MDMA (ECSTASY)

            MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a synthetic, psychoactive drug structurally similar to the methamphetamine and a hallucinogen known as mescaline.  Street names for MDMA include Ecstasy, Adam, XTC, hug, beans, and love drug.  MDMA was once used mostly at dance clubs, raves, and college scenes, but it is now being used in other social settings.  MDMA is used by a wide variety of age groups in many areas of the country.  The drug is usually taken orally in pill form, but it is also snorted, injected, and taken in the form of an anal suppository. 

            Research using animals indicates that MDMA is neurotoxic.  It is currently being investigated as to whether or not MDMA is neurotoxic to humans.  It is true, however, that MDMA can be dangerous to health and, on rare occasions, lethal. 

            As is commonly known, serotonin in the brain plays an important role in regulating mood, aggression, sexual activity, sleep, and sensitivity to pain.  MDMA exerts its major effects on neurons that utilize serotonin to communicate with other neurons. 

What are the negative health effects caused by using MDMA?

• Cognitive – Chronic users of MDMA do not perform as well as nonusers on certain types of memory or cognitive tasks.  In part, this may be due other drugs being used in combination with MDMA, together with other factors. 

• Physical – High doses of MDMA can hinder the body’s ability to control temperature, often leading to hyperthermia.  Hyperthermia can cause kidney, liver, and cardiovascular system failure.  MDMA can inhibit its own metabolism, which can cause potentially harmful levels to be reached when users take the drug within short intervals.  MDMAS users face many of the same risks as users of cocaine and amphetamines.  These risks include increases in blood pressure and heart rate, a specific risk for those with heart disease or circulatory problems or heart disease, and symptoms such blurred vision, muscle tension, faintness, nausea, involuntary teeth clenching, and chills or sweating. 

• Psychological – These effects can include confusion, depression, drug craving, severe anxiety, and sleep problems.  These problems can occur while taking MDMA and up to weeks after taking it. 

• Neurotoxicity –  While neurotoxicity has not been definitively shown in humans, the abundance of animal research evidencing MDMA’s damaging properties suggests that it is not a safe drug for human use. 

• Hidden Risks – Drugs similar to MDMA are sometimes sold as ecstasy.  These drugs can be neurotoxic or create additional health risks to the user.  In addition, ecstasy tablets may contain other substances, such as ephedrine (a stimulant), dextromethorphan (a cough suppressant), ketamine (used mostly by veterinarians), caffeine, cocaine, and methamphetamine.  Dextromethorphan and ketamine can have PCP-like effects.  Users might also combine these substances with marijuana and alcohol, thereby putting themselves at further physical risk. 

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