Ecstasy

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Stimulanta drug that acts on the Central Nervous System, increasing some rates of function such as heart-rate, psychedelic, hallucinogen.

Ecstasy (also known by its chemical name, MDMASee Ecstasy More) is often seen as the original designer druga term used for those illegal drugs that are created synthetically in a lab. They are made to mimic the effects of existing drugs. More because of its high profile links to dance music culture in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Clubbers took ecstasy to feel energised, happy, to stay awake and to dance for hours. The effects take about half an hour to kick in and tend to last between 3 to 6 hours, followed by a gradual comedown ¹.

Ecstasy/MDMA is a stimulanta drug that acts on the Central Nervous System, increasing some rates of function such as heart-rate drug with euphoric and mildly hallucinogenic qualities. It became popular in the UK during the acid house and rave scenes of the late 1980’s and early 1990’s and has been a popular drug in dance clubs in the UK and elsewhere since then ². Ecstasy (also known by its chemical name, MDMASee Ecstasy More) is often seen as the original designer druga term used for those illegal drugs that are created synthetically in a lab. They are made to mimic the effects of existing drugs. More because of its high profile links to dance music culture. Clubbers took ecstasy to feel energised, happy, to stay awake and to dance for hours. The effects take about half an hour to kick in and tend to last between 3 to 6 hours, followed by a gradual comedown ¹.

The main effects and risks of ecstasy include –

• An energy buzz that makes people feel alert, alive, in tune with their surroundings, and with sounds and colours often experienced as more intense.
• Users often develop temporary feelings of love and affection for the people they’re with and for the strangers around them.
• Short-term risks of ecstasy can include feeling anxious or getting panic attacks, and developing confused episodes, paranoiasuspicion, distrust or fear of other people or even psychosis.
• Some people have been known to take another ‘E’ when they haven’t yet felt the expected ‘high’ of their first ‘E’. The danger then is that both Es kick in at once and you’ve got a double dose of effects to deal with ¹.

A big problem with ecstasy is that it’s rarely pure. Sometimes, there is no MDMASee Ecstasy More at all. Sometimes, it contains other drugs, like PMA, which can be fatal. Regardless of what it looks like and what it is called, you can’t be sure what’s in a pill or a powder and you can’t predict how you’ll react ¹.

Ecstasy is the popular name for MDMASee Ecstasy More but informally ecstasy usually refers to the pill form and MDMASee Ecstasy More, usually a higher strength, refers to powder form. Ecstasy speeds up the body’s reactions and functions in many different ways ³.

White or off-white powder or as crystals soluble in water ⁴.

Pure ecstasy is a powder made of white crystals, known to chemists as MDMASee Ecstasy More. Ecstasy is usually sold on the street as tablets, although it’s getting more common to see it sold as powder and called by its chemical name, MDMASee Ecstasy More, or ‘crystal’.

Ecstasy pills come in all sorts of colours and some of them have designs or logos stamped into them. This can result in some ecstasy pills getting ‘nicknames’, for example some pills were called Mitsubishi’s because they were stamped with a Mitsubishi logo.

Some dealers pass off new man-made drugs like PMA and 4-MTA and ‘legal highs’ as E’s.

Their effects can be very different or they may take longer to kick in with a risk of the user ‘double-dosing’ to get the buzz they’re looking for (risking double the side-effects) ¹.

Ecstasy is sold in a white, yellow, or brown tablet or capsule. It is also available in powder form. Some users crunch it up and snort it. It may be stamped with an image, which gives it a candy-like appearance ⁵. White or off-white powder or as crystals soluble in water ⁴.

Ecstasy tablets may be any colour, and are generally embossed with a logo or design such as a butterfly, heart, lightning bolt, star, clover, or Zodiac sign. Ecstasy can be found in powder or in capsules ⁶.

MDMASee Ecstasy More is mainly distributed in tablet form. MDMASee Ecstasy More tablets are sold with logos, creating brand names for users to seek out. The colourful pills are often hidden among colourful sweets. MDMASee Ecstasy More is also distributed in capsules, powder, and liquid forms ⁷.

