Pubdate: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 Source: Illawarra Mercury (Australia) Copyright: 2000 Illawarra Newspapers Contact: http://mercury.illnews.com.au/ SCOUTS DON'T NEED DRUG LINK THE tragic death of a young Sydney man during a three-day dance party at the Cataract Scout Park, near Appin, has once again thrown the spotlight on the widespread use of drugs at such venues. It is widely known that these so-called rave parties serve as a launching pad for drug and alcohol abuse and that amphetamines and the designer drug ecstasy top the shopping list. Partygoers interviewed by The Illawarra Mercury after the man's death on Sunday estimated up to 90 per cent of the 6000 revellers were on some form of drug during the event. Yesterday, NSW Scouts Association chief executive Peter Olah defended the decision to lease its largest campsite for the event, saying he was confident the decision had been right. Yet in light of the tragic events that unfolded on the association's property last weekend, it is difficult to understand Mr Olah refusing to rule out the possibility of the association hiring the campsite for more rave parties. Perhaps it was naivety on the scouting movement's part that it accepted promoter descriptions of the three-day event as a music performance and arts festival. But the movement risks tainting its squeaky clean image and sending the wrong message to its young members should future hire of its property have such disastrous consequences. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk