The Drugs Are Ruining Our Scene

[Kricket]

Hey fellow ravers,

I need to take some time to voice my opinions on what drugs are doing to our scene.
Drugs are creating a false sense of happiness and love for most people. The only thing that E does is raise seratonin levels (seratonin is the emotion hormone in our brains). The sense of happiness and love that you feel for all human beings when you're on the drug is fake, and when you come down, it goes away. What the scene is about is filling somebody up with the best vibe that we can, and then sending them out into the world to give that off, but the drugs defeat the purpose of that. The happiness that people give off when they are on drugs goes away when they come down, defeating the entire purpose of our scene. Plus, the drug dealers are what scare me the most. There's dealers out there who don't care whether or not the sell bunk or quality E, they'll sell anything they can to make money. And what's even scarier is that the people above them, who make the drugs, don't care who they sell it to, as long as they get money from their dealers, meaning they'll cut it with cheaper drugs (namely Special K) to cut down on costs, and then put it off as pure E. Which means that the dealer never really knows what he's selling, he only knows what the dealer tells him. I'm not saying that drugs are bad altogether, I'm just saying that the drug culture is the counter element to our scene right now, and is gradually tearing it apart bit by bit. Since it's obvious that drugs are not going to go away, the only realistic option is to find a way for the drug culture to co-exist peacefully beside the rave culture, and take to heart what we've been told the entire time, that we're not in the scene for the drugs, but for the love. And we need to remember exactly what the words Peace Love Respect Unity are all about, and try to use them not just at parties, but throughout our entire lives.
P.S. I would like a dozen and one opinions about this post, especially if you have a counter opinion, so I urge you to respond to this

P.L.U.R.
Kricket

[Pandora]

I can see from both sides of the fence.
Personally I like to be sober. I like the feeling I get when dancing in a tight room with bodies just thumping to the beat and slowly feeling the energy rise as the build-up gets closer and then suddenly breaks hard. I like feeling this sober because I know it isnt just the drug making me feel this good. its also a plus to be able to make a few friends and talk with them in a sober manner.(I tried it once another way but failed to recall their name later and felt bad.)
Anyways - to a point.
I like it sober, because there is no drug in existance today that can hold a candle to that feeling you get from a tight room with so much energy you think you'll explode.


Pandora.

[sleater_kinney]

Hey Kricket,

I met you at the last Sundazed...but then again, you met everyone... :o)

Anyhow I can see both sides too.

One one hand, whether we like it or not E is part of the rave culture. Not everyone does E at parties and that's good, but I see E as one of the many tools people use to increase a positive vibe for themselves and each other. I look at shamanistic cultures where peyote and mushrooms were used to bring about transcendental and spiritual experiences and see E as part of that now. I also look at recent history and the early years of raves in England and how E transformed the youth in positive ways. Now one interesting look at E is in it's use as a psychological therapy tool in the 70's. Both therapist and client would take MDMA to make psychological breakthroughs that last beyond the E high... In other words, yes E maybe a lie in many ways, however the postive affects that come from it may last a lifetime.

Or it can kill you... heh. On the other hand, you're right, E has been diluted with lots of crap and through many uses can be toxic to your nervous system. Looking at recent history again, although E might have helped "create" the rave culture, it also helped to destroy it. In England around 1992, parties and raves hit a dark age where cracked out users were no longer feeling anything except the amphetamine aspect of E and they were miserable. In many parts of our own country now, the scenes are dominated by drug dealing gangsters fighting for territory. Could this be our future?

I don't know... my opinion sees not E as the problem, but the laws that make it illegal. It's prohibition has created the unsafe conditions and the blackmarket demand. My idealistic solution would be to legalize it and have it controlled. However until about the year 2045 when that actually happens, I suggest we do the following:

1.Learn to party without it first. This means we don't identify parties with E automatically.
2. Don't be pressured or pressure anyone to use it. It's all about individual choice.
3. Reduce the harm if you decide to take it... (get it tested, buy from a responstble dealer (all 3 of them) and be smart.)
4. Respect it's power. Which means taking it in moderation.

Finally I like telling people this: If everyone in the world did E once, this world would be a better place, but if everyone took E 20 times, it would be a living Hell.

-Dante

[Misha]

If I remember correctly.. seratonin is actually something that has to do with transmission of thoughts, feelings, etc. I don't think that it is what controls your emotional state of being.

[groovinkim]

it does strongly affect emotion... it is
also believed to play a part in memory.

kim

[Parteekyd]

ya kim is right. and i have to agree with bits and pieces of what almost everyone has said.

