RAVES ON THE RISE

They're called raves -seemingly harmless parties that some say are filled
with drugs and have become a growing problem in Eastern North Carolina.

Raves are advertised as alcohol free lock-ins, Assistant District Attorney
Imelda Pate said, which makes parents happy.

Most raves are held at warehouses, they start at 8 p.m. and don't end until
morning, Pate said. Alcohol isn't the problem, people at these parties are
doing drugs, mainly ecstasy.

Teens are made aware of the parties by fliers, which usually fail to
mention the amount of drugs that will be available to the teen party-goers.
According to the War on Drugs Web site, ecstasy produces an enhanced sense
of pleasure and self-confidence as well as psychedelic effects.

Pate said the most dangerous aspect of the drug is that it causes
dehydration and raises body temperatures as high as 108 degrees.

Because of the drug's effect, pacifiers, Vicks VapoRub, suckers and bottles
of water are usually sold at the party, Pate said.

These everyday things are the paraphernalia used with ecstasy, Pate said.
In this state paraphernalia has to be used to ingest the drug. These items
just enhance the drug's effects, so we can't do anything about it.

Megan Puchalski, 16, said a lot of her friends attend raves, but she
doesn't want to.

I've gotten fliers for raves on my windshield, but I just throw them away,
Puchalski said. Most of the parties are in Greenville, but I know people
have gone around here. I've heard too many bad stories about them to go and
wouldn't recommend it to others.

Pate said raves most commonly occur in college towns like Greenville and
Chapel Hill, but because of Kinston's proximity to East Carolina
University, the parties are moving closer to home.

We know the raves are here, but we haven't busted them, said Kinston Police
Capt. Annette Boyd. We have to know when and where they are to get an
undercover officer and send an undercover officer.

Steven White, 16, said he has gone to a lot of raves, mainly in Greenville.

The majority of people at a rave are doing drugs - I don't do drugs, I just
go for the dancing, White said. I've seen people doing coke on the toilet
and popping ecstasy on the dance floor.

White said although he hasn't been to a rave in Kinston, he knows they are
going on.

I'd bet money that there are raves in Kinston, he said. It's like a big
version of a keg party. It's good to get away from the real world sometimes.