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What is DanceSafe?
DanceSafe is a national, non-profit harm reduction organization
promoting health and safety within the rave and nightclub community.
We train youth to become health educators within their own dance
communities, utilizing a peer-based educational model called "popular
education." Among the health and safety issues we deal with
are hearing protection, safe driving, and the use of
recreational "dance" drugs.
What is harm reduction?
Harm reduction is a philosophy and set of strategies that supports
individuals in improving their health and lives by reducing the
harm that can result from their behaviors and circumstances. First
emerging out of the epidemics of HIV and drug use, harm reduction
principles are now applied to a wide array of social issues such
as disease prevention, family violence, homelessness, criminal
justice and the sex industry. Harm reduction provides a practical
alternative to the prohibitionist-abstentionist model in dealing
with societal drug use.
Does harm reduction promote drug use?
No. Harm reduction acknowledges the fact that despite societal
efforts to discourage the use of illicit drugs, many people still
choose to use them. Harm reduction programs, therefore, are designed
for people who have already made this choice. Like condoms
prevent the spread of disease without encouraging premarital sex,
harm reduction reduces drug-related harm without encouraging the
use of drugs.
Won't harm reduction enable drug users to use drugs?
No. Harm reduction is referred to as "secondary prevention" and
works together with "primary prevention" programs to reduce drug
use and abuse. Where primary prevention programs utilize
an abstention model ("Just say no") and are aimed at those
who have never used illicit drugs before (like young children),
secondary prevention programs are geared towards people
who are already using illicit drugs: "If you choose to use,
use as safely as possible."
What about abstention?
Harm reduction programs acknowledge that abstention is the best
option to prevent the harms associated with drug use, and harm
reduction workers always inform users of this option. For people
who choose to use anyway, however, harm reduction programs help
them stay alive and healthy until the point they decide to stop
using.
Does DanceSafe support drug legalization?
Drug legalization, or "decriminalization and regulation," has
become a popular debate these days. Like the general population,
some harm reduction workers support it and others don't. Some
support it for some drugs (like marijuana and ecstasy), but not
for others. DanceSafe currently remains neutral on the issue.
While many of the dangers surrounding dance drugs are caused by
prohibition (i.e., adulterants on the black market) the legalization
of ecstasy and other dance drugs may create a new set of problems.
More research needs to happen into how decriminalization and regulation
would be implemented before we can take a position on the matter.
Regardless of the issue of legalization, however, we are strongly
in support of drug policy reform. There are many possible
ways to reform local and national drug policy that don't necessarily
involve legalizing drugs, and we think reform is long overdue.
We support organizations working for alternatives to the current
US policy of waging a "war" on drug users. For more information
on the movement for drug policy reform, visit the websites of
the Lindesmith Center
and the Drug Policy Foundation.
Why do we test pills for users?
Adulterant screening is an important harm reduction service for
ecstasy users, since many tablets on the black market contain
substances far more dangerous that real ecstasy. For more information
on our pill testing program and the need for adulterant screening,
check out the following pages on our website: Pill Testing | Laboratory Pill Analysis | DXM
What is Ecstasy?
Ecstasy (MDMA) is a drug that releases large amounts of the brain
chemical, serotonin, producing a 4 to 6 hour anti-depressant
effect. It is not hallucinogenic. Rather, it is a "mood-elevator."
Most users report that it makes them feel happy and social, with
enhanced feelings of empathy and group rapport. It is not addictive.
However, like all drugs, it can be abused. Also like other drugs,
using Ecstasy contains risks. Our website explains these risks,
which range from overheating in a hot, rave environment
to possible depression from long-term
use to potential neurotoxicity.
How dangerous is ecstasy?
It is difficult to assign a "danger rating" to a drug. Different
drugs have different risks. Compared to most recreational drugs
(alcohol included), ecstasy-related deaths are extremely rare.
Those that have occurred have been linked to contraindicated medications (prescription
drugs that the user was on when they took the ecstasy), pre-existing health conditions,
heat stroke (associated with overcrowded, hot nightclubs), and
the adulterated market (accidently
consuming a more dangerous drug believing it to be ecstasy).
Were there really 40 "ecstasy-related" deaths in
Florida over the last 3 years as 60 Minutes reported?
No. The figure of 40 deaths was taken as fact by 60 Minutes yet
the evidence supporting these claims had not been made public.
A report by the Orlando Sentinel has shown that the Florida Drug
Control Policy center in Florida grossly exaggerated this claim.
DanceSafe and MAPS are currently
researching these Florida fatalities in order to accurately discern
the cause of death. We have recently obtained copies of the autopsy
reports and have hired a doctor to review them.
Were there really 1,100 ecstasy overdoses in the
last few years in the US?
No. The figure of 1100 emergency room visits due to MDMA comes
from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) system. DAWN compiles
statistics of emergency room visits where a particular drug happenes
to be mentioned by the patient or one their friends, regardless
of whether the drug caused the emergency. Also, blood tests are
not required, so it is impossible to know if the patient consumed
real ecstasy or DXM, a common adulterant
on the ecstasy market that is much more likely to cause medical
emergencies than real MDMA.
Are adverse reactions preventable?
Yes. Most ecstasy-related emergencies are easily preventable
with education and caution. By far the most common type of adverse
reaction to ecstasy is dehydration and
overheating while dancing for long periods of time in a hot
nightclub. These adverse reactions are not the result of ecstasy
alone, but rather in overexerting oneself while on the drug. By
taking breaks from dancing, drinking enough cool water, and avoiding
hot, overcrowded environments, users can easily
avoid the most common form of ecstasy-related emergency. England
is a good example of successful ecstasy harm reduction. As harm
reduction education has expanded and become government funded,
ecstasy-related emergencies have dropped, despite growing use
of the drug.
Does ecstasy have therapeutic-medicinal potential?
Before ecstasy was made illegal in 1985 it was used as a therapeutic
adjunct by psychologists and therapists who found it remarkable
in its ability to facilitate self-discovery and healing. Government
approved research is about to begin in Spain using ecstasy (MDMA)
to treat rape survivors with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
See our MDMA therapy page.
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