BUSH PARTIES, RAVES CAN PRESENT SAFETY RISKS

With summer here, so are bush parties and raves. Officials are raising the
warning flag about the dangers for young people who take part in them.

Drugs like ecstasy tend to be more available, and there are large crowds,
potentially criminals and gangs, and a greater risk of physical or sexual
assault.

A joint warning has been issued by Halton Regional Police, the Halton
Regional Health Department, and both the Halton public and Catholic school
boards.

Halton's Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Bob Nosal, said the hope is to tell
the community about the risks and dangers.

"By creating awareness we can inform people about the reality of these
events and ultimately encourage youth to make informed decisions about
attending them."

Knowing that young people will attend bush parties and raves, parents
should ask their kids questions such as, where is the event, who will they
be with, how will they handle peer pressure, and how will they get home?

If a young person is attending an all-night dance party, they should be
encouraged to drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration; take frequent
breaks from dancing; stay near trusted friends; and don't use illicit drugs
or alcohol.

A survey of Ontario students in 2001 found that about 18 per cent of teens
reported having attended a rave in the past year, about 41 per cent a bush
party.

The same Ontario Student Drug Use Survey found about half of the kids who
attended raves and bush parties had smoked marijuana in the past year.
About one in five kids at a rave uses ecstasy, and about one in four at
both a rave or a busy party reported using a hallucinogenic drug.

For more information about raves, bush parties, drugs or alcohol use call
the Halton Health Department at 905-825-6000, ext. 7835, or visit
www.region.halton.on.ca/health.