Submitted by admin on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 17:17.
Can Toronto's clubland chaos be reined in?
 Four stakeholders in Toronto’s nightlife community—Yamina-Sara Chekroun (youth-outreach worker/event promoter), Nav Sangha (DJ/venue owner), Mike Homewood (Homewood Security) and Samantha Wells (Centre for Addiction & Mental Health)—came together yesterday at the King West Hyatt Regency to take part in an informative and lively panel discussion moderated by entertainment lawyer and film impresario, Jerry Levitan. A crowd of 70-odd students, club operators, fun-loving partiers, and security- and law-enforcement professionals came out to share their concerns and offer suggestions for managing issues like sexual aggression and illicit drug use in Toronto’s club community. These were the most pertinent talking points:
1. Pay your security staff better
Surly security staff might take a courteous change of heart if they were paid better. “A security guard makes $13-$20 an hour, and that doesn’t include their license, which costs upwards to $500,” said Homewood. As well, some security might be less committed to their job since many only work for extra cash on the weekends. But, at the end of the day, it’s the bar owners that dictate what type of behaviour is acceptable.
2. Clubbers need better education
“When you turn 19, you go to the club and that’s all you know,” said Arthur Geringas, General Manager at Richmond Street’s Club XS. “Unfortunately, the stereotypes are true: 905ers just have less education on these issues—they should be taught effects of drugs and alcohol in school so that they can behave better.” Susan Shepherd, of The Toronto Drug Strategy, piped in: “But there is no mandatory drug education in public schools past Grade 9.”
3. Social media is for more than just event promotion
Along with being a DJ, owner of Wrongbar and co-owner of The Great Hall, Sangha is also something of a social-media creeper. “I came mostly as an observer, to listen to the voice of the youth. They are very no-holds-barred when it comes to expressing their opinions. It’s so important to be monitoring all avenues, especially social media, because it’s not like nightclubs have suggestion boxes.”
4. Toronto is stuck in the past
Toronto still carries a lot of Prohibition-era baggage that prevents progressive thinking. It’s illegal to be drunk in public, even in bars and clubs, according theAlcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). “We don’t make the rules, we just enforce them,” said a representative. The situation creates a catch-22 for bar owners who will often toss out inebriated patrons into the cold, without their jackets and belongings, so as to not risk a fine.
5. The kids like to drink
According to the Toronto Safer Nightlife survey, which polled over 300 Toronto club goers aged 19-29, 90 per cent of participants admitted to drinking before going out to the club. About half of the partiers said they down three to five before heading out, most claiming high bar prices as a reason. (Side note: binge drinking isdefined by Toronto Public Health authorities as five or more drinks in one sitting.) When it came to describing their drinking habits at the club, respondents claimed they drank till they felt “drunk enough” (62 per cent), till they ran out of money (36 per cent), till last call (34 per cent) or till they felt ill (32 per cent)—that is, if they weren’t among those who “go all night” (40 per cent).
Submitted by admin on Tue, 10/18/2011 - 00:21.
Tuesday November 8, 2011
2:30pm – 6:00pm
Hyatt Regency Hotel
Regency Ballroom B
370 King Street West
Toronto, Ontario
Join us for a conversation with youth and bar/club operators about safety issues in Toronto’s nightlife scene. Topics include pre-drinking, illicit drugs, sexual aggression and strategies for reducing harm. Come out and share your views and ideas for creating safer bars and clubs.
Jerry Levitan (lawyer, musician and Academy Award nominee) will moderate the forum. Speakers include Yamina-Sara Chekroun (youth outreach worker/event promoter), Nav Sangha (venue owner/DJ), Mike Homewood (Homewood Security) and Samantha Wells (Centre for Addiction & Mental Health).
Featuring DJs and light refreshments.
