Health and Safety

Risk assessment is the mental process of measuring the risks involved in engaging in a given activity. People perform risk assessments most often when they are trying to decide whether or not to engage in an activity they perceive to be "risky." Using a drug, for example (any drug), has risks. Let's see how the risk of using drugs compares with other activities.

Driving home in the morning after staying awake all night partying can be dangerous. Below are some suggestions of how to reduce your risk of getting into a car accident.

The Dandy DanceSafe Guide to Getting Ready, Getting There, and Getting Down

We suggest making a few extra preparations and taking a few precautions when attending outdoor summer events, and particularly when planning to take drugs at those events. We don't want you to fuck up a three-day weekend. Remember tenets of responsible drug use: set, setting, and dose.

The summer festival season means a change in setting and probably mindset. When we step out of our normal party setting we increase our risks of heat exhaustion, dehydration, sleep deprivation, and other problems due to direct exposure to the elements. A different crowd can mean different sources of recreational substances, so we also want to be careful about what we put into our mouth.

Dancing is a strenuous physical activity and when you dance your body temperature rises. Places where lots of people are dancing get very hot. Exposure to the sun can increase temperatures still more, and alcohol and other drugs dehydrate the body or further increase body temps. Meanwhile you're sweating a lot. All this leads to the biggest risks from dancing all day or night at a party: Dehydration, Heat Exhaustion, and Heat Stroke.

There are many stereotypes of women who use drugs. A woman might be considered hard and "macho," sexually promiscuous, or silly and easily manipulated. Generally speaking, men tend to be more upfront about their drug use among their peers than women, who may want to avoid being judged. Some women find that it is difficult to talk about issues around drug use because it is hard to meet other women whom they can relate to and talk honestly with.