Dance safety

Advice

Advice for clubbers provided by Release and taken from the London Dance Safety Campaign's Vital Information Pack.

Advice for club owners and managers can be downloaded from ' Dance till Dawn Safely. (PDF 90KB)

Before you go out:-

• Know as much as possible about drugs and the risks if you are going to take them.
• Clubs are hot, so wear cool clothes for dancing. Take warm clothes for queuing and going home.
• Eat something -food provides energy for dancing and lines the stomach. And remember to sip about a pint of water an hour when dancing non-stop.

General guidelines

If you are going to use drugs, make sure you are with friends. It's not a good idea to be on your own -being with friends helps when you come down.

Always tell each other what you're taking, so if one of you runs into trouble of any sort, the others will know what to do.

The effects of drugs can vary according to where you are, who you're with, how you're feeling emotionally at the time and how physically fit you are. Also, the lighter you weigh, the more powerful the effect. It's best to avoid drugs if you're feeling depressed or anxious -they could make you feel worse.

Be especially careful if you're taking prescribed drugs -you may accidentally produce reactions you're not prepared for.

Don't drive. Alcohol and drugs affect your perceptions and reaction times -you could drive dangerously. The police are looking out more for drivers using drugs and you could lose your licence.

Try not to buy from strangers -or in the dark - you can never be sure of what you're buying. Drugs are not quality controlled so you never know what's in them. They may be stronger/purer than you anticipate.

Try hard to set a limit on the money you spend on drugs -try not to borrow off friends or buy on credit from dealers.

Many drugs make you feel more confident or stimulated sexually, but always practise safer sex for obvious health reasons - risk of sexually transmitted disease, HIV infection, unwanted pregnancy.

If you are pregnant, you may experience effects from drugs you don't anticipate. It could also affect your baby.

If you are injecting drugs, never inject alone.

What good clubs do:

• Offer free unrestricted access to a cold drinking water tap or fountain. (You'll have to buy bottled water.)
• Have adequate ventilation -and don't turn it off to make you buy more drinks.
• Turn air conditioning up if it's getting too hot.
• Have a relaxed dress code, so you can take something off without them getting upset.
• Allocate a separate area or a chill out room in the club for you to cool down.(Smaller clubs may not have the space, so they should keep the place cooler.)
• Prevent overcrowding -never exceeding the maximum permitted number of people and take steps if some areas get too congested.
• Have at least one first aider on site trained in the effects of taking drugs.
• Allow drug workers inside to give advice and assistance.
• Provide secure, efficient cloakrooms so you can keep outdoor clothes safe and wear as little as you want to dance in.
• Employ trained, registered door and security staff -wearing name tags to be noted down if needed.
• Have a clearly displayed policy about searching and a complaints policy.
• Have the right to refuse entry if you refuse a search.
• If they require searches, they provide searchers of both sexes.
• Can insist on searching your outside clothes, pockets or bags.
• Will not insist on a more intimate search without your permission. Only the police (or customs & excise) can search you without agreement. Door supervisors may be charged with assault for performing strip searches or searches inside clothes without permission.
• Will conduct any search with respect to you and in a decent manner.
• Will only conduct strip searches or searches inside clothes in private with an independent witness.

Temporary venues

Good temporary venues will follow as many of these good practice guidelines as they can, but the venue can limit what they are able to provide for your safety.

What to do if you have a bad experience with a club

Tell the management:

• If it's too hot or too crowded.
• If drinking water taps don't work or there's no free water available.
• If you have difficulty with security or door staff -write down their name and registration number.
• If one of your friends is ill and you're not properly assisted.
  

Tell your local council's Environmental Health Dept. if you are unhappy. Their number is in the telephone book under your borough's heading.

The drugs

Mixing your drugs

There's no way to predict accurately how a combination of drugs will affect any individual. Drug interactions are complex. Taking two different stimulants is likely to be much more powerful and have a different effect from taking twice the amount of one drug. The best advice is not to mix any drugs -and that includes alcohol or prescription drugs.

However, if you do take more than one drug a night the most important thing is to remember what you take when and to allow time for the effects to kick in and wear off. Not only is this much safer, but it also means you're more likely to get the effect you intended. Remember all the times you have a smoke of cannabis or a dab of speed -the effects are cumulative and they'll mount up.

Key things to remember:

Smoking strong cannabis such as skunk to take the edge off ecstasy is unlikely to work; you'll probably get stronger feelings of anxiety and paranoia and may experience upsetting sensations.

If you use alcohol to come down from taking drugs, remember that alcohol dehydrates you. It really is important to drink non- alcoholic fluids as well -you'll feel much better the next day.

Try not to put off coming down. The longer you put it off, the worse it will be. In particular, avoid using heroin or benzodiazepines like Valium or Temazepam to take the edge off your come down from your main drug. You are just using more drugs which are much more physically addictive than ecstasy, speed or acid. There's a real danger that you can easily extend your drug taking to become a daily need rather than a party experience. The best way to come down is naturally, with rest and relaxation, replenishing your body with food and fluids.

The law - a brief guide

Caution: This is a complex area where we can only provide general guidelines. Click here for a brief outline of the main drugs laws. Anyone in difficulties with the law should get legal advice at the earliest opportunity by contacting their solicitor or Release

Drugs and driving

Click here for information on Drugs and Driving

First Aid

What to do if someone is ill:

Good clubs have at least one first aider or paramedic who knows about drugs. Ask a staff member for the first aider and if you have trouble, demand to see the manager.

