Bill Rowland doesn’t have anything against “raves,” the phenomenon of young people gathering for hours of dancing to loud electronic music on a cramped dance floor equipped with a light show worthy of “Star Wars.”

“They’re great,” he said. “I’d go to them every weekend if my wife would let me, but she won’t.”

But Rowland, a senior agent with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, does have a problem with the drugs  Ecstasy, mostly  and the drug dealing that appear to be an accepted part of rave culture.

Rowland, who’s based in Wichita, said agents there know of “two of three raves going on every weekend.” As yet, he said, they don’t appear to be as popular in Lawrence.

At a rave in a college town, Rowland guessed, half the participants would be on Ecstasy, a drug that causes the user to feel relaxed, euphoric and ultra-sensitive to sensory stimulation.

“It’s like LSD, but without the hallucinations,” Rowland said.

Rowland was a featured speaker Monday at the annual Kansas Conference on Social Welfare at the Lawrence Holidome, 200 McDonald Drive. The conference continues today with various workshops planned, including one about the therapeutic value of Swedish massage. About 250 participants attended Monday conference sessions.

It’s not unusual for someone on Ecstasy to dance nonstop for six hours, Rowland said. And because of the heightened sensitivity, users often line up in front of 6-foot-tall speakers at a rave to take full advantage of the vibrations.

“On Ecstasy, your senses skyrocket,” he said. “They’re 10 times normal, so the vibrations from the speaker, to the person who’s using, feel like a full-body massage.”

Though perfectly legal, Mentholatum, he said, is proving popular among Ecstasy users because of its cooling sensation. It can be found in some types of lip balms or migraine pads. Rowland said glow sticks also are popular.

Besides being illegal, Ecstasy has been linked to heart attacks, seizures and brain damage.

Rowland said KBI undercover agents often go to raves to gather evidence against suspected drug dealers.

Lt. Kathy Tate, spokeswoman for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, said “We’re alert to (Ecstasy) being out there, and we would encourage anyone with information about it to call the sheriff’s department at 841-0007 or the tip hot line, which is 843-TIPS.”