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Facts |
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Here you will find information on MDMA, or
ecstasy. Ecstasy is the street name for the
psychoactive drug 3,4-
MethyleneDioxy-N-MethylAmphetamine or MDMA. |
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A Schedule I drug1, MDMA or
ecstasy is a synthetic, psychoactive drug
possessing stimulant and hallucinogenic
properties. MDMA possesses chemical
variations of the stimulant amphetamine or
methamphetamine and a hallucinogen, most
often mescaline. |
 In high doses, MDMA, or ecstasy, can
interfere with the body's ability to
regulate temperature, sometimes leading to a
sharp increase in body temperature
(hyperthermia) which can result in liver,
kidney, and cardiovascular system failure,
and even death. MDMA users also risk
increases in heart rate and blood pressure,
and symptoms such as muscle tension,
involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, blurred
vision, faintness, and chills or sweating.
Psychological effects of MDMA use can
include confusion, depression, sleep
problems, drug craving, and severe anxiety.
Additionally, these problems can occur
during as well as sometimes days or weeks
after using the drug.2 |
Short term effects
Ecstasy has several long and short term side
effects which the user may not initially
notice, or chose to ignore. The effects over
time can have a profound effect on the body
and mind of the user causing brain damage to
depression to dental problems.
Immediate symptoms include:
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Muscle
tension
Involuntary teeth clenching
Eye spasms
Chills |
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Nausea
Extreme dehydration
Profuse sweating
Blurry vision |
After Ecstasy wears off, the drug
can trigger these side effects:
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Anxiety
Depression
Paranoia
Sleep difficulties |
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Confusion
Memory loss
Brain damage |
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Long term effects
Recent research findings also link MDMA use
to long-term damage to those parts of the
brain critical to thought and memory. It is
believed that the drug causes damage to the
neurons that use the chemical serotonin to
communicate with other neurons.
MDMA is also related in structure and
effects to methamphetamine, which has been
shown to cause degeneration of neurons
containing the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Damage to dopamine containing neurons is the
underlying cause of the motor disturbances
seen in Parkinson's disease. Symptoms of
this disease begin with lack of coordination
and tremors, and can eventually result in a
form of paralysis.2 |
| Results of the 2007 Monitoring the Future
survey indicate that 2.3% of eighth graders,
5.2% of tenth graders, and 6.5% of twelfth
graders reported lifetime use of MDMA. In
2006, these percentages were 2.5%, 4.5%, and
6.5%, respectively.3 |
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Percent of Students
Reporting MDMA Use, 2006–2007 |
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8th Grade
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10th Grade
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12th Grade
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2006
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2007
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2006
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2007
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2006
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2007
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Past
month |
0.7% |
0.6% |
1.2% |
1.2% |
1.3% |
1.6% |
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Past
year |
1.4 |
1.5 |
2.8 |
3.5 |
4.1 |
4.5 |
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Lifetime |
2.5 |
2.3 |
4.5 |
5.2 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
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Ecstasy: The Truth About the Enemy Behind
the Mask4 reports that although many
people believe that ecstasy is addictive,
there are other real dangers which do exist: |
DANGER No. 1: Most ecstasy is only 40% pure
so there is always a risk that any pill or
gelatinous capsule of ecstasy may have been
“cut” (combined) with other drugs such as
heroin or cocaine, which are addictive.
DANGER No. 2: One has to continually
increase the amount of the drug one takes in
order to feel the same effects. Users say
the effect of ecstasy is greatly reduced
after the first dose. And as a person takes
more of the drug, the negative side effects
also increase.
Because the desired effect from using the
drug diminishes, a person often then tries
other drugs which are even more dangerous
and do cause the user to become addicted.
DANGER No. 3: Users feel there is sometimes
a need to use other drugs such as heroin or
cocaine to help cope with the mental and
physical pain that results after one “comes
down” from ecstasy; 92% of those who take
ecstasy also abuse other, even harder drugs.
A person often then tries other drugs which
are even more dangerous and do cause the
user to become addicted.
DANGER No. 4: The false idea that a person
only feels good with ecstasy leads to a
desire to take it more often than just at
raves and techno parties; 67% of those who
use the drug want to continue taking it,
despite having bad experiences. |
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The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign
also backs up that ecstasy is addictive in
that people build a tolerance for the drug
over time, spurring some users to take
increasingly more pills to achieve the same
high.5 |
1The Controlled Substance Act (CSA) was
enacted by Congress of the United States
whereby:
A)
The drug or other substance has high
potential for abuse.
(B) The drug or other substance has no
currently accepted medical use in treatment
in the United States.
(C) There is a lack of accepted safety for
use of the drug or other substance under
medical supervision.
No prescriptions may be written for Schedule
I substances, and such substances are
subject to production quotas by the DEA.
The CSA is the federal U.S. drug policy
under which the manufacture, importation,
possession, and distribution of certain
drugs is regulated. The Act also served as
the national implementing legislation for
the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
2 National
Institute on Drug Abuse.
3National
Institute on Drug Abuse and University of
Michigan, 2007 Monitoring the Future Study
Drug Data Tables, December 2007 -
Office of National Drug Control Policy.
4Ecstasy: The Truth About the
Enemy Behind the Mask
website.
5The National Youth Anti-Drug
Media Campaign
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