Festival Survival TIPS
Written by: Essex Drug & Alcohol Action Team
Posted: 18/08/2009 11:36:01
Take FRANK and Essex Drug & Alcohol Partnership to Festivals with you
Make sure you don't remember this year's festival for the wrong reasons. Callum Jacobs, from drugs information service FRANK says:
"Taking drugs at any time carries a health risk, but being at a festival can make the negative effects worse. Beware of ending up hot, dehydrated, stuck in the middle of a massive crowd and feeling disorientated. With drugs you never know what you're getting, and the risks increase if you get them from someone you don't know at a festival. Combining drugs and alcohol makes the effects even more unpredictable, and can be lethal.
"Drugs are just as illegal at festivals as they are anywhere else - police officers are usually on site and people do get busted. Drug driving is also illegal so make sure you have a lift home sorted in advance and don't get into a car with anyone you think might have taken something. For advice on staying safe at festivals and the facts on drugs, talk to FRANK on 0800 77 66 00 or logon to www.talktofrank.com/festivals or www.essexdrugaction.org."
Know the facts
* Whether you think you'll take drugs or not, you should know about the facts. Check out www.talktofrank.comor call FRANK on 0800 77 66 00 for friendly, confidential advice 24 hours a day. You can also text your questions to 82111.
Keep your friends close...
* It's a good idea to stick together with your mates at festivals. If you do take something, then tell your friends what you've taken - if something does go wrong then you'll need their help. If someone starts to get stressed, take them somewhere quiet, try to calm them down and send for help if needed. At V Festival Chelmsford this will be the Choices Drug Service provided by Open Road Chill Out Area.
... and your drinks closer
* Drink-spiking can and does happen so don't accept drinks from strangers. Mixing alcohol and drugs will also make the effects of both far more unpredictable.
Expect the unexpected
* If you take drugs then you don't know what you're getting. Cocaine can be cut with tetramisole (used for worming pets), you won't know what's in any pills you buy, and cannabis can be of varying strengths. And the effects can be different in different people.
Drive safely
* Make sure you know how you are getting home. No one wants to be left behind because they're too wasted to drive, and drug driving carries the same penalties as drink driving. Make sure you don't accept a lift from anyone if you think they've been taking drugs.
Resist peer pressure
* Don't feel under pressure to try drugs if you don't want to. Drugs are more likely to have a bad effect if you're feeling disorientated, so it's not a great idea to take them in unfamiliar settings with large crowds of people.
Keep cool...
* Ecstasy affects the body's temperature control - so if you take it or other dance drugs and move around a lot, then you risk overheating, dehydration and blackouts. Make sure you take regular breaks from the dance floor to cool down. You should also be careful with fluids as drinking too much can be dangerous or even fatal. Reduce the risks by sipping no more than a pint of water or non-alcoholic fluid every hour.
... and stay out of trouble
* Many drugs are illegal. Cannabis, Mephedrone, Naphyrone are now a Class B drugs, which means it carries more severe penalties for possession. And if you're caught with a Class A drug like cocaine then you could face seven years in jail. It's perhaps worth remembering that landing up with a criminal record may limit your career prospects and make it hard to get visas for travel abroad.
Last Updated on: 25/08/2010 12:54:02