Pure MDMASee Ecstasy More comes as a white crystalline powder. However, due to the number of different labs and different processes that produce MDMASee Ecstasy More, appearance is very varied and the product sold in the UK is as likely to be tan/amber coloured. MDMASee Ecstasy More powder is compressed in to tablets, which may come in a wide variety of colours and shapes, and with a wide range of logos.

Imprinted tablets often end up being refrred to by the logo on them, so people would refer to Doves, Smiley, Mitsubishis and so on. This sort of branding, initially designed to gain a ‘brand’ a market share is no guide to quality. Once a brand is established as being ‘better quality’, other producers copy the design, but may not copy the content. MDMASee Ecstasy More is also supplied as a powder, typically in small bags. Capsules are less common now but did come in a range of colours ⁸.

Pure ecstasy is a powder made of white crystals, known to chemists as MDMASee Ecstasy More. Ecstasy is usually sold on the street as tablets, although it’s getting more common to see it sold as powder and called by its chemical name, MDMASee Ecstasy More, or ‘crystal’ ⁸.

Ecstasy was initially a relatively expensive drug in the UK, selling for between £10 – £20 per tablet. Cost (and quality) dropped massively, with tablets selling for £1 – £2 or less.

MDMASee Ecstasy More powder, considered to be a better quality product has been more expensive, selling at between £30 – £50/gm. However with concern that MDMASee Ecstasy More powder is being adulterated with other white powder stimulants, the price of MDMASee Ecstasy More powder has dropped in some areas.Over the past few years there has been a re-emergence of stronger, higher-price pills, selling at around £10 a pill ⁸.

When ecstasy first hit the dance scene, a pill typically cost £25. Today, prices have fallen to as low as £5, depending on the quantity of pills bought and their quality ⁹.

MDMASee Ecstasy More can be found in a number of forms –

• pills are the most common form in which MDMASee Ecstasy More is sold, and are commonly referred to as ecstasy. They often contain other substances or adulterants such as MDA, MDEA, amphetamine, methamphetamine, caffeine, 2C-B or ketamine. Care should be taken when ingesting unknown pills.
• powder, also called Molly, is commonly a white to yellow substance which can be put into gel capsules, or administered sublingualthe delivery of medication beneath the tongue, allowing for rapid absorption into the bloodstream. More, buccal or via insufflation.
• crystals can be dissolved, crushed, and snorted or put into gel capsules or edible paper to swallow whole ¹¹.

MDMASee Ecstasy More acts on a range of neurotransmitter systems in the brain; serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine. It acts by inhibiting their re-uptake. Components of a neuron work to remove a neurotransmitter once they have been used by the neuron, and MDMASee Ecstasy More reduces their function, so causes an increase in the levels of these neurotransmitters. The combined impact on such a variety of systems cause the various effects, and lead us to consider it somewhere in between a stimulanta drug that acts on the Central Nervous System, increasing some rates of function such as heart-rate and psychedelic. Its stimulanta drug that acts on the Central Nervous System, increasing some rates of function such as heart-rate properties are from the noradrenaline and dopamine systems, where the serotonin system leads to the psychedelic, slightly out-of-body and emphathogenic feelings that are experienced with this drug ³.

MDMASee Ecstasy More acts as a releasing agent of the neurotransmitters known as serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline ¹³ which are the neurotransmitters in charge of pleasure, motivation and focus. This is done by inhibiting the reuptake and reabsorption of the neurotransmitters after they have performed their function of transmitting a neural impulse, essentially allowing them to accumulate and be reused in a manner which causes physically stimulating and euphoric effects ¹⁴.

It has also been noted that MDMASee Ecstasy More, even at lower doses, stimulates the release of oxytocin and prolactin, two hormones that have a role in the feeling of trust and love ¹⁵.

