Risky Business: Managing Club Drug Risks in the Electronic Dance Music Scene from an Organizational Perspective

• In Event: Substance Use Policy, Institutions, and Enforcement Contexts

Abstract

The Electronic Dance Music (EDM) scene has grown into a massive cultural phenomenon, becoming a popular leisure activity for young people today. For some, illicit drug use is an integral part of the EDM experience. Previous research highlights that while people who use club drugs are aware of the associated risks, their ability to mitigate these risks is often constrained by physical, legal, and social environmental factors. Building on this work, this study shifts focus to the perspectives and practices of EDM event organizers, venue owners, and operational managers in Toronto, who play a critical role in shaping the environments where club drugs are consumed and risks are experienced. It will explore how they understand club drug risks and how their responses to such risks are shaped by legal/political, economic, physical, and social/cultural contexts. The findings will be interpreted with reference to the risk environment literature, which has traditionally focused on individuals who use drugs, rather than those responsible for managing the spaces where drug use occurs. The study will offer insights into how institutional and structural frameworks can be adapted to create “enabling environments” that support patrons in employing individual risk management strategies and enhance safety at EDM events.

Authors

• Nick Cristiano, Trent University

• Victoria Ginsley, Trent University

• Sean Spence, University of Portsmouth