RSVP on Facebook @ http://tinyurl.com/SaferNightlife2011
This event is brought to you by the Toronto Safer Nightlife Committee comprised of youth, TRIP!, Toronto Public Health, the Alcohol & Gaming Commission of Ontario, the Centre for Addiction & Mental Health, Asian Community AIDS Services, the Entertainment District Business Improvement Area, the Parkdale Village Business Improvement Area, the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas, Social Development, Finance & Administration and Municipal Licensing & Standards.
Submitted by admin on Fri, 10/14/2011 - 15:30.
This morning we had the honour of presenting at the Centre for Additions and Mental Health on Dance Drugs and Harm Reduction. Feel free to check out our presentation and share it with your friends, family and service providers.
Submitted by admin on Thu, 10/06/2011 - 01:08.
 Ketamine has been known to be habit-forming. Some people establish routines of repeated use and find them difficult to break. Tolerance can build up pretty quickly with frequent use. Ketamine is not physically addictive although regular users may experience extreme cravings when trying to quit. The following symptoms typically occur when people binge on Ketamine. These symptoms are rare for those who are using Ketamine infrequently.
K Pains
Heavy use of Ketamine can cause the user to experience severe abdominal pains known as “k-pains” The pain is caused by the inflammation of the hepatic and common bile ducts, which connect the gallbladder to the liver. K pains are extremely agonizing. Although taking more Ketamine may temporarily take away the pain, in the end it will likely only worsen the condition. Depending on the severity of the inflammation the pain can last a few minutes or could last up to a few days.
If you are experiencing pains,
- Take a warm bath or place a warm cloth over the pain.
- Try to eat some vegetables they can really help.
- Avoid fatty foods because one of main functions of the gallbladder is to digest fat.
- Taking a break from Ketamine, or cutting down on your use.
It does appear that the bile duct does return to normal after cessation although the long term effects on the gall bladder, bile ducts and liver are still unknown.
Bladder and Urinary Tract Irritation and Damage
Ketamine can irritate the bladder and the tubes that connect it to the kidneys and to the urethra (piss hole). If the bladder becomes irritated and the user continues to take Ketamine serious permanent damage can occur.
Heavy Ketamine use can cause ulcers in the bladder. These ulcers scar the bladder making it unable to expand. This bladder shrinkage results in having to piss more often and sometimes pain in the bladder area. The bladder can heal to an extent but it will never be the same as it was before. Some people require bladder surgery, or removal, and in serious cases it can also lead to kidney damage.
Prevention
Moderation is important with Special K! If you do a lot of K in a single sitting, or you use constantly for days, you are are more prone to damage. If you’re going to use ketamine you need to drink water to help prevent it from irritating your insides! We recommend you drink water even when you’re not on drugs, cause water’s awesome! But it’s very important to remember to drink plenty of water when you’re using K, especially if you’re using a lot. Just remember to eat some food or get some electrolytes (i.e. sports drinks). It’s good to drink water the day after as well because K is turned into other chemicals which stay in your body until the day after you use, and may also cause irritation. If you do end up with the symptoms listed below keep drinking water and cutting out K would be a good idea or you can risk serious life changing damage to your body.
The symptoms of Ketamine bladder irritation/damage are:
- Burns while taking a piss
- Pain in genitals
- Pain in bladder
- Sometimes unable to take a piss or takes a while to start (If you are unable to pee for several hours go to the hospital)
- Blood in pee (might not be obvious)
- Unable to hold piss for long periods
- Leaking piss
- Mucous in piss from bladder
Sometimes people, or doctors will confuse these symptoms with those of a urinary tract infection or UTI. Ketamine bladder damage and UTI’s are not the same thing and should be treated differently.
What to do:
If you have pain in your genitals a warm bath may help. If you are have been experiencing symptoms for a while after you stop using, or you are in a lot of pain for a long time you should see your doctor or visit the emergency room. Tell them you have injured you bladder from Ketamine use, and it may be important to see urologist. If your doctor or urologist needs more information about Ketamine bladder syndrome, refer them to the case studies referenced here, or tell them to go to www.ketaminebladdersydrome.com
Submitted by admin on Tue, 10/04/2011 - 17:38.
