Drugs And Alcohol

At first glance, Samantha Tish, 15, who lives in a small town near the Wisconsin border, would seem insulated from drug and alcohol use. She has good grades and a tight group of girlfriends, whose weekend activities run to shopping and watching movies rather than partying. But that doesn't mean that temptation isn't lurking everywhere. "Most parents are clueless," she said. "They have no idea what goes on at parties ... or how drugs and alcohol are everywhere. Their kids are going to do what they want to do."

Even at the depths of a drug addiction that cost him a fortune and dulled his world-class poker skills, Greg Merson believed he could do something great. "He always had a lot of faith in himself," said his father, Stan. "I never saw him lose that. " Wednesday morning in Las Vegas, the North Laurel native showed the world that his faith was well-placed, winning the $8.5 million first prize in the World Series of Poker Main Event. "He's been through a lot, and a lot of people have told him he wouldn't make it at poker," said Stan Merson, still running on emotion as he watched a television replay in his hotel suite a few hours later.

An article in yesterday's editions of The Sun inadvertently suggested that Mass Transit Administration subway drivers had failed random drug tests. The MTA says none of its 88 subway drivers has ever tested positive for drug use.The Sun regrets the error.Twenty-six state Mass Transit Administration drivers and mechanics who failed random drug tests will get their jobs back if they remain drug-free for a year and complete rehabilitation programs, an arbitrator has ruled.While arbitrator Richard Bloch upheld MTA's right to continue the 20-month program of random drug testing, he agreed with the Transit Union's position that automatic firing of first-time violators was too severe.

100 Years Ago Lime Green An advertisement in the Times: "Stone lime, oyster shell lime, hydrated lime, ground lime, ground lime stone, rail or water shipments: Robert S. Green, 853 Frederick Ave. Baltimore, Md. " Another ad: "THE NEAL SANATORIUM treats alcoholic cases and drug habitués with better results and in less time than any other institution in existence. For proof and information call The Neal Institute Oakland Ave and York Road 206 Courtland St. Telephone, Tuxedo or St. Paul 2564, Baltimore, MD. " 75 Years Ago Thrown throne In the Times national news section: "Americans in England: Renewed excitement has been aroused in the British isles by the discovery that yet another member of the royal family - this time it's the young duke of Kent - not only shows a regrettable tendency to enjoy himself as any normal natural, healthy youngster might, but, what is even more distressing, has lately been seen in the company of an American woman.

In support of an Anne Arundel County effort to fight drug and alcohol abuse by children, the Westinghouse Foundation contributed $425,000to Project DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education).Initiated in county schools last September, Project DARE uses specially-trained uniformed county police officers to teach fifth-grade students to "say no" to drugs. The program provides students with accurate information about drugs and alcohol and suggests specific ways to resist peer pressure. Alternatives to drug use also are offered.

Why must the media find it news to report on Charlie Sheen ( "Charlie Sheen leaves rehab, reportedly receiving treatment at home," Feb. 1). I really don't think the general public is interested in his escapades of women, drugs and alcohol. He is a most despicable human being and certainly does not deserve the news coverage on a daily basis. He is a sick individual, and I really don't care if he is the highest paid actor on TV. Let it go. He is not worth any more coverage. Vicki Chambers, Lutherville

LISTEN CLOSELY and it won't take long before the familiar cry of some Howard County teen-agers begins to rise: "There's nothing to do." But some juveniles, unfortunately, have found two illegal things to do: drugs and alcohol.A two-part series last week in The Sun's Howard County section by Dana Hedgpeth and Caitlin Francke revealed that teen-agers who belong to affluent families are just as likely to drink and take illegal drugs as their counterparts across Maryland. Put aside thoughts that a wealthy home is insurance against the twin troubles often associated with poor, urban life.

WASHINGTON - White House officials unveiled a program yesterday that aims to help religious groups keep teenagers off drugs, underscoring administration efforts to forge partnerships between faith-based organizations and the federal government. The project - consisting of an 86-page booklet and pamphlets to aid religious youth leaders in talking to teens about drug use - was a joint effort between spiritual leaders, the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.

Century High event targets drugs, gangs Century High School will hold a parent program on drugs, alcohol and gangs at 7 p.m. Tuesday at 355 Ronsdale Road, Eldersburg. Trooper First Class Paul Schur of the Maryland State Police, the student resource officer at Century, will discuss drugs and alcohol and identify different types of paraphernalia. He will also advise parents of changes they should look for in their child if they suspect drug/alcohol use. Trooper First Class Gregory Kies of the Maryland State Police Homeland Security/Gang Violence Unit will provide information on gangs in the area.

