Unless you’re among the group of people who believe that abstinence is the only answer to safe sex, odds are you can recognize the selfless, difference-making work that organizations like Dancesafe and the Bunk Police are putting in. Just like abstinance-only, a zero-tolerance policy towards drugs has proven futile, and groups like these two are paving the way for educated, responsible use.
For those unfamiliar, these two groups are among the leaders in harm reduction for illicit drug use in the music scene. They do not condone or encourage the use of substances; instead they’re here for you once you’ve already made the decision to use them. Through the use of adulterant test kits, pamphlets and education, they provide life-saving information to anyone willing to listen.
Unfortunately, their voice is being stifled. The Bunk Police were shut down at Bonnaroo in June, and Dancesafe was shut down at Electric Forest just two weeks later. This is nothing new, as these guys and girls have been fighting the good fight since their inception, knowing the risk of getting kicked out always exists.
But why does this continue to happen? A zero-tolerance policy on drugs has proven a complete and utter disaster since its inception in the Reagan era. Banning truthful education does nothing more than harm people who have already made the decision to experiment. So are festivals/shows/events out to make attendees’ lives more dangerous? The answer is an obvious and resounding “no”. However, their hands are tied because of the RAVE Act. Also known as the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act, this bill has unintended consequences which compromise efforts towards education and, ironically, safety.
Sponsored by then-Senator Joseph Biden in 2003, the purpose of the Act is to “prohibit an individual from knowingly opening, maintaining, managing, controlling, renting, leasing, making available for use, or profiting from any place for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, or using any controlled substance, and for other purpose.”
Perhaps by design, this language leaves much room for interpretation. Festivals have a hard time leaving to chance that local officials will take kindly to harm reduction on their premises, as the festival’s action could easily be twisted into “maintaining” or “renting/leasing” an area for the use of a controlled substance. Or worse yet, it could fall under the vague and laughable “and for other purpose” section. No matter how progressive the festival might be with their stance on substances, the bottom line is that a festival can not, and will not, risk getting shut down. This leaves them with no choice other than to play by the rules of the powers that be.
Since this problem is a result of federal legislation, the only solution is to pressure our representatives for change and let them know our thoughts on the matter. The RAVE Act is outdated and runs against common sense of empowering the public with information. Titled with bias, this act uses electronic music as a convenient scapegoat when it comes to drug use. No matter how badly someone might want to deny it, music, not simply electronic music, has been intertwined with sensory experimenting since the beginning of mankind. To deny it would be a lie.
Much like how Rock ‘n Roll was proclaimed the “Devils music” in the 50’s and 60’s, electronic music is often ostracized by older generations who cannot relate. Unfortunately, this older generation holds law-making power in the government and it is up to us to voice our opinion on it. It’s time to focus our energy towards fixing the problem, not attacking the hapless victims of it (festivals). You’d be amazed at what a call or email to your representatives can do, and those are the very people we should be voicing our opinions to.
If you would like to purchase your own test kits, or if you’d like to support Dancesafe and the Bunk Police, you can click the links and check out these groups for yourself to see what they’re all about. Their sites are treasure troves of information where you’ll surely learn something new. In the meantime, don’t be shy to try and make a change by letting your voice be heard. With enough support we can stop pretending that drug use doesn’t happen, and instead shift our focus to harm reduction.
(photo credit: Dancesafe)
Connect with Dancesafe:
https://dancesafe.org
https://www.facebook.com/like.dancesafe
Connect with Bunk Police:
http://bunkpolice.com
https://www.facebook.com/BunkPolice
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