MDMA (Ecstasy) Methylenedioximethampetamine

Ecstacy, MDMA, or 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, is a synthetic psychoactive drug, belonging to the amphetamine compound family. It is similar to both methamphetamine and mescaline, as it is both a stimulant and a psychedelic.

It was developed in Germany in the early 1900’s as a parent compound to enable the synthesization of pharmaceuticals. Alexander Schulgin, a California chemist known as the “father of MDMA” was the first to discover its mood altering effects. He introduced ecstasy into the psychiatric community, where it was dubbed as “penicillin for the soul”, and used in treatment despite the lack of clinical research on the effects of the drug.

It became available on the streets as a recreational drug in the late 1970’s, and today is the most popular psychoactive drug among teenagers, young adults, and followers of the club drug scene.

Ecstasy usually is taken orally in tablet or capsule form. Typically a pill consists of sixty to a hundred and twenty milligrams of the drug. Effects can last from three to six hours, at the standard dose of two tablets.

One of the most dangerous aspects of ecstasy use is the popular habit of “bumping”, or taking another pill as the sensations wear off. MDMA interferes with it’s own metabolism, so harmful levels of the drug are often reached with repeated doses in short intervals. This could lead to an overload of the drug within the system and possibly cause an overdose reaction that could lead to death.

Ecstasy has many effects upon the user including mental stimulation, heightened sensory perception, and increased physical energy and stamina. While the drug does not induce hallucinations like LSD, it has been reported to lead to distortions in perception. Many have used the effects to enhance the feeling of euphoria. In an ecstasy drug rehab program an ecstasy addict is reprogramed to realize that they can have fun and an enjoyable “party” expereince without mind altering drugs.

While many users believe that ecstasy is a “safe” drug, this is not the case. It has a direct effect upon the brain by distorting communication between neurons and the neurotransmitter serotonin, important in regulating sexual activity, sleep, mood and sensitivity to pain.

Long term damage of chronic ecstasy use might include permanent malfunction of the neuron terminals affecting mood and judgment, kidney failure from a rapid increase in body temperature, memory loss, and cognitive failure.

Ecstasy is known for it’s impurity. It is often mixed or “cut” with a variety of other drugs including methamphetamine, caffeine, the cough suppressant dextromethorphan which is similar to PCP, ephedrine and cocaine.

Short term effects of ecstasy use include dehydration, overheating, nausea, increased blood pressure and heart rate, muscle tension, teeth clenching, blurred vision, profuse sweating, faintness, and chills. Many users also combine MDMA with alcohol which increases the chances of dehydration, hyperthermia, and overdose.

Tolerance develops quickly among those who take the drug repeatedly, forcing them to take more pills to achieve the desired effect. As the tolerance builds the severity of withdrawal symptoms increases, in ecstasy rehab programs, withdrawal can be handled through a monitored detoxification program which will assist the addict in controlling and overcoming the withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal symptoms are similar to an alcoholic “hangover” and include fatigue, loss of appetite, lethargy, muscle aches and lack of concentration. Another danger of MDMA is loss of sexual inhibition. This often leads to unprotected sex, increasing the chances of transmitted diseases such as Hepatitis and AIDS.

MDMA was illegalized in 1985 and classified as a Schedule I drug for having no specific medical purpose. You can get more information on an ecstasy rehab program that meets your needs from the qualified councelors at therehabadvisor.com.

Latest trend reports have shown that students in the United States in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades are using this drug in large amounts.

In 2000, nearly 5 percent of 10th and 12th graders had used this drug. Even as young as 8th grade, the drug is being seen. Nearly 2 percent of the nations 8th graders have reported using this drug.

Studies have also shown that the use of ecstasy has risen highly among college students and young adults. Most of the students who reported using ecstasy in high school in 2000 reported that they continued to use the drug into their college years.

Ecstasy is manufactured in laboratories, which are mostly located in the Netherlands and Belgium. It is brought into the US mainly through body carriers, via air or sea cargo, luggage, and express mail. Ecstasy is also brought into our country from Canada.

All of these places allow for a greater use of ecstasy to become prevalent in our country because they are all places that are accessible to the United States. Because this drug comes in a pill form, it is usually very easy to carry across boarders or into other states or countries. When this happens, the use of ecstasy is going to be much higher because it is easy to hide the drug.

As far as ecstasy arrests and seizures go, Florida leads the nation currently. This is mostly because of where it is located. Southern Florida becomes a point of operations for many of the drug traffickers from other locations. The locations in Florida make this state one of the highest usage states, however, it is not the only state where ecstasy is used. It is very easy to get the drug across the state borders, so many drug traffickers take the drug into other states, where it is distributed.

A large percentage of the people using ecstasy are youths. There have been many studies that have been done regarding the use of ecstasy. When it comes to usage, it is reported that almost 3 percent of eighth graders, 4 percent of tenth graders, and 5.4 percent of twelfth graders reported that they had used ecstasy. However, these numbers seemed to show a decline from the year before. It is a drug whose use is wavering in different parts of the country. This is often because students are being educated as to the dangers of using ecstasy. Because it is made differently each time, and because it is not regulated, it is a drug that might kill a person with just one use. Once people are made aware of this, the usage trends tend to dip down a little.

It is most common for youths and other people to use ecstasy when they are in situations in which use is related to other drugs and also to alcohol. When youths are at a party and are drinking and doing other drugs, they are much more likely to use ecstasy. Often, ecstasy use is related to other things that are done when the user is at a party. When ecstasy has been used at a single setting, the encounters of unprotected sex are much higher, and other drug and alcohol use is also higher. It is a drug that can lead to, and result from, different kinds of drug or alcohol use. Because it is in pill form, it does not appear as threatening as other drugs, and therefore kids are going to be much more likely to use it.

Chemically, this drug is known as methylenedioximethampetamine or MDMS. Sometimes MDMA is classified as a hallucinogen: this is due to its chemical make up.

If the chemicals are combined to produce MDMA, it is less hallucinogenic than dimethoxy-methylphenethylamine (DOM) which is purported to have similar effects to amphetamines and LSD.

One of the frightening aspects of this drug is that even though it is called ecstasy, many times the drug contains different drugs as well. There are often different combinations of ecstasy that are found, and these combinations can be very harmful to the user.

Many times, the tablets will contain things like Methamphetamines, caffeine, and over the counter drugs such as the cough suppressant dextromethorphan, or the diet drug ephedrine. There have also often been traces of cocaine found in ecstasy. Also, this drug is extremely dangerous because it is rarely used alone. Many times it is used in conjunction with other drugs or with alcohol. This can greatly enhance the effects of the drug, and will make the user have much greater symptoms. This can also cause death of the user.

Those that use ecstasy, who are mainly adolescents and young adults, say that the drug makes them experience feelings of euphoria, feelings of closeness with the people they are using the drug with, empathy towards those around them, an increased feeling of sexuality, and inhibitions that are greatly reduced. Most of the time, ecstasy is a party drug, and most people get it at a rave or other party, and use it at the party. Which is why it is referred to as a club drug. However, in recent times, use has expanded, and now the drug is seen used recreationally in other settings, such as college campuses.