AGONY AND ECSTASY

Six Teens On Drug Collapse At Rave

Six drugged-up teens collapsed early yesterday during a strobe light show at
a monster rave at the Northlands Sportex, officials said.

"We had a mad, crazy light show and when it went into a certain pattern at
6:50 a.m., it triggered seizures in these kids," said rave co-organizer
Keith Rubulick.

Sgt. Kevin MacLeod of the Edmonton Police Service said the six teens
consumed the drug ecstasy before they collapsed.

"The strobe light pattern threw them into a seizure while they were under
the influence of ecstasy," he said.

Five of the injured teenagers were sent to the Royal Alexandra Hospital
while a sixth, who cut her head when she fell, went to the University
hospital, MacLeod said.

Their conditions were not immediately available last night.

Mayor Bill Smith - who sits on the Northlands board of directors - was at
the rave from about midnight until 2:30 a.m., after he attended a show by
comedian Don Rickles across the parking lot at the AgriCom.

It's the fourth such event he has been to recently to gain an understanding
of what they're all about. Yesterday he vowed to raise the issue of raves
with fire department officials who oversee safety regulations involving
public gatherings.

Coun. Robert Noce said he's concerned by yesterday's incident, especially
since he already raised the issue with his fellow members on the Northlands
board back in January.

"The board took the position that we'll simply monitor the situation and
proceed further at a later date," he said.

That answer, said Noce, isn't good enough anymore. He will raise the issue
again when the board meets April 12.

"I'm worried this incident may be just the beginning of something worse to
happen at a later date," he said.

Shannon, a 21-year-old raver who did not want her last name published,
disagreed.

"You're going put a lot of stuff in the paper about drugs and they're going
to start shutting them down," she said.

"I've seen worse stuff happening in bars than I ever saw at a rave."

Noce said Northlands, a non-profit society, should "re-assess" its
involvement with raves. "Does Edmonton Northlands want to be associated with
these types of activities - the possibility of drug use in and around its
premises?

"I'm hopeful when I raise the issue again that Mayor Smith will provide some
of his personal thoughts based on his experiences at these raves."

No charges have been laid.

The Ascension 2000 rave at the Sportex was the largest dance party ever held
in Edmonton, Rubulick said. It reaped organizers more than $250,000 in gate
receipts.

Well-known British DJ Paul Oakenfold, who earns up to $50,000 a show,
entertained the crowd of 5,000. Rubulick said the rave was shut down five
minutes after the six were felled. "I don't know if they were on drugs," he
said.

"But we had no overdoses. Not a single fight. We conducted ourselves in the
most professional way possible and had very elaborate searches. We have a
zero drug tolerance policy."

Cheryl Herchen, a Northlands Park spokesman, said the event will be reviewed
with the help of police and city officials.

"It's a big issue for our city," she said.

"These raves are very popular and we need to know what's the best way to
handle them."