Ecstasy
Other names for ecstasy include X, XTC, E, Adam, beans, rolls, clarity, lover’s speed, and its medical name MDMA, or Methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Appears as white or colorful tablets or powder that can be crushed and snorted. Distinguishing features include colorful designs and stamps with trendy designs on tablets
Facts
- Accompanying paraphernalia includes: pacifiers and lollipops to protect users from involuntary jaw clenching and teeth grinding, glow sticks and laser lights to enhance the sensory experience, leading to possible long-term vision impairment, vapor inhalers and rubs, to enhance the sensory experience, painters masks with vapor rub inside for the sensory experience, water bottles, since ecstasy severely dehydrates users
- Ecstasy is a synthetic chemical that is similar to the stimulant amphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. This drug is toxic to the brain and produces long-lasting, perhaps permanent, damage to the neurons that release serotonin. The loss of this essential chemical results in memory impairment.
- Ecstasy may appear as a tablet with trendy designs pressed into the surface including smurfs, Buddhas, doves, smiley faces and playboys. Users refer to the ecstasy experience as X-ing, rolling, tripping and wigging.
Effects
In moderate amounts ecstasy can produce both stimulant and psychedelic effects lasting up to eight hours. Onset of the drug occurs quickly and results in elevated heart rate, blood pressure and increased sweating. It causes jaw clenching and, in some cases, muscle cramping. Ecstasy’s stimulating effects may enable users to stay awake and alert, talk and dance for extended periods of time. Many users suffer from depression, confusion, sleep problems, anxiety and paranoia immediately following use. Symptoms may persist for months after taking the drug.
In higher doses ecstasy can be extremely dangerous, causing excessive sweating, dehydration, hypertension and elevating body temperature so high that muscles break down. In combination with these effects, this severe increase in body temperature can lead to kidney and cardiovascular failure as well as being linked to heart attacks, strokes and seizures.
Ecstasy is a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States and in most other countries. It has no accepted medical use and has a high potential for abuse.
What ecstasy does to your:
- Brain—Affects cognitive functions such as memory, attention span and the ability to reason verbally.
- Heart—Increases heart rate and blood pressure, a special risk for people with circulatory or heart disease. Ecstasy may also cause overheating (hyperthermia), which directly stresses the heart and can injure it.
- Liver— People who develop a rash that looks like acne after continued use of MDMA may be risking severe side effects, including liver damage. Ecstasy has produced liver and kidney damage that doesn’t show up until days or weeks after the drug is consumed.
- Lungs—Causes rapid breathing.