NEWS: Thirty-one caught with drugs outside party

Thirty-one caught with drugs outside party

by Tegan Slugge
December 11, 2006
POLICE found 31 people with drugs, including ecstasy, heroin and LSD, trying to enter an Adelaide rave party, attended by State Democrats' leader Sandra Kanck.

People in possession of illegal drugs were turned away from the Saturday night rave, at the Adelaide Showground in 41C heat.

Police and security staff searched bags at the door.

One person was arrested for possessing a drug of dependence for sale. That resulted in police searching houses in the suburbs.

Three people were taken to hospital, one from a drug overdose, one for dehydration and one for abdominal pain.

Detective Chief Inspector John McCaffrey, in charge of policing the event, said the majority of the 4500-strong crowd at the Enchanted Forest rave had been well behaved. "People were having a good time," he said.

"Putting things in context, with 4500 people, we're pleased with the behaviour of the crowd. It's disappointing we caught so many people with a variety of drugs in their possession. But the event was terrific, and people were in great spirits."

Ms Kanck, who attended the Winter Enchanted rave this year, has been pushing for drug pill testing kits to be provided to users at raves.

"The kids do want to be safe but they're not going to stop taking drugs," she said at the Adelaide Showground rave. "What we've got to recognise is that this is mainstream. This is not something we can just pass off and say it's a little, small group. This is mainstream and we have got to deal with it."

Despite the backlash following Ms Kanck's comments after the Winter Enchanted that a rave party was safer than a bar, ravers flocked to her on Saturday to talk about her views.

"What I'm finding is that people know what my position is already and they're just coming up to me and saying, 'Absolutely, right on, we agree with everything you're saying and we wish there were more politicians saying the same thing'," she said. Ms Kanck had invited a dozen other MPs to the rave, but only Liberal frontbencher Isobel Redmond accepted the invitation.

Among the entertainment at the rave was children's entertainer Peter Combe, who, with a full band, sang childhood favourites including Baghdad, Cats and Toffee Apple.

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Raving in the heat

RENATO CASTELLO

December 09, 2006 05:02pm
Article from: Sunday Mail (SA)


A 4000-strong crowd braved today's scorching conditions and danced the day away at the Summer Enchanted rave party at the Wayville Showgrounds.
Buckets of ice, water pistols and mist-machines are keeping ravers cool with police keeping a strong presence to crackdown on any illegal drug use.

Democrats MLC Sandra Kanck, who is attending the rave with Opposition Attorney General Isobel Redmond, has criticised Substance Abuse Minister Gail Gago's decision to ban pill testing at the event.

"If we offer pill testing then those attending raves would be more informed about the drugs they are using and have the opportunity to discuss the risks,'' she said.

"If Minister Gago doubts the effectiveness of pill testing then the best way to see if it works is to fund a trial.''

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It's disappointing we caught so many people with a variety of drugs in their possession. But the event was terrific, and people were in great spirits.

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DEMOCRATS MP Sandra Kanck continues to rave about ecstasy (The Advertiser, yesterday).

She would do well to consider a new study by the University of Amsterdam which has shown that low doses of ecstasy by first-time users causes brain damage by reducing blood flow to the brain and affecting memory.

Pill testing would deceive ravers by suggesting that pure ecstasy is "safe''.

- ROSLYN PHILLIPS, Tea Tree Gully.

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causes brain damage by reducing blood flow to the brain and affecting memory

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