L.A. Times Explores MDMA’s Use in Treating PTSD

The therapist said she became a believer in the late 1980s after it helped her deal with her own trauma. She has since conducted roughly 1,500 sessions with patients, leading them on four-hour explorations of their feelings. She uses only the purest MDMA — in contrast to street Ecstasy, which is typically contaminated — and none of her patients has ever experienced an adverse event, she said. The therapist said she knows roughly 60 professionals in her region who use MDMA in their practices — and the number is growing. "We are responsible therapists doing respectable work," she said.

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APHA Calls for Drug Decriminalization

The leading public health organization in the country recently unveiled a clear and comprehensive exit strategy for the failed war on drugs. With little fanfare, the American Public Health Association adopted a sweeping resolution last November calling for “a full reorientation” of U.S. drug policy “toward a health approach to drug use.” The resolution condemns the drug war as “an engine of mass incarceration” that has only amplified the harms of drug misuse, such as fatal overdose and disease, while causing or contributing to frightening levels of prohibition-related violence.

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DanceSafe Newsletter – Year in Review and New Beginnings!

Welcome to the the brand new incarnation of the DanceSafe Newsletter! It's been many years since we published one, and many of you out there may be receiving this for the first time. Our newsletter comes out monthly and covers current events related to the electronic music community, harm reduction and drug policy reform. There are exciting new things happening in our organization, and in the community as a whole. We look forward to keeping you posted on new developments! Electronic Music Goes Mainstream It's 2014 and the state of popular music is currently Electronic Dance Music ("EDM"). Moving out of...

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Reddit AMA: Festivals, Harm Reduction and Know Your Rights

DanceSafe Executive Director Missi Wooldridge will join Festheads and The Festival Lawyer for an Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Reddit this Friday, March 7th at 4PM. Festheads is an online destination for music fans who want to discover, compare and share their music festival experiences. Their website has a comprehensive database of more than 600 of the top music festivals in North America providing fans with a tool to search and discover festivals based on their location, music tastes, dates and more.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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DanceSafe at TomorrowWorld

DanceSafe was thrilled to join TomorrowWorld and take part in North America’s first chapter of TomorrowLand, which is considered Europe’s largest dance music festival. Given the recent influx of hospitalizations at EDM events in the U.S., DanceSafe was asked to bring their harm reduction services to TomorrowWorld to share with its over 140,000 attendees. DanceSafe worked closely with heavyweight European promoters, ID&T, who are longtime advocates of the harm reduction movement fully utilized their expertise to prioritize the health and safety of their patrons. For three days (Sept 27, 28, 29) we were a part of the story...

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