Health education can be tricky. There's
many factors to consider when implementing a public health campaign.
Demographic of the target audience and the right tone when addressing this
audience is key. Oftentimes, especially with campaigns geared at youth and drug
use things get topsy-turvy. The wrong tone can mean an ineffective, often
counterproductive campaign. Anti-oppression should be a core value of all
education. Judgement and/or discrimination needs to be avoided at all costs.
Education is key and honesty goes a long way. This seems pretty simple and
straight-forward, right?
Unfortunately, many health campaigns geared
at youth do the exact opposite. Many drug prevention efforts rely on scare
tactics and abstinence-based “Just Say No” approaches. Youth who use drugs will
do so regardless of whether society shakes the finger at them or not. Things
aren't white and black, people partake in different risks therefore health
education should cater to all sorts of individuals. People who use drugs get
shunned, marginalized, pushed out of society and left feeling guilty about
their lifestyle. Health education should focus on the education rather than on
trying to scare people straight. We should be teaching people about the risks
associated with different activities, and encourage critical thinking in order
to empower individuals to make informed choices that affect their bodies and
minds.
There is an unspoken tension in the social
service sector between substance prevention and harm reduction tactics. This is
counterproductive. Harm reduction's main mandate is to lower risk levels of
current drug users, as well as getting individuals into and familiarized with
the healthcare system and providing referrals to other health services
including recovery upon request. The main mandate for prevention is to minimize
drug misuse/abuse within society and thus improve the overall health of our
communities. These two philosophies to healthcare can and should be adjacent.
However, many prevention campaigns still
continue to use scare tactics and demonize drug use and drug users. Instead,
prevention should focus on recovery services for those who are ready and
willing to get help. Not every person who uses drugs is an addict and society
can't impose the same standards for everyone. The best way to identify a
problematic drug habit is by the individual after proactive self-reflection.
You can't help someone who doesn't want help and labelling people as “addicts”
or “junkies” further oppresses those who use drugs. Harm reduction should be
seen as secondary prevention. It is crucial to provide healthcare services for
individuals who use drugs since oftentimes the ritual or way of consuming
certain substances is far riskier and detrimental to the individual and
society's overall health than the drug itself. A great example of this is
sharing needles, straws, pipes and works. All these activities put individuals
at risk of transmitting a virus that is a far greater risk than the drugs being
used.
We need to be progressive with health
education not retrogressive. I encourage you to think twice before bashing
crucial, essential and much needed harm reduction services and when
implementing prevention campaigns. We need to start thinking about people being
affected by these issues with more care, diligence and an open mind. Next time
you see a person who uses drugs, think about why they are where they are in
life rather than blaming it on their use and walking past blindly.
Submitted by admin on Mon, 08/29/2011 - 19:30.
Submitted by admin on Thu, 08/18/2011 - 22:04.
Join us in Mexico City to learn more about drug policy and how youth can advocate for social change! Featuring youth activists from Espolea , TRIP! and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union. All youth are welcome to learn and strategize on how we can transform drug policy.
Sign up online here.
Submitted by admin on Thu, 08/04/2011 - 20:10.
Come one, come all!
It's the party that you've been waiting all summer.
TRIP! presents...
ELEMENTS
Celebrating the four pillars of our community:
DJing, MCing, Visual Arts and Dance.
TOP SECRET HEADLINER TO BE ANNOUNCED!
Beats provided by DJs dubcomm, VRKSM, Wrongwun and GRRG
Featuring a fashion show with the new TRIP!Apparel Fall Collection
Preview the collection @ www.printfiction.com/tripproject
Belly Dancing by Mystic Caravan
Free Snacks!
Launch of Holy Smokes Zine!
Showcase includes arts workshops, including shuffling, silkscreening, tie dying, and kandi making!!!!!
RSVP on Facebook or PureRave
P.L.U.R.R.
<3TRIP!
Submitted by admin on Wed, 08/03/2011 - 18:20.
