Billboard editor: EDM industry should stop condoning drug use

As Twitchy reported yesterday, the Electric Zoo music festival in New York was canceled after two people died from ecstasy overdoses.

It’s no secret that ecstasy (aka “Molly”) use has long been part of Electronic Dance Music culture:

What does your #EDM stand for?
Electronic Dance Music
Ecstasy Dancing Music
Every Drop Matters
Everyone Does Molly
Everyones Drug Music
????

— Pastilla Probz (@PastillaProbz) April 17, 2013

Billboard editor Bill Werde believes it is time for major players in the EDM industry, including celebrity DJs, to stop looking the other way:

I'm not picking on #EDM. I'm not Fox News or the Feds. I want to see transparency, security and accountability from all scenes.

— Bill Werde (@BillWerde) September 1, 2013

Yes. RT @mylesnmiller: @bwerde does the #edm community have a responsibility to educate about drug use?

— Bill Werde (@BillWerde) September 1, 2013

In '90s, dance couldn't cross over bc it didnt have mainstream radio support to take it to masses; & bc of the drug culture it enabled.

— Bill Werde (@BillWerde) September 1, 2013

Today dance has YouTube, soundcloud, spotify etc to reach the masses. but it still turns a pathetically blind eye to the drugs.

— Bill Werde (@BillWerde) September 1, 2013

The DJs who make $100k a night say "it's just about the music." But if clubs really turned away drugs, crowds would shrink, along w paydays.

— Bill Werde (@BillWerde) September 1, 2013

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@mikecaren you think ppl would line up to pay $50 to get in to pay $20 a drink if drugs weren't an option?

— Bill Werde (@BillWerde) September 1, 2013

@ShaneSchleger that's exactly why they need safer environments

— Bill Werde (@BillWerde) September 1, 2013

It’s not just EDM.  Miley Cyrus’ mega-hit pop single “We Can’t Stop” contains thinly-veiled references to both cocaine and ecstasy.  Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa seem to subsist on nothing but pot.

That said, we think Werde has a point (except for the Fox News-bashing, which we could do without). We hope someone in the #EDM industry is listening.