What are your weekend plans? Club and E?

Ecstasy is popular among teens and young adults in dance clubs and all-night dance parties called "raves." 

What is Ecstasy?

MDMA is called Ecstasy, X, XTC, Adam, Lover's Speed, E, Clarity on the streets.  It is a synthetic drug that produces both stimulant and mild sensory-altering effects.  It is usually taken orally, by tablet or capsule and the effects last for 3 to 6 hours. These pills can be different colors, and sometimes have cartoon-like images on them. 

 

What are the health hazards of Ecstasy?

The following are symptoms that may occur from the uses of Ecstasy:

• Psychological difficulties, including confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, severe anxiety, and paranoia -- during and sometimes weeks after taking Ecstasy  (psychotic episodes have also been reported).
• Physical symptoms such as muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, rapid eye movement, faintness, and chills or sweating.
• Marked increase in body temperature (hyperthermia), which may further be exacerbated by the hot and crowded conditions characteristic of the rave environment.  Hyperthermia can lead to liver, kidney, and cardiovascular system failure.
• Increases in heart rate and blood pressure, a special risk for people with circulatory or heart disease.  Other cardiac effects include arrhythmia, heart muscle damage, and reductions in heart rate and blood pressure. (Initially, Ecstasy increases heart rate and blood pressure, but following repeated use, this effect is reversed.)
• Ecstasy can affect the hormone that regulates the amount of sodium in the blood, which can also cause hyponatremia (water intoxication).
• Chronic use of Ecstasy has been associated with memory impairment, which may indicate damage to the parts of the brain involved in memory processing.
• Sometimes a rash that looks like acne will appear on the skin which has been linked with liver damage.

For more information and interesting facts on Ecstasy and the effects, click on the video below to watch a documentary on the drug.