Yes i see some of the drug scene ruining the scene. kids automatically assosiate raves/drugs so they put on something they think will make them look like a "RAVER" and go and find some sort of something to fuck them up. these are the kids (and i know we have all seen them) blow all the cash in there pocket on the first person who is walking around claiming to have "something really good" alot of the time these kids don't know what they are taking or what to mix and what not to mix. then they either spend the night puking in a corner, on there way to the hospital, or even just sitting there staring at the wall.

But then again there are the smart people who acctually know what they are taking and it doesn't play a negative roll in the night at all. they are dancing laughing smiling giving hugs meeting new people and all out having a GOOD TIME but not by staring at a wall. basically kids that do drugs thats ok...drugs that do kids is not ok. yes there is crazy stuff from time to time in pills. but i have a few close friends that manufacture at differnt places in this nation and umm as much as i begged to have a pill that had alot of special K...never happened..has anyone out there who is saying special K is in pills ever done special K by itself? the most common ingrediants found in pills are, MDMA or a brother chemical (md, mda) B-12, mesculine, and smack, the last three are all in small small quantitys and usually make up less then 1/4 of the pill. well anyways kids DANCESAFE don't experiment with new thresholds of being fucked up especially at partys. thats my two cents for the day
-dave
oO*if you need drugs to enjoy the music go away, but a pill once and a while never hurt the night*Oo

[bsweet]

Dave-
Why would you ever want to have a pill that contained special K and do it at a party??? K imo is one of the wackest drugs to ever hit the scene. Complete waste of time!!! I could go on and on about the evils of ketamine here but I won't.

Its the abuse of drugs which is destroying the scene. Things definately have changed since I first started going. "X" wasn't even something my friends and I were going to do because we heard it gave you brain damage, etc.

[bsweet]

Oops...wasn't finished!
When I first started going to parties I had a solid supportive base of friends who guided me and educated me. Now it seems like people are coming into the scene without any education whatsoever. All they know about raves is hype: you can get really high on e at a party and have fun! Maybe the people who don't know need "rave mentors" to guide them. Anyone who cares can be a mentor. Don't get angry at the people who obviously have crossed their limits. People need supportive people to help them out, especially when they are out of control. (I'm thinking about the D-U incidents; and Aaron, the boy who died. Incidentally his friends fed him all that ecstasy...gave him another pill even when he was obviously having problems) Just gotta started educating the uneducated.

[RainbowBryte]

Hello Kriket,

I don't understand how you can voice such an opinion about drugs ruining our culture, when you yourself immerses yourself in them as frequently as you can. I have yet to see you at a party sober. I bet if I took everyone that know's you, and set them in front of you, you couldn't remember 1/3 of their names. This was blatantly due to your "rolling". Everytime I've seen you, this is your phrase, "Hi I'm Kricket, are you rolling? I am". You are the apitomy of what's wrong with our scene, not to mention a hypocrit.

[Kricket]

Rainbow,

May I mention, that when I did start raving, I went completely sober, I didn't want to get into the drug culture that surrounded the rave scene. Eventually after about 6 or 7 parties sober, I decided to do E. I loved it, but that's what scared me. Many drugs are made for you to love them, or to create a false or enhanced sense of reality, this is what sells them. I do understand that since you have met me, I have not gone to a party sober, and that's why you may find me a hypocrite. But gradually I have seen what drugs have done to our scene, good or bad. I personally have decided that the bad outweighs the good for me, and my "rolling" is far from excessive. So far I have done E only 4 times, and it will not be long at all before that number no longer increases. But since you have only seen me when I am on E, I can understand why you would say that. But I can put another group of people besides those who have only seen me high to tell them that I am definitely NOT here for the drugs, nor have I ever been.

I understand where you come from
Kricket

[Kricket]

oh, btw, I could never remember many peoples names before I did ANY kind of intoxicant, just one of those things.

