Ecstasy

What Is It?

Ecstasy is a slang term for an illegal drug that has effects similar to those of hallucinogens and stimulants. Ecstasy's scientific name is "MDMA," short for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a name that's nearly as long as the all-night dance club "raves" or "trances" where ecstasy is often used. That's why MDMA is called a "club drug."

MDMA is synthetic-it doesn't come from a plant like marijuana does. MDMA users often make the drug in secret "labs"-in trailers, basements, and even kitchens-hidden around the country. Other chemicals or substances are often added to, or substituted for, MDMA in ecstasy tablets, such as caffeine, dextromethorphan (in some cough syrups), amphetamines, or cocaine. Makers of ecstasy can add anything they want to the drug. So the purity of ecstasy is always in question. [1]

What Are the Common Street Names?

Slang words for MDMA are ecstasy, E, XTC, X, Adam, hug, beans, clarity, lover's speed, and love drug. [1] [2]

How Is It Used?

MDMA is usually taken by mouth in a pill, tablet, or capsule. These pills can be different colors, and sometimes the pills have cartoon-like images on them. Some MDMA users take more than one pill at a time, called "bumping." [1] [2] [3]

How Many Teens Use It?

According to a 2005 NIDA-funded study, many smart teens are turning their backs on MDMA. Since 2001, the percentage of 8th-graders who have ever tried MDMA has dropped from 5.2% in 2001 to 2.8% in 2005. The drop for 10th-graders was from 8.0% in 2001 to 4.0% in 2005, and 12th-graders have had the greatest decrease, from 11.7% in 2001 to 5.4% in 2005. According to 12th-graders, MDMA also seemed to be less available in 2005, which is good; but fewer 8th-graders saw "great risk" in occasionally using MDMA, and that's not so good. It means that 8th-graders may not understand the health risks of using MDMA as well as they should. [4]

Is MDMA Addictive?

Like other stimulant drugs, MDMA appears to have the ability to cause addiction. That is, people continue to take the drug despite experiencing unpleasant physical side effects and other social, behavioral, and health consequences.

No one knows how many times a person can use a drug before becoming addicted or who's most vulnerable to addiction. Genetic makeup, living environment, and other factors probably play a role in a person's susceptibility to addiction.

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