MDMASee Ecstasy More increases levels of serotonin, dopamine and nor-adrenalin. Use results in increased release of stored chemicals and inhibits their reuptake. MDMASee Ecstasy More is also probably a serotonin agonist (mimic). Compared to a drug like amphetamine, MDMASee Ecstasy More has less dopaminergic action and more serotoninergic action, so is less rewarding and possibly therefore less habituating ⁸.

Ecstasy pills are usually swallowed – although some people do crush them up and smoke or snort them.

A recent study has suggested that some ecstasy pills may be marketed as being stronger than others, and that increased strength may be reflected in a higher price.

MDMASee Ecstasy More powder can be ‘dabbed’ onto the gums or snorted.

People have been known to take another E when they haven’t initially felt the expected ‘high’ from the first one, this is called ‘double dosing’. The danger then is that both Es kick in and you’ve a double dose of effects (and risks!) to deal with ¹.

Usually orally, but can be smoked. Injection is unpopular because of the shortened duration of action. This is the stereotypical dance drug ¹⁰.

MDMASee Ecstasy More tablets are usually swallowed. MDMASee Ecstasy More powder is often snorted, or wrapped in a cigarette paper and swallowed. Pills and powders have also been used rectally. Injecting is rare ⁸.

• significantly dilated pupils,
• increased perspiration,
• clenching and grinding of the jaws,
• jerky, erratic movements,
• tactility,
• altered perceptions ⁸,
• impulsivity,
• inability to pay attention,
• cognitive, perception and mental changes,
• loss of memory,
• uncoordinated,
• distortion of perception, thinking, and memory,
• disorientation to time and place,
• slow reactions,
• excitability,
• anxiety ¹⁷.

Ecstasy makes users feel energised, alert and alive – and on its own, it’s not a drug that makes people violent ¹.

It can also have other effects –

• Ecstasy makes people feel ‘in tune’ with their surroundings, and can make music and colours more intense.
• Users often have temporary feelings of love and affection for the people they’re with and for the strangers around them.
• Short-term effects of use can include anxiety, panic attacks, confused episodes, paranoiasuspicion, distrust or fear of other people and even psychosis.
• Lots of people feel really chatty on ecstasy, (although these chats don’t always make sense to people who aren’t on an ecstasy!).
• Physical side-effects can include dilated pupils, a tingling feeling, tightening of the jaw muscles, raised body temperature and the heart beating faster ¹.

Taking ecstasy involves some risks ¹. Here’s what it could do to you –

• There’s no way of telling what’s in ecstasy until you’ve swallowed it. There may be negative side-effects from other drugs and ingredients added to the ecstasy.
• The comedown from ecstasy can make people feel lethargic and depressed.
• Evidence suggests long-term users can suffer memory problems and may develop depression and anxiety.
• Using ecstasy has been linked to liver, kidney and heart problems. Some users report getting colds and sore throats more often, which may be partly caused by staying awake for 24 hours, which can itself affect your immune system.
• Anyone with a heart condition, blood pressure problems, epilepsy or asthma can have a very dangerous reaction to the drug.
• There have been many deaths involving ecstasy. Between 1996 and 2014 in England & Wales there were 670 deaths in which ecstasy/MDMA was recorded on the death certificate.
• Ecstasy affects the body’s temperature control. Dancing for long periods in a hot atmosphere, like a club, increases the chances of overheating and dehydration. Users should take regular breaks from the dance floor to cool down and watch out for any mates who are on it – they mightn’t realise they’re in danger of overheating or getting dehydrated.
• However, drinking too much can also be dangerous. Ecstasy can cause the body to release a hormone which stops it making urine. Drink too quickly and it affects your body’s salt balance, which can be as deadly as not drinking enough water. Users should sip no more than a pint of water or non-alcoholic drink every hour ¹.

The use of any drug carries a risk of harm. The risks associated with using ecstasy are increased when –

• Large amounts are taken, for example a whole pill at once.
• It’s used with alcohol or other drugs including prescribed or over-the-counter medications.
• Ecstasy is taken when there’s no one around such as a good friend who can help if things start going wrong or in an emergency.
• Too much water is drunk (more than 600ml per hour) due to dancing or doing other activities vigorously or for too long. It’s possible to ‘drown’ the brain by drinking too much water. It’s also possible to overheat from doing these activities so drinking water is important.
• Driving, swimming, operating machinery or being involved with other risky activities while under the influence of ecstasy or ‘coming down’ from it, which can take several days ²⁷, ²⁶.

