They made their way to the cemetery together after packing up their backpacks.  The sun was shining and there was a slight breeze as he took out the shrooms that he got last night.  After eating an eighth each, they sat back and waited for the show.

“I’ve done shrooms a number of times and continue to smoke pot,” said Clyde, a senior whose name has been changed to protect his identity.  “These drugs provide a more introspective and intellectually stimulating experience in my opinion.”

Soft drugs, defined as illicit drugs that do not produce significant physical or psychological dependence, consist of drugs similar to marijuana and alcohol. These are used by about 24 percent of teenagers in high school nationwide, according to Drug War Facts.

Hard drugs however, such as cocaine, ecstasy, meth or shrooms, are used by about eight percent of high school students, according to Teen Abuse Statistics.

According to the Medical Dictionary, a hard drug is an addicting drug capable of compelling the user to commit crimes in order to obtain the drug.

“I tried pot for the first time in seventh grade,” Clyde said, “I then graduated to what people would call harder drugs during my freshman or sophomore year.”

Clyde said that he experimented with things from cocaine to thizz (ecstasy) to a few prescription pills but he never fell into any patterns of habitual use.

“After trying all the drugs that interested me, I came to the conclusion that all of those hedonistic drugs leave you feeling the same way after the high wears off,” Clyde said. “Every consecutive use leaves you feeling more drained than the last, and eventually the novelty of drugs wears off and they stop being fun.”

Clyde said that he was first interested in drugs when he heard all the hype that surrounded them.  Having been introduced to weed, he took a greater interest in harder drugs.

However, Clyde has a slightly different perception of when drugs are considered hard. “

I think that hard drugs cover prescription pills, coke, molly, and all that bad stuff you should never do like meth and heroin,” Clyde said.

May, another senior who has tried both hard and soft drugs, has tried numerous drugs and hasn’t experienced any personal harm as a result.

“I started smoking weed when I was 14,” May said. “I still smoke now and don’t really see a downside because I haven’t had any personal, harmful side effects.”

May described how she stepped up to hard drugs when the opportunity presented itself.

“I only tried it because I felt comfortable with the people I was with and knew it would be an experience I wouldn’t forget,” May said.

Clyde also had an unforgettable experience when he tried shrooms for the first time.

“I didn’t really feel anything for about 45 minutes, but then it slowly eased in and it felt great,” he said.  “I felt like I was connected with a lot of things that normally felt separated and I could see shapes and patterns forming on the surfaces around me.”

Despite some of the positive experiences that both Clyde and May had, Officer Andrew Vincent has some cautionary advice that he believes drug users tend to overlook.

“I think it’s a poor decision,” Vincent said.  “At your stage of development, there are so many opportunities that exist for you that you might not know you have an interest in because of your exposure or because of your current level of maturity.”

Vincent, a veteran of the police force for two years believes that even though Prop 47, a prop that deemed non-violent crimes as misdemeanors according to Safe and Just, passed, the usage of drugs is dangerous regardless of age.

“When you make a decision to experiment with whatever form of drug, whether hard or soft, or any variety you choose, there is potential for immediate consequences to your health and to your well being specifically your safety,” Vincent said.

As for the distinction between hard and soft drugs, Vincent believes that even though there has been a lessening of legal consequences for drugs in general, he doesn’t take into account the strength of the drug, only its lawfulness.

Vincent also understands that while teens might see the potential fun that could come out of drugs, there are aspects that are usually overlooked.

“I understand that people make decisions [about using]. Just be clear that your decisions have consequences and that the consequences are probably bigger than you imagine they are,” Vincent said.  “There are  potential long term consequences in the sense of residual effects or possibly brain damage depending on what you’re doing and how much of it.  So for me, I can’t imagine a party that’s worth that.”