1. 5/6/2015 Ecstasy/MDMA
Lance Corporal Allen Tu
OF THE YOUNG MARINES

2. Basic Information
Methylenedioxy- Methamphetamine (MDMA) is a psychoactivestimulanttaken primarily for the euphoric
and pathogenic effects that occur when administered.Under the United States Controlled Substances Act, MDMA
is a Schedule 1 narcotic,meaningthat it “has a high potential for abuse,no currently accepted medical usein
treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision”(Source2) ,and is
likewiseillegal in mostother countries.However, estimated amounts of 9.4 to 28.2 million peopleworldwide
continue to abuse itboth legally and illegally. Popular streetnames includeEcstasy,Molly,Adam, and Window.
Methods of Abuse
Although MDMA is sometimes inhaled,occasionally smoked,and rarely injected,it is typically found in the
form of a small tablet(50mg-150mg), which is also referred to as Ecstasy.When abusingEcstasy,users usually
“stack” it, swallowingmultiplepillsatonce, or “piggyback” it, ingestinga series of pillsin a shorttime. Hotspots of
use are atdance parties,or more precisely “raves”,intense all-nightparties with electronic music and many
people.
Side Effects
System Effect
Cardiovascular  Disseminatedintravascularcoagulation
 Intracranial hemorrhage
 Severe hypertensionorhypotension
Central Nervous System  Abnormally fast reflexes[38]
 Agitation
 Cognitiveand memory impairment
 Coma
 Convulsions
 Hallucinations
 Lossof consciousness
 Mental confusion
 Paranoia
 Serotoninsyndrome
 Stimulantpsychosis
Musculoskeletal  Muscle rigidity
 Rhabdomyolysis
Respiratory  Acute respiratory distress syndrome
Execratory  Renal failure
Other  Cerebral edema
 Hepatitis
 Hyperpyrexia
Information on table
courtesy of Wikipedia and
the Drug Enforcement
Administration

3. History of MDMA
Discovery
Merck KGaA, a Germanbiologycompanyinterestedin developingasubstance capable of
stoppingabnormal bleedingatthe time,firstsynthesizedMDMA in 1912. It patentwasfiledthe
followingyear,andfurtherresearchedbyMerckandseveral othercompanies.Researchwassuspended
in1927, as safrylmethylamine,one of the componentsrequiredtosynthesizeMDMA,hadbecome
extremelyexpensive due toshortage.The suspensionpersisteduntil1952. Shortlyafter,the United
StatesArmyobservedbehavioral change inanimalsof whichscientistshadadministeredthe drug,while
little tonoeffectonbleedingoccurred.Thisultimatelyendedall researchonabnormal bleeding.
First Reports
ChemistAlexanderShulginpublishedthe firstreportof MDMA’seffectonhumansin1976. He
and hisassistant,bothof whichactuallyingestedthe drugthemselves,describedtheirexperience as "an
easilycontrolledalteredstate of consciousnesswithemotional andsensual overtones"(Source4),then
concludingthatMDMA alloweditsusertobreakhabitsandperceive the worldclearly.Bythen,people
were usingthe drugfor recreationinseveral states.Shulginproceededtobringsamplesof the drugto
conventionsandmeetingsacrossthe country,encouragingotherscientiststotryit.
Psychotherapeutic Appeal
PsychotherapistLeonZeff,whoalreadyhadahistoryof experimentingwithpsychedelics,was
one of the people thathadgrantedShulgin’srequest.The drugleftagreat impressiononhim, andhe
exitedretirementinordertopromote the use of MDMA in hisfield.Believingthatthe drugcreated
primordial innocence,the drug’spopularitysoondrasticallyincreased.
Peak of Popularity
Throughoutthe seventiesandeighties,MDMA spreadthroughoutthe country,usedwithina
vast networkof people rangingfromadolescentstoresearchers.Manyprofessionals,fearingthe
criminalizationof MDMA,triedto limititsuse andpublicitywhile conductingresearchof theirown.It
was thenthatthe firstmassproducerof the drug,the “Texas Group” came to be.The Texasbased
companyallowedpeople toplace ordersthroughstandsandtelephonenumbers,andevenprovideda
creditcard paymentoption.Theyeitherdevelopedthe druginlabsor importeditfromCalifornia,
markingthe peakof Ecstasyabuse,and thensolditwithadvertisementsreferringtoitas a “fun drug”
and “goodto dance to”,also bringingaroundthe familiarname of “Ecstasy”.
Scheduling and Outlaw
The Drug EnforcementAdministration(DEA) beganinvestigatingMDMA withthe intentionto
outlawthe drug as a narcotic in1982. However,theywere surprisedwhenresearchersandscientists
objectedtheirinvestigationandsometimesevenrefusedtogive theminformation.Whenthe DEA
bannedMDMA in 1983, several courtcasesagainstthe DEA claimedthattheyhaddisregardedits
medical use.However,laterthatyear,Ecstasywas criminalizedasa Schedule 1narcotic.The
government’sfinal wordwasthat ''All of the evidence D.E.A.hasreceivedshowsthatMDMA abuse has
become a nationwideproblemandthatit posesaserioushealth threat’’(Source 5).

4. Bibliography
1. "Drug Facts: MDMA (Ecstasy or Molly)." Drug Facts: MDMA (Ecstasy or Molly). Drug
Enforcement Administration, Sept. 2013. Web. 06 May 2015.
2. Drugs of Abuse. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Justice, Drug Enforcement
Administration, 1985. Drugs of Abuse. Drug Enforcement Administration, 2011. Web. 6
May 2015.
3. MDMA ("Ecstasy," "Molly") Facts." MDMA. Drug Policy Alliance, n.d. Web. 06 May 2015.
4. "MDMA." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 5 May 2015. Web. 06 May 2015.
5. "U.S. WILL BAN 'ECSTASY,' A HALLUCINOGENIC DRUG." The New York Times. The New
York Times, 31 May 1985. Web. 06 May 2015.
Images courtesy of Bing Images and Wikipedia
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