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Date rape drug possible threat to students
Beth Bliss
Staff Writer

In a society already ridden with acts of violence and injustice, college students have a new enemy they must be aware of: Rohypnol, which is more commonly known as Òthe date rape drug.Ó

According to an information packet from the Student Health Services of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Rohypnol is Òa benzodiazepine related to Valium and [is] used in many countries to induce sleep.Ó

Rohypnol is commonly known as Òthe date-rape drugÓ because it Òhas been used to make men and women more vulnerable to crimes (such as rape, assault, and robbery) and unable to remember the event,Ó the press release explains.

The drug is illegal in the United States, the packet explains, and will eventually be moved into the same legal classification as heroin.

The UNC-CH press release explains that the drug has several street names, including ÒRoofies,Ó ÒRoachies,Ó and ÒMexican Valium.Ó According to this information, Rohypnol is a white pill with the word ÒRocheÓ and a numeral 1 or 2 on one side of the tablet, and a cross on the other side of the pill.

UNC-CH Student Health Services reported that other characteristics of the drug include that it has no taste or odor and dissolves easily in liquid.

When ingested, the drug sedates a person and induces sleep, and may cause memory loss hours after taking the drug, the packet says. These effects are heightened when the drug is mixed with alcohol.

Other side effects presented by the press release include, Òimpaired motor skills, impaired judgment, lack of inhibitions, dizziness, confusion, and amnesia.Ó The effects of the drug occur 20-30 minutes after ingestion.

UNC-CH Student Health Services offers several precautions to both men and women to protect themselves from Rohypnol.

Women should primarily be informed of the dangers of the drug, and when drinking, should be aware of their alcohol intake. In addition, the press release states that women should always know who they are going out with, keep track of who handles their drinks, and generally avoid situations in which they may be exploited.

Similarly, men should also have a general knowledge of the drug and its effects and should Òtake a strong stand against this behavior,Ó the press release says. Men can also fall victim to this drug, and like women, they should be aware of their alcohol intake and know the people they go out with.

If a person is caught with Rohypnol in his or her possession, it is considered a Class 1 misdemeanor, said Det. Sgt. Paula Townsend of the Watagua County SheriffÕs Office.

Townsend said that punishment for possession of the drug will result in a prison sentence of up to two years and/or a fine of up to $2000. In addition, Townsend explained that if more than four dosage units or a quantity of more that 100 tablets are found in the possession of a person, the charge is upgraded to a Class 1 felony and punishment is more severe. A felony is also charged if traces of cocaine are found in the drug.

According to Dr. William A. Derrick, Director of Student Health Services at Appalachian, Rohypnol has yet to be reported on AppalachianÕs campus. ÒTo my knowledge, this drug is not yet present here,Ó Derrick said. ÒTypically, (Rohypnol) comes into the United States through south Florida and is moderately common (in that area). However, it would not surprise me if (the drug) gets here sooner or later.Ó

Derrick said that the drug is illegal in the United States because there is no real medical use for it. He also said that Rohypnol cannot be bought at any drugstore in the United States, and that it is usually obtained on the street.

According to Derrick, the company that manufactures Rohypnol offers a free blood test for those who may believe they have ingested the drug without their knowledge.

However, several conditions exist with this test, Derrick said. A person must suspect that a crime, such as sexual assault or robbery, has been committed against him or her as a result of ingestion of the drug, and that person must be willing to press charges.

Derrick said that the test offered by the company is part of an Òevidence-gathering processÓ to prosecute anyone who uses Rohypnol. The test is not offered through ASU Health Services; rather, any student who believes he or she has ingested Rohypnol will be referred to the emergency room at Watauga Medical Center for a test.

Derrick agrees with the advice offered to students by the UNC-CH press release. ÒStudents should know about (Rohypnol) before it comes here (to ASU) and protect themselves,Ó he said.

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Cruise scores as agent in Jerry Maguire
Jason Foster
Reporter

Pay the big bucks
Matinee material
Wait and rent it
Previews were cool
Dollar movie only

ÒShow me the money!Ó This phrase is bound to be heard on ESPNÕs Sportscenter for the next year, or at least until people stop talking about Jerry Maguire, Tom CruiseÕs latest Hollywood outing.

The film is about a charming, popular sports agent, played by Cruise, who becomes unhappy with the way his career is going and vows to try and change the whole business for the better.

Inspired by his own unhappiness, Jerry writes a stirring Òmission statementÓ in which he provides a vision for what his agency (SMI-Sports Management International) should focus on.

The statement, which was spontaneously written on an off night, makes idealistic conclusions that the company should focus on real caring for fewer clients. In other words, people are what really countÑquality rather than quantity.

A week after giving the statement to everyone in his office, Jerry is fired, thus losing his self-respect and his identity and forced to start over again from scratch.

