Should there be an age limit at raves?

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An age limit would help cut down on media flak, which is at least in part due to the younger crowds that come out to parties. It might also reduce the amount of stupid, uninformed drug use -- though adults are just as capable of being stupid and uninformed.

I dunno -- do 13-year-olds have any place being out all night at a party? Is 16 a good cutoff age? 18? 21?

I went to my first rave when I was 15, and I'm no worse for the wear. My parents were a little worried, but they didn't forbid me from going. I didn't do any drugs -- but then I also didn't go to another rave until I was in college.

I hear a lot of clamor to have an age limit, but I'm not convinced that it would affect all that many people or would do that much to "help" the scene internally. It might change how *others* perceive the scene, though..

-- Anonymous, September 09, 1998

Answers

I think the issue about an age limit at raves should be answered by the kids that are going and their parents. I personally don't think that an 8-year old, or even a 13-year old for that matter has any business at a rave, but it isn't my place to decide what each kid should be exposed to. That should be up to the parents, and any parents who would let their 13-year old out all night without being sure of what they are doing are crazy...Plus, if a party-thrower is worried about what might go on, legal shit, etc., they can choose to limit the ages let in on an individual party to party basis.

-- Anonymous, September 14, 1998

What about when the parents aren't *good* parents? Or when they're emotionally (or physically) absent? If we relied on parents for limiting all types of behavior, why have an age requirement for driver's licenses? Or drinking?

I think that if raves become more commercialized, get more media attention and become mainstream outlets for teenagers to hang out in, age limits will form. This doesn't mean *every* rave will be 21-and-up, or even 16-and-up, but I'll bet a whole bunch of them will.

-- Anonymous, September 14, 1998


im 15. the first time i ever went to a party when i waz 14 now i am goin on 16 and i think that from 15 and up iz a good age. because i like to go to parties when all my friends go in i dont like to wait for ever<2:30am>outside. well thats my opinion on the issue..

and yes 13 yrs olds have no rite being out all nite long at a party.

thanx 4 listening!....plur

-- Anonymous, November 16, 1998


Depends, u know that the cene is dif everywere. There should be a limit of course because the kids go and try to dance thinkin they r cool and try take drugs thinkin there cool, but they dont notice anythiiing thats going on, drug combinations and problems that o-cur, but society gets in the way! cops come and close it down, this is a time to have fun and dance till the mornin, society is 2 judge full! calm down...........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my point of view is hard to explain in the age thing... but id never let (if had) a son or dauther less than 15-14 go, unlesss i know the friends.

-- Anonymous, January 19, 1999

Yes there should, most deffanantly,be an age limit.I hate going to parties and seeing little kidz floored.They need to be at home nursing not at a party getting floored.18 is a good age limit because they need to graduate .A 13-16 year old kid can't control their-self if so people would be driving alot early.I got a question for you. What ever happened to keepn' it underground? O-well i guess if their old enough to have kidz they can party.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 1999


I think 16 is a good age! To the other people who said 13 - 16 year olds shouldnt go, thats wrong.........If you are old enuff to make your own decisions then you can go. I think a 16 year old is perfectly capable of makeing their own decisions.

-- Anonymous, July 03, 1999

I think that there should be a cut-off sometimes. I don't think it should be at necessarily EVERY party, but its really sad to see a flock of 14 yr olds out until 5 or 6 am and all jacked up on something too. I don't blame their parents though b/c lots of parents don't know whats up. You can say your doing one thing, like spending the night w/ a friend, and you can do a whole different thing like go to a rave instead. Even though I'm only 17, for some parties it might be a good idea to have it 18 and up, for others 16 and up. It all depends.

-- Anonymous, September 04, 1999

Yes; there should definitely be an age limit. It would be nice if we could have an age limit on the drugs, but unfortunately, that's not going to happen. This is the fault of the dealers, b/c they have no business selling, or even giving drugs to someone as young as 13 yrs old. It's ridiculous. All the parties I've been to have been 18+, although I've been known to get my 16 yr. old brother in using my ID. (We look a lot alike. ) I think that 16+ is good limit. I think it's ok to have some all-ages parties, but they should be fairly uncommon. It's not fair to exclude younger people from our scene, just b/c they are young. But when we are at an all-ages party, be sure to watch out for the younger kids, b/c that's exactly what they are; Kids. Don't sell them drugs, don't give them drugs, and if they somehow get drugs, then help to take care of them. That's the point of the entire scene, is that we all watch out for each other.

