discussed and debated as a reason that kids begin smoking.

Two cigarette advertisement themes that young adults might find particularly appealing are independence and peer acceptance and past research has shown that cigarette advertisements in magazines frequently contain images with youthful themes such as surfing, and other studies have shown correlations between the release of cigarette advertising campaigns geared specifically towards adolescents and rises in adolescent smoking.

A recent study indicated that Marlboro was by far the most popular brand among the adolescent smokers, favored by 45% of those who smoke, and it is also the most heavily advertised brand. This study found that Marlboro ads were more popular among adolescents. Substantial portions of those surveyed (both smokers and non-smokers) liked the ads and thought they made smoking more appealing. Males were more likely than females to like the Marlboro ad, perhaps because the figure of the Marlboro cowboy represents a male gender ideal. However, the brand itself is equally popular among both males and females, so the Marlboro man may resonate with both the male and female adolescents’ striving for independence and maturity.

Males were more likely, in general, to like the cigarette advertisements and to believe that the ads made smoking more appealing. Significantly, the ad for the adult comparison brand, Merit, was far less popular among the adolescents, both for smokers and non-smokers.

Clearly, then, it is possible to produce cigarette ads that do not appeal to adolescents and also that smokers are not necessarily attracted to all cigarette ads. It would appear that the ads for the youth brands are particularly attractive to adolescents, perhaps because they appeal to the adolescent search for independence, sexuality, and peer acceptance. In addition, a substantial portion (30%) of non-smokers liked the cigarette ads for the youth brands and thought they made smoking more appealing.

This study has shown that ads for youth brands of cigarettes exploit the developmental needs of adolescents and lead them to see smoking as rewarding rather than dangerous and potentially deadly. Youth need to have opportunities to make educated decisions about advertising manipulation, while policymakers need to take steps towards preventing cigarette ad campaigns geared towards adolescents.

Found in: Arnett, Jeffrey Jenson (2001). Adolescents’ Responses to Cigarette Advertisements for Five “Youth Brands” and One “Adult Brand.” Journal of Research on Adolescence, 11,425-443

Parents' Guide to Talking to Kids