# Drug use among nightclub and dance festival attendees in New York City

> **NIH NIH R01** · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · 2020 · $425,602

## Abstract

Electronic dance music (EDM) nightclub and festival attendees are at high risk for drug use and associated
adverse outcomes. EDM attendees are at high risk for using “traditional” drugs such as ecstasy (MDMA,
“Molly”), but they are also now at high risk for use of new psychoactive substances (NPS), which are a major
new drug-related public health threat. NPS are often adulterants in or replacements for “traditional” illicit drugs
such as ecstasy; thus, many users unknowingly ingest such new and dangerous substances. Ecstasy, for
example, is often adulterated or replaced with NPS such as synthetic cathinones (“bath salts”) and the PI and
his colleagues have detected highly potent drugs (e.g., alpha-PVP, PMMA, methamphetamine) in ecstasy
users' hair despite them denying use of these drugs. Thus, ecstasy use appears to be a major delivery system
of unintentional NPS use. Fentanyl and other dangerous opioid NPS are also now being detected in cocaine
and in pills resembling Xanax and Percocet. Drug-related deaths at EDM festivals have become common, and
with the popularity of EDM parties increasing, it is essential to focus on intentional and unintentional drug use
in this at-risk population in order to prevent use, poisonings, and deaths. We have developed and validated a
rapid survey (via the PI's K01) to query use of dozens of common drugs and >100 NPS in the EDM scene and
we have validated hair testing methods to determine use of >100 NPS and >15 common drugs. Such biological
testing can help us estimate the true prevalence of use of NPS and other drugs (e.g., ecstasy) in these high-
risk nightlife scenes. The objective of this study is to systematically examine the prevalence of known and
unknown drug use, risk factors for use, self-reported adverse outcomes associated with use, and trends in use
and adverse outcomes over 24 months. Since many individuals unknowingly use NPS, it is essential to
validate survey responses. This study is innovative as we will test hair of participants to validate responses and
also determine the extent of unintentional use of NPS and other drugs. Hair testing is an ideal biological testing
method because we are able to detect the presence of >100 NPS (including fentanyl and 15 of its analogues)
in hair for >12 months post-use. Our validated rapid survey complemented with hair testing (for validation) will
allow us to estimate the prevalence of drug use in the nightclub and festival scenes in NYC. Using time-space
sampling, we will randomly select EDM parties throughout NYC, and survey 2,080 individuals entering these
parties (biweekly). An exploratory longitudinal component will also help us determine whether providing a
subsample of participants with feedback regarding their hair testing results influences drug use and intention to
use over time (6 months post-survey). Estimating intentional and unintentional drug use and adverse
consequences associated with use may allow us to detect some risky drug trends (e.g., ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9933862
- **Project number:** 5R01DA044207-03
- **Recipient organization:** NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Joseph J Palamar
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $425,602
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-30 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9933862

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9933862, Drug use among nightclub and dance festival attendees in New York City (5R01DA044207-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9933862. Licensed CC0.

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