Ecstasy

Slang
E, Pills, Eccy, X, XTC, The love drug, Lollies, Bikkies

How it is taken
Orally
Snorted
Injected
Anally

Common effects

  • increased energy, urge to dance and move about
  • increased pulse, body temperature and blood pressure
  • Empathy, closeness to others, feeling 'loved up'
  • jaw clenching, teeth grinding
  • nausea and vomiting
  • touch sensitivity
  • strobe-like or jittery vision
  • sweating
  • anxiety
  • dehydration.

What it is
Ecstasy is the common street name for the stimulant methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). The term ecstasy refers to a range of similar drugs to amphetamines that produce feelings of energy and empathy. Ecstasy can induce hallucinations.

Ecstasy stimulates the secretion of serotonin in the brain, as well as inhibiting the re-uptake of serotonin and dopamine. Mentally, a user may feel empathy, euphoria, closeness and openness to others, even with complete strangers.

Physically, the effects of ecstasy stimulate a persons energy. They may want to dance (ecstasy is often associated with nightclubbing) and their tactile sensations increase. The feelings of touch and massage are more pleasurable.

The initial 'rush' can last about half an hour (characterised by intense jaw clenching, jittery vision and inability to concentrate) depending on the strength of the tablet. The effects of ecstasy can last for several hours following the initial rush.

Ecstasy is often sold as small tablets, similar in size to common headache pills, which can come in many different colours. Often these pills are branded with a small logo imprinted into the tablet. Ecstasy can also come in powder or capsule form, often sold as pure MDMA.

Ecstasy tablets can be referred to by the brand names given to the pills. The brands are related to the imprinted logo found on one side of the tablet. These names include 'Mitsubishi', 'Nike', 'Lightening bolts', 'Doves', 'Green apples' and 'Crowns'. However, there are thousands of different types of tablets out there, and each different type has variations in strength and effects on the user.

It is important to remember that ecstasy can be adulterated (or 'cut') with other substances like caffeine or methamphetamine. Some pills contain no MDMA at all. One particularly dangerous substance, PMA (paramethoxyamphetamine), has similar but unpleasant feelings of intoxication. PMA rapidly increases body temperature and has a higher risk of mortality than MDMA.

Short-term effects
Because of the stimulating effect on a person's physical and mental states, ecstasy can pose some short-term risks. See the Safe use section for how these risks can be reduced.

Increased physical activity carries with it the risk of overheating, exhaustion, seizures and collapse. Anyone with a history of heart disease, high blood pressure, hypertension, epilepsy, liver problems and diabetes increases the risk of problems occurring after taking ecstasy.

Ecstasy has the duel risk of dehydration and water intoxication. Someone can feel extremely unwell because ecstasy and vigorous dancing may dehydrate them. Conversely, people often feel the need to drink too much water, leading to a problem called hyponatremia, swelling of the brain due to drinking too much water. Sometimes this is called 'dry drowning' and can lead to collapse and death.

The 'rush' of ecstasy (when the drugs effects first take hold) can be frightening for some people. People with a history of depression, panic attacks and other mental health problems have a greater risk of having a bad time under the influence of ecstasy.

The effects of a 'come down' are felt well into the next week and can be depressing for many people. Insomnia, fatigue, depression, anxiety and difficulty concentrating can occur for several days after taking ecstasy.

Long-term effects
There is little conclusive evidence about the long-term effects of ecstasy use and whether the harm that use can cause is permanent or not. Limited evidence suggests that ecstasy use can cause some damage to parts of the brain.

An American study by Dr George Ricaurte indicated that ecstasy could cause Parkinson's disease and suggested that a single dose of ecstasy could cause irreversible damage. However, this study was entirely retracted after Dr Ricaurte announced that the test subjects (monkeys and baboons) were injected with high doses of methamphetamine instead of MDMA by mistake.

Dependence, addiction and overdose risk
There is no conclusive evidence that ecstasy can be physically addictive. However, regular users can develop tolerance to the drug, meaning that they must take more each time to feel the same effects. This can increase the risk of overdose.

People may become dependent on ecstasy to perform certain activities, such as nightclubbing.

An ecstasy overdose is characterised by very high body temperature and blood pressure, rapid heartbeat and possible hallucinations and convulsions. Death can occur due to:

  • over-stimulation, leading to heart attack or brain haemorrhage
  • overheating, especially when dancing or during prolonged physical exertion
  • drinking too much 'hyponatremia' causing the brain to swell
  • taking something that is believed to be ecstasy but isn't. For example, PMA has an higher risk of causing death than MDMA, yet is sometimes sold as ecstasy.

The New Zealand context
The use of ecstasy has increased over the past decade in New Zealand and is the most well-known of so-called 'designer drugs'. A 2002 study indicated that six percent of 15-17 year-olds and 11 percent of 20-24 year-olds had tried stimulants, or amphetamine type substances, under which ecstasy is categorised.

