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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 28, 1995)
Page 2 • The Battalion City Campus Wednesday • June28 New drugs popularity soars □ The use of Rohypnol is increasing in Texas. The Brazos County Nar cotics Task Force has not had problems with possession of the drug in this area. By Katherine Arnold The Battalion Drug enforcement centers have a new challenge with the increasing popularity of a drug called Rohypnol. Rohypnol is a sleeping pill that can be legally purchased in Mexico, South America, Europe and Asia. The drug is illegal in the United States. Jane Maxwell, director of re search for the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, said Rohypnol’s popularity in the Unit ed States is spreading quickly. “I was at a school district meeting in Austin in February, and the officials there had never heard of Rohypnol,” Maxwell said. "By April, the drug was everywhere.” According to the Texas Com mission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, confiscation of Rohypnol has increased rapidly in the past four years. In the McAllen area on the lower border of Mexico and Texas, there were 31 incidents in 1991 of bringing Rohypnol into the United States, and 197 cases in 1994. The latest reports show that there were 64 inci dents in 1995 through March 24. Dr. Dennis Reardon, coordina- Construction Continued from Page 1 TxDOT so they aren’t jackham mering at 2:00 in the morning.” Community members were concerned about how traffic will affect their daily driving habits. Chris Felderhoff, a College Sta tion resident, said the Wellborn construction will disrupt his dai ly routine. “Traffic is already bad out tor for Texas A&M’s Center for Drug Prevention and Education, said the effects of the drug are similar to the effects of Valium. “Rohypnol is a hypnotic seda tive that is used to treat insom nia or prepare patients who are about to undergo surgery,” Rear don said. “It slows down the cen tral nervous system, relaxes you and gives you a drunk feeling.” Despite the similar effects, Rohypnol is 10 times as potent as Valium, Maxwell said. A Food and Drug Administra tion spokesman said the FDA could not acknowledge if Rohyp- nol’s legalization is under con sideration since the drug has not been approved for use in the United States. The danger of the drug is its combination with other sub stances, Maxwell said. “It’s most common among teen agers and young adults,” Maxwell said. “It’s combined with alcohol or other drugs, which can lead to use of harder drugs.” Rohypnol is often used in con junction with alcohol and has been used to sedate girls for gang rape initiations. Maxwell said. Rohypmd is also seen as a “safe” drug because it is most often dis tributed in bubble wrap packag ing and looks similar to aspirin. Rohypnol is addictive, and its harmful effects are seen when the user is not under the influ ence of the drug, Reardon said. “The abrupt removal of the drug can cause seizure activity along with liver and kidney damage,” Reardon said. The seizures and other with drawal symptoms have raised concern among drug treatment centers. Special detoxification there,” Felderhoff said. “I’m going to have to either find a new way to take my kids to school or leave earlier to beat all the traffic.” The construction also pre sents unique problems because the three construction projects are in close proximity to each other, Williams said. The construction on Texas Avenue and Wellborn Road is scheduled to begin Sept. 1. Texas Avenue will be widened to six lanes from University methods must be used because the drug is so potent. Maxwell said. “Since Rohypnol is not regu lated in the United States, peo ple have a hard time finding in formation on it or even knowing what it is,” Maxwell said. “Treat ment for it is also difficult be cause if someone is dependent on Rohypnol, the user must gradu ally be brought down because it is so potent.” To increase awareness about Rohypnol, the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse sent a report to more than 450 treat ment centers around the state outlining the drug’s history, popu larity and treatment protocols. Sgt. Dan Jones, of the Brazos County Narcotics Task Force, said he is not aware of any inci dents of use or possession of Ro hypnol in Brazos County. He said most of the drug problems in this area center around the use of crack cocaine. “Around 75 percent of our drug cases deal with crack,” Jones said. “From what I’ve seen, crack is the worst drug around. Anyone ad dicted to it literally loses every thing because they will go to ex tremes to get a fix.” The most popular narcotics among students are marijuana, LSD and cocaine, Jones said. Helen Janss, assistant coordi nator of the Center for Drug Pre vention and Education, said ser vices are available on campus for students with drug problems. “Student fees pay for our ser vices,” Janss said. “If someone is concerned about themselves or someone else, students are welcome to come in for a refer ral or assessment.” Drive to Dominik Drive with a landscaped median in the cen ter. The project is expected to take 24 months. Wellborn Road will have paved shoulders added and the surface im proved. Its construction is scheduled to last 13 months. Construction on George Bush Drive is scheduled to begin Oct. 1. It will be widened to four lanes with a landscaped median. Construction is scheduled to last 20 months. HONORS: Students volunteer as HIP lead Continued from Page 1 successful part of the program are the A&M hon ors students who volunteer as Honors Invitational Peer (HIP) leaders. The HIP leaders handle all the tours and run the Monday evening program, which covers every thing about campus life. “From the feedback we’ve gotten, you would find that the interaction between the high school student and the HIP leader is what makes the pro gram work,” Hackemer said. There are approximately 50 HIP leaders at every invitational, making the student-to-leader ratio about five to one. HIP leaders have worked with the students for the past four years. Before that time. Orientation Leaders handled all of the tours. College students can apply for HIP leader posi tions in March. Interviews