The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

Pills for Thrills: Drug Use Gets Higher and Trips Up WJ Students in the Rave Scene

The increasing use of illegal club drugs, which is frequently associated with the growing popularity of house music, techno music and dubstep, is causing mounting public concern. For many who frequent the venues where these types of music are played, the full rave experience can include the use of club drugs, such as ecstasy or LSD, which users say enhance their listening experience. 

Substance abuse has increased among teenagers over the past three years, after a decade of decline, according to a report released on April 6 by the Partnership at Drugfree.org.

The study found that between 2008 and 2010, the percent of teenagers that has used ecstasy in the past year increased to 10 percent from six percent.

“Club drug use is increasing,” said 19-year-old former WJ student Lucas Devarner,* who frequently attends raves, and first used ecstasy and LSD when he was 16. “In the 1990s, a huge rave culture exploded and so did ecstasy use. At raves everyone has drugs. With dubstep and house music there’s a second coming of this rave culture.”

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Dubstep and house music first became popular in the U.K. and have since spread across the club scene in the U.S. and are becoming more mainstream.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sober person at a rave,” said Devarner. “If I see other people using Molly [ecstasy] and I’m not, being at the concert is not worth it to me . . . I’ll walk into the concert already having drugs.”

Devarner said that at raves or at venues with techno music he normally uses LSD, whereas around slower house music he often uses ecstasy. Many others also see a prevalence of club drug use around dubstep, house and techno music.

“The only reason that people listen to dubstep is to get high,” said junior Steven Carlson,* who used ecstasy at parties last winter.

Devarner said that he has recently observed an increase in club drug use among WJ students.

“Two years ago, no one at WJ did club drugs,” said Devarner. “Now they do. WJ is very relaxed towards drugs. I think the relaxed attitude is great.”

Based on their observations, current WJ students also perceive increases in club drug use among their classmates.

“Club drug use has increased pretty greatly among WJ students, especially freshmen and sophomores,” said junior John Rickerson,* who has used LSD and ecstasy and smokes marijuana habitually. “The rave scene is really developed . . . nobody does ecstasy by themselves; it’s depressing.”

Since its origination, the rave culture has been frequently linked to ecstasy and LSD use.  Yet at WJ, according to Rickerson, marijuana is much more widely used among students than other drugs are.

“There are dozens of weed dealers at WJ,” said Rickerson. “Club drugs are hard to find [at WJ] compared to weed.”

Many wonder, with the illegality and negative health consequences that result from long-term drug use, why some still choose to use illegal drugs.

“When you take ecstasy, you lose all your inhibitions,” said Carlson. “It’s euphoric. That’s one hell of a feeling.”

Devarner had similar experiences with the effects that club drugs create.

“[Ecstasy] makes you feel like you’re on top of the world,” said Devarner. “Life is all about exploration. To truly seek the full measure of your brain, you need to try these mind-expanding drugs. Drug use is a part of my life. Some people watch movies, some people play video games, some people do ecstasy.”

Yet other students choose not to use club drugs because of the dangers involved.

“I’m against the rise in drug use because there are so many risks to it,” said junior Holly Mirshan.* “Drug use is so detrimental to your health. I listen to dubstep and house music but I have no plans to use ecstasy or LSD.”

Short-term effects of ecstasy can cause users to feel euphoria, emotional warmth, increased energy and nausea; LSD users may experience delusions and hallucinations. Extensive abuse of ecstasy and LSD can result in serious health problems. Habitual ecstasy users can face depression, seizures, strokes, kidney failure, liver failure and cardiovascular failure. Long-term LSD users can experience flashbacks and increased body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

 “[Long-term] acid use makes you go crazy,” said Carlson. “If you do too much acid, you could die . . . there’s not a need to use it.”

Rickerson had a similar opinion.

“The physical and medical consequences of using ecstasy don’t seem worth it to me,” said Rickerson. “And I would not go to a rave. People at raves are weird; they’re not all there.”

Devarner, conversely, believes that the benefits of being an open drug user outweigh the drawbacks.

“I wouldn’t want to be a closeted drug user,” said Devarner. “I’m proud to be a drug user. I’ll probably be a user all my life.”

*Name has been changed

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