Dance Drug Research Articles

Dance drug education in clubs: evaluation of the London Dance Safety Campaign

Drugs have long been associated with music and youth culture. This paper reports on the evaluation of the London Dance Safety Campaign 1997, an intervention designed to reduce the harmful effects of drug use in dance venues. Surveys of London clubbers were carried out prior to the campaign, and following its inception. Posters on London Underground were shown to be .a successful medium for raising awareness of the campaign in this target audi ence. The campaign was positively perceived as realistic, non-moralistic and factual. The take-home message was a little unclear, possibly a result of the contradictory and confusing drugs information received from other sources. Evidence of high recreational drug usage among London dance-club attenders justifies targeting this subgroup of the population in future similar drug cam paigns.

Drug use in South Wales: who uses Ecstasy anyway?

The relationship between clubs, raves and drugs is discussed in the context of a ‘dance drug’ scene. The initial connection point between these was typically believed to be Ecstasy (MDMA), as the two factors are positively associated in much of the early literature regarding these issues. The direct relationship of Ecstasy to the club/rave scene has been questioned in recent reports, where it has been suggested that other drugs have entered the scene and that Ecstasy is being used in a range of settings not associated with the dance scene. Further, it has been suggested that poly-drug use in youth-based samples is becoming more prevalent and that many of the individuals consuming what is sold as Ecstasy believe it to be a substance other than MDMA, confirming this idea of poly-drug use. Research carried out in clubs and raves in a district of South Wales does suggest that Ecstasy is no longer a central feature of the dance drug scene, and likewise, the dance scene is no longer a central feature of Ecstasy use. Further, poly-drug use among members of this dance drug scene does appear to be more typical than the use of a single substance. Reasons for this development in drug-using behaviour are discussed, as are implications and requirements for community drug services.

Patterns of Heroin use among a Non-Treatment Sample in Glasgow (Scotland)

Semi-struclured interviews were carried out with 74 participants in Glasgow who had used opiates at least twenty times in the previous two years, who had never been in addiction treatment, and who had never served a custodial sentence. Typically, participants were experienced users of a range of non-opiate and of different opiates, with most describing heroin as their “main opiate of use”. Participants tended to have first used opiates at a relatively late age (mean 22.3 years), and a significant minority of the sample are relatively new users of opiates, with some indication that opiate use may be increasing among users of “dance drugs”. Heroin was rated as the most enjoyable opiate to take, and self-ratings of Severity of Dependence for light and moderate heroin users was low by comparison to clinical samples. Participants reported relatively few major drug-related health and social problems. Levels of criminal activity were higher than those reported in the Scottish Crime Survey general population, but...

Raves, drugs and experience: drug use by a sample of people who attend raves in Western Australia

To investigate the patterns of drug use among a sample of people in the rave scene in Perth, Western Australia and test the hypothesis that those who were less experienced in their drug use had less drug-related knowledge. Respondents were recruited through flyers in cafes, clothing and music stores and through snowballing. They were paid $20 for a 1 1/2 hour interview which comprised both qualitative and quantitative components. Respondents were interviewed in cafes or restaurants, private dwellings, agencies or other public spaces. Eighty-three people who had been to a rave in the prior 6 months. Their mean age was 18.9 years (range 13-48) and 53% were male. Brief history of drug use, HIV risk behaviour, knowledge of drug-related harm and side effects experienced from drugs. The group was unremarkable apart from their drug use. Ninety per cent of respondents had ever used LSD, 76% had used ecstasy and 69% had used amphetamines. Before, during or after the last rave attended 52% used cannabis and 35% had used each of amphetamines and LSD. Those who were less experienced in their drug use had less knowledge about drugs. Many respondents began using 'dance drugs' while they were still at school. Those with less drug-using experience may have less drug-related knowledge and may be at greater risk of harm. Strategies should be implemented which involve people in the scene, promoters, health workers and the authorities to reduce drug-related harm associated with raves and other dance events.

