Raving Club Drugs

Across the country, teens and young adults enjoy all-night dance parties known as "raves" or "rave clubs" and increasingly encounter more than just hard pounding techno-music and flashing laser lights. Dangerous substances known collectively as club drugs are frequently used and distributed here.

Rave clubs are often promoted through flyers and advertisements distributed at other rave clubs, in record shops, clothing stores, on college campuses, and over the Internet.

Many parents allow their teens to attend these all night parties since on the flyers they might read; NO Alcohol and Supervised. The truth is, rave clubs rarely sell alcohol because most attendees are not old enough to purchase it. Many believe alcohol counteracts the effects of many club drugs.

People need to realize when you use club drugs you open yourself to potential date-rape situations and other risky activities, such as increased drug use, unpredictable behavior and unprotected sex.

There is a lot of misinformation being circulated about club drugs, especially on the Internet. The truth is, that club drugs are illegal, harmful substances, and the people that are using them with the belief they cannot hurt you, makes the club drugs even more dangerous.

The best thing you can do is to make healthy, informed decisions about your life!

The drugs:

In recent years, certain drugs have emerged and become popular among teens and young adults at dance clubs and "raves." These drugs, collectively termed "club drugs," include MDMA/Ecstasy, Rohypnol (flunitrazepam), GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate), and ketamine (ketamine hydrochloride).

Common street terms for various club drugs include:

GHB Street Term: Goop
Ketamine Street Term: K
MDMA/Ecstasy Street Term: E
Rohypnol Street Term: Roofies

The past eight years have shown that comprehensive and balanced drug policies can reduce the scale of both drug use and drug markets. Demand and supply reduction activities, including evidence-based prevention and early intervention programs, have resulted in fewer first time illicit drug users, significant reductions in youth drug use, and an increased perception of the health and social consequences associated with drug use.

Programs such as the Drug Free Communities Support Program, Random Student Drug Testing, the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, and Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs have contributed greatly to these outcomes and will continue to help drive down illegal drug use in America in 2009.

Every day, in towns and cities across the United States, parents, teachers, coaches, community leaders, law enforcement officials, and others are pushing back against illegal drug use. Among the most effective and sustainable measures are those that reduce the factors that can lead to drug use, including drinking, and strengthen the factors that can contribute to healthy communities. Now in its 11th year, the Drug Free Communities Support Program has helped hundreds of communities in their efforts to bring about sustainable changes in youth substance use at the local level.

This problem belongs to everyone in the community so please do become informed about club drugs and save our children.