To make matters worse, he is engaged to an intensive and ambitious woman, Avery Bishop (Kelly Preston) who can also be very controlling and demanding when it comes to her relationship with Jerry. Eventually all this leads to him calling off his engagement to her.

Joining Jerry on his new upstart project are two unlikely allies.

The first is Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), a second-tier wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals who wants nothing more than to become a marquee player and puts all his desire into Jerry to make this happen.

The second is Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger), a somewhat shy 26 year-old single mother who, inspired by JerryÕs mission statement and his potential for full membership in the human race, willingly departs her accountancy position with SMI for an uncertain future with her new boss.

The three begin a learning process of getting to know each a little better and, in the process, develop closer relationships, whether it be one of close friendship in the case of Rod and Jerry, or romantic as with Jerry and Dorothy.

This is really the main theme of the film, that people are the most important. This is fitting as it is the whole idea behind JerryÕs mission statement.

The film is loaded with good performances. Aside from the ones from Cruise, Zellweger, and Gooding, Jr. (Cruise and Gooding have received Golden Globe nominations for their acting) there are also surprisingly good performances by Bonnie Hunt (Jumanji) and Jay Mohr (TVs ÒThe Jeff Foxworthy ShowÓ).

Hunt plays DorothyÕs over-protective sister, Laurel, who has a hard time approving of Jerry because she doesnÕt want her sister to receive any more emotional scars than she already has.

Mohr plays Bob Sugar, a back-stabbing agent and associate of JerryÕs who really makes you want to hate him.

Regina King (Clockers) also gives a solid performance as Rod TidwellÕs devoted wife, Marcee.

Perhaps the most enjoyable performance was the one given by six-year-old Jonathan Lipnicki, who currently plays the youngest child on The Jeff Foxworthy Show. He portrays DorothyÕs energetic and highly intelligent son and gives the film many of its comic moments.

The film also features singer-turned-actor Glenn Frey as the shrewd Arizona Cardinals owner Dennis Wilburn, as well as a good amount of cameos.

As this is a sports film, all of the cameos are from sports celebrities. Look for appearances from Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, the PatriotsÕ Drew Bledsoe, and the entire ABC Monday Night Football play-by-play crew, among several others.

Writer/Director Cameron Crowe heads the project, which was about four years in the making, most of that time devoted to writing and first-hand research.

Interestingly enough, the mission statement penned by Jerry Maguire in the film is actually part of a 27-page-long document authored by Crowe. As usual with Crowe films, music provides a crucial element in giving the film the emotion it needs. CroweÕs previous job as a journalist for Rolling Stone plugged him into the contemporary music scene and gave him insight into a variety of music.

He also used two of his long-time associates to create the right soundtrack. Nancy Wilson, CroweÕs wife and former singer of the group Heart, composed the score as well as two original songs for the soundtrack.

Music supervisor Danny Bramson, whose other collaboration with Crowe resulted in the popular soundtrack for Singles, also played a big role in the choice of songs to be used in the film.

With Jerry Maguire Crowe taps into a subject that has really never been explored in film, that of a sports agent. That alone makes the film interesting, and along with CroweÕs screenplay, which mixes comedy, romance, and drama while providing a glimpse into this fast-paced and sometimes back-stabbing profession. It comes across as highly entertaining.

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Not just a cup o'joe
Darin Glass
Staff Writer

Did you know that you can drink a country? Well, before you suck down that double cappuccino in two minutes and feel like you did swallow a country, take a listen to some coffee table talk.

Coffee comes from countries all around the world. Espresso News, one local coffee shop, carries coffee from Brazil to Nigeria. Mark DeBroder of Espresso News says that the strongest types of coffees are from Colombian.

ÒThe coffees tend to bring out the essence of the country. The flavor of the beans depend on the land, soil, aura and climate which make the beans rich in flavor.Ó

Most of these countries are near the equator or humid climates. That is because the coffee beans cannot survive cold weather.

DeBroder says, ÒThe only places in the U.S. that grows coffee beans are in Hawaii because of the humid climate.Ó

Instead of taking in a country in a cup, however, many students would probably like the sweet blast of a latte or cappuccino.

These drinks are a favorite in the Beanstalk bistro shoppe. The owner, Greg Swedberg, says, ÒThe lattes and cappuccinos are the most popular drinks.Ó They also have flavored lattes like almond and caramel.

Swedberg has on hand about 10 assortments of beans at one time. This is because more choices would sacrifice the freshness of the beans.

Espressos are usually taken in shots because they are so high in potency, while a latteÕ is steamed milk with a shot of espresso. Cappuccinos are espresso shots with steamed milk and topped with frothed milk.

So if you really want to study hard for those 8 a.m. exams, go take yourself a nice coffee break. Easy on the double latteÕ though. ItÕs a real eye-opener.

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