Pubdate: Wed, 24 May 2000
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2000 Southam Inc.
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Author: Jennifer Prittie

DEBATE OVER RAVES TURNING INTO 'MORAL PANIC'

U.S. Expert Allen Ho Inquest: Issues Presented Out Of Proportion To
Evidence, He Says

The debate over designer drug use in the U.S. in the past three to
four years can best be described as a "moral panic," the Allen Ho
inquest heard yesterday.

Philip Jenkins, a professor of history and religious studies at
Pennsylvania State University, explained that moral panic, a concept
that academics have used for 40 years, describes a public debate that
revolves around exaggerated fears, rather than around rational
discussion of a genuine new problem.

It occurs, he said, when the media discover a topic, and go into a panic
state about it for weeks or months. In his book Synthetic Panics: The
Symbolic Politics of Designer Drugs, Dr. Jenkins has described how the
concept applies to the emergence of the drugs Ecstasy, GHB and
Ketamine in the United States.

Outside court, Dr. Jenkins said his first impression was that moral
panic could also describe recent debate over raves in Toronto. Mr. Ho
collapsed at an all-night party in an underground parking garage last
Oct. 10. It is not known how many Ecstasy pills he consumed.

Of 13 Ecstasy-related deaths in Ontario since 1998, only three have
had any connection with raves, and only one, Mr. Ho's, has involved a
so-called underground rave.

Dr. Jenkins explained yesterday that moral panics, which have occurred
over drugs in the United States regularly since the 1950s, have a
number of common features. They usually concern issues that come out
of thin air, he said, and those issues are presented in a way that is
far out of proportion to evidence or reliable statistics.

Where such panics involve drugs, particular drugs are portrayed as
more destructive or addictive than they actually are, and reports tend
to use loaded words such as epidemic. Stories about a single
high-profile death can also be portrayed as a typical case. "Very
often, these horror stories live on for years," said Dr. Jenkins.

Debates normally feature one or more "moral entrepreneurs" who take
ownership of an issue and try to influence public opinion.

The existence of a moral panic doesn't mean that no genuine concerns
exist, he explained, but the concept can help cut an issue down to
size. The inquest also heard from Kim Stanford, a registered nurse who
is the chairwoman of the Toronto Dance Safety Committee, a group
representing local promoters, ravers and DJs.

Five years ago, Ms. Stanford helped found the Toronto Raver Info
Project (TRIP), a drug education group that attends raves. She said
yesterday that TRIP, which has an annual budget of $32,000, could use
more funding for staff and for developing new pamphlets. Currently,
the group only has enough money to attend half the city's raves.

Two lawyers at the inquest sparred with Ms. Stanford over material in
TRIP pamphlets. The pamphlets are based on "harm reduction," an
approach that holds since some people will do drugs even when warned
not to, it is helpful to teach them how to reduce risks associated
with drug use.

Material the lawyers took issue with included advice to buy Ecstasy
from a reliable supplier, to ask suppliers what is in a particular
pill and to take half a pill when trying a new kind of Ecstasy.

New issues raised during Ms. Stanford's testimony included an age
restriction on raves, which she said should be placed at 16. If it is
any higher, she said, it would create underground events.

She also discussed the idea of establishing "rave angels," dozens of
ravers who would patrol an event to make sure patrons are well.

Evidence at the inquest will likely conclude today
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MAP posted-by: Allan Wilkinson