Pubdate: Mon, 23 Apr 2001
Source: Deseret News (UT)
Website: http://www.desnews.com/
Address: 30 East 100 South., P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, UT 84110
Contact:  2001 Deseret News Publishing Corp.
Author: Laura Hancock

RAVERS, OTHERS DENY THE PARTIES ARE DRUG ORGIES

Don't believe the hype: Raves aren't "drug orgies," a panel of people from 
the rave scene told parents and the community last week.

About 40 people attended the informal discussion at the Salt Lake 
City-County Building. Panel members, which included attendees, rave 
educators, security guards, disc jockeys and promoters, wanted to calm the 
"hysteria" they believe the media have perpetuated in recent stories about 
the scene.

Raves are all-night dance parties, usually featuring techno music. People 
of all ages can attend, although they are most popular with high school 
students and people in their 20s.

Although it is impossible to keep them totally drug-free, security guards 
said they do their best. Attendees, who pay to get in, are supposed to be 
patted down. Age is supposed to be checked, although one parent commented 
that security rarely checks her teenager. No open containers are allowed. 
Some venues don't even allow cigarettes or lip balm, for fear they could 
contain drugs.

It is possible to be celibate, drug-free and involved in the rave scene, 
one audience member said.

Raves are about dancing and music, many said. The spirit of ravers is 
peace, love, unity and respect.

Many also said they love raving because they can socialize with people who 
are accepting. It is an environment impossible to find at school or 
elsewhere because young people in our society aren't generally open and 
accepting of others.

"I've never found a better group of peers in my life," said Evan Done, a 
raver and an educator for the Intermountain Harm Reduction Project, the 
group that sponsored the discussion and sends educators to raves to talk to 
attendees about the effects of drugs.

Several parents at the discussion said they had attended raves. Most said 
they loved the music and dancing. One was concerned the raves don't have 
properly trained medical experts to care for attendees, sometimes numbering 
in the thousands, who get sick.

One mother said she had two children who have raved. One did drugs and had 
to leave the scene to be drug-free. Her other child attended raves with no 
problems. The moral of the story, she said, is "you can't compare the two."

"I think we need to be realistic," said Ilene Done, Evan Done's mother. She 
said drugs can be found anywhere and young people who want to do drugs will 
find them.

B.J. VanRoosendaal, of the Utah Division of Substance Abuse, attended and 
spoke during discussion.

"I understand the appeal because I'm a child of the '60s," VanRoosendaal 
said. "But your parents are worried about your safety."