NOTHING TO RAVE ABOUT

Authorities Note Ecstasy's Arrival

Although its name connotes pleasure, the synthetic drug Ecstasy has made
Chippewa Valley authorities anything but happy.

The use of Ecstasy among young people remains small -- especially compared
to traditionally abused substances such as marijuana and alcohol -- but
authorities have seen a recent upswing in the presence of the drug.

"I'm hearing more about Ecstasy this year than in all of my years of
counseling," said Rachel Wallace, student assistance coordinator at Chippewa
Falls High School. "It's not here in huge numbers yet, but a year or two ago
it wasn't here at all."

Ecstasy -- also known by its chemical name, methlyene-dioxymethamphetamine
- -- is an illegal stimulant similar in composition to methamphetamine. It is
most often associated with raves: late-night, often clandestine dance
parties typified by pounding techno music and laser light shows.

The drug's arrival in the Chippewa Valley caught law-enforcement officials
by surprise, but they have worked to educate themselves about the drug and
its dangers.

"I found myself asking, 'What the heck is this Ecstasy stuff I've been
hearing about?' " said Mark Hanson, a detective with the Chippewa Falls
Police Department.

Three deaths across the state in two weeks last month highlighted the rave
subculture and the possible dangers of Ecstasy:

n On Sept. 4 a Black River Falls woman died after taking an unidentified
pill at a rave, her friends told authorities.

n A 16-year-old Madison boy was found dead Sept. 11 after a rave, apparently
of a drug overdose.

n A 17-year-old Hudson boy died Sept. 17 from what his family said were
complications after taking Ecstasy.

"We'd just hate to see any other children lost to this," Hanson said.

Although experts agree Ecstasy use is increasing in the area, firm
statistics are hard to find.

Sgt. Gene Neitge of the West-Central Drug Task Force said his organization
dealt with three or four meth and Ecstasy cases last year.

This year they have had three times as many, and the amounts of the drugs
seized have increased, he said.

Eau Claire County District Attorney Rich White said he can count on one hand
the number of meth and Ecstasy cases his office has prosecuted in recent
years. But the area is beginning to feel the presence of the drug, White
said.

"The fact that we haven't had many cases that we've prosecuted specifically
involving Ecstasy doesn't mean it's not a drug of some prevalence here,"
White said.

By contrast, drugs like Ecstasy have been more prevalent closer to the Twin
Cities; 41 meth cases were prosecuted last year in St. Croix County.

Raves Enter Scene

Raves, which first became popular in urban areas in the early 1990s,
gradually are arriving in the Chippewa Valley, and they are bringing "club
drugs" like Ecstasy with them, authorities said.

"The main purpose of the rave is to be using these drugs," said Neitge,
whose task force handles drug cases in six west-central Wisconsin counties.

Raves are designed to enhance the stimulant and hallucinogenic properties of
Ecstasy, Hanson said. The drug heightens the senses, so users enjoy
throbbing music and bright lights and often wear brightly colored clothing
and glowing jewelry.

Eau Claire County has been the site of two or three raves that have drawn
young people from across the state, Sheriff Ron Cramer said. Others have
been reported in Black River Falls, Menomonie and rural Chippewa County.

Raves are typically clandestine operations, Cramer said, often organized
over the Internet, and attendees sometimes must buy tickets before receiving
directions.

Although raves are becoming more common in public facilities, Cramer said
organizers often misrepresent the nature of their events. For example, an
event scheduled earlier this year at the Eau Claire County Exposition Center
was billed as a "fall charity dance." The dance was canceled after the
Sheriff's Department learned it was going to be a rave.

It may be impossible to tie drug sales directly to rave organizers, but the
promoters "ultimately know what's going on in that environment," Cramer
said.

Other factors make combating Ecstasy at raves difficult. First, the drug is
easily concealed; it often comes in tablet form and may be stamped with a
corporate logo or other design.

In addition, officers find it hard to blend into rave crowds that usually
range in age from 14 to 25, Cramer said.

Ecstasy Dangerous

Even though raves are fairly new to the area, authorities said parents
should be concerned about them. Because raves often are advertised as
alcohol-free events, parents might assume they are safe for their children
to attend, Cramer said.

What they don't realize is their children likely will have easy access to
narcotics.

"We're always looking for good quality things for youth to attend, and (a
rave) is not one of them," he said. "If you find one that's drug-free,
you'll be surprised."

And besides being illegal, authorities say Ecstasy offers more than a
harmless high.

District Attorney White said he us worries young people might be attracted
to the drug at parties and not realize the dangers of an illicit substance.

"You have no clue how this stuff is going to affect your body," White said.
"It's a tremendously dangerous thing to be consuming drugs in those
circumstances."

"It scares me, because I don't think (users) realize what they're getting
into," Hanson agreed.

Especially when combined with hours of frantic dancing at a rave, Ecstasy
can be very dangerous, Hanson said.

A user's body temperature can rise to 109 degrees, which can lead to
fainting, heat stroke and even heart failure, he said. Recent studies in
animals suggest the drug also can cause permanent brain damage, he added.

Hanson outlined several signs someone might be using Ecstasy:

n One is the use of a pacifier, a common rave accessory, because Ecstasy can
cause involuntary teeth clenching.

n Another is a sudden interest in Vick's Vap-O-Rub; the drug heightens the
user's sense of smell.

n Parents also should watch for elevated body temperatures with no other
symptoms and sudden declines in the quality of schoolwork, Hanson advised.

And, as always, parents should know where their children are and who they
are spending their time with, Hanson said.

If a child says he or she is going to a rave only for the music or the light
show, "there's a large chance that's a lie," said Chi-Hi's Wallace, who has
spent 13 years counseling in the area.

Preventive Measures

Law enforcement officials say they are fortunate they haven't seen much
Ecstasy yet. Watching the drug's upward trend gives them a chance to try to
head it off and educate young people about its dangers, Hanson said.

Ecstasy and meth are two of the bigger problems the drug task force will be
dealing with over the next few years, Neitge said.

But because drug trends are always changing, drug enforcement officials are
used to changing their strategies too, he said.

The growth of Ecstasy may be just a fad, Hanson said, but he can't say with
confidence the drug -- or the Chippewa Valley's embryonic rave scene -- will
go away anytime soon.

And the recent deaths that might be related to the drug are a warning of
what could be coming, authorities say.

"It becomes a real public safety issue," Cramer said. "From our perspective,
do you wait until something happens, until someone overdoses on Ecstasy? .
We say no."