After all of the drug related controversies surrounding dance music festivals this summer, one production company sets itself apart by facing the problem head on.
This summer the Dutch production company ID & T set the gold standard in festival safety with their partnership with DanceSafe. Dancesafe a non-profit organization, helps educate festival goers’ on harm reduction and drug education. This is a huge step forward in my opinion as dance music festivals try and distance themselves from the headlines that haunted most festival coverage this year.
Unfortunately many festivals have chosen to turn a blind eye to the overwhelming statistics concerning drug overdoses. With zero-tolerance policies, promoters are discouraged to offer services in harm reduction, in fear of legal action from condoning drug use. In a flawed system that chooses to ignore a problem rather than fix it, everyone loses.
The three-day festival that took place September 27-29 in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, went off without a hitch. Boasting more than 300 of the world’s top DJ’s like A-Track, Tiesto, and Diplo, and was enjoyed by more than 140,000 attendees. With zero fights along with no arrests and only 17 medical transports reported. It’s safe to say that TomorrowWorld is doing something right.
While I understand promoters may be in a legal bind in order to address drug use at their festivals, which by law must operate on a zero-tolerance policy. I believe it’s foolish for them to ignorantly sit around as another kid dies of an overdose at one of their productions. Any seasoned concert goer can tell you their fair share of horror stories, we all have them. However, the truth is if we cannot get away from this stigma of ignorance and excess we will only contribute to the statistics.
Whether you are a fan of dance music or not, you have to commend TomorrowWorld in their efforts to combat the drug issue. 20 volunteers circulated fliers on harm reduction along with an air-conditioned tent that provided cold water and a place to touch base without judgment. DanceSafe’s presence at TomorrowWorld was hailed as a huge success, with attendees asking why they don’t see these types of stands at every show.
It’s 2013 we need to wake up. Instead of turning a blind eye, it’s time for the organizers to admit that there is a problem and to correct this system that allows them to ignore what is going on and force them to take a pro-active approach to solve it.
You can sign a petition HERE to applaud the organizers of TomorrowWorld and help bring drug education to festivals here in the states.