Pubdate: Mon, 11 Aug 2014
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2014 The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Page: A10

DRUGS AND SENSE

More than a week after two young adults died and 13 others were 
hospitalized, having ingested what Toronto police are calling "party 
drugs" at the VELD Music Festival, a debate on whom to blame rages on.

Should the organizers have had more security, or done more to limit 
the all too predictable drug use? Or does the responsibility fall 
squarely on the people who themselves bought and ingested drugs they 
knew little or nothing about?

The police have not yet been able to pinpoint what drugs were most 
used at VELD, but some festival-goers had taken more than 10 pills, 
and some had ingested pills they had picked off the ground - which 
suggests ignorance as well as recklessness.

The best way to prevent any similar tragedies is through education 
and dialogue.

It's not enough to simply tell young people that drugs "are bad for 
you" and "may kill you." Sensible and useful conversations can take 
place only if there are contexts in which young people can talk 
frankly about the effects of drugs, and about what they have 
experienced, or may experience.

Ontario's Ministry of Education says that, by the end of their health 
and phys. ed. curriculum, "students are expected to demonstrate an 
understanding of factors that contribute to healthy development and 
demonstrate the ability to apply health knowledge and living skills 
to make reasoned decisions and take appropriate actions relating to 
their personal health and well-being." Some festival-goers had 
clearly not absorbed such knowledge. Critics of the ministry's 
policies say there is a need for more settings in which students can 
engage in an open dialogue with educators about the effects of drugs, 
and feel comfortable discussing scenarios that they've experienced or 
may experience.

But the responsibility for educating youth about the perils of drug 
use can't be only up to schools. Parents, families and everyone else 
should be open to discussing drug use.

The fact of the matter is that party drugs such as MDMA at live music 
events - whether at festivals or concerts - is nothing new. No single 
set of measures could put a stop to the abuse of drugs. In the end, 
the reassertion of common sense - the reinforcement of the obvious - 
will save lives.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom