Ecstasy is the best known of
the designer drugs, because of its name and low price. Known on the
street as Ecstasy, XTC, E, or Clarity. On the street, rave-goers have
labeled Ecstasy "the love drug." News reports document it as a
killer.
Basically, it is a cross between an amphetamine and a hallucinogen and
is taken in pill form. As a stimulant, it unleashes energy and is
commonly used to help kids stay awake at a rave. Users also experience
surreal, visual distortions.
Brain damage is only one potential problem. Ecstasy or MDMA decreases
the body's ability to regulate temperature. Kids are taking Ecstasy at
raves and ending up with heat stroke.
Often kids at these drug fests get so revved up, they unwittingly mix
different drugs. Youngsters who take Ecstasy or any illicit drug given
away or peddled at giant gatherings take an immense health risk. “You
never know what’s going to be in it, “ says the Drug Enforcement
Administration’s expert on designer drugs. “We’ve seen Ecstasy
pills that are only Excedrin and others that are pure amphetamine.”
Ecstasy has a long list of known and suspected negative effects on
abusers. It pumps up the heart rate and blood pressure, so users may
become hyperactive. It can produce blurred vision, fainting, chills,
sweating, muscle tension, and disorientation due to such effects as
panic, anxiety, depression, and paranoid thinking.
For more information go to: http://www.streetdrugs.org
Joint
Assessment of MDMA Trafficking Trends |
Program