Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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qck igative ty scene icts sick smack (heroin) in a spoon. That guy was so intent on what he was doing, he really didn't care what we were doing. "Some other people in the room asked him where the stuff was from. He said, 'Greenville.' Someone said that Greenville was supposed to have the best stuff in the state. "Looking around the room I saw about ten other people. I don't think that any of them realized that we were there; they were all high. "The first guy that we met (the obvious junkie) told the guy that was shooting up (putting a hypodermic needle with heroin into a vein) that he wanted some of the stuff. "The obvious junkie got the needle and tried to find a vein. He had used them all. "All the veins were dead. Then he started to stab his hand, because he wanted to put the stuff into him. He started to bleed, and I got sick and had to turn my head. "Then he stabbed his other hand. He still couldn't find a vein. It started to bleed. "He then took off his pants, hoping to find an unused vein in his legs or ankles. He couldn't find one. So he started yelling for someone to stab him in the jugular vein. "Nobody would--not because they were afraid to, but because they weren't straight enough. "Finally he got someone to shoot him up in the foot, but he couldn't get off (get high) because he was on methadone, (a drug used to help an addict to stop using heroin) under the supervision of some doctor. "When I left, he was still bleeding," Mike said. es round Ipproach people I stud4 ow. Gradually, ,, the I worked out a Th is ne e uy the pills at 45 the in bottles of 500 ends nown drug firms," rathi anoti r, the route usually wani same night he phan s')'pply. He picks own eand calls his first Th look! A to talk to you," he wasr dramatically. ("I somi f rumors about the He gbugged. So I don't only ig slip during a wom n.") all b minutes later a "I Aid av for stu Almost no one denies the drug problem at USC is serious, but there is little agreement on what can and should be done about it. Perhaps the most obvious step that the University has taken was the institution.of a one credit drug education course, Pharmacy 499. "It's a course to acquaint students with drugs, how they act on the body and a discussion of research on drug abuse," ac cording to Dr. Larry Milne, course teacher. If a student doesn't want to ask a question in class, send it to Milne through campus mail and he will answer it in class later. Milne said there is a difference between drug misuse and drug abuse. "During World War II, the army used amphetamines to help keep their soldiers going. I consider that drug misuse. Abuse is to get ar tificially high. "Enforcement is part of dealing with the problem," Milne said. "But it is not the only answer though. It involves education that starts in kindergarten." Milne helped train the volunteers who work at Maudy's Bosom, the crisis and information center at 709 Santee Ave., Five Points. The Bosom, formerly a "head shop," is a ramshackle old house with brightly painted win dows, comportably furnished "rap rooms" and two offices with telephones that ring almost con stantly from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. each evening. The philosophy of the Bosom is that "we are here in time of need," according to Assistant Coordinator Bob Hill. "We deal with people in trouble." Plenty of people in trouble come to the Bosom. "For the past week, people have come in to crash almost nightly," Hill said. "We usually have at least two a week." There are four telephones in operation 24 hours a day at the Bosom. Two are "Bosom phones," and two are hotlines. "We don't differentiate between them," Hill said. The staff is "compiling a referral list to other agencies that can help with problems like VD, pregnancy tests and abortion referral." A log of all calls is kept "for statistical purposes only. We don't take names," he said. "As the words gets out that we are here, more people call and Is with< int from a dormitory in ame vicinity arrives. ough the price of the pills ver set at the beginning of conversation, it usually up at what Jerry wants ir than the buyer. le knows I can go to 1er buyer if he doesn't it," Jerry said trium fly, after he sold ten at his price. en, he goes downstairs for another buyer. He t there. "I'll save him goes to some more dorms one of which was a an's, and ends up selling at 450. know this isn't exam time. 0 ailable dents more come in," he said. "We're becoming more respected." Some drug centers across the country have not been too suc cessful because of interference from the police who come in looking for drug offenders who were being treated. This hasn't been a problem at the Bosom. "We talked to the officers of the law enforcement agencies and got their verbal promise of no hassles," Hill said. "And so far we've had pretty good results. Our problem is getting people to believe this." The Bosom has been operating as a treatment center since Oct. 15, 1971. The idea came from the drug response board at the Columbia Urban Service Center, and is one section of a two part program, according to Mike McAnaney, community trainer. The other part is drug in formation and education for the community. They are both financed by a $120,000 federal grant from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. "We have trained people to go out in the community and give talks to schools, churches and give drug education programs." About 50 talks have been given since the program began," McAnaney said. Seminars for professional people also are planned. "Satellite centers" with the same purpose as th4e Bosom are being planned, Hill said. There is another, The Bethlehem Center, at 2500 Elmwood Ave., in a predominately black neigh borhood. "With centers planned to open in more black areas we need more blacks to volunteer and to be trained," Hill said. A student who is a former nar cotics agent agreed that to combat the growing drug problem "much greater awareness is needed by the general public. "There is community support for the drug rehabilitation center at The Bosom and the Bethlehem Center, but not nearly enough," he said. "The young people need to participate more in control of drugs, especially in control of hard drugs like heroin and LSD. The drug problem on this campus is much greater than anyone realizes." ~ )Ut 1eas Matter of fact, I don't knc anybody who has a test early in the semester," he "I guess there are c things they can use themi he snickered. Jerry said he doesn't amps often himself--he h, 3.2 g.p.r. and passes courses without much st Bob, Jerry's roomm doesn't sell drugs, but them--"for exams only,' added. "He doesn't really need money," Bob said about Je "But he sure does like to si it when he has it." Bob has roomed with J since his freshmen y Drug abuse laws provide strict penalties for the illegal possession or sale of any drug designated by the State Board of Health with the approval of the General Assembly, as having potential for abuse because of its depressant, stimulant, hallucinogenic or addictive effect. The following lists South Carolina penalties for the illegal sale and use of any non-narcotic opiates or opium dirivatives, stimulants and hallucenogenic substances, not LSD, including mescaline, opium, methadone, cocoa leaves, amphetamines, marijuana, mescaline, psilocybin, etc. First offense-Misdemeanor: imprisonment up to fi~ve years and-or fines up to $5,000 Second offense-Felony: imprisonment up to ten years and-or fines up to $10,000 Third offense-Felony: mandatory imprisonment of five years. -I mprisonment up to 20 years and-or fines up to $2,000 -No probation or suspension. (From the pamphlet Drugs: A Guide To Som Drg Which Are Subject To Abuse, published by The Deio Drug Stuen Afrs, 1.University of South Carolina,ivisedo ring dorm ths since he started selling drugs,'' ~ald Bob said. ther''If anything, he seems to be th, happier, though sometimes It or' does concern him what the use drugs are doing to othgr s a people. It bothers his girlfriend his even more." udy. Jerry's girlfriend is small ate, and slender. ''Yes, It bothers uses me. It bothers me a lot,'' she he said. She would say nothing more because she was ''afraid the he would get In trouble.'' rry. >end Jerry indicated his parents know nothIng of his dealings In erry drug traffic. ''The only way ear. they will find out Is if I get Sbit bse." .