From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Feb. 26, 1974:

• Statistics released from a state survey on drug use showed “a persistent and steady increase in drug involvement,” according to the head of the Kansas Drug Abuse Commission staff. The survey of 6,000 persons, including interviews with officials in all relevant agencies, showed an estimated 4,700 “heroin dependent” persons in Kansas, defined as persons using heroin once a day to a few times weekly. An estimated 17,000 persons were regular users of fast-acting barbiturates, with most of these persons over 35 years old and two-thirds of them women. However, “alcohol is the one big problem,” said the commission head. A small percentage of the state’s seventh graders were regular alcohol users, primarily of 3.2 percent beer. Among high school seniors, 24 percent used marijuana, 11 percent used cocaine or amphetamines, and 61 percent used alcohol.
• At least four small garden tractors, specialized hand tools, and a one-ton truck were among the items said to be missing after a break-in at Deems Farm Equipment Inc., 1110 E. 23rd. Two nights later, another illegal entry occurred at Ellena Buick, 2112 W. 29th. Police said entry to the Ellena building had apparently been made through an unlocked door in the car wash area and then a forcing of the interior doors. Three vending machines were vandalized, with an undetermined amount of money taken, but the largest theft was that of a car, a 1971 Buick that had been left for repairs.