There may be drugs outreach workers who can help - club staff will know if they are in the club, and where. If in doubt, always ask for an ambulance to be called - do it yourself if necessary.

If you know, tell the first aider or paramedic what drugs have been taken. They are not interested in legalities, but want to help your friend, so the drug information is vital.

Put the person in the recovery position then send for help.

Recognising Heat Exhaustion, Heat Stroke and Overheating

It's not just being hot. Symptoms could include any or many of the following: dizziness, feeling sick, sudden tiredness, sudden headache or cramps, particularly in the arms and legs. Peeing is difficult and it's dark in colour: Sweating stops which is a strong signal of dangerously increasing body heat. Blackouts, collapsing, fits or fainting can follow.

Anyone suffering from any of these symptoms should immediately take a break, cool down in the quieter area or chill out room and sip about a pint of water slowly. Gulping down a great deal of water should be avoided. (As a general rule, when dancing, sip about a pint of water per hour.)

Avoid heat exhaustion by safer dancing - when you start to overheat, take a break, move to a cooler place. Cool or tepid water splashed on the head and neck help with cooling down, as will wrapping them in cool, damp towels. Don't cool too fast for fear of shock setting in. Loosen tight clothes. If the symptoms persist, get help and call an ambulance -heat exhaustion can develop easily.

If your body gets back to normal temperature, try to find dry or warmer clothes or a blanket -don't over chill.

Anxiety

If someone is getting anxious or is hallucinating, take them away from the lights, music and crowds into the chill out room or quieter area. Talk to them, calm them down, give them support. If they do not respond, stay with them and send a friend for help.

Different drugs have different effects and serious health problems can occur from a. bad reaction, mixing different drugs or with an overdose.

Recognising Serious Problems

If you see any of the following symptoms, get medical help -send for an ambulance immediately.

Cocaine - overdose leads to confusion and dizziness combined with a dry throat. Erratic breathing, short gasps followed by deep gulps.

Ketamine - temporary paralysis, nausea, vomiting and slurring of speech

Speed - can cause collapse.

Ecstasy - hyperventilation, overheating and unconsciousness.

Poppers -poisonous if swallowed. Can cause fainting and collapse.

Magic mushrooms - eating the wrong type of mushroom can cause diarrhoea, vomiting, cramps, breathing difficulties, loss of consciousness and, in rare cases, death.

GHB - overdose symptoms are convulsions, coma and inability to breath.

Heroin - overdose causes slow, or erratic breathing, pinpoint pupils, semi-consciousness with little or no response. Lips and skin turn blue. Blood pressure falls. Coma and death can follow.

Recovery position:

This is only a guide. If in doubt, call an ambulance. See also our section on Overdose for what to do if you suspect someone is having and overdose.

It's always useful to learn basic first aid skills. Try St. John's Ambulance for details of courses near you:

If the person is breathing, lie them on their back and open their airway by tilting the head back and lifting the chin.

Straighten their legs. Place the arm nearest to you at right angles to their body.

Pull the arm furthest from you across their chest and place the back of their hand against the cheek which is nearest to you.

Get hold of the far leg, just above the knee, and pull it up, bending their knee, keeping the foot flat on the ground.

Keep their hand pressed against their cheek and pull on the upper leg to roll them towards you and onto their side.

Tilt the head back to make sure they can breathe easily. Make sure that both the hip and knee of the upper leg are bent at right angles.

Either stay with them, asking stewards to clear a space or, if possible, move them, still in the recovery position, to a quieter place.

If they're not breathing, and you know how to do mouth to mouth resuscitation, do so. If not, wait until someone arrives who does. In the meantime, loosen tight clothing.

On your way home

Some people take different drugs to chill out, hoping to come down more gently. Mixing drugs can have serious health implications.

Wherever you are, in public, on a bus, or in a car, if a friend has problems, do the same as in a club. If possible stay with them and send someone else for an ambulance. Put them in the recovery position and try to keep calm. Remember, telling medics what drugs have been taken could save your friends life.

The following day

Many drugs have effects that last well into the following day or even longer. Check the info on different drugs above. As a general rule, it is wise to relax and give yourself time out the day after taking any drugs. If paranoia or anxiety occurs, being with good friends can help.

Guidelines for Club owners

Clubs are required to provide a safe environment for clubbers, including the need to provide free drinking water, provision of adequate ventilation and training for staff. 'Dance till Dawn Safely' is an essential clubowners guide and can be downloaded free here. Even if drugs are not used within a club,they may be used beforehand and club staff may have to deal with the consequences. It is important they are prepared.

Contacts

Release's Website or tel: 0845 4500 215

This information is from the Vital information Pack:- A guide for clubbers © London Dance Safety Campaign 1997

^{Acknowledgements: Paul Andell; Vikki Charles; Paul Cloutman; Event Planners; Insp. Dick Groves. Metropolitan Police; Dr John Henry, National Poisons Information Service; Rowan Miller and the Dance Information Network; Release; Nicholas Saunders; Harry Shapiro, DrugScope; Jill Turton. Agapay Project; Russell Webster; the Campaign Steering Group.}