Warning signs suggestive of a serious life and death event include –

• excessive thirst and profuse sweating,
• muscle cramping,
• shaking chills,
• little to no urine output,
• blurred vision,
• fainting,
• seizure ²².

If not treated as an emergency, any of the above potential complications can lead to death ²².

The unwanted signs of ecstasy include –

• higher heart rate,
• increase blood pressure,
• muscle tension,
• tightness in mouth and jaw,
• feeling faint,
• hot or cold flushes,
• organ complications due to increased body temperature ¹⁹.
• dehydration,
• heatstroke,
• in rare cases people have suffered heart attacks and strokes,
• some people report feelings of depression, anxiety and lethargy for a few days after using ecstasy but these effects usually pass ².

Risk of negative effects increases because –

• people using ecstasy commonly take multiple doses in one session,
• with uncontrolled drug manufacturing, it is impossible to tell how much of the drug one is consuming,
• frequently, there are other drugs mixed into the tablets,
• ecstasy can stimulate physical activity, which can lead to dehydration ¹⁹.

A big problem with ecstasy pills is that they’re rarely pure. They can be cut with amphetamines (like speed), caffeine and other substances with some similar effects – because it’s cheaper to produce and can increase the dealer’s profits.

When ecstasy has been cut with an alternative stimulanta drug that acts on the Central Nervous System, increasing some rates of function such as heart-rate that is slower to kick in than MDMASee Ecstasy More, some users have then topped-up with another dose prematurely; and then they find they suffer side-effects because they’ve then overdosed ¹.

Tablets contain, on average, 60 – 70 mg (base equivalent) of MDMASee Ecstasy More either as the hydrochloride salt or, less commonly, as the phosphate salt. Loose powders may range from crushed tablets (typically 30% – 40% purity) to almost pure MDMASee Ecstasy More. The free base constitutes 84% of the hydrochloride salt. Apart from the active drug, tablets contain a bulking agent such as lactose and smaller quantities of binders. In 2011, average values of 43 (Denmark) to 113 mg (Turkey) MDMASee Ecstasy More per tablet were reported across Europe.

During the last few years, there has been a change in the content of illicit drug tablets in Europe, from a situation where most tablets analysed contained MDMASee Ecstasy More or another ecstasy-like substance (MDEA, MDA) as the only psychoactive substance, to one where the contents are more diverse, and MDMA-like substances less present. This shift was most pronounced in 2009, when only three countries reported that MDMA-like substances accounted for a large proportion of the tablets analysed. More recently, there is evidence of a return to MDMASee Ecstasy More in tablets. In 2011, the number of countries reporting a predominance of tablets containing MDMA-like substances increased to eleven ⁴.

Today, a high percentage of pills contain other drugs; some pills marketed as ecstasy may not even contain any MDMASee Ecstasy More. These adulterants can include other club drugs such as MDA, PMA, Ketamine, PCP, and DXM, while some pills are cut with ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and even caffeine and over-the-counter medications. It is believed that the contents of a pill can be identified based on its logo or colour (e.g. red pills are believed to contain mescaline, brown pills assumed to contain heroin, etc.), but a pill’s colour and logo say nothing about its ingredients, as pill manufacturers often add food colouring to dye the tablets ²⁸, ²¹.

The quality of all drugs is variable and nowhere is this more true than with MDMASee Ecstasy More. Users were always at risk of buying low quality tablets. However, as cost dropped, so did quality and some pills sold contain little or no MDMASee Ecstasy More.

