Are you ready to party? Be aware.

Alcohol-Free Dance (Rave) Parties
Raves are late-night dance parties that are held in dance clubs or at temporary venues such as warehouses, open fields, parks or empty buildings. Some simply take place in suburbia in the homes of youth whose parents are out of town. The rave trend started in Europe in the 80s and became prevalent in most metropolitan areas of the U.S. by the early 90s. They are often advertised to attendees as alcohol-free events to detract attention and curiosity from law enforcement and to appease parents. Thumping electronic music and stimulating visual effects usually are components of a rave. Party attendees, or ravers, take club drugs such as MDMA (Ecstasy), GHB, Ketamine, Rohypnol, LSD and Nitrous Oxide to enhance their overall experience. Rave promoters advertise famous DJs and PLUR, the ravers’ mantra, which stands for peace, love, unity and respect.

Contrary to this mantra, these overly crowded, unsupervised dance parties have often ended in the accidental death of an experimental teen that was merely going with the crowd. In today’s culture it is not uncommon for gang violence to take place at these events – a kind of “turf war”. Drug dealers are competing each other for sales and will sell ecstasy tablets to young and naive ravers, wait for the drugs to take effect and then take back the remaining drugs along with whatever money the victim has on them. Whether a rave takes place at a friend’s home, an abandoned warehouse or a nightclub with security; overdose, rape, robbery and death are all potential outcomes. Doesn’t sound like much of a party anymore – does it?

Rave Paraphernalia
One of the most popular paraphernalia items you will find at a rave is the pacifier. Pacifiers and lollipops or other candy are used to keep ecstasy users from involuntary jaw clenching and teeth grinding. Many ravers will wear pacifiers around their necks on plastic beaded necklaces. Other popular items include those that enhance a raver’s visual experience, such as glow sticks, blinking lights on pins and laser lights. Many MDMA users wear painters’ masks with menthol vapor rub applied inside to supposedly enhance the effects of the drug. Ecstasy dehydrates users, and these vapor rub fumes may cause the eyes and nasal passages to dry out, adding to the user’s risk of hypothermia.

• Water bottles
  Ecstasy, the most widely used drug associated with raves, causes dehydration and increases body temperature. Because water is a necessary commodity, club owners do not allow it to be brought in and then sell it for anywhere from $10 to $15 a bottle.



• Glow sticks, laser lights and other light toys
  These are used to enhance the hallucinogenic experience while on ecstasy. These lights are placed inches from the users dilated eyes so individuals see “trails” of light. This may cause long-term vision impairment.



• Pacifiers/lollipops
  Ecstasy causes involuntary jaw clenching and teeth grinding; the pacifier or lollipop prevents this.



• Eye drop bottles
  These are used to store the liquid form of drugs, especially GHB and Ketamine.



• Painters mask and vapor rub/inhalers
  These are combined to enhance the effects of designer drugs. The vapor rub is placed under the nose, and the mask is used to keep the rub from dissipating.



• Caffeinated beverages/stimulants
  These help with the exhaustion caused by the dancing and dehydration and help maintain the stimulant effect of the drugs.