Page 6 THE BATTALION
THURSDAY. MARCH 9, 1978
focus
Legal and illegal
‘highs’ abound
Area shops sell 'legal high
I Curti
SWC In
By TERESA HUDDLESTON
If you want to get “high” hut don’t
want to break the law, several legal
alternatives are available.
Paraphernelia shops in the Bryan-
College Station area now sell differ
ent drugs that can be used without
legal penalties.
One that is selling big is woodrose
seeds. They are hard brown seeds
about the size of a pea from native
trees in Hawaii.
A pack of 20 seeds sells for around
$3.25. They contain an ingredient
similar in chemical structure to
LSD.
It takes 6 to 10 mashed seeds to
yield one high. Because of their bit
ter taste, they are usually taken with
a soft drink. The effects are the same
as LSD or psilosybin mushrooms.
The hallucinogenic effect can last up
to eight hours.
The packs of woodrose seeds do
not have instructions on how to use
them as drugs. However, they have
instructions on how to grow them.
One local record shop manager said
that the store sells an average of six
packs a week.
Another local store sells several
products that are derived from wild
lettuce. They are Opium, Hashish,
and Hash Oil. Not the same as il
legal opium and hashish.
“These leafy extractions will make
everyone’s mind a tossed brain
salad,” the advertisement for the
three products says.
Three grams of Opium costs $6. It
is usually smoked in a pipe or
“bong.” The effect is supposed to be
the same as real opium.
Three grams of Hashish sells for
around $5. It is smoked the same as
Opium and is supposed to have the
same effects as real hashish.
The Hash oil sells for about $5 for
a four-gram bottle. When it is
poured on a marijuana cigarette the
oil is supposed to give a greater
high.
All three products have warnings
telling the user not to use heavy
machinery after using them.
lor the N
■Friday 11
hiunpic
Assisti
take
Ihere th
run in th
lay. Sen
aturda!
jiinutes
Dicke;
and to discontinue use if dizzii
occurs.
Another legal high is "LoA— .
room.” It has about thesamer: 1
as amil nitrate, which speedsiijJ 1 ^
heart and gives about a two-mi
rush each time it is inhaled.!
Coach
unis te
nitrate is illegal though.
“The
bottles are
someone’s basement
is wee
Vednes
'diday. ’
con
said a merchant who stocks|i aent in
cl C;
Last S
iorth T<
iad Re:
like M
drugs. “The FDA (Food
Administration) hasn’t made i
legal because the bottles say
is a room deodorizer. You o[
bottle and the aroma of men is? faker a
posed to fill the air.” ingles;
. . . , chute a
A warning on the bottle says: ^ c } 0 ul
in case of inhalation a warm'-*
and dizziness may occur.
“My doctor said that he
rather see me sniffing airy
than inhaling Lockerroom,'
store manager said. “Ifsnoi
cheap thrills
Lockerroom destroys brain
and is had for the heart,
The
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Assist
ampbe
osition
nivers
lampbe
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Little Sch oolAou>se
Police lenient on juveniles
Ry JANICE STRIPLING
Although there is a drug abuse
problem among juveniles in the
Bryan-College Station area, local
police officials are being lenient in
reporting them.
There is a problem with drug
abuse among kids under 17 in the
Bryan-College Station area, said
Gene Roehen, juvenile probation of-
fifeer for the College Station Police
Department.
But both Bryan and College Sta
tion police records are unclear about
how big the problem is.
Bryan juvenile records indicate
there were eight arrests for posses
sion of marijuana for minors be
tween the ages of 11 and 17. Seven
of the eight offenders were males.
But Bryan records concerning
drug charges among juveniles are
not accurate, said Ted Tumlinson,
probation officer for the Bryan
Police Department.
“It’s not that we haven’t kept
good records, it’s just that we don’t
report every case we see,” Tumlin
son said.
Tumlinson does not make a report
out on every juvenile.
“I want the child to think about
what he has done, not necessarily
get a record,” he said.
He gave several reasons for not
reporting all the cases.
The officer may let the juvenile go
because it is too hard to make a case,
Tumlinson said.
“We try to get charges against the
juvenile which are not drug-
related,” Tumlinson said. “Also, a
police record may harm the child
psychologically. ”
Many times the police will change
a drug charge from a felony to i)
misdemeanor.
Even though a child gets a rec
ord, it is not available to the public.
Juvenile files are also kept sepa
rate from adult files. A person can
have his juvenile record sealed after
becoming 17. When the juvenile
record is sealed no one can open it
without court approval.
Another potential reason for let
ting juveniles off is if the probation
officer wants to use them as infor
mers, Tumlinson said.
The College Station Police De
partment has apprehended seven
juveniles between the ages of 13
and 16 possession of marijuana.
Five of those were males.
As in Bryan, College Station
police do not report every case.
“Many of the juveniles that we
catch are not reported,” Roehen
said.
