Drug Use and Australia’s Music Festivals
Some of the most popular ones mentioned included Electric Gardens, Origin Fields Festival, Subsonic Music Festival, Rainbow Serpent, and Beyond the Valley. In the last decade or so, there has been a massive influx of electronic music. This type of music has generated almost $8 billion in 2018, with most of it coming from festivals, clubs, and parties. While many people attending these festivals do practice adequate safety measures, some do not.
Alcohol and drug use in Australia has been a growing concern amongst the medical industry and government. At Austrailias’ music festivals, drug use is rampant. Because of the many upcoming festivals, it’s important to understand the concerns about the drug use in Australia, particularly at festivals, and how you or someone you know might protect themselves at these events.
The Most Common Drugs of Choice At Australia’s Music Festivals
There are many different substances used at music fests in Australia. According to a survey by The University of Queensland, some of the most common drugs of choice are:
- Alcohol
- Ecstasy
- Marijuana
- Cocaine
- Stimulant Medications
- Psychedelics
The demographic profile of festival goers included:
- Men and women with a mean age of 22.4
- 85.6 % were well educated
- 6 % had a criminal conviction
- Nearly half (49.6 %) attended an average of 2 festivals per year
- Alcohol was the most common drug followed by ecstasy, cannabis, and cocaine
The survey also asked participants about their drug and alcohol use outside of festivals.
- Approximently 44 % reported drinking alcohol on a weekly basis, if not more often and 64 % drank an average of 5-6 drinks at these times. Festival goers who used ecstasy (MDMA) at the events reported using the drug at least 10 times per year and cocaine users typically did so at least 5 times in a one year period.
Medical Attention at the Festivals
In terms of drug use in Australia, particularly at it’s festivals, there is an obvious concern. Most events have medical tents set up for men and women who are unwell. The same survey sampled festival goers who sought medical attention, and the results indicated the following:
- Festival goers who sought medical attention for alcohol related problems consumed an average of 15 standard drinks.
- 45 % had severe nausea or vomiting, 40 % suffered from an accident or trauma, 37 % passed out, and at least 65 % were admitted to the hospital for alcohol consumption.
- Those who needed help after taking ecstasy consumed an average of 0.4g of the drug or three pills.
- About 56 % reported taking an extra-large amount of ecstasy than they normally would have.
- A shocking 81 % reported combining ecstasy and alcohol or other drugs.
- About 48 % of those who took ecstasy were admitted to the hospital.
One might read this and ask “why this trend”? While there is no research about music festivals and drug use in Australia, our Thailand rehab has a few thoughts on the question.
Mob Mentality -When people come together in a large group, there is a higher chance that they will adapt to the mentality of the group. Rational thinking may decrease, and when this happens, festival goers may be more likely to engage in drug use, binge drinking, and other unsafe activities.
Peer Pressure – As a drug and alcohol rehab centre, we know that many patients succumbed to peer pressure and using drugs. According to research, one of the main motivations for people to drink or use drugs is largely based upon social reasons.
Brain Development – There is ample research that suggests the brain is not fully developed until a person reaches 25-27 years of age. Prior to this, a person may be more apt to engage in risky behaviour, including drug use, unprotected sex, and reckless driving.
Despite the alarming data that the survey suggested, as well as, the possible harms of drug use, most festival goers are participating in occasional drug use. In general, this use is not considered to be problematic. Nevertheless, there is a small, yet notable group of people who do experience severe harms from drug use at Australia’s festivals.
To reduce these possible harms, there has been peer education services, such as DanceWize, set up at many of the events. These services offer water, sunscreen, information, safe, relaxing spaces, medical care, and on-site drug checking services. There are advocacy groups seeking to reduce drug detection dogs and policing with the hopes that festival goers will be less reluctant to get advice, care, or support.
Additional support groups have also started to make their presence at popular music festivals. Some of these are recovery-orientated groups that are available to people who might have a drug problem and may be interested in getting drug treatment in Australia or elsewhere.
Tips for Festival Goers
While we cannot stop anyone from going to music festivals, we can offer some tips to stay safe at them.
- Find a healthy support group to encourage sober fun at a festival. These people can also make you feel less pressured to engage in drug use in Australia and back you up if you say “no”.
- Remind yourself that drug use could result in lost memories of the event. By remaining sober, you will take away the experience and its’ memories.
- Go into the festival with a plan. Make sure you know where you can get help, including drug treatment in Australia.
- Prepare yourself and remain committed to staying sober.
- Never mix drugs and alcohol; doing so could lead to serious harm or death.
Do You Need Help with an Addiction?
Apart from drug use at music festivals being high, drug use in Australia is prevalent in every major city. If you are struggling with an addiction and would like to know more about getting treatment in Australia, or elsewhere, such as Thailand, please call Siam Rehab. As a drug and alcohol centre in Thailand, we have successfully helped Austrailian men and women recover from an addiction. Call us today.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16095785/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18509515/
Read about rehab options in Brisbane here:
https://siamrehab.com/brisbane-rehab-solutions-for-substance-abuse/
