Ecstasy- MDMA

(methylenedioxymethamphetamine)

What It Is: A synthetic (man-made), psychoactive drug with both stimulant (amphetamine-like) and hallucinogenic (LSD-like) properties.  Slang/street names include Ecstasy, E, X, XTC, Adam, hug, beans, love drug, rolls, AOL, double stack, Donald ducks etc…

Type of Drug: Psychoactive Drug

Method of Use: Taken as a pill or snorted

What It Does: The effects last about 3 to 6 hours.  Psychological difficulties can include confusion, depression, sleep problems, severe anxiety, and paranoia (a mental disorder characterized by delusions causing a person to feel like someone is out to get them or talking about them).  Physical problems can include muscle tension, increased body temperature, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, faintness, chills, or sweating.

Health Risks: Increases blood pressure and heart rate.  It can also cause an increase in body temperature leading to dehydration, muscle breakdown, stroke, seizures, kidney failure, and heart failure.  This may also result in death.  In addition, Ecstasy appears to produce long-term deficits in memory and reasoning. Research has also shown that Ecstasy’s euphoric (feeling of extreme happiness) effects can lead to unplanned or unwanted sexual contact that increases the risk of transmitting HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.   

Legal Status: Illegal in the United States

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