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“The authorities try to maintain control over people’s thinking, their perceptions,
and their expression of emotions, which may not be healthy for the dictatorship.”
                                                                                                - Ann Shulgin, chemist/author

ECSTASY FACTS * General * Effects * Short Term Risks * Long Term Risks
Harm Reduction * Debunking Myths

GENERAL

What is its scientific name?
Methylene-dioxy-meth-amphetamine, or MDMA

What are its slang/street terms?

Ecstasy, E, X, Adam: MDMA.
Dropping: To consume MDMA.
Rolling, E-ed Out, Peaking: Being under the influence of MDMA.
Candy Flipping: Being under the influence of MDMA and LSD at the same time.
Hippy Flipping: Being under the influence of MDMA and psilocybin mushrooms at the same time.

Is MDMA a natural or synthetic substance?
MDMA first existed when synthesized by humans. But it shares a lot of similarities to chemicals present in nature, including the tree oil safrole, which is also a major natural precursor in the synthesis of MDMA.

What does it look like?
In its purest form, MDMA is a white or off-white powder or crystalline powder. Today, MDMA almost always comes in the form of pressed tablets, in which case due to their status in the blackmarket, the tablets will vary in size, shape, color, and logo. Capsulated MDMA powder is also available in the blackmarket, though far rarer than pressed tablets. Even rarer is MDMA in loose powder form (not in a pill or capsule), which has been reported retrospectively by a small number of users.

What's the normal dosage?
Today, no official sources are available to determine the average amount of MDMA being taken by users on an individual basis. There are no labs in the United States that disclose to the public the physical amount of MDMA in the pills they examine. But therapists from the 1970's and 80's who administered MDMA on their patients report 75mg to 125mg dosages during the bulk of sessions, which lasted from three to six hours. Some therapists administered initial doses of 25mg to 50mg at the beginning of sessions, while during the latter half or last quarter, some therapists also administered about another 50mg. Of course, the dosages of blackmarket MDMA being used recreationally today varies unpredictably.

What kind of a drug is it?

• Entactogen – A new category of drugs was created to classify the unique effects of MDMA and a rare number of drugs like it, such as MDA, MDE, and 2C-B. Entactogen means “to touch within."
• Empathogen – Another new category, meaning to “induce feelings of empathy," one of the primary effects of MDMA.
• Stimulant – MDMA is a methamphetamine-based chemical and has minor effects similar to stimulants, such as releasing dopamine and inducing sleeplessness, physical energy, and reduced appetite. Thus, some experts use this category instead of entactogen or empathogen to describe MDMA.
• Hallucinogen – Many experts and users consider MDMA to have hallucinogenic properties for a variety of reasons. The first is that while it doesn’t specifically alter senses, it does enhance them, thus bringing about greater visual and auditory pleasure, especially within the context of parties. MDMA’s more potent chemical cousin, MDA, has also been known to produce mild hallucinogenic effects. Furthermore, the consumption of adulterated pills may explain misguided retrospective reports of ecstasy use.

Is it illegal?
Yes, pure MDMA (and its related compounds, including MDA and MDE) are Schedule I substances in the United States. Chemicals in this class cannot be manufactured, possessed, distributed, sold, or used without authorization from federal government agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, or the Food & Drug Administration. The FDA has approved a 5-year study at Harvard and other venues to assess the application of MDMA in treating post-traumatic stress syndrome, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions. More info on this study available at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies.

© 2005

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