BRITS' RELAXED DRUG POLICY SHOCKS LOCALS

A new British policy on drugs that turns a blind eye to the personal use of
dance drugs such as ecstasy alarms Vancouver rave organizer Salim Lakhani.

Last year, Lakhani's company Swing Kids Entertainment was the organizer of
a rave at the Pacific Coliseum. Despite tight security, two of the 4,600
young people attending died after taking ecstasy.

Yesterday, Lakhani said: "For the authorities to give up on ecstasy sends
the wrong signal to bad elements in society. They will be producing more
potent drugs and producing them in larger quantities. I don't believe the
use of drugs is OK and I don't believe it is OK to ignore ecstasy so as to
concentrate on cocaine and heroin."

Guidelines issued by Britain's Home Office accept that drug-taking is
widespread among the young and cannot be eradicated.

"Controlled drug use has become a large part of youth culture and is for
many young people an integral part of a night out," the Home Office
document says.

British operators of dance clubs catering to young people are being advised
to provide rest areas, water, improved ventilation and trained first-aid
assistance. Special rest areas for those who may be overcome on the dance
floor are termed "chill-out" rooms.

One club owner quoted in the British press approves of the new relaxed
approach, noting that government cannot halt the flow of drugs in prison,
let alone attempt to control what clubbers do.

Lakhani said: "Canada needs to keep tight controls on drugs. The
responsibility for doing this at raves shouldn't all fall to the promoter.
We promoters have only the same powers as ordinary citizens. We can turn
people away if we think they are suspicious, but that's all."

Vancouver's top drug cop, Insp. Kash Heed, said city police aren't taking a
softer line toward use of ecstasy. "The prohibition on chemical drugs is in
place and we are enforcing it," he said.

Police acknowledge that licensed raves are vigilantly supervised, so any
drug dealing that may occur has to be done clandestinely.

Lakhani said his company had 95 security guards, 15 off-duty police
officers and eight first-aid attendants at its last big event.

His firm is planning a Halloween rave and an open-air rave, at a site yet
to be announced, in August.