Asheville Anti-Drug Crusader to attend Panic Concert

In efforts to thwart the use of drugs during live concerts Asheville City Council member Carl Mumpower will personally attend a Widespread Panic show on Friday April 13th to "see for himself" how much drug use is actually going on during these types of shows. The counsil has also invited other members to attend the show and tour the facility.

The tour will help the city council members develop further comprehensive efforts to enforcement drug activity laws at the facility during concerts.

Carl Mumpower

reprint from the Ashville Mountain Express

The doobie and the damage done: Mumpower to attend Widespread Panic
by Hal L. Millard on 04/07/2007

He’s baaaaaack.

“He” would be Asheville City Council member Carl Mumpower. And the anti-drug crusader, fresh from a recent performance of the Grateful Dead spin-off band, RatDog, has announced he will buy a ticket and grace the confines of the Asheville Civic Center once again for the upcoming Widespread Panic show on Friday, April 13. “That will afford a more comprehensive effort to observe drug enforcement efforts at the facility during this concert,” Mumpower explained in a recent e-mail.

And while you’re free to noodle dance to your hippie heart’s content, be discreet with your stash (or maybe just leave it at home).

Snarkiness aside, Mumpower is sincere in his efforts to rid the city of the scourge of drugs (a campaign many Asheville residents have indicated they are grateful for), though many were quite nonplussed that the dapper city official showed up at the recent show to observe and drop dime on concertgoers imbibing illicit substances such as marijuana and LSD — for which several arrests were made by city police. Lest anyone forget, however, Mumpower did confess he enjoyed the band.

WIDESPREAD PANIC RESPONDS:

After Widespread Panic band members received the news their spokesperson send a letter to the counsil committee in response.

"It has come to our attention that there is a misperception of Widespread Panic and its fan base," the band said through spokeswoman Annissa Mason. "We would like to make it clear that the band does not condone the use of drugs. While some choose to focus on the few in attendance who make their own personal choices, this overlooks the contributions that the band and its fans actively make to the needy of the community at large."

--------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------
-----------------------------