[phoenix]

I am in agreement w/ a lot of what has been said here.
I come from the place of being sober at parties for 2 years. I went for the rush that dancing gave me, and generally i went alone. I have been experimenting w/ various substances and states of consciousness (Not nessecarily drug-induced) for many years, literally since the age of 6 or 7, and i didn't start to do drugs until i was emotionally ready. I find that i always have the best experiences when i go into the experience with a clear idea of why i am taking the substance, with a respect for the substance that i am ingesting (and especailly if it is a plant, then i thank its spirit for the sacrifice) and with the understanding that i can choose to patiently wait out whatever unpleasant emotions that may arise and that i can choose to reject or integrate into my daily life nay and all information that i recieve/percieve during my adventure. This as served me well and i have never freaked out or had a bad trip. Even when they seemed long and intense, i always come through it with a positive new understanding of myself. This is just how i do it, and i do it to serve all of creation. Perhaps there is something here someone will take ot heart. Basically i am saying when you make it sacred, make it a ritual even in the smallest way ( i.e. taking the time while you pour your oj to help you down the pill or whatever to say thanks for being able to have such an experience in your life and stating your intention to have a wonderful evening) there is a dramatically reduced risk of abuse. This plus the knowledge that you create your reality through your perception and *pow* love takes over the world!
*giggle*
and on a parallel note: as far as "mentoring" goes, if there are ppl interested in getting together in pdx to create some harm redution drug info and rave "ettiquette" fliers and help w/ a mailing list and who knows what in the future, let me know. There are 3 of us doing it already, more is always welcome.
Namaste!

[groovinkim]

hey! i was wondering if you guys doing
harm reduction might be interested in
joining a group of us who are doing the
same thing here in seattle.

there is a harm reduction organization
based out of san francisco called dancesafe. they have flyers that talk about the effects of various substances, do e testing at events, and various other things.

we are forming a branch of them here
called DanceSafe Northwest. after we
started working on it, we made an email
mailing list.

then some people from vancouver, bc
joined the list too.

it would be great to have some portland
dancers! if you are interested in more
information about the mailing list or
working with us, email me!

kim

[groovinkim]

the most common ingrediants found in pills are, MDMA or a brother chemical (md, mda) B-12, mesculine, and smack, the last three are all in small small quantitys and usually make up less then 1/4 of the pill.

there has never been a recorded instance
of smack/heroin in a pill.. it is considered to be a myth. for more info on that, see

http://www.hyperreal.org/drugs/mdma/mdma.heroin ,
http://www.ecstasy.org/info/heroin.html ,
http://www.hyperreal.org/drugs/mdma/FAQ-MDMA.html ,
http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/mdma/mdma.shtml .

mescaline is also extremely difficult
to find and it's unlikely that it would
be present in a pill. it's much more
likely that you have dxm, mda, or another
analog...

[Jizosh]

Kim, I am interested in joining. Please mail me with any info that I would need, i.e. a website and such. I feel the same way about E as Kricket. I agree STRONGLY that E creates a false sense of happiness in our scene, and thus misconceptions that, "you need to take E to have a good time at a party." Of course other drugs are substituted for E in a pill, how else are drug-dealers doing to make money off of ravers? Can't seem to get your hands on "the good E? Seem like every time you buy it at a party from a stranger, it ends up being bunk? Here's a solution: DON'T!!!
NOTE: These are just opinions, please do not take offense [or defense] to anything that I have said.

[aijnavision]

***this was written in haste and passion- if I offend anyone please tell me and I will explain myself better***

Big ups to Kricket for starting such an important topic, and Groovinkim, for the place to express ourselves. Kricket, I agree with your argument the most, although I understand everyone else's too. As far as I see it, some drugs are the problem and some people are the problem too. Drugs are starting to become more important than the original purpose of raves. I have no problems dancing with expierienced drug users but I do have problems with 1. drug peddlers and 2.poseurs who think the drug is what is making their high until they come down and puke.

Drug dealers have a valid role in rave culture but NOT a valid right to sell at parties. Raves arent a place to go get "really tripped out". If you go for that reason alone, dont take this personally, but you sadly have missed the point. If one truly wanted to expierience the spiritual benefits of the trance induced by a carefully selected drug, they would seek it out of their own accord and bring it to the party. I am sure there are plenty of good dealers who sell at raves, and I hope that they realize why it is problematic and change the way they do bussiness.

I think that DanceSafe is the best thing we can do about this problem right now and its good that it has been brought to our attention. Someone's reference to shamanic culture earlier reminded me of the fact that we need informed, expierienced elders, and DanceSafe seems like an excellent first step.
Groovinkim- count me in for helping out with Portland, I have only taken psylocibes, but I'd love to help out however I can.

my final point is that IF WE DONT ESTABLISH SOLID ETHICS ABOUT DRUG USE IN OUR DANCE CULTURE, WE WILL LOOSE THOSE VALUABLE TOOLS AND RAVES WILL END UP LIKE HIPPIE CULTURE- UNRAVELLED, DISRESPECTED, AND NOTHING BUT THE MOCKING CHARICHATURE OF A LOST DREAM!

