DRUG ABUSE IS SPIRALLING, RCMP WARN

Walking into the annual Crime Prevention Conference at Mt. McIntyre
Recreation Centre this morning, delegates were treated to a sampling of
techno music often heard at raves.

Generally, raves are all night dance parties booming techno or industrial
music.

Although not all are "saturated" with drugs, as the stereotype ensues,
drugs (such as ecstasy) that were born as part of the rave culture have
found their way into the mainstream.

Cpl. Scott Rintoul of the Vancouver RCMP has an extensive background in
drug enforcement. This morning, he gave a presentation on numerous street
drugs. "More and more people are using and abusing drugs," he said.

Last weekend, a 16-year-old boy was one of two people who died of an
overdose of ecstasy at a Vancouver rave.

Raves came into prominence in the 1990s, and since then, have evolved. Some
areas even have bylaws involving raves, which require police and first aid
workers present. While some can go as late as 8 a.m., others call it quits
at 2 a.m. "A lot prefer this to nightclubs," said Rintoul.

Raves do not allow alcohol. As Rintoul explained, advocates of chemical
drug use note the mix of alcohol with drugs like ecstasy can be a dangerous
combination if there is an overdose.

Just as there are ravers who stay away from drugs, there are also users of
ecstasy who have never been to a rave.

"No community is immune from this stuff," Rintoul said.

The effects of ecstasy (also known as the "hug drug") can last between
three and five hours and create feelings of well-being, energy and
confidence, and high self-esteem. The drug also intensifies all the senses.

However, whether a user is actually getting ecstasy is another matter. Many
pills that are sold as ecstasy actually contain other substances that mimic
the effects of the drug.

Although test kits have become available to users, Rintoul pointed out
there are certain substances it has no reaction to.

"It gives users a false sense of security," he said.

Photos displayed on the screen by Rintoul showed raves where users were
seen with paraphernalia such as pacifiers and safety masks.

Users often have pacifiers on hand to prevent their teeth from grinding as
a physical reaction to the drugs when the jaw clenches. Masks are used
because of the passage ways opening up.

Vick's Vapo-rub is also used to contribute to the heightened sense of
smell. Some of the long-term effects that seem to be occurring are loss of
weight, depression, memory loss and sleep disorders.

Rintoul commented on a 19-year-old who had quit taking ecstasy, but had
begun experiencing these symptoms a few months later.

The former user's memory was such that he had to write down a list in the
morning of what he had to do in the afternoon.

Ecstasy has been shown to release serotonin and cause acute depletion of
the chemical from the brain.

Some combinations of ecstasy have become so common, they have their own terms.

The combination of ecstasy and magic mushrooms, for example, is known as
"hippy flipping".

"Kitty flipping" is a term which refers to ecstasy and ketamine, an
anaesthetic for veterinary surgery.

There are numerous other drugs that are part of mainstream culture as well.