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SUN
KS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PD BGX 3585
TOPERA, KS 66601-3585
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
Kansan
mostly sunny skies.
Wednesday
April 1,1998
Section:
A
Listen to everyone's favorite college rock station online — KJHK 90.7
Online today
Vol. 108·No.128
Sports today
http://www.cc.ukans.edu/~kjhknet/
index.html
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Major Leauge Baseball kicked off the 1998 season yesterday with 11 games. Both Kansas City and St. Louis posted wins on opening day.
SEE PAGE 1B
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Student seeks steroids in Mexico
How steroids work
Anabolic steroids enter the cell and seek out androgen receptors in the cytoplasm, or body of the cell. Androgen receptors are genetic elements that float in the cytoplasm.
The steroid chemicals bind with the receptors creating a steroid-receptor complex. This complex naturally gravitates toward the cell nucleus.
The DNA in the receptor binds with the DNA in the nucleus, making alterations in the cell's genetic code.
The newly modified DNA binds with messenger RNA and is replicated, or copied. The new RNA travels through the cell synthesizing proteins. These proteins lead to the increased muscle tissue associated with steroid use.
Andrew Rohrback / KANSAN
By Carl Kaminski
ckaminski@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
By Carl Kaminski
MATAMOROS, MEXICO "—'Hey you! Dude! C'mere. Wanna buy some coke? I got a gram of good *****," the man yelled to me as I walked through the market.
He looked as if he had just sampled his product. His eyes were wild, and he wore a permanent grin that showed his crooked, black and yellow teeth.
Everywhere I turned someone wanted to sell me something. Everywhere I stepped was another old woman hugging another baby and holding out another styrofoam cup.
Everywhere I walked someone else wanted to sell me cigarettes.
"Three for five dollars?" a guy asked as he shoved three packs of Marlboros in my face. He looked and smelled as if he had not showered in weeks. "No? Okay, five for three dollars?"
Spring breakers staying on South Padre Island look to nearby Mexico as a land of easy opportunity. Legal drinking at 18 and an abundance of other illegal substances draw students across the border in search of these forbidden fruits.
We were looking for steroids
For years, steroid users have been attracted to Mexico. They find it easy to fuel their illegal habit by traveling to Mexico to buy drugs that, with a prescription, are legal there.
Taking the steroids across the U.S. border is the illegal part.
I wanted to see for myself just how simple it was to buy steroids in Mexico. I crossed the border at Brownsville, Texas, (about 20 minutes from South Padre Island) with James, a personal trainer from the Midwest who discovered last year that he could profit from selling steroids in his gym.
Athletes and bodybuilders compose a large portion of his customer base, but he also sells to students, car dealers, and just about anyone who works out in his gym and wants to improve their results.
"People will tell me, I've tried creatine, protein supplements and weight gainer but I'm not getting results," he said. "That's when I ask them if they have ever considered trying something else."
Most of his clients do not try the drugs, he said. A few, however, find steroids the key to a perfect physique.
James had never been to Mexico. He had always scored his steroids from a friend who made frequent trips across the border. He was just as amazed as I by how easy it was.
"The stuff sells itself," James said. "It's huge."
Block after block, one pharmacy after another advertises everything from over-the-counter prozac to potent diet pills to Rohynphynol, the date rape drug.
Shopping for steroids
First, I asked for 10 shots of DECCA, a potent blend of synthetic testosterone that James said was one of his most requested products. The pharmacist had no idea what I was talking about.
James and I randomly chose a pharmacy, smaller than most of the dozen or so we had seen, and more out of the way.
Then I simply asked, "Any anabolic steroids?"
His face lit up. I had said the magic word
He came back with a box containing a shot of Sustanion 250 and another with an oral dose of Sten, a new steroid that has been gaining popularity.
Both would have cost me $9 a shot.
James said he typically sold athletes about 50 at a time for $25 each shot.
On my god, now that's good stuff." James said. "I can't believe he just brought it out like that."
James was practically drooling. Bodybuilders usually asked for Sustanion, but he had never been able to get enough.
"Do I need a prescription?" I asked
Do I need a prescription? No, that not important. How much you want?" the pharmacist answered in broken English.
