The Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act, more commonly known as the RAVE Act, became law in 2003. At the time, its declared purpose was to target promoters who deliberately opened establishments for the purpose of selling or promoting drugs. (Earlier versions of the legislation, successfully fought by the Alliance and other groups, targeted promoters and owners of music venues much more broadly).

But is the law being used the way it was intended? There have been 80-100 court cases brought recently using the "crack house" law, which was expanded by the RAVE Act. Because the law can be used against establishments other than electronic music venues it is unclear how many of these cases affect the electronic music community.

To answer that question, the Alliance has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Justice Department asking for any documents that reference the RAVE Act with respect to electronic music events. The Alliance intends to look at several factors: who is being targeted - patrons, venue owners, or promoters; why the cases are brought; and how often these cases are dismissed. That information will then go into a report assessing whether prosecutors are abusing the law or upholding the civil liberties of music fans.