Some will contain other psychoactive substances, there is a chance that any old tablet finds its way onto the streets – headache tablets, other medications, veterinary supplies, old capsules filled with any white powder. There are plenty of tales of things like ‘worming tablets’ being sold – partly based on the reality that tablets containing piperazines (an E-like stimulanta drug that acts on the Central Nervous System, increasing some rates of function such as heart-rate) were originally used as cattle worming tablets.

Even if the tablet or capsule contains a genuine illegal, psychoactive drug, it may not be MDMASee Ecstasy More. As the drugs market becomes swamped with newer psychoactive compounds, so products sold as ‘ecstasy’ could contain other drugs. These could be an MDMA-related compound, such as MDEA or MDA.

Recently, tablets have been found to contain the chemical PMA or PMAA. Although in the same general family as MDMASee Ecstasy More, PMA is considerably more dangerous, with a slow onset, high risk of overdosing and a significant impact on body temperature. It has caused a number of fatalities in recent years.

Other tablets have been found to contain emergent drugs like mephedrone, ketamine, butylone, amphetamine and a host of other compounds.

It should be stressed that tablets containing pure MDMASee Ecstasy More can still be risky. Some tablets contain very high doses of MDMASee Ecstasy More, and so fatalities could be due to strong tablets as much as contaminated ones.

For a long time, people who were wary of the pill market would seek out MDMASee Ecstasy More powder as being better quality. While there is still undoubtedly good quality MDMASee Ecstasy More powder on the market, there is also a lot of highly contaminated MDMASee Ecstasy More, bulked out with other white-powder drugs ⁸.

Ecstasy is most often swallowed in tablets or capsules. Tablets vary in shape, size, colour, and the amount of drug they contain.

Many are stamped with official-looking names or logos. However, these stamps do not identify what is in the pills and do not mean the pills are safe.

In fact, many pills may not have any ecstasy in them at all. The makers often use cheaper ingredients instead, such as cornstarch, soaps or detergents. And if there is an active ingredient in the tablet, it may not be MDMASee Ecstasy More ²⁰.

Common substitutions include –

• hallucinogens, such as LSD,
• anaesthetics, such as ketamine or PCP,
• stimulants, such as –
  • caffeine,
  • ephedrine,
  • methamphetamine,
  • cocaine ²⁰.

Such drug mixtures can pose severe risks to users’ health and safety.

Some tablets may be sold as “herbal ecstasy.” These may not contain any MDMASee Ecstasy More. Instead, they usually contain ephedrine, a natural stimulanta drug that acts on the Central Nervous System, increasing some rates of function such as heart-rate. But these are no safer than regular ecstasy [20]. If abused, ephedrine can increase the risk of –

• stroke,
• heart attack,
• death ²⁰.

Ecstasy should never be combined with other illicit drugs or prescription medications. Toxiccapable of causing injury or death reactions can happen if ecstasy is taken with medications used to treat depression or HIV ²⁰.

It’s possible to build up tolerancethis is the process by which the receptors in your brain become habituated to the action of a drug. When tolerance is reached, more of the drug is required to achieve the same effect. With benzodiazepines, and probably with many other classes of drugs as well, tolerance is virtually always associated with some degree of physical dependence. If you find that you are experiencing tolerance, this is a clear warning sign that you may have formed a dependence. More to ecstasy, which means people need to take more of the drug to get the same buzz.

You may also develop a psychological dependence (a strong desire to keep on using despite the long-term risks, such as damaging relationships or losing your job) ¹.

MDMASee Ecstasy More is generally considered to have a low potential for addiction, especially when compared to drugs such as alcohol, tobacco or heroin. Although users may report a strong desire to take the drug, they are generally able to stop use if they feel that it is negatively affecting their lives. However, in some cases people have found it difficult to control their use ²⁹.

Ecstasy can be addictive. If people use too much ecstasy, they may become tolerant to the drug’s effects. This means they need to take more and more of it to feel the drug’s effects ²⁰.

Although many drugs are safe on their own, they can become dangerous and even life-threatening when combined with other substances. The list below contains some common potentially dangerous combinations, but may not include all of them. Certain combinations may be safe in low doses of each but still increase the potential risk of death. Independent research should always be done to ensure that a combination of two or more substances is safe before consumption ¹¹.