Roehen had a case where three
girls stole a car and heroin was
found in the ear. Police did not have
proof that the heroin belonged to
the girls. However, a theft charge
against the three girls was filed.
Roehen said that the person owning
the car was not charged because it
could not be proven that the heroin
belonged to the owner.
Tumlinson said he uses his discre
tion in dealing with juveniles, and
Roehen agreed.
“1 r’fry to give them a break, '
Roclum said. “The only bad thing
about being lenient with juveniles is
that the kids form bad attitudes, he
said. “They say. You can t do any
thing to me because I'm a
juvenile’.
The young kids know laws are
easier on them because they are
juveniles, Roehen said. “I think we
were too lenient on the ones who
need the punishment, such as repeat
violators,” he said.
Roehen added that just sending
repeat violators home in not good
enough.
“We apprehended most of the
children with marijuana through
traffic stops and the schools,
Roehen said. “The schools in Collegt
Station usually don’t like to hassle
with getting the police involved.”
A school official can legally search
a child for contraband as long as the
police have not been called, Roehen
said. When police have been
notified, the school has to obtain a
search warrant to search the child,
he added.
“Schools don’t want to go through
the police agency for that reason,
Roehen said.
“I’m sure we have kids that de
liver for the dealer in the schools
but we have not come across them,
Roehen said.
A juvenile delivering drugs in
high school is not as conspicuous as
an adult, Roehen said.
“A grown man would stick out
like a sore thumb among students,”
Roehen said.
“But how kids deliver we don t
know.
“We use those juveniles caught
with large amounts for informers,
preferably in the junior high
schools,” Roehen said.
“By using kids in junior high
schools, we obtain only small
amounts of drugs, ” Roehen said. He
added that a “small amount" is less
than an ounce.
“We usually don’t get good in
formation from high school infor-
A few local shops stock “legal
highs.” Argyreia nervosa,
better known as Hawaiian
wood rose seeds, sell for
$3.25 for a package of ap
proximately 20 seeds. One
store owner said, “They are
the best-selling legal high on
the market.”
Other paraphernelia in
cludes books on the art of
drug use. One book is a guide
to psilocybin, a drug present
in certain mushrooms. The
mushrooms are prevalent in
this area and produce hal
lucinogenic effects similar to
LSD when taken as a tea.
Battalion photos by Susan Webb
it,” Roehen said.
“Drug use among older kids is
decreasing," said David Walenta,
juvenile probation officer for Brazos
countv.
i tho
mers, said Roehen. He said he
"The high school trend is alcohol
while most of the drug use is in the
earlier grades (elementary and
junior high schools),’ Walenta said.
cause of peer-group pressure and
the fear of being called a “narc ”,
high school students are usually
afraid to inform the police.
“Marijuana is like alcohol, the
kids aren’t getting anything out of
“It makes sense because alcohol is
easier to obtain,” Walenta said. “It
is much easier for a 16-year-old to
dress himself up to look 18 than it is
for a younger child,” Walenta said.
“The police department investi
gates while we make the decisions,
Walenta said.
When making out a report the
police officer also makes out a refer
ral to the probation officer. The
probation officer then takes over.
“We had 22 drug-related cases
involving juveniles in 1977,
Walenta said.
Four were girls arrested for pos
session of marijuana and one girl for
overdose.
ig mo
ishiru
drugs, and two males apprehei llion. I
for glue sniffing. (teelf.
Juveniles report to theprol I
officer, either one time or sfl I
times according to what they 1 lUndS
apprehended for.
“I’m hard on glue sniffers bee I
that stuff is had for the kid’s It I
Walenta said.
“For the younger .kids, 4st. t
There were 13 males arrested for
possession of marijuana, two males
arrested for possession of harder
drugs is like popping candy
linson said.
"Most of the time thesekk
know what they’re taking,
less, why they’re taking it.
Tumlinson.
‘Magic mushrooms’ provide hallucinogenic trip
BY CAROL BARNEBEY
The so-called “magic mushrooms” that grow in this
area have acquired their reputation because they contain
psilocybin, an organic hallucinogen similar to LSD.
The “magic mushroom” produces hallucination and il
lusion. It causes changes in emotion, awareness, and
perception of time and space. There is often a feeling of
isolation, confusion and paranoia. These feelings may be
minimal or overpowering, depending on the dosage.
“Mushroom tea can produce a temporary psychosis,”
said Toni Nowlin of the Brazos County Crossroads Out
reach Center in Bryan. “The reactions would depend on
how much and how strong.
Psilocybin is similar to LSD in its effects and struc
ture, however much less potent than LSD. It does not
cause physical dependence, but there is a possibility of
psychological dependence. The organic damage and
long-term effects have not yet been determined.