A correctional officer was charged yesterday, after a monthlong investigation of his activities, with bringing drugs and alcohol into the Baltimore City Detention Center.Officer Jimmie Thompson, 34, was stopped by a drug-sniffing golden retriever as he attempted to enter the East Baltimore jail about 3 p.m. yesterday for his regular evening shift. Jail authorities said a search of him and his satchel revealed several large gelatin capsules filled with heroin, packets containing about 2 ounces of marijuana and an iced-tea bottle filled with rum, jail authorities said.

Why must the media find it news to report on Charlie Sheen ( "Charlie Sheen leaves rehab, reportedly receiving treatment at home," Feb. 1). I really don't think the general public is interested in his escapades of women, drugs and alcohol. He is a most despicable human being and certainly does not deserve the news coverage on a daily basis. He is a sick individual, and I really don't care if he is the highest paid actor on TV. Let it go. He is not worth any more coverage. Vicki Chambers, Lutherville

Purnell Parker remembers when his drug addiction was so bad that he ate nothing but peanut brittle for an entire summer because he was broke. But for more than a year, Parker has not used drugs. The 38-year-old Baltimore man wears a medallion that serves as a symbol of his recovery and to remind him of his new life - along with a seemingly perpetual smile. And after getting the upper hand on his dependency, he says, he is resolved to help others facing the same struggle. "When I was using, if you couldn't tell me where the next best corner was, I didn't have [anything]

. The availability and popularity of drugs and alcohol are a reality for many teenagers, including 18-year-old Lauren Barr. "I think there's a ton of pressure," said the Mount Hebron graduate. "Unfortunately, a lot of the adults do not understand or know how to deal with it." HC DrugFree, a nonprofit based in Howard County, aims to change that by educating parents about teenage smoking, drinking and drug use. "HC DrugFree's mission is to empower the Howard County community to raise drug-free teens," said executive director Laura Smit.

Seventeen months ago, Jennifer R. Hart was sitting in a jail cell, a heroin addict whose downward spiral began in earnest when she worked late nights in a Baltimore restaurant surrounded by drugs and alcohol. Her drug use began with alcohol and marijuana, she said. Before it was over, she had developed a dependency on the potent painkiller OxyContin, which lured her to heroin. "The physical addiction to heroin is the worst pain I've ever felt," she said. "I didn't really know what it was when I first tried it, and it was cheaper than OxyContin."

Century High event targets drugs, gangs Century High School will hold a parent program on drugs, alcohol and gangs at 7 p.m. Tuesday at 355 Ronsdale Road, Eldersburg. Trooper First Class Paul Schur of the Maryland State Police, the student resource officer at Century, will discuss drugs and alcohol and identify different types of paraphernalia. He will also advise parents of changes they should look for in their child if they suspect drug/alcohol use. Trooper First Class Gregory Kies of the Maryland State Police Homeland Security/Gang Violence Unit will provide information on gangs in the area.

A prominent Eastern Shore attorney who admitted to hiding illegal drugs for his clients escaped prison time in federal court yesterday when the judge ruled that the lawyer's evidence tampering was a product of an "irrational panic" brought on by the lawyer's addiction to drugs and alcohol. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Christopher Llinas, who has served as an assistant state's attorney, an assistant public defender and a director of the Ocean Pines Association, to spend a year under home confinement and two years under probation.

Schools can't police students off campus Milton Kent's condemnation of the American Civil Liberties Union for its defense of Dulaney athletes who were suspended from their teams after attending a party where drugs and alcohol were present indicates a lack of understanding on his part commensurate with that of the school itself regarding the rights of students and the scope of authority of public schools ["ACLU, Dulaney 14 find themselves in same league...

DOES ANYTHING threaten our children more profoundly than illegal drug use? Undoubtedly. But our system demands that we find ways to deal with problems in ways that don't threaten constitutional guarantees: due process, protection from illegal searches and seizures, for example. These issues came into play last January when Easton High School officials decided to herd 18 Eastern Shore students into the school's auditorium and demand urine samples. What happened seemed right out of "Dr. Strangelove," the movie, or some caricature of amateur police-state tactics.

At first glance, Samantha Tish, 15, who lives in a small town near the Wisconsin border, would seem insulated from drug and alcohol use. She has good grades and a tight group of girlfriends, whose weekend activities run to shopping and watching movies rather than partying. But that doesn't mean that temptation isn't lurking everywhere. "Most parents are clueless," she said. "They have no idea what goes on at parties ... or how drugs and alcohol are everywhere. Their kids are going to do what they want to do."