-- Anonymous, September 27, 1999

i think there should be some kinda limit. i mean 13 year olds?!?!? i think 16 is a good age for ravers. rollin and all that shit is kool but do you really want your little sisters exposed to it??? thought not. every bodie from 16 to that little old lady in the wheel chair should be able to party. but lets not expose our children to the drug scene at such a young age. the main reason for my comments is the drugs. if there wasnt so much of it there then all yall should party!!!! plur to all my peeps!!!

p.s. dont get me wrong.... i roll more than a church bus does on sunday!!

-- Anonymous, April 28, 2000


There shold be a age limit.. i have seen some youngin's at parties all messed up.. going for the wrong reasons and not knowing anyhing that is going on... 16 is good.. 15 is better... but if there is someone who has been partying for a while and is real and isn't going for the wrong reasons and they aer 14 or 15 ... they shouldn't stop leting them goto parties.. iwent to my first party when i was 14 and after that i got in alot of troble with my parents about going until finally they understod my love for parties.... that took alot of convincing and alot of pictures and alotof talks with my friends and me at parties and my mom is now completely coolwith the idea of me going to parties she knows my ravefamily (i have a very close crew of good friends tha i always go with) and she has learned to trust me and my friends. that is what it took.. i was the trust. but young 13 year olds shouldn't be allowed iknow it sounds silly but close to the best thing (i wouldn't ever want it to happen but stll.. its like just that we know that people are getting themselfs into crap becuase of the scene) would b like permission slips ya know ? i think if a kid has parents and has a good head on they're sholders and knows what the deal is.. more power to them.. who are we to be like no you can't come in.. .. age limit is good... but i see no reason to say no to the kids who hve been partying for a while and love the scene as much as the rest of us to belike no.. your too young ya know ?

-- Anonymous, June 19, 2000


I think it should be at least 18 because I don't want to party with immature little pricks, besides wannabe's kill my high

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

I think 13 is just wrong.....at 13 kids don't know what they can be getting themselves into and if they make the wrong decisions, they can end up in the hospital in I.C. I've been to about 2 raves...(I'm 15....a newbie) and the first one I went to this 12 year old kid took 3 hits ex and you could pretty much fry eggs of of his head...it was terrible. I felt bad for the kid. BUt, in a way I think it would also be good to cut back on superficial teens, there because they think it is the latest fad. BUt, I don't think it would help anyway....

CIAO!

-- Anonymous, June 23, 2001


i am 13 i went to my first at 12 because i love the music and the scene.I go with my sis and my brothern law because they know how much i like the music.now i am starting to doing demos of my own songs the music is the best of the partys fuckthe drugs.i am not going to let the drugs to mest up my dream of being the best rave dj.if you follow the plur you shloud know that U stands for unity i dont matter what color,age just be united. dj bizboy

PLUR

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001


Raves should be 18+ only. I mean, everything is 18+ nowadays, and when "they" decided this, they knew that people under 18 (not all people, but most) cannot handle themselves at parties. 13 year olds at raves? Give me a break. I was 13 once, and I probably know the whole teenager partying scene better than anyone. But when I was a teenager in the early 90's, most everything was still cool. Noone really thought that themselves or their "groups" were the shit. Kids today go to raves and parties to try and be cool. They think that hangin' with the older crowd is something they can use to be special among their friends and enemies alike. They try drugs (without knowing what they are or the consequences, of course), dance and party all nite, then go to school on monday morning acting and talkin' like they're all that. I've always looked down on these punks and even kicked some ass when they got too arrogant. Kids younger than 18 or 19 do not know what they're doing at raves (they try to act as if they're a headline, though), and too often end up either hurt from drugs or a fight. Enjoy the music? Bullshit. Most of these kids that go to raves are looking for one of three things: attractive members of the opposite sex, drugs, and some proof that they are cool and "know the crowd". None of these kids care in the least about the music or the dancing, or just the "feeling" that raves and hypnotic parties can bring. Those days are gone. The hipsters and die hard techno fans that went to raves when I was younger all would rather go to a live concert than a rave anyday. Most of the crowd at raves today are incompetent, teenage punks who need to be put in their place. To do anything else, they have to be 18 or 21, so they all go to raves and act like they're at home. Any 13 or 16 year olds who want to argue with me can do whatever they want, but they'll figure out on their own someday that they could've gotten into a lot of trouble and involved with the wrong people. Being a 28 year old, once pothead, living in a not too nice neighborhood of Chicago, I know what I'm talking about. I'm sure many others who have or will post feedback to this subjet will understand what I'm saying, then there are those who will not. Kids do not belong at raves, just like they don't belong in strip clubs, at crack parties and on the streets after curfew.

