RANT: EDM & Drugs stereotype

RANT: EDM & Drugs stereotype
Posted on: 23.05.2012 by Reyes Rickaby
Just a rant, the stereotype that fans of electronic dance music fans do drugs pisses me off, a lot. It's borderline discriminatory in some cases. The event that inspired this rant happened at my school (I won't name for obvious reason). A VERY small group of kids at my school (less than 10 including myself) are devoted edm fans, the others mainly pop, rap, rock, basically mainstream stuff. Well me and 4 other friends went to an edm festival a few weeks ago, (house/trance, some dubstep also). Well, my school conducts "random" drug tests on students. It just so happened that the Monday after the festival that weekend, all five of us who had attended were drug tested (administration is obviously aware of our musical tastes and that we went to said festival). I didn't speak out to at the school for targeting us like this but I wish I could. All five of our drug tests came back negative in all categories (marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines (including MDMA), opiates, steroids, and pcp). It was obvious they were targeting us as they knew we had attended the festival. I myself have never done any of those drugs and don't care to really but if you want to that's your prerogative, not my choice to make for you. It just aggregates me that electronic music is STILL singled out like this and people act like other music scenes don't have any stigmas about them. I'm not trying to call out other genres (as I listen to them from time to time) but it's just annoying that we are still ALL treated like drug addicted heathens. Rant over. Feel free to chime in.
Danae Dumler
24.05.2012
Originally Posted by MyUsername
I thought that being singled out was against the constitution. That every man was created equal.
That's actually not in the constitution; it's in the Declaration of independence, which is not binding law. Nevertheless, the 14th amendment has been interpreted to require equality in the way that justice is dispensed, so you're still correct that this kind of thing ought to be unconstitutional.
But also on the other hand, if we had accurate numbers about this drug use, I believe we could conclude the stereotype is true. I mean who does drugs in their own home at noon ? It's done at evening in a club or at a rave of course.
Addicts do drugs in their own home at noon; in my opinion that's where the real social problem may be, not in kids smoking weed or taking pills for kicks when they party. And it's hardly unique to clubs and raves. There's a million social gatherings that are rife with drug use and sales; why single out clubs or raves?
Originally Posted by DJ Squilz
I believe it may be the testing company rather than the school.
I believe this is an important point - the testing companies lobby schools to buy their services; they have a profit motive to pressure schools to do this whether or not its useful or effective at reducing drug use.
Very few places, if any, outside of America do this, yet drug use among American youths is higher than pretty much every developed country in the world. For example, Portugal decriminalized ALL drugs, meaning you can shoot heroin, smoke weed, snort coke, whatever on city streets and as long as you aren't be disruptive to others police won't do anything. Since they enacted this law towards drugs a few years ago, drug use among adolescents, teenagers, and adults all dropped. If this would work in america I don't know.
I don't believe legalization would have any significant impact one way or another on the amount of drug use. Maybe some small increases in people trying weed for the first time but overall drug use (and even weed use over a longer period)? No damn way. Prohibition has done nothing to curb availability of any drug. If you're willing to take certain risks, you can wander into practically any city in the country without a map and find pretty much any drug you want (from the mundane to the exotic) inside of 12 hours. That's with it being totally illegal and with no advertising telling you anything but NOT to do it. I fail to see how prohibition has kept drugs out of people's hands in the US.

And you're right, this mandatory drug testing thing is uniquely American and yet we do most of the drugs in the world here. And then we go bitching to Colombia or Bolivia to quit growing the stuff. If we quit doing it, they'd quit growing it; it's simple economics.
Dannielle Dingey
23.05.2012
Originally Posted by elliot1106
Mandatory drug tests in schools? Nice to see they have faith in their students- utterly disgusting.
Only in America....
Jaleesa Zheng
24.05.2012
yeah fuck the police,

the best raves are the underground raves anyways, all these huge events can't compare.
Erich Vallabhaneni
24.05.2012
Either way, we will do what we want. Im glad my school didn't do that, but i might be glad when I have kids or something who knows. I believe testing kids like that will lead to use of drugs that dont show up on drug tests or can get out of your system fast. Or even worse, push kids to smoke that fake weed that is frying everyones brain.
Danae Dumler
24.05.2012
Originally Posted by MyUsername
I thought that being singled out was against the constitution. That every man was created equal.
That's actually not in the constitution; it's in the Declaration of independence, which is not binding law. Nevertheless, the 14th amendment has been interpreted to require equality in the way that justice is dispensed, so you're still correct that this kind of thing ought to be unconstitutional.
But also on the other hand, if we had accurate numbers about this drug use, I believe we could conclude the stereotype is true. I mean who does drugs in their own home at noon ? It's done at evening in a club or at a rave of course.
Addicts do drugs in their own home at noon; in my opinion that's where the real social problem may be, not in kids smoking weed or taking pills for kicks when they party. And it's hardly unique to clubs and raves. There's a million social gatherings that are rife with drug use and sales; why single out clubs or raves?
Originally Posted by DJ Squilz
I believe it may be the testing company rather than the school.
I believe this is an important point - the testing companies lobby schools to buy their services; they have a profit motive to pressure schools to do this whether or not its useful or effective at reducing drug use.
Very few places, if any, outside of America do this, yet drug use among American youths is higher than pretty much every developed country in the world. For example, Portugal decriminalized ALL drugs, meaning you can shoot heroin, smoke weed, snort coke, whatever on city streets and as long as you aren't be disruptive to others police won't do anything. Since they enacted this law towards drugs a few years ago, drug use among adolescents, teenagers, and adults all dropped. If this would work in america I don't know.
I don't believe legalization would have any significant impact one way or another on the amount of drug use. Maybe some small increases in people trying weed for the first time but overall drug use (and even weed use over a longer period)? No damn way. Prohibition has done nothing to curb availability of any drug. If you're willing to take certain risks, you can wander into practically any city in the country without a map and find pretty much any drug you want (from the mundane to the exotic) inside of 12 hours. That's with it being totally illegal and with no advertising telling you anything but NOT to do it. I fail to see how prohibition has kept drugs out of people's hands in the US.

