Pubdate: Mon, 05 Nov 2001 Source: Eau Claire Leader-Telegram (WI) Copyright: 2001 Eau Claire Press Contact: http://www.leadertelegram.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/236 OFFICIALS SEE RAVES AS FRONTS FOR DRUGS Use Of Ecstasy Widespread, Authorities Say All-night raves have moved into the mainstream in Wisconsin, causing concern from officials who believe the promise of alcohol-free dance parties are a guise for what's really going on inside: rampant use of the illegal drug Ecstasy. Raves typically feature light shows and loud techno music. The events can attract as many as 8,000 young people, many in Gothic attire. Most participants hear about raves through word of mouth or colorful promotional flyers. "I hear people say raves are about the music, and that couldn't be further from the truth," said Michael Zweifel, the father of a 16-year-old who died in September 2000 after falling from a Madison parking garage while on Ecstasy. The teen had just left a rave at the Barrymore Theatre. "The public facilities provide a larger format for more kids to use drugs, period," Zweifel said. One of the concerns for officials are the raves' shift from abandoned warehouses to government-owned buildings. County exposition centers in Madison, Eau Claire and Oshkosh, a National Guard Armory in New Richmond and an American Legion Hall in Winnebago County all have held raves. On Labor Day weekend thousands attended a rave in a Buffalo County field owned by the chairman of the County Board. About 1,600 people attended the New Richmond event, which was booked as a promotional event by a music company, St. Croix County Sheriff Dennis Hillstead said. Misinformation also was given about two raves at the Eau Claire County Exposition Center over the past two years, center director Rolf Utegaard said. "They bend what they call them," Utegaard said. "They said they were having a dance for young people, but they were raves. There was drug use. You name it, and it was there." The promoter initially said about 600 people would attend the event, but 1,500 showed up. The second time, 200 were expected, but 600 arrived. "Police were there and made some arrests, but there was still drug use all over," Utegaard said. "We learned our lesson." Lt. Col. Tim Donovan, a National Guard spokesman, said officials were "hoodwinked" into thinking the New Richmond event would be devoid of illegal drug use. Hillstead said the New Richmond event last year is the only rave the department is aware of in recent years. "We did have information about another about two weeks ago and had a location on it, but it never materialized," Hillstead said today. In the New Richmond case, a drug investigator learned of the event about halfway through the night, and about eight police officers responded, issuing 10 tickets for drug use, mostly outside the armory, Hillstead said. "Raves are kind of a new issue for this part of the country," Hillstead said. "They are a concern because of the use of Ecstasy. The more we learn about it, the more concern we have because it alters perceptions of reality and reduces inhibitions." One person has died in St. Croix County from an overdose of Ecstasy, Hillstead said. "We're doing some educational things about raves, for property owners, parents and kids," Hillstead said. "People need to know the dangers associated with raves." Ecstasy, also known as the "hug drug" for its ability to make users ultra-sensitive to visual and physical stimuli, has become Wisconsin's fastest growing drug problem, authorities said. In January, 19 Wisconsin counties reported Ecstasy was an increasing problem. By July it was a problem in 38, said Robert Sloey, director of operations for the Division of Narcotics Enforcement. State Rep. Gregg Underheim, R-Oshkosh, has authored a bill pending in the Legislature to make Ecstasy possession a felony. The measure is up for an Assembly vote Tuesday. "It's a curious public policy decision to allow events to go on that are nothing more than marketing for designer drugs," Underheim said. The West-Central Drug Task Force scrutinizes applications for dance parties before they get to Utegaard's desk, he said. "Let's just say there are some promoters who don't go any farther once they're told the police will check into it first," Utegaard said. More recent summertime youth dances at the expo center -- such as the Night Strike events -- have tight security, and there has been no evidence of drug use, Utegaard said. Some communities are working toward stopping the events, although some admit it is difficult to ban someone from renting a facility. Washington County prevented a rave planned for the county fairground; Brown County put enough restrictions on a proposed event that the promoter ended up in Oshkosh. Milwaukee police drove a big chunk of the rave scene out with a mass arrest at a warehouse in 1992. "My position is that if you are putting them in public facilities, you are at least in some ways sanctioning them," said Steve Nolan, chief deputy sheriff for Dane County. "It gives parents a false sense of security." But Chris Ahmuty, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin, said law enforcement cannot shut down a music event because some people might be using drugs. Ahmuty said authorities are "engaging in profiling youths" by targeting raves. "If you're going to allow classical music, you have to allow techno music." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens