RAVE HAZARDS TO BE DISCUSSED

Concerns over the hazards of rave parties are so great that organizers of a
metro Detroit conference today on so-called club drugs -- including ecstasy
- -- are turning people away.

The conference is expected to attract 400 people from schools, churches and
law enforcement and human service agencies. It will be held at the
Southfield Center for the Arts.

Raves are generically categorized as large illegal gatherings in abandoned
warehouses with techno and other types of music and revelers ingesting drugs.

More than 200 people had to be turned away as of Tuesday, said Susan Hiltz,
executive director of the nonprofit Prevention Coalition of Southeast
Michigan (PREVCO).

"There's just a thirst for knowledge about club drugs," Hiltz said.

Part of that thirst is fueled by recent incidents in metro Detroit: A
1-year-old Waterford girl was hospitalized on Christmas after ingesting
ecstasy that she found in her mother's purse. Also, a 21-year-old woman
died after taking ecstasy on New Year's Eve at the Motor Lounge in Hamtramck.

Other club drugs include: Ketamine, an animal tranquilizer, LSD, and GHB,
dubbed the date-rape drug.

Sgt. Michael Lemons of the Detroit Police narcotics division said his
department raided about five raves last summer.

"It's usually suburban kids," said Lemons, a conference speaker. At one
rave, he said, "we found ecstasy and Ketamine, but mostly we found nitrous
oxide."

"This is a trend we need to jump on," Hiltz said.

Macomb, Wayne and Oakland counties will host subsequent, separate meetings
on raves. For information, call PREVCO at 810-466-5030, 9-5 weekdays.