-- Anonymous, May 26, 2002

hi mah name is ryan and im 17 on july 9th but n e ways i went 2 mah first ravr when i was 10 but didin't start going regularly until i was 13 and lemme tell u if u can think for ur self it dhouldn't be a problem. yes i went through mah whole drug phase dowsn't every one? but i was just looking on da web and heard that they have age limits for raves in az i know for sure they don't. depends on where u live i guess, b cause here almost all the young ones either go for the drugs or just 2 say they've been 2 one. yeah i still do drugz, but rarely. but thanx for ur tyme. *peace*

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2002


I am only 14 but i still think that there should be no age limit to get into a rave. Sure there are some drugs there but why let that exclude the true ravers (yes there are true ravers under 18!). I go to raves for the music and the atmosphere of the place as about 30% of people my age do. It is true that some people my age only go to be cool or what ever but they are just dumb and shouldnt go. Raves are all about having a good time with lots of other people and you shouldnt tell some one under 18 that they cant be apart of the fun just becuase they are a few years short of some bull shit rule. It is up to that person to make the decision of if they are going and what they will do there.

plur

-- Anonymous, December 21, 2002


have u all forgotten what the U in PLUR stand for unity...dont judge by age im 17 and while i do agree some 13 and 14 y/o kids have no place at a rave but there are other 13 and 14 y/o kids who go for the music and such they dont do the drugs they can make good decisions and its not fair to keep them away just because a other people there age messed it up for them...dont hate because of age...i've met 13 y/o kids mroe mature than some 18 y/o's it all depends

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2003

I'm 15 years old and go to clubs whenever they have no ID nights. My parents don't want me to go but I do everything so they can't say no. People who go to clubs usually know what's going on at the clubs before they actually go. On no ID nights they don't even bother going because they know that a lot of teenagers go.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2003

Well i personally think that age doesnt matter if u really know what ur talking about ur gonna go for the music fuck the drugs! i think the whole age thing stops people from enjoying what they like which is a bunch of bull shit!

~PeACe!~

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2003


i think any1 can go raving if they want to, but i would prefer it if there was a 16 and over age limit. too many little 'kids' go to rave and act stupid

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2003

yea i think 13 year old can go to parties and shit i mean who cares when i was 13 and when all of the other people who thinks there should be a age cut off well when you were 13 u wanted to go to parties so why not now why cant any other 13 year old go i think they should be able to go screw everyone else who cares

-- Anonymous, March 25, 2004

ok i understand older poeple dont want 13 - 16 year olds to clubs. im 13.I love 2 party no i dont drink or do drugs i just like 2 party n dance.you are probly thinking "your only 13 u shoud be going to movies" well im sry thats all we do . we can never have fun. yeah ok watchin a movie with your friends is fun but not doing it all the time. i mean why cant we have fun.i mean you were 13 befor n i know u didnt like doin the samething over and over again.i would love 2 go 2 a club. now dont think that my parents 2 stupied 2 let me go. their not.they always ask me where im goin n whos goin.they will neva let me go with out know whos goin. pls ungerstand that we want to have fun. its not fair that u get all the fun.at least let us have some fun.we dont want to feel like we are 8 years old . we r a teen just like most of you.

-- Anonymous, April 07, 2004

I'm 13 yrs and went to my first rave when i was 13. i had loads of fun.i didnt drink or do drugs i just danced. i know some people would be like i dont want little people at the raves where i go den dont go. Go to over 18's or something because we shouldnt be stopped just because of some stuff stupis pathetic people do in an atempt to look cool or because some people are stuck up and think there so much more mature when really they're stuck up when some 13 year olds act more mature than 18 year olds. so get your head out the clouds and wake up not everyone is the same.

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2004

I'm 18, I've been raving for just under a year, as for a cutoff age, I don't think they're should be one, I say if they're old enough to pay for it themselves (get a job early kids) then let them in, OR if under 15, a legal guardian must accompany them! more money for the venues, and perhaps a better image for the public!

