Amsterdam Dance Event kicked off yesterday with aspiring and veteran music business professionals from all across the electronic music world including, DJs, managers, PR agents, label reps and more all descending on Amsterdam for meetings, parties and panels to wrap up 2015 and set up 2016. With those parties will inevitably come drug use, which has plagued electronic music since its inception and has become more high-profile in the past few years. Now ADE is taking a more progressive approach, allotted to them by the relaxed drug policing climate in the Netherlands, by allowing attendees to carry up to five ecstasy pills at once without fear of prosecution.
According to Mixmag, which cites Dutch health institute Trimbos, there is a super-strong batch of E pills being spread around the city for the event. They are branded as by their "ADE" engraving on them and each pill varies in dosage, which means the user won't always know exactly how much they are taking.
Health officials are hoping that the new relaxed approach will provide a safer experience for all festival goers this year according to Consequence Of Sound. They are also providing testing kits for assist concert-goers in checking to make sure they know what they are taking, which has been a big issue in many of the drug-related overdoses around the world.
This approach is markedly different from what some of other countries like the United States and Australia have taken with their zero-tolerance drug policies at clubs and festivals. There is no clear answer as to which side is right, but it will be interesting to see how this relaxed approach works.
ADE take place from Oct. 14 to Oct. 18 all over Amsterdam. It will feature performances from the likes of Hardwell, Nicky Romero, Carl Cox, Odesza, Axwell /\ Ingrosso, Richie Hawtin, Armin van Buuren, Martin Garrix and more.
UPDATE: Organizers have denied reports about the five pill minimum, issuing the following statement
"This week, Amsterdam hosts the 20th edition of the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), the biggest festival of electronic music in the world. During the event the city of Amsterdam, the police, public prosecutor's office and health services pay extra attention to informing visitors about health issues, the dangers of drug use and the public's own responsibility with regard to their health and safety. Extra efforts are also made to make sure that event organisers and party promoters follow the rules that have been put into place for dance events.
Amsterdam welcomes the expected 365.000 ADE-visitors to Amsterdam by a temporary more lenient regime with regard to opening hours: all the official participants of ADE are allowed to remain open until 8 'o clock in the morning for the duration of the event. In return, all club owners and party promoters are required to make extra efforts to prevent nuisance for others and of course, to make sure their event is in line with the rules with regard to music events in Amsterdam.
The Amsterdam policy for dance events was updated last June. It was drafted by the city of Amsterdam, the police and the public prosecutor's office, health services and the fire department, with input from organisers of dance events and other experts. The policy is founded on the notion that drugs are illegal and therefore not allowed at events. Every person that is found to be in possession of drugs is required to hand it in and will be removed from the venue. It is up to the public prosecutor to decide to press charges.
Amsterdam recognises that drug use cannot be completely prevented. Therefore Amsterdam focuses its efforts primarily - and has done so for years - on harm reduction; trying to prevent serious incidents from happening by informing the public about the dangers of drug use, making drug tests available via Jellinek and the Adviesburo Drugs and by monitoring the drug market and issuing warnings when necessary.
In Amsterdam, organisers of events are responsible for the safety and health of their guests. They are required to meet the standards set by the city of Amsterdam. Among other things, they are responsible for preventing possession, trade and use of drugs by searching all their guests at the entrance. They are also required to provide first aid teams and to supply their guests with free drinking water.
The city of Amsterdam, the police and health services oversee if the organisers of dance parties take responsibility for their own event and fulfil the requirements. Extra officials are active during the Amsterdam Dance Event to monitor the situation at the 80-plus official venues of the event."
