RAVERS, HEAR THEIR CRIES

They're almost always described as good kids, especially by their parents.

And who's about to argue with a grief-stricken mom and dad whose
child has just died because of some stupid mistake?

Like using ecstasy.

It's not as though there's an information black-out on the dire
consequences of ingesting spiked drugs -- particularly the so-called
love drug or XTC which everyone knows is as plentiful at raves as
sweets at a candy shop.

Schools talk about the ill-effects, ad nauseam. Newspapers, including
this one, have published story after story of people dead or dying
wretchedly from drug overdoses. Various levels of government have
published volumes warning kids of the downside and dangers of drugs.

And there might lie the problem: kids don't heed messages from drug
counsellors, news reports and interventionist governments.

They listen to their own.

Yes, 16-year-old Khanh Vo's death after a Vancouver rave last week
was tragic and senseless, but it could have purpose if thousands of
young B.C. rave-goers and drug dabblers listen to the cries of his
anguished parents and weeping friends.

If even a few of them say 'no way' after this tragedy, Vo's loss is our gain.