RAVES ARE ABOUT MUSIC, NOT DRUGS

I am a raver; I am not a drug addict.

I am a 20-year-old university student, I have never overdosed on drugs
and I have never been in trouble with the law. I have educated myself
on the dangers associated with doing drugs and I party
responsibly.

To Mel Lastman and the police force of Toronto: Raves are not about drugs.
In my nine short months of partying, I have become addicted to the music,
the people and the whole rave atmosphere.

The party begins. Reality turns to fantasy, allowing me to escape the
pressures of everyday life and live in a dream world for a few short
hours.

The girl sitting next to me, whose name I don't even know, is my
friend, my sister, my soulmate. Peace and love replace anxiety and
fear; violence and hate are condemned.

All are united as one; there is no differentiation based on race,
gender or sexual orientation. As I dance till dawn to the point of
physical exhaustion, I have never felt more alive.

Banning raves will not eliminate the use of drugs; it will only move
their use to a different location: the streets. Banning raves will not
eliminate parties; it will merely force them back underground, where
there are no safety regulations. In fact, it probably will increase
the use of drugs and overdoses because of the lack of police and
medical supervision.

The answer is not prohibition; it is education. The use of drugs will
never be eliminated in any society. But, perhaps, the rate of overdose
and death can be. Ravers of Toronto, please party responsibly and show
our city why we just can't stop raving: It's about the music.

Kimberly Gleeson
Toronto