|
|
| Ecstasy |
| Also known as: E, MDMA, Adam, XTC, X, M&M, hug drug |
What is it? |
| Ecstasy
is a chemical produced in illegal laboratories.
Because the drug is made and sold illegally there’s no “quality guaranteed”
and other drugs and chemicals are mixed in with Ecstasy.
Some reports say that only 24% of Ecstasy sold is pure MDMA (the
chemical that makes Ecstasy). These
added chemicals are bad news for people who think they’re taking Ecstasy. |
Mixing Ecstasy with Alcohol? |
| Ecstasy is a drug and
so is alcohol. Rule of thumb:
Don’t mix drugs. Each drug
can make the other drug more powerful, and that much more deadly.
This is called synergy: the
combined effect of drugs exceeds the sum of their individual effects (impress
everyone with this new $100 word!).
It’s like taking a magnifying glass to the health risks that
come with doing drugs or drinking alcohol – the risks are more likely to
happen and the consequences are more serious.
The human body can’t handle all of those drugs so it shuts down. |
What does it do? Why is it bad for people? |
Some people have experienced
any one of these effects after taking ecstasy and then physically exerting
themselves (e.g. danced all night):
|
The Lethal Part |
| People have died because
they had taken ecstasy. Most people died from kidney or cardiovascular failure. What happens is that the body gets too hot (hyperthermia) and the person becomes dehydrated…when these two things happen the body’s important blood and circulation functions go haywire and shut down. Other poeople who have taken ecstasy have died from drinking too much water and not urinating, which led to their brains swelling or their bladders rupturing. People with diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, depression or psychosis are at increased risk of death if taking Ecstasy. |
Source: Brands, B., Sproule, B., Marshman, J. (1998). Drugs and Drug Abuse: a reference text (3rd Edition). Addiction Research Foundation, A Division of the Addiction and Mental Health Services Corporation: Toronto.
|
Where to now? Go to next Drugs & Alcohol topic - Alcohol Or skip to Mixing It Up Return to Drugs & Alcohol |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |