by Kevin Killough
Guest Columnist
Perhaps you've seen the new anti-ecstasy campaign produced by the Partnership for a Drug Free America.
One television commercial shows a girl dancing at a rave, surrounded by lights and music. Suddenly, she falls to the floor sick and unconscious. In the final horrific scene, she is whisked away in an ambulance.
The slogan that scrolls across the bottom of the screen reads, "Ecstasy: Where's the love?"
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According to the Drug Abuse Warning Network, ecstasy was involved in - but not necessarily the cause of - nine deaths in the United States in 1998.
In comparison, every year tobacco kills about 450,000 people and alcohol kills as many as 150,000.
A better slogan for the anti-ecstasy commercials would be, "Ecstasy: Where's the truth?"
One reason for the hype can be seen in Senate Bill 2633, the Reducing Americans' Vulnerability to Ecstasy Act of 2002, also known as the RAVE Act. The RAVE Act is an expansion of the federal "crack house" laws, which punish property owners if their property is knowingly used to facilitate drug use or distribution. If passed, the RAVE Act would make it a serious felony to "maintain drug-involved premises."
The wording of the bill is so vague it could be applied to any number of venues and businesses, or possibly any homeowner who throws a party where a guest happens to be using drugs.
Those convicted under the law could face a $250,000 fine and years in federal prison.
Among many other injustices, the bill would effectively outlaw raves and the rave culture.
While ecstasy users go to raves, the dance events are not designed to promote drug use of any kind. Nonetheless, drug warriors are targeting raves with extreme prejudice and refuse to view them as anything other than drug fests.
Despite having never attended a rave in his life, Finn Selander, demand reduction coordinator for the DEA in the Southwest, told the Weekly Alibi, "Raves should be dismantled and put to an end...That is their [ravers] place to sell the drugs."
Local rave promoter, Chris Boyer, has even invited the DEA to his raves. According to Boyer, the DEA simply refuses to go.
Ecstasy is dangerous. Condoning ecstasy use would be like condoning skateboarding in an arroyo.
Ecstasy use has definite risks, but it won't necessarily kill every user. These exaggerated claims are hurting drug education by destroying its credibility.
Kids are not stupid, and many are aware that ecstasy deaths are rare.
Exaggeration and lies about ecstasy may lead people to question all drug education and perceive it as hype.
Anti-ecstasy legislation is just as irresponsible. The RAVE Act will ultimately make ecstasy use more dangerous.
If a rave promoter provides free water and "cooling off" rooms, it could be used as evidence that the promoter knew there would be drug use.
Deaths by ecstasy are largely caused by dehydration and overheating.
If we are to keep people away from ecstasy, we need honest education.
We also need effective and sane laws that reduce the harm of ecstasy use, not increase it.
The anti-ecstasy efforts of the PDFA and DEA are not saving lives - they're claiming them, one kid at a time.