Psilocybe eubensis is a brown mushroom with
purple-brown spores on the underside, said Dr. Willard
Taber, a Texas A&M University biology professor. The
spores are released by the thousands and are carried by
the wind. According to Taber, the spores will fruit if the
ground is warm, damp, and contains a large amount of
nutrients. This is why the mushrooms usually grow on
cow manure, although there are probably spores scat
tered throughout the fields.
When the mushroom is picked, it turns blue. This
action is believed to be the oxidation of the chemical
psilocybin.
“Mushrooms haven’t surfaced as a problem in College
Station,’ said detective Bobby Yeager of the College Sta
tion Police Department. There has never been an arrest
for possession of mushrooms in College Station.
There have been cases of students on campus using
mushrooms, but these students were taken to the Health
Center.
“We haven’t had over three or four brush-ins in the
last three years,” said Sgt. J . D. Gossett of the Univer
sity Police. Gossett said most of the students who use
mushrooms live off campus and have no interaction with
the campus police. But Gossett said he has seen a stu
dent who had overdosed on mushrooms.
“This stuff is dangerous — particularly if you don t
know which mushrooms to pick, ’ Gossett said. You can
take this stuff and kill yourself.
There is not widespread use of psilocybin in College
Station according to the records of the College Station
and University police. “We don’t mess with them
much, Yeager said.
Possession of psilocybin violates federal law. Posses
sion is a misdemeanor offense with a penalty of up to one
year in prison or a fine up to $5,000 or both for first
offense possession. Dealing has a penalty of up to five
years in prison and a fine up to $15,000 or both.
Possession of psilocybin violates Texas law. Possession
is a Thrid degree felony with confinement in the state
prison for a term of not more than ten years nor less than
two years. An individual may also be punished with a
fine up to $5,000.
It is also illegal to drive while under the influence of
drugs. The penalty is 10 days to two years in prison or a
fine from $100 to $1,000. In Texas, anyjierson who drives
a boat or an aquaplane or uses water skiis while under
the influence of drugs is breaking the law. It is a mis
demeanor and punishable by a fine of not less than $50
nor more than $500 or by imprisonment of not more than
six months or both.
Psilocybin mushrooms are usually ingested in tea. The
mushrooms are boiled down to a liquid and strained.
Tim (not his real name) said he puts the mushrooms in
the strainer basket of an electric percolator with water,
then boils them. When there is very little left, he mixes
the mushroom extract with a powdered drink mix.
“The last little bit will look like sediments in the lower
Nile,” Tim said. “Tastes like it, too. But its the most
potent part.
“You use your mind an awful lot on mushrooms,” Tim
said. A person’s mind can become fixed on one object.
“You won’t sit there in a coma, but you will stare at
things, he said.
“Usually the first time you do it, you’re confused,’’
Tim said. “The first time, you’re anxious. You don’t know
what s going down.”
Paranoia is a strong feeling, Tim said. “You don’t look
that obvious unless you’re ‘maxed’. You feel naked —
painted with purple stripes. You feel obvious — real,
real obvious.”
There is a type of person who is susceptible to “bad
trips”. These are people who are chronically depressed,
living in a dream world, or who have suffered traumatic
experiences. Psilocybin breaks down mental blocks,
learned traits, and inhibitions. Therefore, the more
poorly adjusted a person is, the more likely it is to have a
bad trip.
A bad trip, Tim said, is caused by surroundings.
“Its just like Newton’s law of motion: your mind is
going to be in equilibrium until acted upon by some
outside force.”
The power of suggestion is strong, so incidents make a
distinct impression. But, Tim said, this is good because a
person can easily be talked out of bad feelings, Tim said.
Tim suggested as a precaution to, “Do it with some
body who’s done it before — preferably more than
After the uncomfortable effects, then comes the "good
part, ” Tim said. After an hour and a half (at the most), a
person gets the true effects.
“You have reached a speedy plateau. You wont get a
greater intensity of speed rushes. People get really giddy
at this time,” Tim said.
Tim said mushrooms help his appreciation of things
“Colors are so neat,” he said. “Like when you turnyoui,
head, you see traces of light, like a sunset. Lots of re I
fleeted light, not direct light.”
When coming down, there is an intense feeling that
“you ought to be doing something, ” Tim said. The feeling
is that you have been gone for hours.
Tim said he preferred mushrooms over other hal
lucinogens, such as LSD.
“Mushrooms are organic and I know somebody didnI
screw up in the process of making it, Tim said.
This is true in Texas, although in other places, only 11
percent of street psilocybin has been found to be puir.
The other 89 percent was a mixture of LSD, LSD and
PCP (horse tranquilizer), or other substances.
Psilocybin is a relatively "safe' hallucinogen whi n in
pure form. There is no chance of physical dcpcmlnur.
however there is a possibility of psychological depen
dence developing.
It is difficult to overdose on psilocybin. The effectsol
psilocybin on the body are temporary, not causing any
permanent mental or physical damage. “There is no (Inn:
to counteract psilocybin — it just wears oil. Nowlin
said. v.
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