Balloons/ Nos

[razorruck]

I must admit, even my friends went through a phase in 2009 - bringing in thousands of the things and caning them on munters hill (stone circle - bit like st Andrews park in Bristol on a sunny weekday lol), selling them on for £2 each/ three for a £5er. It more than made the ticket price back for them. Back then it seemed acceptable - leaving piles and piles of empty canisters on the stone circle that ended up looking like an art installation at tate modern.

They had met loads of kids collecting the empty canisters all in bin bags as they were worth £1 a kilo which is quite a lot and worth collecting! 2009 seemed to be the year balloons at it was literally everywhere. Since then it's died down, and my group of friends may have one or two balloons over the whole week but that's about it.

Me - 29 year old male and have been working in the harm reduction element of drug and alcohol services for over 5 years now. Am not pro, or against Nos Balloons, but believe festival goers should be able to use them without feeling like they are being persecuted. It isn't going to turn into French Tek if left unchecked, and ok so it seems reasonable to ban it from the camp sites as tbh the noise of the dispensers can get annoying when people are trying to sleep. But after paying £200 to sit in a field, one would believe it in their right to be able to indulge in a balloon or two?!

Not looking to spark a passionate debate, just my two cents. Perhaps keep them localised to areas like lost vagueness (still call it that) and dance areas, or have a dedicated Nos stall like they do in certain clubs in Bristol?

[fatyeti24]

it'd be fucking lovely if someone could find a way of making the things silent. it makes a mockery of the sacred space to me when every other second there's a WOOOSH.

[Big Vern]

Youre not paying £200 to sit in a field sucking on laughing gas though are you, youre paying to enjoy the many many things on offer throughout the festival. You can sit somewhere for free and do that. However, personally i am anti drugs, just think its sad if you have to take narcotics to have/enhance a good time, but each to their own as long as it doesnt intrude upon others, which more often than not, it unfortunately can do.

[UEF]

just think its sad if you have to take narcotics to have/enhance a good time

[chris_top_her]

The bigger question is why police march through camping areas but not the dance stages and the stone circle where everyone is openly doing drugs...

[Big Vern]

You can say that about a number of things; drink, music, clothes...

[giantkatestacks]

Thats why they dont go up there. If they see it then they have to do something if its in their face, by not going there then they can avoid having to caution 200 people.

[Peaceman]

There were hundreds and hundreds of those glass canisters at the Stone Circle in the early hours of Monday. Dont really care what people want to use but take the fucking stuff away with you after!

[londonlax]

The bigger question is why police march through camping areas but not the dance stages and the stone circle where everyone is openly doing drugs...

[chris_top_her]

Because they are trying to catch criminals not a bunch of kids getting high.

Gas canisters aren't illigal anyway.

[eFestivals]

Agreed, but the topic is about drugs.

alcohol is 'drugs'. All of the things you said about 'drugs' applies just as equally to the alcohol you presumably drink.

Perhaps you should try joining up your thoughts into something more than a daily mail stereotype?

[dan05delaney]

The bigger question is why police march through camping areas but not the dance stages and the stone circle where everyone is openly doing drugs...

[doobie ninja]

Youre not paying £200 to sit in a field sucking on laughing gas though are you, youre paying to enjoy the many many things on offer throughout the festival. You can sit somewhere for free and do that. However, personally i am anti drugs, just think its sad if you have to take narcotics to have/enhance a good time, but each to their own as long as it doesnt intrude upon others, which more often than not, it unfortunately can do.

[Big Vern]

alcohol is 'drugs'. All of the things you said about 'drugs' applies just as equally to the alcohol you presumably drink.

Perhaps you should try joining up your thoughts into something more than a daily mail stereotype?

Edited July 3, 2013 by Big Vern

[whisty]

It's the noise and the mess, making them pretty unsociable unless you're in a group doing it I guess. Just seems so silly to me, all that effort for 30 second buzz. It was nice to hear less of them this year, just hope the trend continues downward.

[russycarps]

they are the poppers of the current time. In a couple of years time it'll be some other cack "drug". I've got no real issue with it, aside from the mess. It does mean the stone circle is a no go zone though, which is quite irritating.

I guess it will take a couple of deaths for it to get banned. Can you even die from it?

[eFestivals]

Never presume anything. I drink very little

I presumed nothing, but you've proven that I could have safely done so.

You are all you condemn. Realise it, and then revise your thoughts accordingly.

[eFestivals]

they are the poppers of the current time. In a couple of years time it'll be some other cack "drug". I've got no real issue with it, aside from the mess. It does mean the stone circle is a no go zone though, which is quite irritating.

I guess it will take a couple of deaths for it to get banned. Can you even die from it?

you're being most unfair to poppers there.

At least poppers do actually have an effect.

[mrtourette]

The bigger question is why police march through camping areas but not the dance stages and the stone circle where everyone is openly doing drugs...

[Harry3]

They do I've seen Police though both, the thing is Nos isn't illegal so they cant do jack

[FTHC]

you're being most unfair to poppers there.

At least poppers do actually have an effect.

[Northernsoul45]

_{i find it pretty laughable, if your going to take drugs / want a a buzz, take drugs or poppers, not inhale a fuckign daft balloon and make a whooshing noise..}

_{its like being trapped in a kids birthday party.}

[challengechappers]

I presumed nothing, but you've proven that I could have safely done so.

You are all you condemn. Realise it, and then revise your thoughts accordingly.

[Big Vern]

I presumed nothing, but you've proven that I could have safely done so.

You are all you condemn. Realise it, and then revise your thoughts accordingly.

[pie_and_a_pint]

I don't give a shit what rubbish people want to snort, inject, smoke, or snort.

I do give a shit when they can't put the fucking litter it produces into a bin. It doesn't matter whether it's beer tins, paper cups, fag ends, balloons or those stupid little metal canisters, each and every one has to be picked up individually by a litter picker. So have some respect and find a bin, yeah?