New Highs, New Risks.

A NEW GENERATION OF DRUGS PROMISES A SAFE HIGH. DO THEY DELIVER? OR ARE TEENS GAMBLING WITH THEIR LIVES TO GET LOADED?

Samantha Reid left her room a mess that night. Clothes were tossed haphazardly over her bed in the quest for the perfect outfit. Magazines lay strewn among piles of stuffed animals. Telling her mom that she was going to a movie, the 15-year-old freshman at Carlson High School in suburban Detroit met up instead with two girlfriends. After a pit stop at a 7-11 for a Slurpee, they drifted to their real destination: an apartment in nearby Grosse Isle where four young men, two of them seniors, were waiting to hang out and watch videos.

The guys had their own plans to spice up the party. Unknown to Samantha and her friends, they had laced a few bottles of Mountain Dew with GHB, a feel-good chemical touted on the Internet as a safe, nonaddictive high that makes you feel drunk. What the Web sites don't say is that a slightly larger than normal dose can lead to coma and even death. Samantha drank hers down, and a few minutes later fell asleep on the couch. By the time the other partygoers brought her to an emergency room four hours later, she was already brain-dead. The next night she officially became one of the 65 GHB-related deaths since 1990.

Samantha's two friends were luckier. One recovered from a coma the next day. The other had turned down the spiked drink. As for the guys, three of them were found guilty of manslaughter this spring and were sentenced to 15 years in prison. The fourth will spend up to five years in jail on lesser charges.

"None of the girls ever knew the substance was put in their drinks," says Grosse Ile police detective John Szczepaniak, who investigated the case. "Samantha never knew what happened to her."

GHB--otherwise known as Liquid X, Scoop, or Grievous Bodily Harm--is one of the substances that teens nave recently begun to abuse with increasing frequency. Like teens of earlier generations, many teenagers today smoke pot, drop acid, or snort cocaine despite the known risks. But those drugs have been joined by others whose dangers are less well known: GHB, MDMA (also called ecstasy), and a potpourri of prescription pills. "What these kids don't know about these drugs is killing them," says Dr. Henry Kranzler, a psychiatrist at the University of Connecticut Health Center.

In recent years, illegal drug use by teens seemed to be coming under control. An annual survey conducted by the University of Michigan shows that teen drug use overall had soared by nearly 50 percent from 1991 to 1997, before dropping off in 1998 and holding steady last year. But a sudden 55 percent spike in teen ecstasy use in 1999, coupled with recent seizures of large caches of the drug, has raised fears that a new wave of teen drug abuse may be on the way.

ALCOHOL IS STILL KING

Despite this sharp increase, only 8 percent of 12th-graders have tried ecstasy, the study found, making it far less popular than alcohol or marijuana. By the 12th grade, half of all students have tried marijuana. And alcohol remains by far the mind-altering substance of choice for most teenagers.

The study found that 8 of 10 high school seniors have used alcohol, and more than 60 percent have been drunk. Alcohol also has the deadliest consequences of all drugs--for Americans ages 16 to 20, car crashes are the leading cause of death; in one recent year, 37 percent of those fatal accidents involved alcohol.

But ecstasy has become the trendiest of drugs, in large part because it is associated with dance music and raves. The speedy, slightly psychedelic high of ecstasy is widely seen as a no-risk buzz, without the potentially fatal side effects of heroin or GHB. While a few ecstasy related deaths have been reported, they have come from heatstroke suffered by dancers at raves who didn't stop before severe dehydration set in. From the drug itself, most users report a sometimes severe, long-lasting hangover that leaves them feeling depressed.

BRAIN CELLS TO SPARE?

But if the short-term effects don't seem horrendous, ecstasy could be a long-term nightmare. Scientists at Johns Hopkins University report that in studies on monkeys and humans the drug was found to cause brain damage, deforming a set of cells that may be important in mood regulation. Although several other studies show that ecstasy causes short-term memory loss and depression, some scientists say no clear evidence yet shows that the brain damage caused by the drug is permanent, or that it will lead to noticeable changes in brain function. More studies are needed, they say.

TRANCELIKE STATES

Despite ecstasy's reputation as a light drug, there's no doubt the little tablets, often stamped with well-known images ranging from the Nike swoosh to the Playboy bunny in an attempt to create brands, leave users heavily stoned. Menthol inhalers are sometimes used to enhance the drug's effects. "It's not unusual to walk into a club," says Miami Beach Police Chief Richard Barreto, "and see some individual zonked out in a trancelike state with one or two inhalers hanging out of his nose."

