When Kate Patton's eldest daughter died of an accidental overdose of the drug Ecstasy, the first thing Patton remembers saying is, "What is Ecstasy?"

      The grieving Chicago mother knew nothing about the popular drug, and was dumbfounded that her 23-year-old daughter, Kelley McEnery Baker, could have been using it without her knowledge.

      It's been three years, but the day remains fresh in Patton's mind. One thing has changed, however, and that's how much she knows about the dangers of drugs.

      In fact, since her daughter's death, Patton has made it her mission to educate parents and kids, particularly about "club drugs" like Ecstasy.

      Through her Kelley McEnery Baker Foundation, Patton travels her home state of Illinois, and beyond, to spread the word.

Parents 'Have Their Head in the Sand'

      According to Patton, Baker did not fit the profile of a stereotypical drug user. She was raised in an upper-class household, was very involved in school activities like the prom committee, and had a good group of friends.

      "I maybe had an inkling that she smoked marijuana," admits Patton. "I've never done drugs, so the mentality of that is so far from my realm. I didn't know what to look for or talk about. I was one of those who thought my daughter would never be involved with them."

      Patton came to believe her lack of awareness about popular teen drugs, and the risks associated with them, was shared by many parents.

      "After it happened, it angered me that this was happening to more kids. They don't know what the capabilities of these drugs are. And a lot of parents probably have their head in the sand, like I did," she says, adding: "Kids will cross paths with these drugs. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when."

      For that very reason, experts say communication between parents and children is key.

      "There is a disconnect between parents and teens," says Steve Pasierb, president of the Partnership for a Drug Free America.

      "Parents believe their kids will never do drugs, but our research shows kids are using drugs and they're very savvy. Parent do have power, and need to talk with their kids, not to them. What they think and say does affect their children. Teens may act like they're not listening, but they are," he adds.

      Patton knows all too well that education can be the difference between life and death.

      "You wouldn't put your child in a car without driver's ed. We send our kids out there, where there are drugs, they need to be educated to make the right and informed decision," says Patton.

The Rave Generation's Cocaine

      The two most popular drugs among teenagers are still marijuana and alcohol, according to Glenn Hanson, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse in Maryland. But "club drugs," named for their use in nightclub settings, having been rapidly gaining in use.

      "Club drugs, sort of loosely defined as drugs that are used in club settings, are also popular," Hanson says. "And those include Ecstasy, sometimes referred to as X, Ketamine, known as Special K, and amphetamines, called speed."

      Both Ecstasy and amphetamines are found in the form of a tablet or pill, while Ketamine is a white powder, similar to cocaine.

Although these "party drugs" are often dismissed by teens as harmless, there is now substantial evidence that they can cause long-lasting damage to the brain and a variety of unwanted side effects, including hallucinations, fever, paranoia, amnesia, unconsciousness, and, in some cases, death.

      They can be even more harmful when combined with alcohol, which is frequently the case.

      Pasierb calls Ecstasy the "rave generation's cocaine. If you want to draw a parallel, the Ecstasy problem is similar to what parents went through with cocaine in the 1970s. It was being marketed as a low-risk drug with no downsides, something to help you kick back and relax."

Be on the Lookout

      It's sometimes difficult for parents to pick up signs and symptoms that indicate their kids are using drugs, particularly because many of the behavior signs are similar to what is considered normal teenage behavior: isolation, difficulty getting along with others, and a drop in communication with family members.

      Nonetheless, mom and dad must be on the lookout.

"You can usually tell if there are extreme or abrupt changes in their behavior," says Hanson. "They don't care about things they once did, and start hanging out with a different crowd of kids than they used to hang around with."

      There are also specific indicators for specific drugs. If children are taking Ecstasy, for instance, they may start to clench their teeth a lot, and carry a baby pacifier or glow stick in their pocket.

      "Ecstasy causes you to clench your teeth," explains Hanson. "If you don't use a pacifier, they could have chipped teeth. The glow sticks are for the visual effects. Ecstasy has some visual properties, and can alter or add ambiance to things. So strobe lights and glow sticks add to the effect of the drug."

      Marijuana, on the other hand, acts as a depressant. "Marijuana can interfere with skills you need to compete in an academic setting, such as memory," says Hanson. "So kids may not do well in tests, or if they're into athletic competitions, it's going to affect their competitiveness."

      All of this information is something Patton wishes she had learned years ago.

      "When parents I speak to see me holding a picture of Kelley, hopefully they'll say, 'Well, if it happened to her it can happen to me.' I encourage them to not be like I was, and not know what's out there," she says. "I want these parents to learn from my mistakes and the kids to learn from Kelley's mistakes."

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