Ecstasy / MDMA

Ecstasy has a variety of street names, but are commonly named by the stamp they carry on the tablet. Since Ecstasy is synthesized in laboratories, its purity can vary substantially from lab to lab, and other compounds are easily combined into the same tablet.

Ecstasy / MDMA

MDMA 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (Ecstasy) is a member of the phenylethylamine family of drugs. It has been suggested that MDMA can break down boundaries between oneself and others. It has been referred to as an 'empathogen' (to evoke empathy) and 'entactogen' (to touch within). The substance commonly called Ecstasy is usually a racemic mixture of d-MDMA and l- MDMA. It is not strictly an amphetamine or an hallucinogen but is chemically situated between the two.

A number of German-language sources credit the first synthesis of MDMA to an undergraduate German chemist, Fritz Haber (1868-1934). The future Nobel laureate (and inventor of several lethal gases) reportedly synthesized 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine ("Ecstasy") in 1891. However, the synthesis does not appear anywhere in Haber's doctoral dissertation The case remains unproven. it is commonly taken that MDMA was first synthesized by Merck Pharmaceuticals in 1912.

There is no evidence to suggest that MDMA was used in pre-World War 1 Germany as a dieting aid. No real evidence to indicate that MDMA was issued to German troops in the First World War as a stimulant or an appetite-suppressant. In 1914, soldiers from both sides did indeed light each other's cigarettes and even play football together. But the soldiers were not 'loved-up' on MDMA; just intoxicated on alcohol.

MDMA predominately works on the serotonergic system. The chemical structure of MDMA allows it to reach the brain quickly after ingestion. First, the pill is ingested and it disintegrates quickly in the stomach contents. Once dissolved, some MDMA molecules are absorbed from the stomach into the bloodstream, but most of the Ecstasy molecules move from the stomach into the small intestine. There, they are absorbed into the bloodstream very easily. Check ACMD Ecstasy Report »

Some people take multiple doses of Ecstasy in one night ("stacking"). Unfortunately, increased doses also increase the adverse effects, and some of these can become life threatening. For example, repeated doses or a high dose of Ecstasy can cause heat injury due to hyperthermia, hypertension (high blood pressure), cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heart beat), muscle breakdown, and renal failure due to salt and fluid depletion. It is thought that hyperthermia is central to many of these adverse affects. Most deaths are due to a combination of drugs including alcohol in a hot environment leading to hyperthermia. Strokes and seizures could also result from this has well as a number of other health issues.

With this in mind, some commercial clubs will do everything they can to extract as much money from customers as possible, while others treat clubbers with respect. If the club is failing to provide free water, is overcrowded or has insufficient safety and first aid facilities, complain to the management or get in touch with your local council's Environmental Health Department.