The drug culture is not what it used to be. Over the last month our group has tested nearly 2,500 substance samples presented to us by patrons of music festivals and concerts.
The results have been truly sobering. Nearly 100% of samples are cut with one or more substances, and they aren’t using baking soda anymore.
Research chemicals, sold as “bath salts” or “plant food” have become an alarming issue. Nearly 60% of “Molly” (MDMA powder) samples tested at Wakarusa, Bonnaroo, Electric Forest and Camp Bisco contained large quantities of or were completely comprised of one or more of these chemicals. Many of these “research chemicals” present very real overdose fatality risks and have been in news all over the world. There were 8 overdoses attributed to tainted MDMA powder at Camp Bisco. Three of those individuals are no longer with us.
An overwhelming majority of tested LSD samples were negative for the chemical. In the best-case scenario, the sample was just paper. In most instances, the LSD we tested contained compounds such as DO(x), a dark hallucinogen with a three-hour onset (leading to multiple doses) and can last for over 24 hours. Overdose effects include memory loss, irrational and sometimes violent behavior and the possibility of causing harm to oneself. At high doses, analogs of this chemical have the power to change the way the mind works permanently.
What we are doing to help
Testing
The Bunk Police deploys an array of chemical reagent tests to identify substances and cutting agents. These tests, although not completely definitive, give us a very good idea what the powder, pill or paper contains. We can test for well over 20 chemical compounds and we are constantly trying to expand our knowledge and capacity to test. The testing equipment that we use at our campsite is the same as Dancesafe.org has been using for over a decade. In addition to these standard tests, we also have the same tests that are used by the State Department, DEA and many EMTs.
Mobile Testing Centers
In addition to a stationary camp, we equip our volunteers with mobile testing kits and send them into what we call “hotspots” where substance sales are taking place openly. When in these locations, our volunteers simply set up a station right there where the action is taking place. On multiple occasions we were able to inform a dealer that he or she was selling a dangerous product leading to its removal from the market.
Outreach Program
We are able to identify substances in most cases, however many of the people we deal with are unprepared for the information we’re giving them. In order to deal with this issue, we have compiled comprehensive yet easy to understand reference materials and have volunteers ready to assist in informing our patrons.
Information Sessions
I personally conduct a brief information session every day of each event on the changing substance market and drug identification. I will cover the methods used to disguise dangerous cutting agents and how to know what you’re taking is real, as pure as possible and safe. Ents, I come to you weary from battle and in need of advice. Myself and my small group have been working long hours all across the U.S. testing substances and spreading awareness for the last six weeks. We’ve been raided by the Hell’s Angels (security at Camp Bisco) and harassed by the Police and other security forces. In attempting to remove dangerous substances from the market, we’ve run into some of the most intelligent, kindest people and some of the most twisted, greedy and evil souls that this world holds.
If you believe in our cause, please do what you can to help us with the following dire needs:
1) Legal advice
2) Advice on becoming a nonprofit
3) Help in constructing a website
4) Help in advertising online, at events and anywhere else it might be appropriate (headshops, etc.)
5) Help in manufacturing and shipping test kits
6) Help at events
7) Financial advice, accounting and contributions.
My partner in this operation is heading back home to his family, leaving only myself to continue the crusade. I feel that I am driven enough and more than capable of continuing this, but I must try and appeal to others in order to expand the efforts of this entity I’ve created. Thank you so very much for your time and consideration.
Love and Light,
Tim
Bunkpolice@gmail.com
Submitted by admin on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 20:27.
 The TRIP!Wire is a new service provided by TRIP! that allows community members to directly text questions around drug use sexual health and harm reduction. You can text the TRIP!Wire at (647) 822-6435 but keep in mind that it may take 12-24 hours to recieve a response. For drug related emergencies such as overdose don't hessitate to contact 911! Questions submitted to the TRIP!Wire will be reviewed by TRIP! outreach workers. a short answer will be texted back to you. The questions will later be used to generate blog posts providing a more indepth answer.
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