UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, March 11, 1996
3A
Authorities warn students of 'date-rape drug' dangers
By Teresa Veazey Kansan staff writer
A pill weighing two milligrams could cause problems for KU students going south for spring break.
Rohypnol, a sedative that can produce blackouts for several hours and complete memory loss, has been smuggled into the United States from other countries, according to a report from the Drug Enforcement Administration.
"The highest incidents in the country are in southern Texas," said Charles Yockey, Watkins Memorial Health Center physician. "Guess where everyone's going in a couple of weeks?"
Yockey said that Padre Island, a popular spring break destination in southern Texas, was one place where students could encounter the pill, which is brought to the United States from Mexico.
Rohypriol causes blackouts that begin within 30 minutes after the drug is administered and may persist for up to eight hours or more, said
Bob Williams, officer with the Tri-County Drug Unit in Lawrence. The drug, which is 10 times more potent than Valium, is classified as a depressant.
Yockey said a flier released to local emergency rooms, police departments and physicians said Rohypol had been dubbed the "date-rape drug" because women had reported being raped during a blackout but couldn't remember details.
Williams said the drug comes in pill form — a white tablet with a single or a cross groove on one side and the word "Roche," which is one of the drug's street names.
"It looks like a regular, old drug you can buy at the store." William said.
When spring break arrives, Yockey said Watkins staff usually focused attention on alcohol and sexually-transmitted diseases. The use of Rohynnl never has come up.
"This is my 10th spring break, and we've never had anything like this come across," Yockey said. "We don't know if we've seen it here at Watkins."
Rohypnol can be difficult to detect because its
effects, including drowsiness, dizziness and confusion, are similar to being drunk. Williams said that with the exception of a urinalysis test, he wouldn't be able to tell if someone had taken the drug.
The Tri-County Drug Unit has not seen Rohypnol on campus or in Lawrence, Williams said.
Importing Rohypnol was banned by the U.S. government, but the drug has been used legally for insomnia in about 60 other countries. According to a release from the DEA, the drug is manufactured primarily in Europe and Latin America by Hoffman-La Roche Inc., a pharmaceutical company.
Rohypnol is classified as a Schedule III drug, meaning that it has a potential for abuse and moderate to low dependence. Williams said the DEA was trying to classify it as a Schedule I drug, the same class in which cocaine falls, with no accepted medical use.
The Associated Press contributed information to this story.
Students protest at auto show
By R. Adam Ward
Kansan staff writer
Area students picket, chant and pass out fliers to people attending the Greater Kansas City Car Show. About 20 students protested yesterday outside Bartle Hall in Kansas City, Mo.
The Greater Kansas City Auto Show attracted more than just car enthusiasts yesterday.
About 20 students from the University of Kansas and area high schools went to the show to protest the Mitaubishi Motor Corp.
The students chanted "Mitsubishi corporation, we don't need your deforestation" on the steps of the park across from Bartle Hall, 301 W. 13th St. Kansas City, Mo.
The protesters also hold signs urging visitors to boycott the company.
Bridget Chapin, Lawrence graduate student and member of KU Environs, which organized the protest, said she attended to educate people about the damage Mitsubishi alleyed inflicts on rain forests.
Mitsubishi is the world's largest destroyer of rain forests, Chapin said.
In addition to damaging the rain forest, deforestation drives out native people, she said.
"At one point they were logging 24 hours a day with flood lights in Malaysia," she said. "The only reason they do that is so they can cut down the trees fast enough that no one finds out about it."
nature.
Chapin said Mitsubishi's business practices went against the ideology of the company, which was supposed to be based on a respect for
In addition to the protest at the car show, KU Environs is planning to submit a petition to Student Senate and the Board of Regents to request a boycott of Mitsubishi by the University. Chapin said the petition had 400
signatures, and KU Environs would submit it when it had 800 signatures.
Jessica Peterson, Salina sophomore, said she came to protest because she felt strongly about preserving the environment and wanted to educate people about it.
"People need to know what's being done is wrong," she said. "When we hand out fliers, maybe they'll think, 'Oh, I won't buy a Mitsubishi because they do these things."
Officials at the show would not comment about the demonstration.
Law student gives advice to convicts
Working with inmates proves to be beneficial
By David Teska
Kansan staff writer
One year ago, Learned, Lawrence second-year law student, was invited to attend an intertribal gathering of Native-American inmates at the United States Federal Penitentiary at Leavenworth. She talked to the inmates, mostly taking down their legal questions. Although she wasn't a lawyer, Learned said she began doing legal research for them.
