The ‘natural high'

Since its emergence in the late 1980s, the subculture referred to as ‘rave’ has become a significant global youth phenomenon. The electronic and rhythmically repetitive nature of the music, the long hours of dancing, the semi-legal secret location and the ingestion of psychoactive substances are what distinguish raves from other youth parties. When combined, these features are designed to promote feelings of connectedness, spirituality and the state of ecstasy among participants. Though members of this subculture can be identified through their choice of music, jewellery and clothing, recent media attention has made the raver’s selection of drug the most salient indication of subcultural belonging. In Canada, this relationship is particularly apparent in the recent initiatives that have taken place to restrict rave events. ² Bylaws that now limit legal raves to establishments meeting the outlined specifications for ventilation, emergency exits and running water are designed to safeguard ravers from the harmful effects of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) and other popular designer drugs. ³ Similar harm-reduction strategies have appeared worldwide, resulting in a continuously evolving scene where the defining boundaries between raves and nightclubs have begun to blur.