I told the pharmacist we would try to come back later. We had driven my Jeep, and I was not about to be caught crossing the border with a controlled substance.
"I wish I had my car and some more money." James said ruefully.
Patty Mancha, U.S. Border Patrol officer, said crossing the border with a controlled substance is a federal offense and almost certainly means jail time.
In the past year, she has seen people get more than a year in federal prison for trying to smuggle snakes for a pet store, fighting roosters, and even avacados and
goat cheese.
"They think that, if you are in Mexico, you can do anything," she said.
The penalties are severe because smuggling violates agricultural, tax and commerce laws. If you have a Drug Enforcement Agency controlled substance, that just adds to your problems.
I had asked the pharmacist about how to take the drugs across the border. Once I left his store, he said, I was on my own.
"You must be careful," he told me. "Illegal on other side."
James and I decided to try another pharmacy to make sure our steroid fortunes were not a fluke.
His price was cheaper. Only $8 a shot. He could sell me 300 shots. I told him we needed to come back with more money and we left.
"I can't believe it," James said shaking his head. "I've gotta come back. Matt comes down here once every other month, so it can't be that tough to get the stuff across."
Steroid smugglers typically do not take across large amounts of the drugs. This makes it much tougher to catch them, said Robert Mansaw, a public information officer with the DEA in Brownsville.
He said that, since the passage of NAFTA and the increase in commercial traffic, it has been much harder to catch all of the illegal substances brought in from Mexico.
Small-time offenders slip through the cracks, he said. Law enforcement agencies are having a hard enough time trying to focus on large-scale commercial traffickers hired by drug lords.
See PATROL on page 6A
Mexican Connection Matamamos, a popular border town, is only a 20-minute drive from South Padre Island.
Jason Benavides/KANSAN
Students plan protest in front of Wescoe to provide support for affirmative action
By Sara Anderson
By Sara Anderson sanderson@kansan.com
sanderson@kansan.com
Kanson staff writer
Wescoe Beach may be a bit crowded this afternoon.
A student group plans to walk out at 1 p.m. in front of Wescoe Hall to support National Day of Action to Defend Affirmative Action. The purpose of the event is to protest the anti-affirmative action legislation in the Kansas Legislature.
“Our agenda is to gain support and send a message to the students and faculty that the support of affirmative action is an essential part of fighting sexism and racism,” said Rochelle Votaw, Lawrence senior and rally coordinator. “We're taking action to oppose Action Wallow of Wichita, who originally drafted the bill against affirmative action.”
The event will include speakers from more than 15 campus organizations, a march
DAY OF ACTION
What: Katy supporting affirmative action
When: 1 p.m. today
Where: Begins in front of Wescoe Hall
Who: Groups who already have confirmed participation include Black Student Union, Hispanic American Leadership Organization,
Native American Student Association, Queers and Allies, Delta Force, KU Democrats, Latin American Solidarity, Campus Cause and National Pan-Hellenic Council, Rochelle Votaw, rally coordinator,
said that groups still were confirming involvement.
to the Kansas Union and a teach in on the fourth floor of the Union. Votaw said she hoped that 300 to 400 people would attend.
At the teach-in, faculty members will talk to participants about the necessity and the impact of affirmative action, she said.
Votaw said that the goal was starting a national civil rights movement — not targeting the University administration.
The event has not been approved by the University Events Committee because the committee will not meet until after the event, said Danny Kaiser, committee chairman. He said he was concerned about the participants' safety and the possible interference for nonparticipants.
Sgt. Chris Keary of the KU Public Safety Office said the department would take steps to ensure a peaceful demonstration.
student Senate unanimously accepted a resolution to support affirmative action on March 18. Anthony Hersey, National Pan-Hellenic Senator and BSU member, said the resolution was part of the goal.
"We have to take little steps to focus on the goal of acknowledging diversity, dealing with it and preparing for the future," he said.
The rally is part of a nationwide event that includes universities in Arizona, California, Michigan and Virginia. Votaw said that 60 schools were involved.
Spring break program was no vacation
By Marcelo Vilea
mvilea@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Forty-eight University students attended the program, which was sponsored by the Center for Community Outreach. The students traveled in groups to six cities, including El Paso, Philadelphia and Detroit to volunteer in community service.
