Pubdate: Fri, 20 Jul 2001
Source: Herald-Palladium, The (MI)
Copyright: 2001 The Herald-Palladium
Contact:  http://www.heraldpalladium.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1378
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raves.htm (Raves)

RAVES: HARMLESS FUN OR DRUG PARTIES?

Police need to be on the lookout for what some are calling warning 
signs that raves are a growing trend in Southwest Michigan. But the 
trick will be to react to possible trouble - not overreact.

Raves - all-night parties that often attract sizable crowds of 
teenagers and young twenty-somethings - are not exactly new. They've 
been a form of youth entertainment in larger cities for at least a 
decade.

Problems arise when the all-nighters attract drug dealers and kids 
looking to get high. Of late the drugs ecstasy and Ketamine are two 
of the hotter "club" drugs that police around Michigan have found at 
some rave parties.

In Detroit last spring police handed out 85 citations - most for 
loitering - when they busted an illicit rave where drugs and weapons 
were said to be in abundance. In Grand Rapids recently there was a 
string of burglaries at veterinarian offices where Ketamine - a cat 
tranquilizer - was the target of thieves. Grand Rapids police also 
have been vigilant about the problems associated with rave parties.

Some possible ravers seem to have their eye on Southwest Michigan. 
The Michigan Flywheelers in South Haven recently considered renting 
out their grounds for an all-night party, then thought better of it 
when they got wise to what some raves are all about.

We don't blame the Flywheelers for wanting to avoid any trouble. Yet 
young people gathering for a rave doesn't necessarily equal trouble. 
Police should remember that if they are forced to deal with such 
parties. In addition, it's likely that any gathering of a large group 
of partiers will yield a certain amount of illegal drugs, even if 
there isn't a single teen-ager in the crowd.

We say that, but add that parents should know the types of drugs that 
may circulate at raves and the dangers associated with them. Ecstasy 
and Ketamine are two, along with the "date-rape" drug GHB and more 
traditional drugs.

For parents with teens living at home, the best deterrent against 
seeing their son or daughter get into trouble wherever they may 
happen to be, is vigilant parental involvement. If more parents took 
this responsibility more seriously, the police wouldn't have as much 
to worry about.
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