And you're right, this mandatory drug testing thing is uniquely American and yet we do most of the drugs in the world here. And then we go bitching to Colombia or Bolivia to quit growing the stuff. If we quit doing it, they'd quit growing it; it's simple economics.
Reyes Rickaby
23.05.2012
The weirdest part is, schools in other countries don't do it. Only american schools (public, private, and religious) drug test students. Very few places, if any, outside of America do this, yet drug use among American youths is higher than pretty much every developed country in the world. For example, Portugal decriminalized ALL drugs, meaning you can shoot heroin, smoke weed, snort coke, whatever on city streets and as long as you aren't be disruptive to others police won't do anything. Since they enacted this law towards drugs a few years ago, drug use among adolescents, teenagers, and adults all dropped. If this would work in america I don't know. I believe the main reason people (youths/teens especially) are drawn to these things is because they are illegal and its always been cool to rebel against authority. The least American's can do is stop treating people like criminals, especially when they don't even have proof that they've done drugs in the first place.
Yevette Matatall
23.05.2012
I see your point Squilz, what you need to do is take a few random bites out of the wikipedia page on the word random and its meaning... cut it up, make it your own then post it on the responsible teachers door, or submit as a ligitement complaint.... Offcoarse this wont fare well for you as Most teachers (not all) have never left school and have a warped perception of what intelligence is....

on the other hand, I have MDMA to thank for introducing me to EDM, without it I might have missed the whole thing... now I wake in the morning, throw on a banging track and before breakfast im getting down and happy without any drugs....

Playing fucked up ive found is hit and miss, better a little than a lot....also I have a new rule... if youve had no sleep for three days, dont play out...go to bed instead..
Dannielle Dingey
23.05.2012
Belgium has little to be proud of (beer, chocolate, fries & waffles), but our educational system is one thing we are at the top of the world (top 10)

Our students have rights to become an individual without big brother watching them.
The OP's examples sounds like something they would do in Germany in the late 30's en early '40's. (not mentioning the war)
Kristofer Krauel
23.05.2012
Drug testing in schools is fucking shit!! it's a complete disgrace that it has got to the point where they feel they have to do this. I'm not passIng judgement but recreational drug users in schools are the least of your problems!! Weird how any fucker can buy a gun or a knife but they clamp down on recreational drugs!! Sign of the times!
Reyes Rickaby
23.05.2012
Your first positive results in a conference between you, your parents and administration, after that they refer you to substance abuse counselling. Since the majority only test positive for marijuana whatever counsellor you chose will simply sign a note saying to did the required time because they don't want to waste their time with that. They test you again 3 months later and if you test positive again you typically get expelled but it's up to the administration. A really stupid, expensive (they use hair tests which are the most expensive) and time-consuming process for something quite innocent in my opinion. Why they test for PCP I have no idea. Frankly It would surprise me if high schoolers tested positive for anything other than weed. I believe it may be the testing company rather than the school. You contact them and they have packages that test for a group of substances (usually five different things are tested from what I understand). It's like they believe we're all criminals, guilty until proven innocent. Side note, if they must do it, get someone better at cutting hair. I got a big chunk sliced out by a baseball coach. I've been rearranging my hair the past few days in hopes of it looking normal.
Jonathan Chiuchiolo
23.05.2012
what happens if the test comes back positive? and what degree of punishment is administered for each substance. eg cannabis is not as harsh as amphetamines etc... and why in gods name do they test pcp? I've seen the steevo movie "pcp saved my life"... that stuff is messed up.
Reyes Rickaby
24.05.2012
I'm aware that edm is notorious for drug use but isn't music as a whole? Rock stars battle heroin and cocaine addiction all the time but never face the same scrutiny edm has (ala Pete Doherty?) I'm 17 btw, junior in high school. I know we were singled out for our penchant towards edm because after another festival (we went to Buku music & art project, the only people in our school to attend, many other students went to New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival however a few weeks later). Drug testing is "random" but when you apply to the school (it's a parochial school) you and your parents are required to sign a release allowing the school to perform these "random" tests at the administration's discretion, they can refuse admission if youdont sign the release. All quite discriminatory in my opinion.
Nereida Jasnoch
24.05.2012
I thought that being singled out was against the constitution. That every man was created equal. I find it very offensive that this is ingnored. They had better tested every student or even better never tested in the first place.