• 25x-NBOMe – Both the NBOMe series and this compound induce powerful stimulationcan be defined as any changes in a person's energy levels which are interpreted as stimulating and encouraging when it comes to movement and physical activities such as running, walking, cleaning, socializing, dancing, and climbing More and their interaction may cause severe side-effects. These can include thought loops, seizuresthe outward effect can vary from uncontrolled jerking movement (tonic-clonic seizure) to as subtle as a momentary loss of awareness More, increased blood pressure, vasoconstrictionnarrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels (in particular the large arteries and small arterioles), increased heart rate, and heart failure (in extreme cases).
• alcohol – It is dangerous to combine alcohol, a depressant, with stimulants due to the risk of excessive intoxication. Stimulants decrease the sedativeOne of a diverse group of drugs manufactured for medical purposes to relax the central nervous system. More effect of alcohol which is the main factor most people consider when determining their level of intoxication. Once the stimulanta drug that acts on the Central Nervous System, increasing some rates of function such as heart-rate wears off, the effects of alcohol will be significantly increased, leading to intensified disinhibition as well as respiratory depressionslowing the drive and effectiveness of breathing More. If combined, one should strictly limit themselves to only drinking a certain amount of alcohol per hour.
• DXM – This combination may cause increased heart rate and panic attacks.
• MXE – Increased heart rate and blood pressure may occur.
• tramadol – This combination can increase the risk of seizuresthe outward effect can vary from uncontrolled jerking movement (tonic-clonic seizure) to as subtle as a momentary loss of awareness More.
• MAOIsMAOIs may be used to treat the symptoms of depression. More – This combination may increase the amount of neurotransmitters such as dopamine to dangerous or even fatal levels. Examples include syrian rue, banisteriopsis caapi, 2C-T-2, 2C-T-7, αMT, and some antidepressants ³⁰.
• stimulants – The neurotoxic effects of MDMASee Ecstasy More may be increased when combined with other stimulants.
• cocaine – This combination may increase strain on the heart ¹¹.

If a drug like ecstasy is suddenly stopped or withdrawn, the person can experience withdrawal symptoms. Drug cravings are one of the most common symptoms of withdrawal ²⁰.

Determining exactly how long ecstasy is detectable in the body depends on many variables, including which kind of drug test is being used. Ecstasy – also known as Adam, STP, XTC – can be detected for a shorter time with some tests, but can be ‘visible’ for up to three months in other tests.

The timetable for detecting ecstasy in the system is also dependent upon each individual’s metabolism, body mass, age, hydration level, physical activity, health conditions and other factors, making it almost impossible to determine an exact time ecstasy will show up on a drug test ¹⁶.

The following is an estimated range of times, or detection windows, during which ecstasy can be detected by various testing methods –

• Ecstasy is a Class A drug and is illegal to have, give away or sell.
• Possession can get you up to seven years in jail.
• Supplying someone else, including your friends, can get you life and an unlimited fine ¹.

Although many drugs are safe on their own, they can become dangerous and even life-threatening when combined with other substances. The list below contains some common potentially dangerous combinations, but may not include all of them. Certain combinations may be safe in low doses of each but still increase the potential risk of death. Independent research should always be done to ensure that a combination of two or more substances is safe before consumption ³³.