"The Supreme Court says we're not an ethnic group—we're a political group," she said.
Eventually, she became the outside sponsor of the inmates tribal organization, the Inter-Tribal Culture Club. Learned also brought legal textbooks, course outlines and arranged for guest speakers to present talks on cultural issues such as beadwork.
"Some of the little nuances of the law are a little overwhelming," she said.
Learned, an Arapaho, said that Native-American inmates often preferred Native-American attorneys because of a historical mistrust of the federal government.
Every two weeks, Lori Learned goes to prison. She goes to help Native-American inmates.
Learned said that most people don't realize that while Americans fall under the legal jurisdiction of either the state or the federal government, Native Americans also live under the legal system of their tribe.
To help with the research,
Learned recruited the assistance
of John Rainwater, Norman,
Okla, second-year law student.
Rainwater, who is part Cherokee, shares with Learned a passion for the legal issues faced by Native Americans. He said the inmates appreciated having people come to talk with them.
"I think visiting has been the most important thing we've done," he said. "It certainly has been the most striking thing for me."
Having visited the prison regularly since May 1905, Rainwater said that he has benefited from contact with the inmates, a group of people who he said had been demonized by the legal system and law enforcement.
"the humanity of those people has hit me so clearly," he said.
Learned said she had returned to Lawrence to attend law school at the University of Kansas because she wanted to provide legal assistance to the members of her tribe.
"It's exactly what I want to do—work with Indians," she said.
When at the prison, she said she made herself available to answer any legal questions they had. At first, some thought she was there because of Leonard Peltier.
"I told them that I wasn't up here for one particular person, but for all of them." she said.
U.S. Federal Penitentiary
1895: First prison built on site of present U.S. Disciplinary Barracks
1896: Inmates begin construction of present prison
1905: First inmates are
1903. First inmates are assigned to the new prison
1922: Completion of prison
1922: Completion of prison Number of inmates: 1,991
Number of inmates: 1,991
Number of Native-American inmates: 48
Source: U.S. Federal Penitentiary, Leavenworth
War scenarios prepare army ROTC cadets for real world
By David Teska
Kansan staff writer
Last Saturday, a small section of the Clinton Lake shoreline temporarily became the coast of Croatia.
Using a scenario based on the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Army ROTC cadets from the University of Kansas, Emporia State University and Washburn University conducted their spring field exercise. With the Cold War assigned to history, the cadets trained in a fictional arena more relevant to the world today.
"The scene is we've been sent to secure the coast and prepare for an amphibious landing," said Rich Wellman, Wichita senior and a co-writer of the scenario, Operation Protective Custody.
The 72 students formed two groups, called platoons. After getting briefed on the scenario, each platoon went to separate locations, one to prepare for the defense and the other, the offense.
After lunch, the platoons switched roles.
Each platoon had juniors in the leadership roles of platoon leader, platoon sergeant and the four squad leaders. The juniors were tested in 16 leadership dimensions, such as oral and written communication, judgment, influence and followership.
Loading a magazine with blank rounds, John Pratt, Kansas City, Kah., senior, said that the training prepared him for advance camp this summer, a six-week training camp required for all who want an Army commission. Although a senior, Pratt said he will attend camp this summer.
At their assembly area, the attacking platoon prepared with the guidance of the seniors. Because the seniors have already gone to camp, they provided guidance and advice to the students, something all the students needed as they learned how a platoon operated.
"We're basically to learn platoon offense and platoon defense," he said.
While the platoon's leaders planned the attack, each cadet dug in and used what they could find to fortify and hide their position.
Carol Wertz, Wichita sophomore, hunkered down behind a stack of logs and observed the terrain in front of her. Although she planned on a career in the Army, Wertz said the field work was still new to her.
"All I'm doing right now is learning everything and deciding what I want to do," she said.
The platoon's leaders also learned how complex and difficult it was to manage both people and the terrain, Wellman said.
“There’s a lot of planning and preparation,” he said. “People don’t realize what goes into this.”
Jason Auld, McPherson senior, said that this stage of ROTC was crucial for the juniors. They have to go from just following the direction of the seniors and begin to making decisions on their
Carol Wertz, Wichita sophomore, participates in an ROTC mock battle scenario.