Depending on how one handles themselves, music festivals can have the potential to provide either incredible experiences or serious risks. With attendees listening to overwhelmingly loud music in the heat for hours on end, the effects of substances like drugs and alcohol can have a much more detrimental impact on our health, and crime and sexual misconduct can become a greater problem when so many people are packed into a tight area.
In order to help inform festival goers about some of the risks associated with such events, company Cooney & Conway have created a lengthy infographic that covers all of the major danger areas one should think about before entering the grounds. The image is divided into five main sections: Drugs, Alcohol, Crime, Sexual Misconduct and Friendly Reminders.
Beginning at the top, the Drugs section points to a 2014 study conducted by The Center for Forensic Science research ann Education that surveyed 145 participants about their substance usage while at a Miami music festival. Out of those questioned, 72% said that they had used marijuana, cocaine, molly or ecstasy sometime within the previous week. Of the 100 that agree to provide blood or urine samples, 58% of blood samples and 80% of urine samples showed use of ecstasy and other designer drugs. According to the infographic, 80% of cocaine in the UK was found to be cut with a veterinary medicine used to de-worm livestock. 
“Most festivals value attendees’ health and would rather you ask for help than worry about potential legal consequences.”
A blown up statistic at the start of the Alcohol section reveals that more than 2,200 alcohol poisoning deaths occur in the United States each year, with an average of six every day. The section notes that your body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste and lubricate joints, but that drugs and alcohol inherently raise that internal temperature. By draining water from your cells, alcohol can cause dizziness, confusion, headaches and other side effects. They key, it says, is to drink a bottle of water every so often to maintain bodily hydration.
According to the Crime section, one of out every seven festival goers have been a victim of theft, with around $249,650 worth of goods stolen in 2010 at music festivals just throughout the UK. The infographic recommends that if anything of serious value is brought to the event, it should be kept away in a rented locker or your car.
The Sexual Misconduct section makes sure to inform readers that the most important way to curb any instances of sexual assault is by staying alert of the people around you. By having a fully charged phone in case of emergences and being sure to stay close to friends, it says, the risk of incidents can be substantially decreased.
Finally, the infographic doles out a few helpful pointers that every festival goer should comply with: water and sunscreen are a must, protecting your ears from harmful hearing damage, dressing comfortable and appropriately for the weather, and staying away from any fights or stage rushes.
Check out the full image below, and make sure to stick to the tips for the best possible festival experience.
Source: Cooney & Conway