*****ONE LOVE********

Patrick

[Lord Xone]

For everyone:

Since no one here seems to really know what the hell they are talking about when it comes to the actual physical reaction of Ecstacy... check out:

http://www.harmreduction.net/dancesafe/slideshow/intro.html

Peace,
Kevin

[Lord Xone]

Your opinion is correct in my opinion. However, there is a lot more that is ruining our scene... mainly stupid people. There are way too many uneducated, idiotic people out there trying to play off like they know what the hell is going on.

We need to find these people (probably at NAF) and inject them with Raver MOJO so they will finally know what to do.

Peace,
Kevin

[HexRei]

I think this "false happiness" Kricket and the others claim E gives you is bullshit. I know that when I've taken E, the entire time I've been using, I've had only one bad comedown, and that was because a lot of really bad stuff happened to me while I was coming down, not because the drug was bad. Basically, I was ditched by my ride, ended up hanging out with this guy that really bugged me, getting no sleep that nite and working the next day, etc.
Other than that one time, every time I've used E it's left me with a warm feeling all the rest of the night, even after the high is over, and it often leaves me happy all the next day as well.
Just because *you* get bad vibes from a drug doesnt mean everybody does.

[HexRei]

Uhm, sure, way to judge without thinking. I know exactly how E works, in fact, I'd already seen the little dancesafe slideshow too, but people's actual behavior is often different from what chemistry would seem to dictate. The bottomline is that no one here is even talking about what the E does, but rather how it affects people in large groups in a social setting. All any of us can make definite statements about is how it affects us. Which makes it silly to try to blame the entire ruination of a social scene upon it.

[trospec]

ahhh....the topic of drugs again, huh??...since the last time i posted about this subject, my views have changed a bit as to why the drug use appears to be increasing in the scene...or maybe its just an addition to my previously spouted views...thinking about the post from the toronto kid about how police intervention and political rhetoric seems to be bringing the scene down, and thinking about the fire permit issue with playland, i have come to a tentative conclusion as to why drugs seem more prevalent...for one, parties are alot safer than they used to be...not in regards to drugs, but in regards to police intervention and insurance issues...kidz dont really have to worry about a party being busted, which means they can go an event under the influence of as many drugs as they want and not have to worry about the party being scattered or moved in the middle of the night...also, the parties now r alot more accessible than they used to be...u can go to any record store or specialty clothing store and find the next party...with the public`s view of raves being a drug induced collection of space kidz sucking on binkies and blowpops b/c their tongues swell from use of E (a theory put forth by a small tennessee paper), and dancing till the sun comes up b/c of the drugs, alot of ppl join the scene 4 the wrong reasons...the use and distribution of drugs...i guess this is where my previous ideas of increased drug use in the scene come into play...my previous ideas dictated that many (not all mind you) kidz initially go to raves 4 the drugs and the inhibition and euphoria associated with their personal use of drugs (primarily E), and that as they go to more parties and become more involved with the music and the people they learn how to reach that state that they once reached under the influence of drugs with out the drugs, and even surpass it...i dont want to be a hypocrit and say i never roll or fry or whatever, but i guess what saddens me at a party is when i see someone that cant find any drugs and leaves because he/she thinks they cant have fun without drugs...yuk!!...i occasionally do drugs at parties, but i go to most parties sober and still have more fun than i ever would if i left the party b/c i couldnt find any drugs...what kinda crap is that??...anyway, ive written so much that i lost my train of thought...oh yeah, i think the best way to solve this dillema before it gets out of control and outside intervention is required, or percieved to be required by the public, public opinion of raves and ravers (if there is such a thing) must be changed to encompass the many more positive aspects of the scene instead of just the few neg aspects...the best way to accomplish this, as odd as it may sound, is to just bring more and more ppl into the scene, parents in particular...i had a friend bring her sceptical parents to a party, and they had a blast...dont make the use of drugs so obvious either, like openly selling E in the parking lot of fx...if public opinion can be changed, the scene will be left alone to blossom and florish under an umbrella of love and music...if not, the scene will just go back under ground from where it came, and only the ppl that r there 4 the right reasons will stay, and the ppl there 4 the wrong reason will leave until the cycle completes itself to form some other scene whose roots reside in the rave scene of the 90s...personally, i love the music and ppl, and i dont want to see the scene go in on itself...please do what u can to help (helping new comers, bringing an older relative/friend to a party, buying/ingesting your drugs before you come to the party, etc)...*HUGZ* to u all...peace, Billy...