VP Biden - Fix Your RAVE Act and Save Lives

In 2013, Shelley Goldsmith died of heatstroke after taking MDMA at an electronic dance music concert in Washington D.C. Her mother, Dede, believes her death – and others – could have been prevented if events and venues had safer settings that include accurate, non-judgmental drug information and other harm reduction services. Events and venues are currently deterred from doing so because of fear of prosecution under the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act (a.k.a. RAVE Act), which was championed by Joe Biden more than ten years ago.

The Drug Policy Alliance’s #SaferPartying campaign is proud to join Dede as well as drug education and harm reduction organization DanceSafe and other allies in calling on Vice President Biden to address this important issue.

It’s time to take a harm reduction approach to drug use at festivals, concerts and clubs. Tell Vice President Biden to fix the RAVE Act and save lives!

Take Action

Your Message

Subject Fix Your RAVE Act Law and Save Lives

Dear Vice President Biden,

Message Body

I urge you, as the author of the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act (a.k.a. RAVE Act), to help clarify the intent of your law.  As the law is currently being interpreted, many venue owners and event organizers are reluctant to institute common sense safety measures such as free water, cool-down spaces, non-judgmental drug information and other harm reduction services for fear of being accused of “maintaining drug involved premises” under the Act, and thus opening themselves to criminal or civil prosecution.  Clarifying the original intent of the Act will ensure that it can no longer be misinterpreted in ways that prevent law-abiding venue owners and event organizers from prioritizing the health and safety of their attendees in every way possible.

Dede Goldsmith, who began the Amend the RAVE Act campaign after her daughter Shelley tragically died after taking MDMA at a concert in Washington D.C., has already written a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch asking the Department of Justice to issue a memo, advisory or publicly-available prosecution guidelines that would make this clarification widely known.  I ask that you work with DOJ to make this clarification a reality and provide an update to Dede that you have done so.

Please do whatever you can to make it explicit that music venue owners and event organizers that implement common sense safety measures to protect their patrons and reduce the risk of medical emergencies, including those associated with drug use, will not need to fear prosecution by federal authorities.

Thank you for helping us save lives at festivals, concerts and clubs.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

Your Information

Salutation *

First name *

Last name *

E-mail address *

Address *

Address Line 2

City *

State *

Zip Code *

Phone

* Drug Policy Alliance is committed to protecting your privacy and will never share your email address.

If you sign and have not already registered, you will receive periodic updates and communications from the Drug Policy Alliance.

If you take action and have not already registered, you will receive periodic updates and communications from the Drug Policy Alliance.

If you donate and have not already registered, you will receive periodic updates and communications from the Drug Policy Alliance.