BACKGROUND: Nonmedical opioid use remains an epidemic in the United States. Electronic dance music (EDM) party attendees have been found to be at high risk for the use of drugs such as ecstasy, but little is known about nonmedical opioid use in this population.
METHODS: Using time-space sampling, we surveyed 954 individuals (ages 18–40) attending randomly selected EDM parties in New York City in 2017. Participants were asked about the use of 18 different opioids and about willingness to use if offered by a friend in the next 30 days. We estimated the prevalence of use in this population and examined correlates of past-year and past-month use.
RESULTS: Almost a quarter (23.9%) of EDM party attendees are estimated to have used opioids non-medically in their lifetime, and one out of ten (9.8%) in the past year. 5% are estimated to be current users (reporting past-month use), and 16.4% are willing to use opioids non-medically if offered by a friend in the next 30 days. Past-year nonmedical benzodiazepine users were at high odds for reporting current nonmedical opioid use (aOR = 10.11, p < .001) and, on average, report using more different opioid drugs in the past year than non-past-year-users (p = .012). Nearly three-quarters (73.6%) of those who have used in the past year indicated that they would use again if offered by a friend in the next 30 days.
CONCLUSION: Nonmedical opioid use is prevalent in the EDM scene and many attendees are willing to use if offered. Prevention efforts are needed in this high-risk population.
Nonmedial opioid use among electronic dance music party attendees in New York City
Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 186, 226-232. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.03.001. PMCID: PMC5911182.