• 25x-NBOMe – Both the NBOMe series and this compound induce powerful stimulationcan be defined as any changes in a person's energy levels which are interpreted as stimulating and encouraging when it comes to movement and physical activities such as running, walking, cleaning, socializing, dancing, and climbing More and their interaction may cause severe side-effects. These can include thought-loopscan be described as the experience of becoming trapped within a chain of thoughts, actions and emotions which repeat themselves over and over again in a cyclic loop. They are most likely to occur during states of memory suppression and the failure of one's short-term memory More, seizuresthe outward effect can vary from uncontrolled jerking movement (tonic-clonic seizure) to as subtle as a momentary loss of awareness More, increased blood pressure, vasoconstrictionnarrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels (in particular the large arteries and small arterioles), increased heart rate, and heart failure (in extreme cases),
• Alcohol – It is dangerous to combine alcohol, a depressant, with stimulants due to the risk of excessive intoxication. Stimulants decrease the sedativeOne of a diverse group of drugs manufactured for medical purposes to relax the central nervous system. More effect of alcohol which is the main factor most people consider when determining their level of intoxication. Once the stimulanta drug that acts on the Central Nervous System, increasing some rates of function such as heart-rate wears off, the effects of alcohol will be significantly increased, leading to intensified disinhibition as well as respiratory depressionslowing the drive and effectiveness of breathing More. If combined, one should strictly limit themselves to only drinking a certain amount of alcohol per hour,
• DXM – This combination may cause increased heart rate and panic attacks,
• MXE – Increased heart rate and blood pressure may occur,
• Tramadol – This combination can increase the risk of seizuresthe outward effect can vary from uncontrolled jerking movement (tonic-clonic seizure) to as subtle as a momentary loss of awareness More,
• MAOIsMAOIs may be used to treat the symptoms of depression. More – This combination may increase the amount of neurotransmitters such as dopamine to dangerous or even fatal levels. Examples include syrian rue, banisteriopsis caapi, 2C-T-2, 2C-T-7, αMT, and some antidepressants.
• Stimulants – The neurotoxic effects of MDMASee Ecstasy More may be increased when combined with other stimulants,
• Cocaine – This combination may increase strain on the heart ³³.
• Ecstasy + alcohol – increased risk of dehydration and consequently drinking too much water ³⁴.
• Ecstasy + ice or speed – increased risk of anxiety and reduced brain functioning due to dopamine depletion. Enormous strain on the heart and other parts of the body, which can lead to stroke ³⁵.
• Ecstasy + antidepressants – Drowsiness, clumsiness, restlessness and feeling drunk and dizzy ³⁶.

About 10 ecstasy-related deaths have been reported in the UK each year for the past several years. Although the number of deaths is relatively low compared to drugs such as heroin or alcohol, there is still cause for concern.

The following may help to reduce the risks associated with ecstasy use –

• You should avoid using ecstasy if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, epilepsy (or family history of epilepsy), diabetes or liver problems. You should also avoid using it if you have had psychiatric problems like depression or anxiety. The combination of ecstasy and flashing lights in clubs can make some people more susceptible to seizuresthe outward effect can vary from uncontrolled jerking movement (tonic-clonic seizure) to as subtle as a momentary loss of awareness More. Take advice if you are unsure ³. These conditions and ecstasy/MDMA mean that you can be at increased risk of bad reactions to ecstasy, so it is best avoided ⁹.
• Taking ecstasy and dancing in hot clubs can cause dehydration and overheating. Non-alcoholic drinks such as water or isotonic drinks help to prevent this. However, it can be dangerous to drink too much fluid. It is therefore advisable to sip one pint of non-alcoholic liquid (not more) per hour. Regular rests from dancing will also reduce the risks of dehydration and overheating ³. Relax somewhere cool and sip water or another non-alcoholic drink slowly (one pint an hour). Do not drink too much as this can also be dangerous. Drinking too much or too quickly affects your body’s salt balance ⁹.
• People using ecstasy in clubs or at dance events should ensure that they will be looked after in the event of an emergency. It is advisable to go to events that adhere to a safer dancing code of conduct, including adequate ventilation, rest areas, freely available water and staff who are trained to deal with emergencies.
• Regular users sometimes report that they develop a tolerancethis is the process by which the receptors in your brain become habituated to the action of a drug. When tolerance is reached, more of the drug is required to achieve the same effect. With benzodiazepines, and probably with many other classes of drugs as well, tolerance is virtually always associated with some degree of physical dependence. If you find that you are experiencing tolerance, this is a clear warning sign that you may have formed a dependence. More to MDMASee Ecstasy More and need to take higher doses to experience the same effects. This will increase the risks.
• Comedowns can last 3 – 4 days and can leave users feeling very low and irritable ³.
• There is no way to know what is in an ecstasy pill unless you can get it tested. Information from testing centres suggest that ecstasy is getting stronger so the advice is to start low and go slow – e.g. begin by taking a quarter of a pill and wait an hour or two to see the effects. This advice is reiterated in the CrushDabWait campaign, where users are encouraged to crush their pill, dab in a wet finger, swallow and wait to see how strong the effects are.
• If possible get the tablets tested. Testing facilities are becoming increasingly available at festivals and clubs.
• As with all drugs it is best not to use ecstasy alone but to be with friends you trust and who preferably know some first aid.
• Always seek medical attention if you are worried about your or a friend’s reaction to ecstasy ⁹.
• Be careful with your dose. Start with a low dose and give the drug time to take effect before redosing.
• If dancing drink about a pint of water per hour to avoid dehydration but be careful not to drink too much. Some people have suffered problems from drinking too much water when taking ecstasy.
• Take a break and chill out regularly to reduce the risk of heatstroke.
• If somebody is overheating, take them to a cool place, remove clothing and use water to try to cool them down.
• If somebody collapses or becomes unresponsive after taking ecstasy put them in the recovery position and call for immediate medical assistance ².