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2004

theres a reason y promoters set an age limit tho if ur 18 the no 1 at the bars have to id u its done on the way in, im 18 an went to my first rave wen i was 17 but i had ppl up to the age of 27 to look after me a 13yr old can not stay up all nite an dance with no drugs or alcohol an then function properly, plus if sum1 under 18 takes drugs in there and fucksup it is actually the promoters fault, over 18 its their choice they have the brains to no wen to stop an wot to do if they start goin under, maybe organising the odd rave for under 18's is a gud idea but i cant c it happening anytime soon.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2004

Well I can understand why the majority of you are saying that 16+ should be limit. These days children and early teens are willing to try out anything. And because a rave is a place that does have alcohol and drugs, I'm sure they could get some with the 100's and thousands of people there they could ask. I'm not saying that 13 year olds shouldn't be let it, it just depends whether or not he/she is mature enough and can control him/herself with his/her parent's agreement. I'm only 14 but I will be attending my first rave on Friday the 27th of August and I'm absolutely excited but a little nervous as well. I am not going to be tempted by the drug and alcohol surroundings. I hate the taste of liquer and I don't want to be the one on the floor all drugged up and totally out of it where anything could happen. I'm there for the DJ's, the music and the people that give off a fantastic vibe. So...have any of you guessed why I'm nervous yet? It's because my mother is going with me!! What 14 year old wants to go to a rave with their mother right behind them; dancing as well!? LoL Well, you've got another view from a person who's under the age of 16 and will be attending her first rave in a week. Oh! One more thing. Age doesn't matter. It just all comes down to how mature the person is. I mean, it's not like you don't see 17 year olds acting like unmature 12 years olds out there! >>Squishy Star from NYC

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2004

i just turned 15 and i think that there shouldnt be an age limit for raves i know me and my friends go to clubs to dance and hang out it is just a fun place for all of us to hang out and dance and have fun why should we be excluded for other ppl who are immature its not fair!!

Laterz!

-- Anonymous, August 27, 2004


I dont think ther shud b an age limit on raves. Im 14 an ive bin 2 about 5 raves. All wer for 14-17 year olds and wer all called organised chaos!!!!!!!!! These wer wiked and no one took drugs. There should be more of these raves. BY the way does anyone no wer any of these raves are held!!!

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2004

Im 17 and think their should be cut of age like who wants little 13 year olds running around they shouldn't be allowed they don't need 2 c the stuff going on there they should make there own little party thats what i think so c u later

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2004

ok I just wanted to throw out another comment here... I honestly don't think most of you have actually attended a "rave" I've been raving for about 1.5 years, my age limit belief is that there shouldn't be a limit, just a restriction, 15 and under must be accompanied by a legal guardian. Also, the reason I don't think alot of you have even been to a rave, is that most of your "descriptions" of raves, sound like club nights, Alcohol and raves don't mix kids, alcohol is for clubs, and club nights, special shows, and shit like that, not raves. the ONLY drugs that you will ever hear of a "raver" using are uppers and halucinogens, not downers like alcohol or pot. the uppers and halucinogens you will almost never see because of the prohibition of drugs, the high fines and sentences for people caught distributing things like exctacy, or prescriptions. The drug use at raves has been seriously toned down, in the 80's it was common place to buy your entrance fee, and recieve a grocery bag with a few double stacks of x, some oranges (the fruit) and several bottles of water, now the venues that run the parties don't hand out the drugs, at least locally you have to go out and find our own drugs before attending or your not gonna get shit.

Also, I don't think there is a need for an age limit, because I have NEVER seen anyone under 17 at a rave, (with the exception of one kid, she was about 10, and was there with her mother)

as for the person who couldn't spell, I believe they said they were 14, there is a HUGE difference between clubs, and raves... you'd have to experience it to find out, what ruined the clubs was the alcohol, it kills the wonderful vibe that the rave scene releases.

-- Anonymous, October 26, 2004


omg im a 13 year old almost 14 n me n my friends r out on the streets every weekend on the piss n high its mad fun were young its the age u need 2 experiment so y not b allowed 2 go out n have fun everyone goes through it at some stage its no more dangerous than 18 year olds doin it its all the older ppl who come and tag along with us

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2005

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