We’ve all seen them at shows. Jaws clenched, teeth grinding, sweat pouring down a beet-red face with that far off, spun out look gazing from eyes with pupils the size of dinner plates. As Hunter Thompson wrote in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, “You took too much man, too much, too much.”
While the vast majority of live music fans take it easy and are there to enjoy the music responsibly, it is undeniable that illegal drugs have been and always will be a part of live music culture. With the recent explosion in the number of music festivals being presented around the country, the availability of these drugs often leads to serious consequences, ranging from a very uncomfortable experience to arrest and ultimately death.
What’s equally as tragic, however, is that these tragedies can be prevented.
This past Sunday, Stefanie Jones, the Nightlife Community Engagement Manager at the Drug Policy Alliance, gave a talk at The New School in New York City. The topic of the talk was trends of future of drug use and harm reduction policies at festivals, clubs and concerts. Jones discussed some very simple measures that concert and festival promoters can make to ensure a much safer experience for everyone involved, including access to free water and making sure that there are adequate medical services on site.
We spoke to Jones, who said, “The most powerful thing a music fan can do is to demand real drug education and harm reduction services at the events they love. Event producers and artists need to hear it from their attendees and fans before they will be truly motivated to make changes.”
While these services are important, they do not address all of the issues that may potentially occur in an environment in which people are using drugs. More controversial measures include providing access to safe spaces or chill zones, where an individual could go if he or she was having a difficult time, psychologically, after taking a particular substance. Probably the most controversial proposal is offering on-site drug testing. While this would ideally allow people to know exactly what they are putting into their bodies, including these types of services implies that the festival has consented with drug use on site.
If these simple measures have the ability to make events safer and possibly save lives, then what’s stopping concert promoters from putting them in place? Although everyone knows drugs are being used at their events, concert promoters are very weary of addressing their use in any manner other than a zero tolerance policy.
This is primarily due the The RAVE Act that was sponsored by now Vice President Joe Biden. Essentially, the bill paved the way for the possible prosecution of concert promoters for the actions of their patrons. That’s a very serious concern for someone to consider when organizing an event. Concert promoters generally try to shield themselves from prosecution by avoiding any services that could be perceived as condoning drug use, even if those services have the possibility of saving lives.
There are, however, festival and concert promoters out there who are doing their best to tread the line and keep their patrons safe while operating in a prohibitionist society. Burning Man provides a “Sanctuary” for individuals having a difficult trip. The festival has found that most people just need a few minutes to remove themselves from a crowded, high-energy environment and enter a quieter more comforting space before they feel all-right again. This is certainly a better option than having someone suffer through a difficult experience, without having the option of a safe place to go and collect one’s self and to be able to do so without the fear of being arrested or interrogated.
Camp Bisco has previously allowed The Bunk Police (more info) to operate drug testing on site. This is of great importance in light of today’s ever expanding variety of mind-altering substances. It’s no secret that a large percentage of drugs sold are impure. Most powdered MDMA is really a cocktail, containing such dangerous substances as methamphetamine and bath salts. If someone is intent on taking an illegal drug, then they should at least know exactly what it is that they are consuming, and organizations such as The Bunk Police are working to ensure that this is the case. The main issue blocking these potentially life saving services, however, is the simple fear of arrest. Even though drugs are available at every concert and music festival they are still illegal and any attitude besides a zero tolerance policy opens oneself to the possibility of prosecution.
It’s time for lawmakers to take a hard look at legislation such as The RAVE Act (Visit Amend The RAVE Act to support this noble cause). Essentially, all of these laws are intended to protect us from ourselves. Therefore, individuals are “protected” by being locked in prison. This in itself is a harm and defies logic. Even without making major changes to drug laws, it is possible for authorities and concert promoters to work together and do a better job of balancing prohibition with health.
At every show, there will be young people that will be making potentially dangerous decisions. While we can’t eliminate the dangers posed by illegal drugs we can adopt better policies that reduce potential harm. Organizations such as The Bunk Police, Zendo, Dance Safe, and the Drug Policy Alliance’s Music Fan program (more info here) are actively working to bring about common sense solutions and make music festivals safer and more comfortable spaces to be. It’s also important to remember, at the individual level, that we are a community and many of us truly do live for live music. It’s important for us to remember to look out for each other and help out if a fellow concertgoer is struggling and needs a hand.