Ecstasy
also referred to as MDMA
(chemical name) is a Schedule A drug classified as a stimulant
and a hallucinogen or psychedelic effect. It is comprised
of chemical amphetamine or meth amphetamine and usually mescaline.
Ex was first made in 1912 by a German company to be used as
an appetite suppressant. It did not becomes used as an illicit
drug until the late 1980's/early 1990's. It is usually sold
at raves, rock concerts, etc. In Alaska, teenagers 12 and
older are also using them at parties at private homes. It
is now becoming more popular at schools. Students are selling
and buying it there. Our young people now have belief that
to get the really good high, you need to take 4-5 hits at
a time. Some of the ex is laced with LSD and PCP.
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Ex
is usually
taken in tablet or capsule form. Less often it is snorted,
smoked, or injected. Effects last 4-6 hours. It sells at
mid-wholesale level at about $8.00 per tablet then sold
to individuals at $10.00 to $40.00 per tablet. Ecstasy tablets
are marketed under brand names or logos. This distinguishes
one producer from another. Usually the logos are associated
with special events, holidays, etc. Names and logos include:
butterflies, lightning bolts, four-leaf clovers. Even though
pills may look the same and have the same log, they do not
necessarily have the same ingredients in them. The only
way to know truly what is in a tablet of ex is by testing
it at a lab.
The
effects are said to be:
Positive feelings, empathy for others, elimination of anxiety,
and extreme relaxation. It enhances sensations of pleasure,
self-confidence, increases energy levels. Ex also creates
feelings of inner peacefulness, acceptance of others. It is
said to make one feel warm and fuzzy....Ex suppresses desire
to eat, drink, sleep. Some ex users party for several days
without stopping. This can result in dehydration and exhaustion
after the effects wear off. Other adverse effects are: nausea,
hallucinations, chills, sweating, increased body temperature,
involuntary teeth clenching, muscle cramping, blurred vision,
high blood pressure, fainting, panic attacks,sleep problems,
confusion, parnoia. We are seeing an increase in teen suicides
and are theorizing it could be from increased use of ex. Depression
can set in several weeks later. Emergency Room doctors are
seeing more
parents bringing their children to the hospital with very
high fevers, very thirsty and other symtoms typical of ecstasy.
Some have explained that long time use looks similar to symtoms
of Alzheimers. The
interesting factor about the effects of ex is that it can
cause these conditions weeks after the individual uses ex,
not just at the time its ingested. It does not have to be
very soon after the drug is ingested. In extreme cases,
the person will loose consciousness, have seizures, and
have extreme body temperature as high as 108 degrees. Medically
high body temperatures is referred to as malignant hyperthermia.
Overdoses are fatal and cause heart attacks, renal failure,
and heat strokes in young people.
Long
Term Effects:
Studies have shown ex causes long lasting damage
to the brain. It damages the neurons in the brain that transmit
serotonin. It stimulated the neurotransmitters of serotonin
for up to an hour, even though the effect of the drug lasts
longer. The actual release last up to one hour. Serotonin
is an important biochemical in the brain that is involved
with learning, sleep and emotions, moods, memory. Studies
indicate using ex leads to depression, memory loss, and
other disorders. While its "working" it cuts off
brain cells needed for memory and sleep. Federal regulators
have stated there is NO accepted medical use for this drug.
This drug is said to be addictive.
Other
Names for Ecstasy Include:
XTC, clarity, essence,ADAM, lover's speed. The
shipping of packages of ex is often monitored by crime groups
using computers. Frequently they track on an hourly basis
by different people in different countries.
Additional
Hazards:
Another problem with buying ecstasy tablets has to do with
not knowing exactly what is in the tablets. Many tablets
said to be ex are really amphetamines (speed), LSD (acid),
caffeine. Often times the user does not know what they are
really taking. Sometimes young people take a liquid drop
of ketamine after they have taken a tablet of ex. This is
also known as animal tranquilizers and produces a different
effect when taken right after the ex. Ninety percent of
ketamine sold in the USA today is to veternarians for use
with animals. This combination is referred to as Special
K. Some, but less frequent users of ketamine, inject intramuscularly.
If too high a dose of ketamine is taken, it can cause delerium,
amnesia, impaired motor function, high blood pressure, depression,
potentially fatal respiratory problems. It does not render
the user unconscious, more like a dehydrated zombie. Ketamine
is also purchased in Mexico, Canada, and the Netherlands.
Even
though pills may look the same and have the same log, they
do not necessarily have the same ingredients and effect
in them. The ONLY way to truly know what is in a tablet
of ex is by testing it at a lab. |
