Drugs & Clubs - Proposed Senate bill S2633

[Andrew]

Whilst reading an article in a local gay publication, I was referred to "http://lifeormeth.com/". In there, under "What is crystal" and in the "Meth control act" area, I saw this scary article that may be of interest to all Club and Bar owners:

Currently, US Congress is proposing a Senate bill (S2633) that will make club owners and party promoters directly responsible for consumption of ALL drugs, including methamphatamine, on their premises, with fines of up to $500,000. Many face closure if the bill is passed.

Wow! Are they going to make all involved do drug tests just to get in the door?!

[bobbyg]

yes... Its gettin crazy ............................come on U.S.A. wake up before its too late.......................its time to take a stand for our rights..........MOST OF THESE BULL#%*! LAWS ARE BEING MADE BY PEOPLE WHO PARTIED THERE BRAINS OUT , IN THE HIPPIE DAYS...AND NOW WANT TO DUMP THERE BULL ON THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS............................WAKE UP PEOPLE.............:mad:

[Club Security]

Another opinion....

Nearly all nightclubs and bars do not want any form of narcotic or club drug in their club or bar. That is… nearly all. As with all areas of law enforcement concern, the few bad apples ruin it for all the good ones.

The specific law that is proposed would be very harsh on club owners… if it can be proven that they had knowledge of a drug problem and didn’t do anything to stop the problem. The law isn’t really new; it is just specifically targeting liquor license holders. In most states ANY business or owners of a business that have knowledge of the use, possession or sales of any form of narcotics on their property can be held criminally liable and certainly civilly liable if someone is hurt as a result of the drugs being on the property.

Again, no bar owner or good GM want any form of narcotic in their club. Having someone overdose in your club is never good publicity. Having the police make an arrest or several arrests in your club isn’t good publicity. Having news media report that a club is a problem because of drugs isn’t good publicity.

You can never stop all drugs from entering your club. NEVER. However, if your staff is trained to recognize the symptoms of Meth use, X usage or the signs of GHB intoxication, they can make a firm stand to stop them at the door or when someone is high in the club. The staff can do it if they have the backing of management and owners. Clubs and bars will not go broke if they prevent the few bad patrons from coming back or if they remove someone they know is either using or selling.

Now, I know that some will make the argument that your security staff are not the police. It may be said that the club can be sued if an employee accuses someone of selling or being under the influence. There are so many ways to stop drugs from entering the club. You don’t have to accuse patrons. You don’t have to have your staff accuse anyone. Being properly trained, being secure and remembering that you can ask anyone to leave for any reason will normally get you through.

This question must be asked before you address the issue of a new law holding clubs liable. What are you going to do if you see drugs being used in your club? What if you see someone give or sell drugs in your club? What if you suspect someone is under the influence? The owner and the GM must have a procedure and a plan for the staff to follow. Do we approach the person and ask them to leave? Do we do nothing and hope the cops aren’t watching the same thing we see? If you make a stand and let the bad eggs know that your club won’t tolerate drugs in the club you will never have to worry about any law targeting drugs in nightclubs.

The law, if passed will be harsh, but only to the clubs that accept the use of X, GHB or Methamphetamine as just a part of doing business. The clubs that are turning a blind eye to the use of drugs within their club by selling glow sticks, lolly pops or other tools of the trade are asking for trouble or at least asking for the police to come in and check.

Nightclub Security Consultants

[Andrew]

Thanks for your input, Club Security. You know a lot about policing this problem. I totally agree that GHB and Methamphetamine freebase are very dangerous drugs.

GHB because (especially when combined with alcohol) dosage varies and is slow to take effect and can be likened to Heroin overdosing. They will eventually collapse into, at the very least, a deep sleep.

Crystal/Ice (Meth. freebase) because it fools the unexperienced user into thinking everything is VERY alright for far,far too long. They stay up whilst their body & mind breakdown from sleep deprivation.

When I am out clubbing, I often look for signs of alcohol and other substance intoxication and when I see it, I go and observe the person for a while to make sure they are not deteriorating further.

I think, at the very least, those persons should be banned from the venue. It may sounds simplistic, but it will eventually weed out the liabilities.

I suspect that this bill will be awkward to pass - the devil is in the detail!

