BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SYNTHETICS

Dangerous synthetic "club drugs" could be on their way to the Valley,
warns a Vancouver RCMP drug awareness officer.

"These drugs are not just associated with raves and clubs," Cpl.
Scott Rintoul said. "They're becoming very mainstream."

Rintoul will be in Duncan later this month to present a seminar on
the dangers of raves and club drugs.

Club drugs include Ecstasy, methamphetamine, Ketamine, Rohylpnol and
GHB. The latter two are also known as date-rape drugs because they
can easily be slipped into drinks. They can cause hallucinations,
amnesia or even death. Long associated with clubs and all-night
raves, these drugs are moving into house parties and school yards,
Rintoul says.

"Parents have to know that it doesn't matter what rave you're talking
about, what nightclub or what house party, wherever young people are
associating there are going to be drugs," Rintoul says.

Cst. Mike Field of the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP community services
division says he hasn't seized any Ecstasy at local raves and he
doesn't think other officers have either. But he said that doesn't
mean the drug isn't a concern.

"It's too early to say that we have a problem with raves," Field
says. "We just want to address the potential."

Raves have become increasingly popular in the Valley, drawing crowds
from as far away as the Lower Mainland and Seattle. The District of
North Cowichan considered implementing a policy on raves, but decided
to ban the all-night parties.

"Raves and drugs go hand in hand," Field said. "It hasn't happened
yet, but we want to advise the public what to expect."

Rintoul, who has attended more than 100 raves, says the events
themselves aren't necessarily dangerous. He said he's never seen a
fight at a rave, compared to the many he's been called to at bars,
and points out alcohol isn't allowed at raves.

But he says many young people aren't aware of how dangerous the drugs
circulating at raves can be. He says schools talk about the dangers
of tobacco, alcohol and marijuana, but don't give kids information
about other drugs. Even trying a club drug once can kill, he warns.

"It's pretty difficult to just experiment with a synthetic stimulant
because they're so addictive," he said. "People who think they are
just experimenting get trapped.

"We're not talking about cannabis - that you can try once and be
okay. (With synthetics) you can die with just one dose."

Rintoul also warns that people trying club drugs can't be certain of
what they're taking. In a study he conducted of pills sold as Ecstasy
at B.C. raves, only 25 per cent were pure Ecstasy. Twenty-two per
cent were Ecstasy mixed with other drugs. The remainder were other
substances altogether.

"The odds of getting Ecstasy in B.C. are low. You've got a 47 per
cent chance of getting anything even with Ecstasy in it."

He encourages parents to attend the seminar so they'll know what's out there.

The seminar will be held 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Mt. Prevost Middle School.