At my school every single student was checked by a police dog once but no legal actions were undertaken, I believe.

But also on the other hand, if we had accurate numbers about this drug use, I believe we could conclude the stereotype is true. I mean who does drugs in their own home at noon ? It's done at evening in a club or at a rave of course.
Dannielle Dingey
23.05.2012
Originally Posted by elliot1106
Mandatory drug tests in schools? Nice to see they have faith in their students- utterly disgusting.
Only in America....
Leeanna Ayla
23.05.2012
For me the music is the drug. And I have no problems with random drug testing in schools with parent permission. I do have issues if the people responsible for the drug tests are stalking kids on facebook and deciding to test them because they went to a festival though.

X
Erich Vallabhaneni
23.05.2012
Its not about drugs and music to me, if someone wants to do drugs they will do it wherever they are festival or not. Some people just happen to dig doing their drug of choice and listening to amazing music. Everyone in today's economy has a crutch to lean on, it might be some molly or it might be a cup of coffee. (caffeine is the most addictive drug around) I see no problem with drug use in moderation once you become an adult because you're grown and can make your own decisions, but stereotyping EDM as a drug scene is ridiculous. And random school testing is the stupidest thing i've ever heard of, no telling what kind of person id be now if that was how my school had been
Linda Chavda
23.05.2012
Mandatory drug tests in schools? Nice to see they have faith in their students- utterly disgusting.
Nannette Doniger
23.05.2012
This is a great example of how the press works when it comes to drugs and how celebs will say anything if its 'for a good cause' and may help their profile:






Still one of the funniest shows ever made!
Danae Dumler
23.05.2012
The US passed some laws targeting raves; the laws got revoked thankfully but there was specific language about "repetitive electronic music" and so forth that basically defined raves as drug dealing events and allowed seizure of the entire property in some cases. It's stupid, especially when drugs have been far from unknown at rock concerts and other musical events (you'd believe these senators had never heard of Pink Floyd). It's a stereotype fanned by media accounts oversensationalizing people freaking out at EDC and whatever.

In any case in my personal opinion "random" drug testing at a public school is unconstitutional to begin with, but if they're going to do it they shouldn't call it random if they're targeting kids who go to EDM festivals.
Jonathan Chiuchiolo
23.05.2012
the scene is pretty quiet in melbourne at the moment so maybe that has something to do with it, but it is very unprofessional to be wasted while you are playing.. maybe a little sniff is okay but to be jaws clenching eyes wobbling messed up is not on.... I saw deekline when he was blowing out on ghb.. worst set I've ever seen accept for fatboy slim who was coked off his face in front of 10,000 people... can you see a pattern... there is no point mentioning local guys as you won't know them but when moderation isn't excercised sets get ruined... and I never said anything about the afterparty but this isn't a drug community it's an all ages dj community
Nannette Doniger
23.05.2012
any music festival will be full of drugs what ever kind of music it is tbf. Have they not just targeted you simply because you have been to a festival (which is frankly disgusting anyway) rather than specifically because you went to dance music festival? Either way tho i believe its pretty shit that they can even do that. How old are you btw if you dont mind me asking? Can you not refuse the test?
Larhonda Veuleman
23.05.2012
Electronic music and drugs are closely connected things. You can't understand the former without having at least a basic understanding of the latter: dance music culture was built on drug consumption.

For the record, there's nothing wrong with taking drugs (in moderation and as safely as possible). The entire modern IT industry was built on LSD. The financial industry runs on cocaine. Every form of music can be partially defined by the substance of choice of its fans: heavy metal fans (tend to) take alcohol, trance music fans MDMA and psytrance fans LSD. Back in the day jazz musicians were largely smoking cannabis.

When you get out into the real world, you very quickly find that the smart/interesting/successful people are drug users. Artists, businesspeople - it doesn't matter: pretty much everyone is getting blitzed on something, but they don't talk about it much due to our rather regressive laws.


Originally Posted by synthet1c
I honestly don't know any dj's who have been djing for longer than 6 months that get on it when they are working.
Touring DJs, sure: they can't afford to get wasted four times a week.

However, I know very few DJs who don't regularly play while twisted: the right substances (MDMA, dextroamphetamine, etc) will improve a DJ's performance within reason.
Elmer Kindinger
23.05.2012
Hasn't deadmau5 already covered this with the MDNA/Molly thing?
Jonathan Chiuchiolo
23.05.2012
I honestly don't know any dj's who have been djing for longer than 6 months that get on it when they are working... but there is a strong correlation between the crowd and drugs... it's a shame that your school gave you a drug test though, America is a weird place because they even test students, it just ends up pushing those on the fringe who like to be rebellious towards harder drugs.

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