Authorities fear a real explosion in ecstasy use has already begun. Seizures of the tablet have increased 450 percent from 1958 to 1999. "We are projecting seizures of up to 7 to 8 million pills this year," says Raymond Kelly, the commissioner of the U.S. Customs. Many of those drugs will come from Israel and Russia, where organized crime has gone into the ecstasy exporting business.

The University of Michigan study doesn't cover the use of GHB, so there are no comparable statistics on its use, but several recent criminal cases show that its popularity is on the upswing, despite being one of the deadliest of the new drugs. GHB, or gamma hydroxybutyrate, was first developed for anesthesia during surgery, but in the last few years the tasteless, colorless liquid has become increasingly popular among teens for its capacity to produce feelings of euphoria, trippiness, and drunkenness. Since 1990, emergency rooms have reported 5,700 overdoses. The drug has also been called a "date-rape drug," after reports of 15 sexual assaults involving 30 victims drugged with GHB.

Users of GHB argue that the drug is natural because it occurs in the body. But a dose of the drug can be hundreds of times greater than the minute quantities found in the body. Also, with GHB, unlike with many other drugs, the difference between an overdose and a regular dose is extremely small. Because GHB is manufactured in kitchen shops, often with recipes downloaded from the Internet, it is usually impossible to know the quality and strength of each batch. The ingredients can include cleaning fluid and Red Devil lye, so production errors can create a fierce acid that burns the throat. After Samantha Reid's death, a new federal law signed this winter makes possession of GHB a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

MIX AND MATCH

Another trend involves the increased use of "cocktails" of prescription drugs, which are taken in widely varying combinations. According to interviews with experts and dozens of students around the country, highs from mixing prescription drugs are gaining more and more adherents, possibly because the drugs are cheaper and easier to get than street drugs.

The dangers of drug cocktails became apparent on the first day of spring break this year at Trinity College, a small private school on a hilltop in Hartford, Connecticut. By 7:30 that morning, police had picked up William B. Bachman, a Trinity senior, after he had run his car into a fire hydrant. They took him to a nearby emergency room to be treated for possible drug ingestion. Within hours, one of Bachman's roommates, Joshua B. Eaves, arrived at the emergency room with what looked like a drug-induced illness. At 12:24 p.m., a third roommate, Josh Doroff, an intelligent, well-liked, and athletic freshman, was carried unconscious into the emergency room by three friends. He was pronounced dead a few minutes later. Police found a fourth roommate, Clement Kaupp III, unconscious at the students' apartment. Kaupp spent three days critically close to death before recovering.

SHOCKED? DEFINITELY NOT

Doroff's death stunned the campus community. An autopsy showed he had taken a cocktail of the anti-anxiety medications Xanax and Valium, sleeping pills, and other drugs. But many students say they are far from shocked to hear of heavy abuse of prescription drugs on campus. If it gives a buzz, they say, some students are willing to try anything.

"Even if it feels bad," says Peter LaBier, an art major at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, "it's just something that feels different. There's just this urge with kids my age to derange your senses."

Last year's University of Michigan study found that one fifth of college students interviewed had taken Ritalin, a drug for children who are hyperactive or have problems concentrating. But it also produces a speedy high that students favor for studying. Many also admitted using Dexedrine, another upper.

BORED AND CONFUSED

The mix-and-match approach to drug use has attracted students who want to experiment with a different kind of high. "Once you get bored with drug X, you can try something new," says Mike Ferraro, a senior English major at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

But miscalculations occur. Youthful feelings of power and control are at odds with the power of the drugs. "Kids feel a certain invulnerability, and they take risks," says Linda Campanella, Trinity's senior vice president.

Case in point: the high school seniors who gave Samantha Reid GHB never imagined she would die from it. Now her mother spends her evenings working on anti-GHB campaigns. "I'm trying as hard as I can to make some purpose out of my daughter's death," she says. "She can't die without a purpose, or I'd go out of my mind."

THE STRAIGHT DOPE

YOUR FRIEND WANTS YOU TO GET HIGH. YOUR PARENTS HAVE TOLD YOU A MILLION TIMES DRUGS ARE FOR LOSERS. WHAT'S THE REAL STORY?

Here's a brief guide to what some of the most common recreational drugs actually do to you, and the risks involved. Be warned that your risk may vary depending on a number of factors, including your individual susceptibility, the dose, and whether you take a drug in combination with other drugs or alcohol. If you take drugs and drive, you greatly increase the risks to yourself, your passengers, and others on the road.