Alternative Spring Break turned out to be an unpleasant experience for some University of Kansas students and an eye opener for others.
"The trip was unorganized and pure chaos," Downing said. "The group leaders didn't buy a map. It took 500 more miles to get there than it did to get back. I expect problems to happen, but not having a map is ignorance."
many serve Jennifer Downing, Salina junior, spent her time with Alternative Spring Break in Detroit.
Downing said that working with the children was rewarding, but that the trip had too many problems for her to enjoy it. Her car was hit in the parking lot where the group was staying.
"We entered the program thinking that transportation was going to be provided," said Kathy Bittinner. Salina sophomore.
portation for the group, but the plans fell through because no one in the group was old enough to rent a vehicle.
Downing's car was hit on the driver's side by the rear tire, she said. The front panel was torn off, and the damage was worth about $3,000. she said.
Downing said that the Center for Community Outreach made arrangements to provide trans-
Downing filed a police report about the hit-and-run with the Detroit Police Department, which is investigating the incident.
"We were very irritated the whole time. The whole trip was awful," Downing said. "We missed one of the schools we're supposed to visit because we got lost."
Center for Community Outreach co-director and Detroit site leader, said the accident should not detract from the work they set out to do in Detroit, which targeted violence and conflict resolution.
Heath said she regretted that the mission of the program was overshadowed by personal differences among those who participated in Alternative Spring Break.
"It was one of the best experiences in my life," Skala said. "It completely changed how I think about the education system in American inner cities."
Emily Heath, Oskaloosa senior,
Nicole Skalla, Salina sophomore and Detroit site leader, said that no one was hurt and that despite the car accident, the trip was worthwhile.
Jeff LaCroix, Olathe junior and co-coordinator of the program, was the site leader of the Philadelphia group. Although his group's van broke down, they still had a good spring break, he said.
"It was something totally out of our control. I took it humorously," LaCroix said. "The trip itself was
There was only one complaint out of the 48 people who participated in the program, said Jamie Najim, Wichita senior and co-director of the Center for Community Outreach.
awesome. It was an eye opener about illiteracy among children.
"A lot of these problems stem from personal problems that happen when seven strangers go together on a trip.
"What matters is to get productive community service work done," Naljm said.
Megan Hope, Garden City graduate student, went to El Paso to work on a community beauty beautification. She said her personal experience helped her learn about herself.
"I think I benefited from the points of view of the other members of the group," Hope said. "We did neighborhood cleanups, we helped dig flower beds, we painted over graffiti."
"I'm not sure if I made an impact in the community, but I learned a lot." Hope said.
By David Harris
Special to the Kansan
"You can't starve one to benefit the other." McCall said. "If you try it, they'll all die."
Building community will build good business, the chief executive officer of Nations Bank Corporation told a crowd of more than 500 people last night at the Lied Center.
Hugh L. McColl Jr. shared his theories about how and why corporate America should invest in the communities in which it does business.
McColl said that everyone belonged to three groups that created our community: work, family and neighbors. He said these groups were connected in every way.
In dealing with employees and their families, McColl said that aside from competitive wages, employees were attracted to work and family programs.
He said that in order for a business to flourish, it must wholly embrace the idea of community building. Examples of this include developing business relationships with minority- and women-owned firms, embracing community investment initiatives and creating a work environment where employees could succeed.
He emphasized his belief in building a strong downtown. In addition to his company's involvement in its home base of Charlotte, N.C., NationsBank is involved in efforts to revitalize Topeka and downtown Kansas City, Mo.
The speech drew mixed reviews from a diverse audience that included faculty, administrators, students, Kansas business leaders and politicians.
Rob Herrington, Lawrence entrepreneur, said he liked the ideal that McColl presented, but questioned the implementation strategies that NationsBank had used
Herrington said that after NationsBank took control of local banks, the company's strategy was to strip middle management and replace existing policies.
Gary Rixson, KU alumnus and AT&T account executive in Kansas City, Mc., said McColl presented important issues.
"He was real," Rixson said. "He gave a refreshing view of business in this day and age."
The School of Business sponsored the speech as part of the Vickers Lecture Series.