MDMASee Ecstasy More was ‘rediscovered’ by Dr Alexander Shulgin who, although in official retirement, was the sole holder of the licence given by the Government of the United States to develop compounds that may have health and commercial benefits. Shulgin spent a lot of time working on the phenethylamine group of drugs of which MDMASee Ecstasy More (first synthesised by Merck just before the First World War) belongs to. It was used as a tool in psychotherapy, and its rediscovery pushed it back into that field again. It was found that the drug had disinhibiting qualities that promoted feelings of ’empathy’ and ‘openness’ which helped couples in dysfunctional relationships. As it gained popularity amongst students as a ‘party’ drug in the US, the name ‘E’ (short for ‘ecstasy’, although it may originally have been intended to stand for ’empathy’, which could be considered more logical) became associated with it.

Ecstasy became very closely associated, and its use and popularity magnified with the dance rave culture in the late 1980’s. This continued for around a decade, after which a great decrease in purity was seen along with a move away from the dance scene and perhaps associated with the ageing 80’s ‘clubber’ generation. However, the last few years have seen another big explosion of ecstasy use. This time round, we are seeing MDMASee Ecstasy More powder becoming more popular, probably due to the very low quality of pills found, and MDMASee Ecstasy More powder entering the market as a ‘cleaner’, purer, more real form ³.

In 1912, a German pharmaceutical company first synthesized MDMASee Ecstasy More in an attempt to create an appetite suppressant. In the late 1970’s, it was rediscovered by a small group of U.S. therapists hoping to utilise it in psychotherapy and marriage counselling. MDMASee Ecstasy More became illegal in 1988 and was categorised as a Schedule I drug. Recreational, illicit use of the drug started becoming popular in the United States in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. Ecstasy soon became popular at ‘raves’ – large dance parties with throbbing electronic music and pulsating lights. Currently, however, raves are not the only setting where ecstasy is used; abuse at house parties, college dorms, and various other places has become more widespread ²¹.

MDMASee Ecstasy More was originally synthesised in 1912 by the chemist Anton Köllisch as a potential medicine to stop abnormal bleeding. Over the following 65 years, MDMASee Ecstasy More was widely forgotten about with the first reports of it being used recreationally going back to 1970 ³⁸. Chemist Alexander Shulgin is credited with popularising the use of MDMASee Ecstasy More in psychotherapy in the late 1970’s ³⁹. It was finally scheduled as a controlled substance in 1985 when its use began to propagate out to mainstream society and rave culture ⁴⁰.

Researchers are investigating whether a few low doses of MDMASee Ecstasy More may assist in treating severe, treatment-resistant post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ⁴¹, ⁴². More research is needed to determine if its usefulness outweighs the risk of harm ⁴¹, ⁴².