In addition, most of these drugs carry the risk of jail time. While penalties vary from state to state, even possession of a small amount of most of these drugs is illegal. Some of the drugs (Ritalin, Dexedrine, and Xanax, for instance) are legal for use with a doctor's prescription, while others (alcohol, cigarettes) are legal for recreational use by adults, but illegal to sell to minors. --Ian Bassin

DRUG                     EFFECTS

Alcohol                  Reduces inhibitions, increases
                         talkativeness. Causes slurring of speech,
                         sloppy behavior. Delays perception and
                         reaction time.

Amphetamines             Increases energy and ability to
(Dexedrine, crystal      concentrate.
meth, speed)

Depressants (Xanax,      Reduces anxiety, while making one
Valium, downers)         light-headed and relaxed.

Cocaine (blow)           Stimulates brain to produce pleasurable
                         sensations, increased energy, and
                         confidence.

GHB (Liquid X, Scoop,    Creates euphoria and sedation.
Grievous Bodily Harm)

Heroin (dope, smack,     Reduces ability to feel pain, while
H, brown sugar,          bringing on intense pleasure.
downtown)

Inhalants (glue,         Causes light-headedness, giddiness, and
nitrous oxide)           euphoric disorientation.

Ketamine (special K,     Partially numbs body and senses, while
cereal)                  acting as a mild hallucinogen.

LSD (acid)               Induces powerful hallucinations. Alters
                         perception of time, space, and identity as
                         well as the senses.

Marijuana (pot, grass,   Creates mild euphoria, relaxation, and
bud, chronic, reefer)    distorted perception.

MDMA (ecstasy, X)        Creates intense pleasure, mild
                         hallucinations, increased energy, and
                         stamina.

Nicotine (cigarettes,    Temporarily stimulates, followed by
cigars, snuff)           sedation and relaxation.

Psilocybin (shrooms,     Causes mild to strong hallucinations,
magic mushrooms)         including altered perception.

Ritalin                  Increases alertness, energy, and ability
                         to concentrate

DRUG                     RISKS

Alcohol                  Impairs judgment, perception, and body
                         control. Long-term use can cause brain and
                         liver damage and, potentially, addiction
                         (alcoholism).

Amphetamines             Can cause insomnia, loss of appetite,
(Dexedrine, crystal      agitation, headache, and extreme
meth, speed)             aggressiveness. Extended use can cause
                         delusions and psychosis.

Depressants (Xanax,      Psychosis, coma, or death from overdose;
Valium, downers)         extremely dangerous when mixed with
                         alcohol or other drugs.

Cocaine (blow)           Highly addictive; withdrawal symptoms
                         include insomnia and depression. Can cause
                         heart attacks and strokes. Overdoses may
                         be fatal.

GHB (Liquid X, Scoop,    May induce seizures, coma, or death.
Grievous Bodily Harm)    Extremely dangerous combined with alcohol
                         or other drugs.

Heroin (dope, smack,     Overdose can cause death. Highly
H, brown sugar,          addictive, may induce vomiting, respiratory
downtown)                failure, and coma. Injecting with
                         unsterile needles increases AIDS risk.

Inhalants (glue,         Can cause severe brain and nervous-system
nitrous oxide)           damage, as well as oxygen deprivation and
                         possibly death.

Ketamine (special K,     Can cause fatal respiratory problems,
cereal)                  agitation, depression, delirium, and loss
                         of body control.

LSD (acid)               Likely to create anxiety, paranoia, and
                         possibly psychosis.

Marijuana (pot, grass,   Impedes concentration and coordination.
bud, chronic, reefer)    Long-term use may cause lung disease or
                         cancer.

MDMA (ecstasy, X)        May cause nausea, fainting, and, after it
                         wears off, depression. Initial studies
                         show brain-cell damage.

Nicotine (cigarettes,    Highly addictive. Long-term use may cause
cigars, snuff)           cancer and other pulmonary diseases.

Psilocybin (shrooms,     May cause nausea, anxiety, or paranoia.
magic mushrooms)

Ritalin                  Causes insomnia, loss of appetite,
                         agitation, and headache. Extended use can
                         create psychological dependence.

With reporting by KEITH BRADSHER in Detroit, PAUL ZIELBAUER in Hartford, Connecticut, PETER T. KILBORN in Miami, and WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM in New York City.