Re: Read This If You Have Kids...

[Robert Whitsitt <rwhitsit -at- TEACHERSOFT -dot- COM>]

I refer everyone to

http://cathouse.org/cathouse/urban.legends/drugs/blue.star.tattoos/blue.star
.lsd.faq

It discusses this particular urban legend. Here are the first few paragraphs
of the FAQ.

<snip>

The LSD Tattoo urban legend (a.k.a. "Blue Star tattoos," "Mickey Mouse
LSD," et al.) is a classic of the breed.  It is an example of a
"contamination" legend and can be classed with such other familiar legends
as "Spider eggs in Bubble Yum."

Typically, a school, hospital, or police station will get a copy of a
flier alleging that drug fiends are using a nefarious new technique to get
children hooked on drugs -- they give kids lick-and-stick tattoos (such as
are occasionally found as prizes in Cracker Jack boxes) that contain LSD.
The LSD is absorbed through the skin, causing all sorts of unpleasant
symptoms, the child becomes hooked, and the dealer has a new customer.

The legend has some credibility trouble.  First of all, although the
fliers often list authorities (Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, the
Valley Children's Hospital, "the Police Department," the Cumberland County
Sheriff's Department, "Die New Yorker Polizei," "las Autoridades," "Sr. Roch
Hospital," "Mr. Guy Chaille, Advisor to the President," etc.), once
contacted (if in fact, they can be; Mr. Guy Chaille doesn't exist), these
authorities tend to deny knowledge of the alarming problem.

In addition, LSD is a nonaddictive drug.  There is no such thing as a
"deadly trip" (except in such incredibly rare circumscances as those of
unfortunate and indiscriminate drug users snorting LSD crystals while under
the mistaken impression that they are doing lines of coke) -- a fatal
overdose of LSD would be almost impossible.  The absorption of LSD through
the skin from casual handling of blotter paper is also very unlikely,
although not impossible.

Like all good urban legends, there is a thread of truth in the magic
carpet.  LSD is commonly packaged in sheets of blotter-paper which are
perforated into squares (slightly smaller than 1cm x 1cm) which constitute a
"dose" of LSD.  Some LSD manufacturers have trademarks which are printed on
these squares (examples:  Blue Unicorns, Bart Simpson, etc.).  I've seen a
photograph of a square of blotter acid printed with Mickey Mouse (in his
role as the Sorcerer's Apprentice in the movie Fantasia -- a favorite movie
of the psychedelic set).

<snip>

Regards,
Bob
---
Robert Whitsitt (bob -dot- whitsitt -at- teachersoft -dot- com)
Member: Society for Technical Communication

---

>Form: Memo
>Text: (26 lines follow)
>MEDICAL ALERT

>A form of tattoo called "BLUE STAR" is being sold to school children.  It
is
>a small piece of paper containing a blue star.  They are the  size of a
>pencil eraser and each star is soaked with L.S.D.  The drug is absorbed
>through the skin simply by HANDLING THE PAPER. There are also brightly
>colored paper tattoos resembling  postage stamps  that have the picture of
>one of the following:
> Superman, Mickey Mouse, Clowns, Disney Characters, Bart Simpson,
>Butterflies
>Each one is wrapped in foil. This is a new way of selling acid by appealing
>to young  children.  These  are laced with DRUGS.
>If your child gets any of the above, do not handle them.  These  are known
>to react quickly and some are laced with strychnine.
>Symtoms:  Hallucinations, severe vomiting, uncontrolled laughter, mood
>changes, change in body temperature.
>Please feel free to reproduce this article and distribute it within your
>community and work place.  Get the word out about this danger to our
>children.

>From: J. O'Donnel -- Danbury Hospital -- Outpatient Chemical  Dependency
>Treatment Service
>Please copy and post it at your work, give to friends, send a  copy to your
>local schools.  This is very serious -- young lives have already been
taken.
> This is growing faster than we can warn parents and professionals.


<snip>