[David]

Great information Robert and Andrew.

Since you touched on "Knowing the Signs of Drug use and Intoxication" can you share those signs with the rest of us?

I know that we use to have a dimly lit club in the beginning but have slowly raised the illumination level so that the staff can see everyone in the club. I feel that this has helped curtail the in sight usage. Just an inform.

[Andrew]

GHB (depressant) - I look for people propping themselves up against walls/people/anything. Or people lying down on couches for too long. Pretty sure they don't slur their words.

Meth/Crystal (stimulant) - I observe these folk under lights (usually at the entrance of a room or the main entrance). Their pupils are "bugging" out. They are highly excitable, appear agitated and cannot stand still. They can drink alot without any apparent ill effects.

Ketamine (anaesthetic) - I mention this because it is a very popular drug in the gay scene. These folk will stumble mainly, possible fall and then slip into a mini coma. But they will get back up again and recovery is quick (minutes). They experience no pain and that is a huge concern.

BUT once you start mixing any/all of the above, then it gets very hard to pick as some effects counteract others.

One way to check on your patrons may be to get the lighting guy to pan the spotlights around a bit slower than normal, once in a while. Even "flash" the overheads (I have seen this done before) but not often as it will disturb the patrons. I don't know how you feel about strobes, I hate them but they can help too.

The meth users should flinch momentarily (I think) plus you get to check them and others out.

You DO really need to be able to see them; you can check out the regulars retrospectively, on security footage, when the light hits them.

Hope this helps, they are just from my experiences and thoughts.

[Club Security]

Good descriptions Andrew.

I try to get people to screen users at the door in a semi-controlled setting. As customers walk in you have the time and equipment to screen them without them really noticing what your staff is up to.

Really look at the eyes. With all the drugs we have talked about the eyes can be a great detector.

Crystal Methamphetamine (Meth) and Methylendioxymethamphetamine (Ecstasy) have one huge common ingredient, Amphetamine. With any amount of amphetamine the pupils will be larger. Normal pupil size is between 2.5 and 3.5 millimeters. When on Meth or E the pupil size can be seen at 6-8 millimeters. Very obvious. Users of either drug will have a tremendous amount of energy. That’s where the similarities stop. Meth users, as Andrew said, can normally drink booze and it will have little effect on them. Ecstasy users usually won’t drink anything but water because alcohol will often offset the desired feelings of the drug. There are other easily detectable signs of both Meth and E.

With Ketamine the eyes will often show Nystagmus or shaking from side to side… not always but with some doses. K is a real dangerous drug. Most people think it was always an animal tranquilizer. FALSE. It was often used on newborn children who had to have their tear ducts cleared out. When the medical community finally discovered that K only puts patients into a coma and that the patient felt and remembered everything they stopped using the drug on humans for serious procedures. In the early 90’s it became an almost exclusive for animal only drug. The lack of pain is a serious effect of K usage. As the body screams for help because it is going into a death spin, the body can’t react. Coma ensues and death follows.

With GHB and the old daterape drug Rohypnol, the signs are also easy to see in the eyes. A drunk will usually have “Heavy” eyelids and so will GHB users who are already high as they enter the club. Smell them by talking to them as close as you can. You won’t smell that fruity-sweet odor of a normal drunk. GHB is extremely bad because it is often used secretly as a date rape drug on females. Remember this! Security, if you suspect that a female is over intoxicated, intervene. Talk to her, her friends and any men that may be with her. Especially if the men are leaving with these obviously drunk. Ask questions of the men. Do they know the female? Are they dating? Do they have ID that you can see? What about her friends? Women usually don’t come to a club alone. Just intervene and get involved. You might save a poor unsuspecting female serious pain as a victim of a sexual predator.

Talk a look at http://www.nightclubsecurity.com/club.htm for further descriptions of the drugs we talked about.

Here are a couple of sets of pupils to look at. The first set are normal size and the second are the Ecstasy user.

Nightclub Security Consultants

[Club Security]

Ok, Ok... I'm learning to post photos.... Here is the normal set of pupils.

Nightclub Security Consultants

[Andrew]

Speculation only, but I wonder if stimulants fuelled the Chicago E2 panic...