Treatment providers have also reported an increase in the number of people presenting with ecstasy-related problems, although most recent surveys indicate that ecstasy and LSD were rarely nominated as a primary drug problem by people seeking treatment services.

Although it has been associated with nightclubs and electronic music, the use of ecstasy also happens in homes and private parties. The use of ecstasy is more likely to occur in metropolitan areas, than rural areas.

Studies suggest that ecstasy users are predominantly male, aged 20-29, European and single. However, they came from a broad range of income and occupational groups.

Despite the growing availability and prevalence of ecstasy in New Zealand, there have been only three deaths attributed to its use. The first recorded death was in 1998 and there has been no other recorded ecstasy death since 2001.

An ecstasy tablet costs about $60 to $70. This is down from $80 to $100 per tablet in the mid-1990s.

Statistics

  • 5.4 percent of people surveyed in 2001 had tried ecstasy, and 3.4 percent had tried it within the previous year
  • 12.5 percent of males aged 20-24 had tried ecstasy, and 8.8 percent of males aged 25-29 had tried it
  • 84 percent of ecstasy users are European
  • 78 percent of people surveyed in SHORE's IDMS survey published in 2005 reported that ecstasy was 'easy' or 'very easy' to obtain
  • 66 percent of users perceived 'moderate risk' and 'great risk' from taking ecstasy, and 15 percent perceived 'extreme risk'. In comparison, 56 percent of users perceived crystal meth to have 'extreme risk'.

The law and penalties
Ecstasy is illegal in New Zealand, scheduled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. The penalty for importing, manufacturing or supplying (dealing) ecstasy is a maximum of 14 years imprisonment. Possession of ecstasy could incur three months jail and a fine up to $500.

In 2005 exstacy was reclassified from Class B2 to Class B1 in the schedule, which increased the maximum penalties associated with it and also increased some police powers related to search and surveillance provisions.

Safe use
Ecstasy users are strongly urged to use a reagent test that can validate the presence of MDMA in the tablets. A reagent test analyses a small sliver of the tablet or powder and changes colour if MDMA is found.

Users of ecstasy, especially people who partake in vigorous physical activity such as dancing at a nightclub, run a significant risk of both dehydrating or drinking too much water. It is recommended that people using ecstasy who are active drink about 500ml of water every hour, or 250ml if inactive. Alcohol dehydrates the body further.

Intense and prolonged dancing can cause considerable stress on the cardiovascular system and raise body temperature. It is recommended that people take regular breaks to calm the body down, and this will also reduce the need to drink too much water.

Ecstasy presents risk to both the body and the mind. Staying with friends is important so they can look after you if you begin to feel unwell. Friends can also help you if you feel upset or depressed because of the emotional effects that ecstasy can sometimes cause.

How to get help
There are a number of treatment organisations that can help. If you feel that you or anyone you know needs help, then you can call these services in strict confidence.

If you are faced with an emergency, call 111 immediately.

To talk to someone about your or someone else's drug use, call the Alcohol Drug Helpline - 0800 787 797.

You can also get contact details for your local alcohol and other drug counsellor or treatment provider by calling the helpline or by visiting www.addictionshelp.org.nz .

Special sections
History of ecstasy
A patent for MDMA was first filed in 1912 by German pharmaceutical company Merck. It was not ingested by humans for about another half century.

During the 1970s, pharmacologist Dr Alexander Shulgin rediscovered the MDMA compound and the use of MDMA was promoted as a therapeutic product, developing a reputation for enhancing communication and reducing psychological defences during therapy.
During the 1980s, the use of 'empathy' and 'ecstasy', street names that were then given to MDMA began to increase, especially in the gay and urban, trendy communities. By the beginning of the 1990s, ecstasy use was entrenched in the nightclub and electronic music scenes, and has now become one of the most widely used illicit drugs in many countries.

Ecstasy was banned in the United States in 1985, when the US Drug Enforcement Agency added it to Schedule 1 of its list of controlled substances. It was deemed to have no medical use and a high potential for abuse. During the DEA's hearings about ecstasy use, most experts and the presiding judge recommended that it be placed on Schedule 3 (a schedule with lighter restrictions and penalties). However, the DEA placed MDMA on the category with the strongest sanctions.

Links
www.dancesafe.org - An American organisation that provides safety information for clubbers and club owners

www.pillreports.com - A database containing user-provided reports of different ecstasy tablets. Reports include the pill strength, particular reactions to different varieties and warnings about possible adulterants and pills to be avoided.

www.drugscope.org.uk - Ecstasy information from an English perspective. The Drugscope organisation is a leading advocate for harm minimisation in the United Kingdom.

www.ndp.govt.nz/mdma - The report from New Zealand's Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs into MDMA, published 2004. It recommended that the legal status of MDMA be tightened.