Polydrug use at raves by a Western Australian sample

This study aimed to quantify the patterns of drug use among a group of participants in the rave scene in Perth, Western Australia. Interviews were conducted with 83 people who had recently been to a 'rave'. The study incorporated a semi-structured qualitative interview and a structured quantitative questionnaire. This paper reports on the quantitative data collected concerning patterns of drug use in association with the last rave attended. Use of 'dance drugs' (ecstasy, amphetamines or LSD) was reported by 86.8% of the 76 respondents who had used at least one drug in association with their last rave. Nearly 80% of these had also used at least one other drug on this occasion (mean number used = 2.4). Cannabis and inhalants were the drugs most commonly combined with the 'dance drugs', several respondents used more than one 'dance drug' concurrently and 16.7% had used alcohol. It seems that a significant proportion of those using 'dance drugs' in association with raves and dance parties are mixing these drugs with other substances despite harm reduction advice to the contrary. The need for more research in this area is discussed.

Liver transplantation for the treatment of fulminant hepatic failure induced by the ingestion of ecstasy

Abstract. Methylenedimethoxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), more commonly known as ecstasy, is a synthetic amphetamine derivative used by teenagers and young adults in the United States as well as in Western Europe as a “dance drug”. Though a number of complications associated with this drug have been reported, there is little information pertaining to hepatoxity as a result of MDMA ingestion. This case report is about an 18-year-old female patient who regularly used ecstasy on weekends over a 2-month period. Within 2 days after accepting a “hit” of the substance at a party, she was admitted to the hospital because of lethargy, vomiting, abdominal pain, stool discoloration, icterus, and darkened urine. On day 7 she developed fulminant hepatic failure with reduced hepatic coagulation factors and grade IV encephalopathy. Orthotopic liver transplantation was carried out 10 days following the ingestion. The patient made a full recovery within 72 h and was released from the hospital 6 weeks later. His-topathological examination of the removed liver revealed a nutritive-toxic liver necrosis. This case demonstrates that the ingestion of ec-stacy, even on an infrequent basis, can lead to acute fulminant liver necrosis, and that this life-threatening complication can be treated successfully by liver transplantation.

Places and patterns of drug use in the Scottish dance scene

Interviews were conducted with 135 participants in the Glasgow dance (rave) scene. Drug use in this group was varied and not merely restricted to drugs associated with dance events, such as MDMA (Ecstasy). The setting in which each drug was used varied greatly. Amphetamine, nitrites and Ecstasy were the drugs most commonly used at dance events. Pharmaceuticals were least likely to be used in such settings. However, some drugs, such as Temazepam, were sometimes used prior to or after attending rave events. It is suggested that dance drug users are polydrug users who use drugs in a setting specific fashion. As such it would be wrong to classify such users solely on the grounds of their very visible behaviour in the public arena (at dance events). Other forms of substance use engaged in by this group may have a greater potential for harm than that seen at raves. The implications of these findings are discussed.

The Normalization of Recreational Drug Use amongst Young People in North-West England

An anonymous self-report survey of drug use among a cohort of 776 14-15 year olds in North-West England was conducted at the end of 1991, aiming to estimate prevalence and profile users. Six in 10 reported being offered drugs, and 36 per cent to using drugs (20 per cent in the past month). Over half of those offered drugs had tried them. Lifetime prevalence was highest for cannabis (32 per cent), with five other drugs each being used by 10-14 per cent. Three groups identified were cannabis smokers, solvents sniffers, and stimulant/psychedelic (or dance drug) users. The population parameters of drug use were estimated at 33-40 per cent, suggesting up to 200,000 local young adults have used drugs. Most significantly, the proportion of young women being offered and using drugs and the prevalence of drug trying amongst young people in 'middle-class' schools, suggests a substantial social transformation is underway in respect of recreational drug use. The results of this survey confirm a general trend apparent in other British studies. As this cohort is tracked into the mid 1990s, the sociological implications will be significant.