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Ecstasy
The purpose of this information sheet is to inform the public and professionals about the harmful effects that may be associated with the use of Ecstasy.

What is Ecstasy?

Ecstasy is a drug that has some hallucinogenic properties and is structurally related to amphetamines. Ecstasy can produce a mild intoxication, a strong sense of pleasure, and feelings of euphoria. However, Ecstasy has also been known to have negative and disturbing effects. Its short form chemical name is MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine). Among the other names Ecstasy goes by are E, XTC, Adam, Euphoria, X, MDM, and Love Doves.

Often called a "designer drug," Ecstasy is produced through chemical synthesis mostly in underground laboratories. It currently has no approved medical use. Ecstasy is usually sold in tablet or gelatin capsule form, and taken orally in doses of 50 to 200 mg. It may also be sold in powder form, or the tablets may be crushed and then snorted. The drug comes in different shapes, sizes, and colours depending on who is making it. The cost of the drug varies, but $10 per tablet is common. Ecstasy produces effects that usually begin within one hour, and may last for four to six hours.

Mixing other drugs with Ecstasy has also been know to occur. LSD is the most frequently used, and this practice is referred to as "candy-flipping ."

The History of Ecstasy

MDMA was first produced in 1914 by pharmaceutical researchers as an appetite suppressant. In the 1970s a small number of psychotherapists in the United States began to use MDMA as a supplement to treatment. In the 1980s MDMA, or soon to be known as Ecstasy, gained popularity as a recreational drug. Ecstasy is a restricted drug in Canada.

Since the late 1980s or early l990s Ecstasy's use has been associated with young people who attend "raves." The first rave was held in the Netherlands in 1987, later gained popularity in England, and then in North America.

Raves are often held in abandoned warehouses or outdoor locations that can hold large numbers of people. With its distinctive "house" or "techno" music and all night dancing, raves have since come to be a mainstream form of entertainment for teenagers and young adults in Canada and the U.S.

What are the effects?

As mentioned earlier, in low to moderate doses Ecstasy can produce a mild intoxication, a sense of pleasure, and feelings of euphoria. There is often an increased sense of sociability or closeness with others, and enhanced communication skills. Like all stimulant drugs, Ecstasy may make users feel full of energy and confidence. However, Ecstasy users may experience an increase in sweating, increased blood pressure and heart rate, nausea, grinding of the teeth and jaw pain, anxiety or panic attacks, blurred vision, and vomiting. There is also the potential, from relatively small doses, for strong negative effects that may last for days or weeks.

These include confusion, panic, insomnia, or even convulsions. There is extensive evidence in animals that recreational doses of Ecstasy can cause permanent neurological damage.

Higher doses of Ecstasy may intensify the negative effects described above and possibly produce a distortion in perception, thinking or memory. It also may produce psychosis, paranoia, hallucinations, and long lasting bouts of anxiety or depression in susceptible users.

Regular users, and some occasional users, reported weight loss, confusion, irritability, depression, paranoia, and exhaustion. Reactions may be severe and unpredictable. Long term use of Ecstasy has not been thoroughly documented, but jaundice and liver damage were reported after repeated use.

There have been several fatal incidents associated with Ecstasy use at raves. In England, deaths have occurred from kidney or cardiovascular failure induced by a very high body temperature and dehydration. Young people attending all night raves sometimes over-exert themselves while dancing. Combine this with the heat, heavier sweating, and failure to drink enough fluids, and there is substantial increased risk of harm associated with the drug's use.

Individuals who use Ecstasy at raves should be advised to wear loose, thin clothing, take breaks from dancing, and drink plenty of water or other non-alcohol beverages.

Herbal Ecstacy

Herbal Ecstacy-the name is deliberately misspelled-has gained popularity recently among ravers as a "safer" alternative to ecstasy.

Some proponents of Herbal Ecstacy claim that the product is all natural and contains no chemicals. However, Herbal Ecstacy contains caffeine and an ephedra herb known as Ma Huang, which contains ephedrine. The combination of caffeine and the ephedra herb in certain weight-loss products has caused heart attacks and a number of deaths.

Ephedrine is a central nervous system stimulant that some athletes use to enhance their performance. Potential adverse effects associated with the abuse of ephedrine includes headache, dizziness, insomnia, irritability, hypertension, and having a stroke.

Student Use of Ecstasy

In the addiction Research Foundation's 1995 Ontario Student Drug Use Survey, 1.8 per cent of students questioned used Ecstasy. That is an increase from 0.6 per cent in 1993. In the 1995 study, young men were twice as likely to use the drug then young women.

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#127 (95/96)