begin during Spring Break, and training starts soon after. Katy Pace, Class of ’96 and chair of HIP, said the program is looking for college students who are involved in campus activities. “The role of the HIP leader is to give the high school students an accurate view of college life,” Pace said. “We want a diverse group involved in all sorts of activities. “The best experience you will get from being a HIP leader is having someone in your group come back to A&M a year later and knowing you have done your job,” she said. Pace said the high school students are a great group to work with. “They don’t know a lot about A&M tram she said. “It is fun to explain all the traditi* have and all the things A&M offers.” The HIP leaders take the students to a® version of yell practice the first nightt™| here. The high school students learn the fr- spirit yell, or wildcat. “Seeing the expressions on their faces wb: are wildcatting — that’s what being an Agp about,” she said. “Not everyone will likeA&ilH is great seeing the ones who react well.” High school juniors are at a point wheaM "Over 70 percent apply for ad^ sion and approximately 40 pert enroll." - Sm-m honors student service(dm : > have to make an important choice, Pace said “Knowing you have had a direct impact;;; life is the greatest reward a HIP leader t ceive,” she said. Hackemer said the program’s goalisl high school students to go home with a : ; what college life is like at A&M. Mostoftl dents who attend the invitational come k; roll at A&M, she said. “Statistics are really good,” she said.‘(i percent apply for admission and approxiir.cj percent enroll.” Annexation: City issues information pad Continued from Page 1 “That’s why we moved out here in the first place.” Meade added that he plans to move soon. Stella Wilks, a resident of the Oak Hills sub division neighboring the annexed lands, said she understands why the residents would not want to be incorporated into the city limits. “Our lifestyle is different out here,” Wilks said. “We don’t have the city ordinances and have a lot of freedom out here.” The annexed areas are governed by the same ordinances and regulations as the more-urban ized areas of College Station, including laws about pets. Wilks also complained that residents in the annexed areas would be paying extra taxes for services they already receive. The residents are already are covered by the Brazos County Sherif fs Department and have water service or private wells, services College Station will now provide. An information packet from the city pointed out that not only would the city provide police and wa ter service, but fire protection, electricity and sewage systems as well. The packet said police, electrical and fire ser vices would start soon, with sewage and wait- vice added as development expanded. At least two Texas A&M fraternities, I Sigma and Sigma Phi Epsilon, own houses: annexed areas. Brian Teichmann, member of Sigma Pe silon, said the fraternity has some concerns “The biggest concern was that frater are not allowed in the city limits," Teicfc. said. “We also wanted to make suretk' wouldn’t have to asphalt our parking!? cause we have so many members.” Teichmann added that the fraternity R er informed that the only major ordinances ing the fraternity concerned constructing a: dition to the fraternity house. Jane Key, College Station city planner the move toward annexation began in 19Si| said some lands that were targeted forar;| tion were “islands,” tracks of land insidete|' limits that were not incorporated into the:;. Key also said there may be benefits to ari tion that the new citizens may not realize. “Some of these homes may receive dis or lower premiums because they now ha protection,” Key said. 211 University 268-DAVE 326 George Bush Dr. 696-DAVE Were Always Roll In a! Carter Creek Center 848-DAVE 919 Harvey Rd. 764-DAVE Call DAVE for^Fasf Fresh Delivery \ I j Two-Fer Tuesday 2 for 1 ^pzfjrcrni ™ I or | Buy 1 Pizza, Get 2nd I of equal or lesser value for ONLY $2.00 Battalion I Dave’s Delivery Deal $5.99 Medium 1 Topping Pizza Battalion ALL U CAN EAT Pizza ^Sepruyu TZetts ™ * Salad Buffet * LUNCH BUFFET * 11am-2:30pm Daily $3.99 Dinner $4.29 Battalion PITS UPDATES -» PUS UPDATES PUS UPDATES PUS UPDI t *** Parking Update *** ej; June 28,1995 cl_ As we advised you earlier this week, the Physical Plant has schedultt; ^ several lots for surface repairs this summer. The dates have changed aii; |z: should be noted. Fliers will be placed on vehicles as time permits, sign ^ will be posted in the parking areas and parking officers will be availabli ^ to assist parkers. The new dates are as follows: <c Q Q_ CO t= Q_ T* CO PA 88 Friday, June 23 - Sunday, July 9 Relocate to other red or blue parking areas, sug gested areas are PA 89 behind the tennis courts, PA 62, PA 95, or PA 96. PA 50 Monday, June 26 - Thesday, July 18 Relocate to other red or blue parking areas, suggested areas are PA 89 behind the tennis courts, PA 48, PA 62, PA 95, or PA 96. Q Q_ 2Z> t Q_ r CO LU fee Q Q_ :r> £ Q_ r CO Q Q_ PA 54 Monday, July 10 - Thursday, July 20 Parking will be available in PA 51 thru July 12. Beginning July 13 - 20 parking will be provided on the Bonfire Field. Shuttle service will be available. PA 51 Thursday, July 13 - Monday, July 24 July 13 - 18 parking will be provided on the Bonfire Field. July 19 - 24 parking will be avail able in PA 50. PA 46 TYiesday, July 18 - TUesday, July 25 This is during Fireman’s Training School. Parking will be available in PA 48, PA 91, PA 69, PA 62, PA 47, PA 90, and PA 89. PA 59 Tuesday, July 25 - Wednesday, August 2 Relocate to PA 48, PA 47 and PA 90. PA 35 Tuesday, August 1 - Friday, August 4 Relocate to the Commons Circle. Q_ T CO CD Q_ Q_ PA 55 Thursday, August 3 - Sunday, August 6 The parking spaces on the street between Teague and PA 55 will remain available on a first come, first serve basis. Parking for all other vehicles will be provided in PA 51. Shuttle service will be available. Please note that this information may be subject to change. If you arrive a 1 your assigned parking area and find that it is closed, pleas £ park in the alternate parking area indicated above. 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