DanceSafe

DanceSafe is a nonprofit organization, with 17[1] local chapters in the US and Canada. DanceSafe youth volunteers set up tables at raves and other events to distribute non-biased educational literature containing information describing the effects and risks associated with the use of various drugs and sell testing kits so that users may obtain more information about the contents of their pills.[2][3] They also offer on site peer counseling, health and safety tools (Condoms, water, earplugs) and patrols for events that assist in keeping patrons safe.[4]

DanceSafe
DanceSafe booth at Seattle Hempfest 2007
Formation1998
Key people
Emanuel Sferios, Bryan Oley, Dina Perrone, Chalaina Conners, Mitchell Gomez

DanceSafe was founded in 1998 by Emanuel Sferios. He resigned in 2001.[5] Bryan Oley served as Board President and Executive director from 2001-2009, Nathan Messer from 2009 - 2012, Melissa "Missi" Wooldridge from 2012 - 2016 and is currently headed by Mitchell Gomez. DanceSafe currently has a four-member board of directors who oversee the operations of the organization.

Emanuel Sferios, the founder of DanceSafe, claims that his organization has saved lives by preventing young people from taking the more dangerous adulterated pills and by educating them.[6]

On March 31, 2017 DanceSafe was part of a coalition of drug safety organisations hosting the first-ever International Drug Checking Day to raise awareness of safer drug use.[7][8] The initiative was aimed at recreational users, with a particular emphasis on the nightlife community, and aims to promote harm reduction—accepting that people will choose to take drugs, and providing them with tools to minimize the risks.

Laboratory adulterant screening

DanceSafe no longer offers laboratory analysis of pills. This service is now being offered through EcstasyData.org, a project of Erowid Center (an educational non-profit), which performs anonymous pill testing with additional support from several organizations and foundations, including DanceSafe.[9] Lab fees for testing vary depending on the form of the substance (powder, pharmaceutical tablet, or street table) and include DEA-approved disposal of substances. People wanting laboratory analysis of their pressed pill (Sep 2014) must provide a co-pay of $40. Testing of powders not pressed into tablets costs the sender $150. The project accepts donations to support drug checking and pill-testing. All testing results since the beginning of the program in 1998 are available for review at EcstasyData's website. Ecstasydata.org has broadened in scope, and now is running analysis of other recreational drugs (Including street cocaine to determine the spread of the contaminant Levamisole), and provided testing of uncommon research chemicals.[10]

Harm Reduction

In addition to the work at raves and other events, DanceSafe ran an online harm-reduction 'booth' from 2001-2010. The Booth's administrator was Bryan Oley.[11] In 2013, Dancesafe co-hosted the 8th International Club Health conference in San Francisco that included Academic, Law Enforcement, Harm Reduction and Health agencies from over 17 countries across the world.

Dancesafe was also the first Youth Harm Reduction organization to officially partner with the ID&T/SFX Partnered "TomorrowWorld" festival held in Chattahoochee Hills, GA. The first partnership of its kind, it was hallmarked by the festivals extremely low rate of medical emergencies and lack of deaths.[12]

References
  1. "Local Chapters". DanceSafe. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  2. Henterly, Lael. "Drug-test providers have trouble helping ID dangerous drugs at events like Paradiso". Inlander. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
  3. Baker, Brandon (March 4, 2015). "Synthetic MDMA: An undetectable crisis". www.phillyvoice.com. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  4. "Meet the People Who Want to Make Drugs Safer at Festivals". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
  5. DanceSafe: Emanuel Sferios resigns Archived 2008-05-09 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Online NewsHour: Ecstasy Explosion-- July 30, 2001
  7. "First-Ever International Drug Checking Day to be Held This Friday". VICE. 2017-03-31. Retrieved 2018-11-24.
  8. "MARCH 31 IS THE FIRST EVER INTERNATIONAL DRUG CHECKING DAY". MIXMAG. 2017-03-31. Retrieved 2018-11-24.
  9. EcstasyData.org. "EcstasyData.org: About Us : Overview". www.ecstasydata.org. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
  10. EcstasyData.org. "EcstasyData.org: Test Result Statistics: Summary Data". www.ecstasydata.org. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
  11. "Dancesafe | Forums powered by UBB.threads™". archive.dancesafe.org. Archived from the original on 2017-10-01. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
  12. "At TomorrowWorld, DanceSafe Will Tell You About Your Drugs". Thump. 2013-09-24. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
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