Death Causes Music Venue to Ban Alcohol

When a band comes to town at the local concert venue that automatically means getting the friends together, grabbing a case of beer and pop, throwing some ice in the cooler, and heading on over to the show. Once arriving we sit around chit chatting, having a few beers an hour or so before the concert starts, and just enjoying our day off of fun and relaxation with friends.

But sadly, there are many others that gather in the parking lot that indulge on alcohol and participate in drug activity that causes many to walk in the other direction. Even inside the venue, you can smell the stench of marijuana emanating from people. So the drugs are making their way inside the concert venues.

There is security at my venue as well as other venues. Going through the gates, the men are told to pick up their shirts and spin around, the woman are just told to spin around. No one is physically checked for drugs.

Recently at the latest free Ozzfest in New Jersey, two people died and 80 people were arrested causing the venue to ban alcohol from the parking lot. According to police, the two men died due to cardiac arrest because of cocaine, marijuana and alcohol and were found passed out in the parking lot.

Alcohol was a contribution to this however; it is more likely that they suffered from cardiac arrest because of the drugs. If they were drinking the alcohol, more than likely had a better rate of survival.

59 people at the concert were charged with underage drinking. I think this act should not ban the alcohol from the parking lot, but should cause the officials to take a stronger look into how the teenagers got their hands on the alcohol. Maybe crack down on the beer distributors and liquor stores that are not checking customer's identification.

State Police of New Jersey also arrested people for charges such as distribution of drugs. Well, if the security check going in the venue is as poor as here in my town, then no wonder the drugs got into the venue. Security checks should not be as easy as just spinning around.

Concerts are a type of group entertainment and with any type of group entertainment there is going to be alcohol. If a venue bans the public from drinking in the parking lot, the venue will loose money, because no one is going to want to pay the high prices for alcoholic beverages inside the venue. Why do you think most of the people drink outside before the concert? I know I would rather pay $10 for a case of beer and have one or two before the show then pay $10 for one beer when I get in the show.

Banning alcohol before the shows is not a bright idea. Doing this will decrease the number of guests to the venue. I personally believe that you don't need a drink or two to have a good time, so I would still attend venues that don't allow alcohol. However there are people out there that feel as though this is unfair and refuse to contribute money to that venue of any kind because of this ban.

I personally believe that creating this ban will not stop people from overly drinking inside the venue, or heavily drinking before arriving at the venue or even driving while intoxicated to the venue. Making limitations like this makes some feel as if they are forced to do other things such as driving drunk, because they are not allowed to drink the parking lot. Also, this ban is not going to stop the drug paraphernalia that is brought into the venues. Like I said before, only stricter searches will stop that.

In the end, banning alcohol may bring down the rate of people drinking in the parking lot, however it may boost sales inside the venue causing the public to still get wasted and drugs will still be circling. People will still die and get hurt.

The more people drink in the venue, the more people that drive home drunk. My friend's philosophy may be like many... drink in the parking lot before the show. Have fun enjoy the show, sober up... then 5 hours later you have a safe drive home and fun memories at said concert. That's the best way to be safe! And of course always have a designated driver!