What are Club Drugs?
Club drugs are substances that have become popular among young people who go to “raves.” Some are relatively new, and some have been around for years. They include Ecstasy, GHB, Methamphetamine, Ketamine, LSD, and Nitrous Oxide (see listings at the bottom of this article).
Raves are huge dance parties. They run all night and often into the next morning. While most are alcohol-free, that doesn’t mean that they are safe. “These kids don’t want alcohol.” keynote speaker Trinka Porrata stated. “Alcohol is boring to them. A capful of GHB is comparable to 5 or 6 beers.”
Key note speaker Trinka Porrata opened many eyes to the rave club culture at the Club Drug Conference.
They usually give the appearance of searching for illegal substances, but the sad truth is that they purposely over look drugs that are being smuggled into the party because the promoters benefit from the attendees being in an altered state of mind. If drug paraphernalia is found, it is usually confiscated. Not to discourage drug use, but so that the party goer will buy a replacement from a vendor set up inside of the rave.
These vendors are set up in booths to sell party goers a wide array of merchandise and services. “Their type of high is all about sensory perception.” Porrata explained. This is why they buy objects like light sticks, candy (for sugar), Vicks Vapo Rub (that they rub on face masks and wear), pacifiers (GHB makes you grind you teeth), and pulsating lights or vibrators to carry around. Massages are given for a dollar a minute, fortunes are read, and drugs are sold. The drugs and frenzied dancing cause dehydration, so water is sold for as much as $8 a bottle. These raves are organized to keep kids addicted and take their money.
At the conference, Macomb Community College Alcohol & Drug recognition Expert Kenneth Krygel set up a display of the paraphernalia that rave goers like to use to enhance their high.
Porrata believes that Club Drug abuse has been around since the eighties. Deaths are not always identified as being caused by club drugs because club drugs are difficult to detect in victims. Most drugs can only be detected in the urine, not in the blood. GHB is only detectable for four hours after it is ingested.
When the rave ends, all of these high teenagers (sometimes as many as 30,000 at one rave) get in their cars and attempt to drive. It is suspected that club drugs cause thousands of car accidents every year, though no statistics have been kept. The “party” usually ends when these kids find themselves addicted and unable to control themselves, literally.
The room was packed to capacity at the Club Drug conference.
These drugs are so powerful that kids who take them very often don’t remember what occurred while they were under the influence. Sexual predators have seized on this opportunity and often attend raves for the purpose of finding a victim, or in other situations “slip” these drugs to unknowing victims. GHB has been called the “date rape” drug. Porrata concluded her presentation by saying “GHB is the worst drug I have encountered in 25 years of being a cop. This drug is terrifying.”
After lunch, a community panel offered the local perspective of the club drug scene.
Presenters included Kevin Franklin, a Taylor Teen Health Center (a SEMCA prevention provider) Peer Educator and college student familiar with the local club scene; Lynn Kalish who is the Walled Lake Central High School Student Assistance Program Coordinator; Ken Krygel, Macomb County Community College Criminal Justice Training Center Statewide Educator; and Sargent Michael Lemons who is the Detroit Police Department-Narcotics Division Sargent.
After the local presenters each spoke, Teresa Tomeo, a Broadcast Journalist and Media Consultant moderated a question and answer segment.
Each region will be providing a follow-up meeting for local participants to get together again to plan activities to educate the public/youth on club drugs. SEMCA will be collaborating with the Detroit Health Department for the follow-up. Check in future issues of Working Together for more details.
| “The longer this goes on, the more I realize how naive I am.” |
| -Club Drugs Conference Attendee who wished to remain anonymous |