Risk Assessment

What is a risk? A risk is the potential of suffering some form of harm or loss. What is risk assessment? Risk assessment is always a risk/benefit assessment. Can recreational drug use have benefits? What determines the weight of a risk? The risk of death. What is risk assessment? Risk assessment is the mental process of measuring the risks involved in engaging in a given activity. People perform risk assessments most often when they are trying to decide whether or not to engage in an activity they perceive to be "risky." Using a drug, for example (any drug), has risks. Questions someone might ask themselves or their doctor...

February 7, 2014Read more...

Getting Home Safely

Driving home in the morning after staying awake all night partying can be dangerous. Sleep deprivation and intoxication severely impair your reflexes and ability to perceive your environment quickly, putting other people (and yourself) at risk. Definite Don'ts Don't drive if you have been been using drugs, in general. (Yes, including alcohol and cannabis, which are drugs.) Alcohol is the best-known example of this, with its significantly perception-altering depressant effects that reduce reaction time and motor control. Other drugs, however, are also capable of interrupting normal perception of your environment, disrupting your ability to take information in, process it, and respond...

February 6, 2014Read more...

Women and Drug Use

There are many stereotypes of women who use drugs. A woman might be considered hard and "macho," sexually promiscuous, or silly and easily manipulated. Generally speaking, men tend to be more upfront about their drug use among their peers than women, who may want to avoid being judged. Some women find that it is difficult to talk about issues around drug use because it is hard to meet other women with whom they can relate and talk honestly. Below are just some of the issues that a woman who chooses to use drugs might encounter. If there is an issue that...

February 5, 2014Read more...

Hearing Protection

Hearing Protection You are at risk of hearing loss Hearing damage can take the form of temporary or permanent ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and loss of the ability to hear clearly. Hearing damage is irreversible. Once it happens, it’s permanent (in all but some very rare cases). Amplified music can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). A study in Great Britain found that 62% of regular club-goers have symptoms of hearing loss. The risk of hearing damage depends on: 1) how loud the music is; 2) how close you are to the speakers; 3) how long you are near the speakers; 4) previous hearing damage. You...

February 4, 2014Read more...

Could Different Drug Policies Have Saved Philip Seymour Hoffman?

The tragic death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman yesterday has prompted expressions of grief and of praise for his talent. It also, naturally, has prompted discussions of addiction, the impact of pain pill prescriptions on the addicted, even of pain pill restrictions causing more people to turn to heroin. While the latter raises the question about whether different drug policies could make things safer or less damaging or risky for heroin addicts, I haven't heard that question directly raised in the media.

February 3, 2014Read more...

Testing Kit Instructions

WHAT ARE REAGENTS? Reagents are chemicals that change color when they come into contact with certain drugs, enabling you to detect their presence in a sample. Reagents cannot, however, detect every drug, nor can they tell you how pure or potent your drugs are. Even if you get the expected color reactions for the drug you want, there could still be one or more other drugs present. This is because: Not all drugs change color with reagents. Darker colors may overshadow lighter colors. A very tiny quantity of a drug may not produce a visible color change. Despite these limitations, reagent testing is useful for...

February 2, 2014Read more...

Collapsing While Dancing

It's Probably Heatstroke If some collapses on the dance floor, it's likely that it's due to heatstroke. High body temperature is further evidence that this is the case. Heatstroke is characterized by having a core temperature of 103-104F or above, which is extremely dangerous. You can read our comprehensive guide to heatstroke here. In the meantime, here's how to prevent collapsing and respond if it occurs. High body temperature can be caused by a combination of factors, including: Being in sunlight Being in a hot indoor or outdoor space Heavy exertion Use of drugs that increase core temperature, including MDMA and other...

February 1, 2014Read more...

The DanceSafe Mobile App!

Know the laws, risks, and effects of various drugs wherever you happen to be. Our Mobile App gives drug Info, emergency care guidance, and covers everything from getting home safe, to handling potential overdose situations. We help improve the health and safety of the community by anonymous and confidential communication.

December 10, 2013Read more...

DanceSafe Wins Drug Education Award!

DanceSafe is awarded the Dr. Andrew Weil Award for Achievement in the Field of Drug Education. The award was first given in 2005 and recognizes those involved in drug education who have promoted honest, science-based drug education in place of ineffective scare tactics based on myths and deceit.

October 22, 2013Read more...

DanceSafe Presents ‘After EDC’ Documentary

DanceSafe is proud to be working with filmmaker and former San Francisco DanceSafe director Le Liu on "After EDC," a feature film project on the massive music festival known as Electric Daisy Carnival. In the summer of 2010, a firestorm of negative media coverage and political outrage erupted as a result of the ecstasy-related death of a teenage girl who attended EDC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In response to the tragedy and controversy, the County Public Health Department launched an innovative harm reduction campaign alongside local promoters, DJs, and event safety experts. The story highlights the collaborative efforts...

September 9, 2013Read more...