Druggy redux

Last year’s Sun God Festival at UCSD was a real killer. In the early morning hours of May 17, third-year Revelle College computer science student Ricardo “Ricky” Ambriz died following the chronically drug-and alcohol-poisoning-plagued rock concert. “After leaving the festival at midnight, his friend noticed him to ‘freeze’ at times during their walk back to their apartment,” said a subsequent report by the county medical examiner’s office. “The friend also stated he was ‘starting to reach out into the air grabbing at stuff.’ He had clenched teeth and was having difficulty breathing.” Tests revealed Ambriz had ingested 5-APB, also known as “benzofury.” Noted the report: “Side effects include nausea, vomiting, jaw clenching and sleep. Pharmacological effects are consistent with it having both stimulant and hallucinogenic properties similar to other stimulants in the same class.”

Ambriz was “talking ‘gibberish’ minutes before collapsing,” said the report, which added that “examination at the scene of death documented foam and blood exiting the decedent’s oral cavity. A ‘Chinese research chemical’ along with some e-cigarettes were located in the dorm room by the campus police.”

The year before, alcohol and drug abuse at the festival had gotten so out of hand that the university set up a task force and promised to clean up its act. An expert on the control of college drinking was brought in from Texas and an already sizable force of local and state cops was beefed up even more. And the 2014 debauch went on. “Approximately 85% of all Sun God incidents involve alcohol,” said the task force’s 2014 post mortem released this past August. “Almost half (48.6%) involve the student being admitted to our on-campus detox centers. Around 13% of all academic year incidents occur during Sun God weekend.” In addition: “In comparison with 2013, the overall number of student conduct violations during Sun God weekend decreased in absolute numbers, but remained constant when calculated per 1000 attendees.” Regarding Sun God’s ultimate fate, the report said, “We recommend that a new committee be charged to assess its future, as well as to address the broader concern of drug and alcohol use on campus.”

Despite reservations by many at the school, UCSD chancellor Pradeep Khosla is ready to try again with a new plan for 2015’s blowout. “The 33rd Annual Associated Students Sun God Festival will be held on Sunday, May 3, 2015,” says a January 9 memo from Alex Kushner, director of the university events office. The event is being held “two weeks earlier in the quarter than in previous years and on a Sunday, rather than a Friday. Event hours will be reduced to shift the majority of the activities to the daytime,” says a newly established website. And yet more security is in store. “A particular focus will be placed on the venue entrances and exits to mitigate challenges at the event and to reduce the event’s impact to the campus and community.”