There's a fine line that needs to be walked with regards to drugs. On one hand, we have to show due dilligence that we're neither condoning nor allowing drugs to be dealt/consumed by having security searches, and not allowing a "free-for-all" type atmosphere once you're through those doors. On the other hand, there's the fact that no matter what we do it will still go one, and then we'll impliment things like having the on-site medics and my support of the TRIP both and their outreach program to at least educate people into what they might be getting themselves into.
TRIP wasn't there this weekend because they didn't have a supervisor available to run the booth, but normally they're a fixture.
The toronto police have made it clear that they won't tolerate any sort of pill testing on-site, as that crosses their level of tolerance. TRIP looked into testing pills years ago, or even supplying them to the RCMP lab for analysis kind of like what dancesafe has done in the US but no one could guarantee they wouldn't be arrested on the spot holding a pill in their hand.
I'll also add that the scene has not changed AT ALL since I first got involved. These debates have been going on since the very beginning. The people attending are not getting younger (although WE are all getting older
) and drug use is not any worse now than it's ever been. I feel I'm far more of an authority on this than just about anyone, so take it from me
.
Our message board has more than 5 years worth of messages, and you'll see the exact same posts from 5 years ago if you dig.