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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1973)
Drug report finds heroin use ower in Eugene than expected The University’s Drug Information Center )|C has released a report indicating that while e use of marijuana, LSD and cocaine are idespread in the Eugene-Springfield area, the use heroin is very slight. The report's findings were made public by DIC [rector Mark Miller at a Monday press con rence. The report found that many buyers in the area ,f, receiving substances that are misrepresented . the seller The chemical analysis, which was irformed over the last nine months, was done by ePharmChem Laboratories in Palo Alto, Calif. Miller estimated that the number of regular iersof heroin in the area is between 50 and 100. He mmented that this figure is much lower than ■evious estimates issued by the Eugene Police epartment and White Bird Clinic. Cocaine usage is increasing, however. Miller noted that the center had received 31 samples of substances that were thought to be cocaine Of these, about three-fourths were sent in within the last three months Noting that cocaine costs from $50 to $75 per gram. Miller pointed out that the number of sam ples sent in indicates widespread availability. Miller believes that area users are switching to cocaine from amphetamines, to obtain a more pleasant high with fewer side effects. He added that about half of the samples that the center has received were not pure cocaine. The drug was frequently in a mixture with local anesthetics such a procain and xylocaine. Not just cocaine samples are lacking in purity. Many other drugs, when analyzed, turned out to be other than what the buyers thought they were. The report revealed that nearly half the sam ples sent in as psilocybin and mescaline turned out to be LSD. And seven out of nine samples purported to be synthetic THC (the active compound in marijuana ) were found to be POP. an animal tranquilizer with potentially harmful side-effects. Miller listed paranoia, glaucoma, high blood pressure and delusions as among the effects of the chemical. Marijuana is still the most widely used drug in the Eugene-Springfield area, according to Don McLoud, assistant director of the DIC. In addition, McLoud stated that Eugene has one of the highest per capita rates for marijuana usage in the state. Comparing the relative usage rates by drug, McLoud estimated that for every ten persons who smoke marijuana, there is one person who regularly uses LSD For every ten LSD users, he continued, there is one regular user of cocaine, and that for every ten cocaine users, there exists one user of heroin. The report, which may be obtained from the DIC office in the EMU, was cited by Miller as the first such study in the state, and only the second in the nation. He said that the only way to compile a valid picture of local drug usage patterns is through studies like the drug analysis project. special committee begins work mi bill to lower age of majority By NAN HENDERSON Of the Emerald SALEM (Special) — The legislative Special lint Committee on Alcohol and Drugs — created as session to deal with those controversial topics began work Monday on a bill (HB 3167) which wers the age of majority to 18. At the end of the two-hour work session which flowed a previous lengthy hearing on the subject, was apparent that the committee will spend tveral more hours discussing and possibly Mending the bill. The committee took no action on the bill londay. Questions were raised during the meeting about section which states all persons shall be con feed to have reached the age of majority upon lamage and sections which provide no person not roinor can be admitted or retained in refor latories such as MacLaren and Hillcrest. The committee agreed to solicit additional testimony on those sections of the bill before taking any action on the measure. No indication was given as to whether the committee will attempt to substitute the age 19 in the section of the bill lowering the drinking age to 18. The drinking age question is sure to cause the most conflict in the committee and on the House and Senate floors. The bill, however, also lowers the age for numerous other “adult" rights, including entering into contracts, forming corporations, voting in school district elections and no longer falling under parental authority. Committee eo-chairer, Rep. Stephen Kafoury (D-Portland) continued Monday to urge the com mittee to lower the age for all adult rights to 18 or to reject lowering the age for any right. “I have a philosophical commitment to either making a statement that a person is mature at 18 or saying a person is mature at 21,” Kafoury said. 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