To say that I’m no angel is certainly an understatement.
My 20s were populated by nights with plenty of booze [stoli vanilla and diet or vodka water with lemon, thank you very much] and partying. Thrown into the mix were yearly drives to Los Angeles for EDC. You’re looking at a seasoned veteran here dating all the way back to EDC 2003- I still have my ticket stub.
At just about all these events, you would find me wide-eyed, sweating, dancing my ass off, and yes: high. Keep reading; there’s a point I’m about to make.
Here’s what’s important- I was incredibly lucky because I always had an excellent time. Nothing bad happened. Digest that for a moment: an entire decade of drug use during which I never took anything that caused a bad reaction or any life-threatening side effects.
Others weren’t so lucky. Some took a bunk pill laced with something strange, while others consumed too much. The consequences usually weren’t too serious, but on rare occasions, people overdosed. In 2010, the last year EDC was held in LA, a 14-year-old girl snuck into the party and died within 24 hours from an overdose.
And here’s the point I’m building up to: this is FAR more likely to happen now. You can’t party blindly and come out unscathed like I did a decade ago. Why? The culprit is well-known and documented- fentanyl.
Hopefully, you don’t think I’m being overly dramatic. I’ve done my homework and have the numbers to back it up. Fentanyl is harming unsuspecting Vegas clubbers who were just looking for an escape. So here you go:
The Southern Nevada Health District reported that in a 36-hour period in 2022, there were six suspected drug-related overdoses in Clark County. Four out of the six were fentanyl overdoses. Between January and July 2022, there were 110 fentanyl overdose deaths in the same area.
Still don’t believe me? The DEA reports that of all the fake prescription pills they analyzed in 2022, six out of ten contained a potentially lethal amount of fentanyl.
So, I’m not channeling my inner Nancy Regan and commanding you to just say no. Like I said at the start, I was certainly no angel, and I can, without shame, say that my 20s saw enough action to cause Courtney Love to say, “You know what, I can’t. I have to work tomorrow.”
You, dear reader, do you. But if you are going to have fun at the club, be safe. Know what you’re getting into… PLEASE. Make sure there’s someone who can verify that what you’re getting has been tested or consumed without incident.
Because I guarantee you: nothing ruins the “Vegas Baby!” vibe like unwanted fentanyl.
Stay safe out there…
~ Mikey
