Since the early 1990s, club drugs such as Ecstasy, GHB, and Ketamine have become more popular with American teens. Also, since the early 1990's, the Internet has arrived and exploded, providing open forums on any topic imaginable. A study published in Pediatrics by Dr. Paul M. Wax of the Department of Medical Toxicology at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, speculates that the rise of Web sites and online forums, which give information on "safe" and "responsible" drug use, may be partly to blame for the growing acceptance of club drugs by young people.

Two Teens' Stories
Dr. Wax's study includes the stories of young people, whose drug abuse was directly influenced by what they found on the Internet. In one case, a 14-year-old girl swallowed eight Coricidan® tablets before going to school and was taken to the hospital after she tried to climb the school walls. When asked why she took the pills, she said that she wanted to get high, and took the amount of Coricidan® recommended on a drug Web site.

What You May Find Online
Surfing the net, your kids can find elaborately designed Web sites that are packed with information on a variety of drugs, from established drugs like marijuana to some of the newer club drugs. While they appear to be an encyclopedia of "facts" about different drugs, these sites are filled with information like recommended dosage, how the drug will make you feel, and what to do if you get caught while high on a particular drug.

What You Can Do
Dr. Wax's study suggests that if your teen is good at surfing the Web, he or she may be more vulnerable to these appealing sites that claim to have the "facts" on drugs. Talk to your kids about the Web sites they visit when they are online. If they are searching online for information about drugs, point them to sites such as www.freevibe.com and www.clubdrugs.org that are run by credible organizations that don't advocate that it is okay to take drugs as long as it is done "safely."

Read Dr. Wax's study published in Pediatrics:
Just a Click Away: Recreational Drug Web Sites on the Internet

Learn more about the dangers of club drugs:
Club Drugs Pose Serious Dangers

Find out what types of messages your kids are getting from other types of popular media:
Separating Fact From Fiction

Download a brochure with ideas on what to say and do to help keep your kids drug free:
Keeping Your Kids Drug-Free: A How-To Guide for Parents and Caregivers

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