The Cavalier daily :: Wednesday, May 13, 1970 :: University of Virginia Library

"More than-half the crimes
committed in big cities may be
related to heroin." Dr. Buckman
said and yet he stressed the fact
that the problem must be dealt
with in an international level.
"Eighty-five per cent of all heroin
that comes into the United States
comes from the French port of
Marseilles, and the local authorities
probably have pinned down the
very houses there from which it is
coming."

In light of drug offense of any
kind, Dr. Buckman said that his
main concern is against the
offender's having to go to jail:
"Narcotics are smuggled into every
jail in the country. Individuals are
vulnerable to all types of crime in
prison." The methods of treatment
have been very disappointing. At
the Federal Hospital for drug
addicts in Lexington, Ky. they have
reported over a 90% failure."

When asked whether he thought
the Hew Act's severe penalty for
those who sell to persons under the
age of eighteen was warranted, Dr.
Buckman emphatically replied
affirmatively. "Adolescents are the
ones who least need drugs, and they
are just the ones who want them
most. The ages of 12-18 are just
when the young are tempted. It is
indeed a very bad time. Drugs are
just one of the many ways in which
the young try to cope with
underlying problems or depression.
The years of 15-25 are the time for
the prime development of
schizophrenia. For some users, we
are convinced of the presence of a
suicidal drive. Actually there is no
definite age for discretion, but 18
seems reasonable."

Dr. Buckman added that young
people are now getting into very
bizarre drugs such as kerosene.
"There will eventually be a point in
New York City when one adolescent
under fifteen will die daily
from the abuse of drugs."

In reference to other drugs
mentioned in the Control Act, Dr.
Buckman said of amphetamines,
"they are among the most
dangerous drugs. They are overprescribed
by doctors and they increase
what is known as "risk
taking behavior." They may even
precipitate a psycho break which
may be indistinguishable from paranoid
schizophrenia. They are definitely
even more dangerous if injected
as is true with all drugs."

Dr. Buckman mentioned that
amphetamines are related to crime
and road accidents. "Alcohol and
amphetamines are energizers, and
driving under them is most dangerous.
Most people have sense enough
not to drive under LSD but
unfortunately not amphetamines,
alcohol, and marijuana."

"LSD is the strongest drug
known to man. There is never a
guarantee that there will be a
pleasant trip no matter how many
times one has tripped nor with
what kind of results. Many people
believe that the purity of LSD is
most important in the light of bad
trips, and that one can hardly go
wrong on good clinical acid. In short
it is unpredictable." Dr. Buckman
also stressed the dangers of mixing
drugs.

Adding drugs to others increases
the strength of some drugs. The
possible dangers of mixing LSD
with amphetamines is limitless. Dr.
Buckman cleared this point in
saying that the purity of the drug is
very important but a bad trip is
always possible even on the most
refined LSD.

Dr. Buckman added that one is
taking a very grave risk in buying
LSD right off the street for there,
one can never be sure of the drug's
purity. In pointing out the implications
that go with pushers, Dr.
Buckman added that pushers may
try to include an addictive drug
even in marijuana to insure the
return of customers.

In discussing powerful drugs, Dr.
Buckman, said that the setting,
environment, and personal company
are very important. "Tripping
alone is potentially more dangerous
than tripping among close company."
Also people who feel guilty
in that they are doing something
bad or illegal are likely to have a
panic action.

The recurrences on LSD are
relatively small and unpredictable.
They can be triggered off by any
sort of drug for some-people. There
are even some who can bring a
recurrence upon themselves before
sleeping or by hyperventilation. For
a very few, hashish may produce an
experience comparable to LSD."

Dr. Buckman stated that the
danger with the most powerful
drugs is that they are swallowed.
Once one swallows a tab or capsule,
he has no control over its strength.
In contrast to this, when one
smokes, he can stop when he feels
he has had enough. In the case of
powerful drugs, their action is also
longer. More can happen in eight
hours than in three.

When asked what his view was
concerning those who intentionally
give someone LSD or such without
their knowledge of it, Dr. Buckman
emphatically said, "To me it is a
major crime." He went onto cite
two examples of people who had a
psychic break from unknowingly
being given LSD. One of them has
remained psychotic after twelve
years.

Commenting on the drug situation
at the University, Dr. Buckman
pointed out that the University
remains fairly low in comparison to
the drug quantities found at other
schools of the Northeast and West.
He added that UVA has less drugs
than Richmond, Norfolk, and Hampton.
"I would like to believe that
students here are more discriminate.
The element of conservatism -
and in this case, I mean the attitude
of 'let somebody else try it first' -
is definitely good. Perhaps the
police and the administration here
take a lighter attitude towards
students doing drugs than elsewhere."

Finally, in reference to legal
authorities and the New Drug
Control Act, Dr. Buckman mentioned
that legal authorities have
stated that they are interested in
going after the "big people," the
pushers, in short. They are not that
interested in users, but will go after
anyone who sells in quantity. In
light of the law, there will be more
attention paid to quantity.

Dr. Buckman was, however, very
careful to insure that this not be
misconstrued. To make sure that
users not now breath a sigh of
relief, Dr. Buckman added, "Commonwealth
attorneys have stated
that they need users to get
information leading to pushers.
Therefore no one should feel safe.
Once picked up for possession of
marijuana, the user has had his
chance, for the next time the
penalty is severe.

Dr. Buckman, although not
seeing what he had actually wanted
in the New Drug Control Act is at
least gratified that marijuana was
given some exception in the law's
penalties. "I am pleased with the
New Act if it is compared with
what was on the books before."

Dr. Buckman concluded with
mention of a bill presently in the
making on the Federal level which
will be more lenient. "Hopefully
there will soon be a uniform drug
law throughout the country which
will insure that judges have a
leeway in choosing a course of
punishment."