Ecstasy Essay, Research Paper
Ecstasy
Chemically, ecstasy is known as methylene-dioxymethamphetamine or MDMA. It falls between two major categories of drugs, hallucinogens and amphetamines. Ecstasy usually comes in the form of a small tablet.
In 1914, MDMA was first used as a prescription drug to reduce appetite. However it wasn?t until 1981 when American youths first started using it as a recreational drug. It was completely legal in the US until 1985 when it was added to the banned list. It was about the same time that the drug became illegal that its popularity had increased. Ecstasy had spread with the spread of dance clubs and the dance culture. Since 1981 when the drug was first used until now, 19 years later it is estimated that one and half million “E?s” are taken every weekend.
The reason that ecstasy and dance clubs go hand in hand is the effect it has on the body. After the initial consumption of the pill it takes about twenty minutes to an hour to feel the effects. Initial effects include dry mouth, dilated pupils, and tingling sensations. Most users feel an initial rush kind of like having “butterflies in your stomach” and tingling which is followed by a feeling of a warm euphoric or excited glow which lasts about four to six hours during this time the user feels calm and happy. Generally most users have a good experience, but there is still a chance of having a “bad trip.” Because of the fact that the drug heightens your mood and feelings if you take it when you are worried or distracted by something it could cause a bad experience. Like any other drug ecstasy has many physical side effects in addition to the emotional ones. Side effects include impaired co-ordination, loss of appetite, dehydration, and a rise in the users heart rate. Ecstasy is also said to inhibit or restrain an orgasm and prevent an erection in some men. However, most women feel more in control of their sexuality and find that the drug helps to induce an orgasm more readily. Some women have also found that the drug can cause their period to become irregular or to stop completely, while others found that their periods became heavier and longer. Another mental or emotional effect that the drug has on the body is that it will cause the user to feel depressed or moody during the days following the use, this is due to the fact that when you take the drug it releases chemicals in your body which take several days to reproduce.
Well, we know what the drug does, but what exactly is it. Ecstasy is chemically supposed to contain MDMA, which consists of oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen. However, most ecstasy contains little or no MDMA and is laced with other amphetamines or hallucinogens like speed, LSD, caffeine, ephedrine, ketamine, and many over the counter or prescribed pain killers. No matter what is in it it generally always comes in the form of a white pill which basically looks like an aspirin, or it may have pictures printed on them. Just recently I heard talk of a new kind that comes in the shape of a shamrock. Regardless of what it looks like you can still not determine its contents without running tests.
Ecstasy is commonly said to be a “safe” drug, very few talk about bad “trips”, and only about 50 deaths were ecstasy related last year, which is slim in comparison to other drug related deaths. From my former knowledge of the drug and the research that I have done I am going to conclude in saying that like any other drug ecstasy has its pros and cons, but what I have found is that the cons out weigh the pros. The biggest negative being that it is illegal, is it really worth a few hours of pleasure if you get caught?
ibbserver.ibb.uu.nl/~jboschma/ecstasy/xtc21
usda/amph/ecstasy