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FORGET THE GLMOUR & MYTHS
Ecstasy remains a popular drug among young people, mainly those who are into the clubbing/dance scene although
there are indications that use may be decreasing. Findings from Prevelence of use, the British Crime Survey 2002/2003 show
that in the 16-59 age group use dropped from 2.2% in 2001 to 2.0 in 2002.
There have been over 200 reported deaths in the UK related to ecstasy
use over the last 15 years, reaching an all time high of 43 in 2001 in England and Wales alone.
Figures for the period January - June 2003 show that Ecstasy-type drugs were implicated in 11 deaths, the same period for
2002 show 10 deaths. Why this particular group of people died when so many others have also taken the drug is unknown, but
we do know something about the medical circumstances surrounding their deaths.
For some while, it has been clear that many tablets sold as ecstasy are not what purchasers think they are.
The amount of ecstasy in a tablet can vary greatly. Tablets have been analysed and some contained no ecstasy but other drugs
such as amphetamine or ketamine. Others have been found to contain some ecstasy but mixed with other drugs or a range of adulterants.
Some tablets have even been found to be fish tank cleaners or dog worming tablets.
The price of ecstasy has fallen. When the drug first hit the dance scene, a pill typically cost £25. Today,
prices have fallen to as low as £3 in some areas, depending on quantity and quality. The IDMU report drug prices ranging from
£5.47 to £1.71 per pill.
Though often as strong or pure as they were in the late 1980s, quality today
can vary greatly.
While most ecstasy is sold in pill form, crystal MDMA is starting to appear. Similar in appearance to crystal
methamphetamine, it is believed to be the cause of several drug-induced seizures and overdoses, mainly because of its high
purity (95%-100%).
At some clubs in Holland, users can submit their pills to a rough test to get some idea what is in them before
they decide to take them. Recently a company introduced a similar testing kit in the UK but this has been criticised by the
government as condoning drug use, despite its potential for reducing harm. The police have also warned that anybody handing
back a tablet after testing it, could in theory be prosecuted for supplying the drug.
Despite all the warnings about the dangers of ecstasy, many young people continue to use it. This has led
to 'safer dancing' campaigns that encourage clubs to have 'chill out' areas, make sure staff are trained in first aid and
ensure the water taps in the toilets are working. (Some clubs were turning off the taps and charging large amounts of money
for bottles of water).
Increasing evidence is emerging that prolongued ecstasy use can cause a degree of memory deficiency and periods
of depression (see effect/risks below).
HISTORY
Ecstasy was first made by two German chemists in 1912 and patented in 1914, in case it turned out to be a
useful drug. It didn't. During the 1950s, the American military experimented with a whole range of drugs, including ecstasy,
for use in chemical warfare, to extract information from prisoners and to immobilise armies. In the 1960s, the drug was rediscovered'
by an American research chemist Alexander Shulgin who experimented with it on himself.
Ecstasy has a strange property in that it can make users feel in tune' with each other. Because of this,
some American therapists, especially those seeing couples whose marriage was failing, administered the drug to help couples
be more willing to see the other person's point of view. Some therapists in Switzerland still prescribe the drug in this way.
However, some tests on rats which indicated that ecstasy might damage the brain in some way, led it to being banned in the
USA in 1985.
Because ecstasy is related to amphetamine , it was already banned
in the UK before it became popular in the late 1980s via the House music scene which had developed in America and Ibiza. Ecstasy
was used to stay up for all night dancing and was seen as promoting empathy and communication between people. It quickly became
an important part of the dance scene.
THE LAW
Ecstasy is controlled as a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act . It
is illegal to be in possession of or supply. It cannot be prescribed by doctors.
The maximum penalties for possession of ecstasy is 7 years imprisonment plus a fine and for supply is life
imprisonment plus a fine.
EFFECTS/ RISKS
Ecstasy is a stimulant drug which also has mild hallucinogenic effects. It has been described as being like a mix of amphetamine
and a weak form of LSD The effects of taking a moderate dose start after 20-60 minutes (longer
if on a full stomach) and can last for up to several hours.
The pupils become dilated, the jaw tightens and there is often brief nausea, sweating, dry mouth and throat.
The blood pressure and heart rate increases and loss of appetite is common.
Many users experience an initial rushing feeling followed by a combination
of feeling energetic and yet calm. Loss of anger, empathy with other people and an enhanced sense of communication are commonly
reported. Some users also report a heightened sense of their surroundings, greater appreciation of music and increased sexual
and sensual experience.
"Asked to rate the best experiences of her life, the girl replied "First E, music and dancing, then sex". Quoted in
N. Saunders Ecstasy and Dance Culture 1995.
Some users have bad experiences. This may include feeling anxious and panicky, confusion and unpleasant distortion of the
senses, that may, in some manner or other, last for days, even weeks. This is more likely if users take high doses or are
already feeling anxious or unstable.
"It was the first time. I took half a tablet. My head felt like a balloon. I couldn't keep control of what I was doing.
I started panicking. I broke out in a sweat. I didn't like it at all".
"It was my second experience of taking E. I took two and had a great time. But the next day when I was
at home and trying to sleep I had all kinds of ridiculous thought like: the light bulb was some kind of demon that was possessing
me and weird figures dancing round my room. It was really frightening at the time".
The disorientating effect may make accidents more likely. Deaths that have occurred have mainly been connected with non-stop
dancing in hot, crowded clubs leading to overheating and dehydration. Taking a break from dancing, cooling down and drinking
water regularly (to replace that lost by sweating) can prevent this happening. Drinking too much water in one go can, in itself,
be dangerous. Sipping no more than a pint of water an hour to replace lost fluids when dancing is recommended.
"I've never really experienced anything disturbing apart from one time I obviously didn't have the thing. It was probably
ketamine. It was really unpleasant".
After taking ecstasy users may feel very tired and low and need a long period of sleep to recover. This may
last up to three or four days, known as a comedown. Regular use may lead to sleep problems, lack of energy, dietary problems
(including anorexia nervosa) and feeling depressed or anxious. Increased susceptibility to colds, flu, sore throat etc may
follow. While physical dependence is not a problem, psychological dependence on
the feelings of euphoria and calmness and the whole scene around ecstasy use can develop.
Short term mood changes including the 'mid-week hangover' following weekend use, and impairments in short
term memory function may be considered as some of the milder consequences of MDMA use. Other functional consequences of MDMA
neurotixiciy, i.e., cognitive, behavioural and emotional changes in user, and their seriousness, especially in the longer
term, are as yet not clear. What does appear to be clear, however, is that the brain damage does not depend on an extensive
history of use, that it is dose-dependent, and that it may not be completely reversible.
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