Characteristics and social representation of ecstasy in Europe - Irefrea

establishments. This first initiative was not a success, according to those responsible mostof the pamphlets ended up on the floor. A second attempt led them to contact a magazinethat was very popular with ravers and whose editorial board agreed to publishinformation on ecstasy. This second attempt was successful and other magazines weredrawn into the campaign.According to McDermott (1997), the campaign found itself up against theopposition of the tabloid press and the “dominant ideology” which considered that itresults could be to incite use.A second informative campaign, in London, was London Dance Safety 1997 by theLondon Drug Action Teams (1997). The campaign consisted of the distribution of apocket size booklet of 19 pages with a very discreet design. It was aimed at youngpeople and its objective was harm minimisation in the use of designer drugs, such asecstasy, speed, amphetamines, LSD, etc. in recreational places, “when goingclubbing”. The booklet began by advising those who were going to use drugs that nightnot to go out alone, to tell their friends the type of drug they were going to take andthat if at that moment they felt depressed or unhappy, it would be better not to takeanything. Subsequently, it gave information on the risks involved in the use of each ofthese drugs, one by one, of the conditions which should be required of a club(ventilation, running water, etc.), and the first aid which could be administered in theevent of a drug use related accident. It also included telephone numbers and addressesof associations providing treatment and prevention. These booklets were distributed inthe nightlife establishments used by young people, in the popular shops, music shopsand other establishments linked to the young and their nightlife. It appears that thiscampaign did not have quite the success that was expected as a result of its not veryattractive design.The “D-Mag” Magazine, published by ISDD (1996) was another of the documentswhich we were able to analyse. The aim of this magazine was to inform those over 13years of age about drugs so that, in the event that they did use them, they would do soin a less harmful way. It was, therefore, a harm minimisation initiative. As the authorssay in the magazine, “Here, there is nothing that encourages or promotes drug use butif you think about doing so, you should know all this so that you can make a decisionbased on objective information...but remember, the only way of avoiding problems withdrugs is not to use them.” It contained information on the various risks involved in druguse involving such substances as cannabis, tranquillisers, psychedelic mushrooms,steroids, poppers, heroin, barbiturates, GHB, dissolvents, ecstasy, etc. The magazinehad a youthful design, in attractive colours and motifs of flowers, spirals, tablets, etc.An initiative which was important because of its success with young people was theone undertaken by a private organisation called Lifeline in Manchester. This associationhas published a series of leaflets (Lifeline, 1995, 1996b, 1996c) with a comic formatand with one “Peanut Pete” as its main character, and it uses him to inform drug usersof the various risks involved in the use of ecstasy and other stimulants (flushing,insomnia and legal problems) and invites them to be prudent and have some respect for202