Do you need to take the MDMA drug (molly) at raves to have fun?

From the U.K. to Australia and through to the United States, there have been reports of deaths and hospitalizations related back to the MDMA drug. Most of the deaths occurred at an EDM music festival or DJ show such as the Electric Zoo festival in New York. Molly MDMA has become so common at festivals and raves that the MDMA drug and raving have become interrelated. But are they dependent on each other? Do you need to take it to have fun?


Following the increase in deaths over the summer related to drug use, there has been a lot of debate about controlling the usage of Molly MDMA. The discussion revolves around implementing programs that allow users to test the drugs they purchase without any legal penalizations. It was recently reported that the officials in the Netherlands executed a project called Safe House. Although the drug is still considered to be illegal, the program, run by the Drug Advice Bureau, provides a testing station for parties and festivals making it ‘safer’ for people to use ecstasy or Molly MDMA.

A little closer to home, an organization by the name of DanceSafe, recently spoke to Billboard Magazine about the deaths from Electric Zoo, which led to the organizers deciding to cancel the last day of the festival. DanceSafe says, TomorrowWorld (Brother to Tomorrowland; arguably the largest EDM festival in the world) asked the organization to participate and be present for their event. They argue “by tactfully acknowledging that people are doing drugs, harm reduction stands in stark contrast to the “Just Say No” philosophy that has dominated American drug education and policy since the "80s”.

Not surprisingly, some artists and DJ’s that were brave enough to speak about the topic, disagree. A third of the massively popular but recently separated group Swedish House Mafia, Sebastian Ingrosso, spoke up about the topic and said, “It’s a terrible thing that kids need to take drugs to enjoy something. I enjoy music without any kind of substance and I wish that all other people could do the same, because when you’re sober and you get high on the music you can really feel it and get what’s going on”.

Which side are you on, prohibition or education? Should kids just say no?