Drugs
have played a major role in the development of the rave culture since its
origins in London in the 1950s. Potency, frequency of use, side effects and the
number of people partaking in drug consumption has changed over the years but
one thing remains constant: young people will continue to do drugs regardless
of the restrictions set upon them by either parents or law enforcement. Once
one has accepted this fact, it is only logical that teenagers be educated about
what they are getting themselves into. Rather then hiding or obscuring
information about drugs and their effects, this information could be made
public and more easily accessible so that teenagers know what they are getting
themselves into. As the old cliché goes, “knowledge is power” but in this case
a better phrase would be “knowledge is safety.” Knowing the true facts about
drugs such as side effects, pros and cons or how often drug consumption is
healthy could very likely decrease the dangers of over dosing and permanent
damage to today’s youth. This series of informative articles will focus on the
three most popular drugs present in the rave culture today. I will focus on
concrete facts about how individuals can safely and knowingly participate and
enjoy drug use.
The
first drug of this series is perhaps the most frequently used rave drug: MDMA
(3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) or as it is widely known: ecstasy. This
stimulant drug produces feelings of euphoria, intimacy with others, contentment
with the world as a whole, increased energy, among other things. Street names
include ‘molly’, ‘E’, ‘X’ and ‘rolls’. First a distinction: molly is actually
different to any of the other terms even though they are often used
interchangeably. Molly is MDMA in its purest form, a white powder that can
either be taken orally or snorted. MDMA is regularly put into
capsules in order
to facilitate easier consumption.
Rolls are ecstasy pills that vary greatly in color, composition, shape, and
effects. “Rolling” is the act of consuming ecstasy. “Rolling face” or “rolling
balls” is slang for having taken a large amount of the drug.
Ecstasydata.org
is a helpful and insightful resource that allows users to determine what kind
of roll they have and what other substances other than MDMA are present in that
pill.
MDMA
is reported to induce feelings of euphoric moods, increase in energy,
acceptance of those around the user and the world as a whole, decreased fear
and misery among
others.
Negative effects which increase with frequency and higher doses include lack of
appetite, jaw clenching, difficulty concentrating and increase in body
temperature. Most negative effects are less common than their opposite. The
effects of the drug last between 3 to 5 hours with a come up of about 20 to 30
minutes, a plateau of 2 to 3 hours and a come down of 1 to 2 hours. After
effects and hangover can last more than a day if the individual is a frequent
enough user.
Ecstasy
use can be done in a safe way if one follows certain guidelines. For example,
it is extremely important for an ecstasy user to be aware both of their health
conditions and body. Having everything functioning and in order can decrease
the negative effects of the drug. The heart, liver and kidneys do have to work
harder when ecstasy is taken so having these organs in perfect or decent
working order can only improve the drug experience. This awareness of the body
is helpful both before and during drug consumption. Drinking water is an
extremely important factor in keeping oneself healthy during ecstasy use.
However, drinking too much water can be an issue so knowing one’s body and its
limits comes in handy. Another way to increase safety is awareness of the
situation one is placed in. Raves are not the only environment in which people
take ecstasy but it is most certainly one of the most common. Having people
around that one cares about and trusts can be a huge factor in the user’s
enjoyment and safety. Users should leave aside 8 hours to an entire weekend for
recuperation time especially if it is their first use. Multiple time users
begin to more fully understand how the drug affects them specifically so they
can change or modify dosage, recovery time, and frequency of use.
The
first death from MDMA use was not reported or published until 1987 when Dowling
GP published an article entitled “'Eve' and 'Ecstasy'. A report of five deaths
associated with the use of MDEA and MDMA.” ‘Eve’ or MDEA was MDMA’s temporary
legal replacement of the time.
“Death
as a consequence of the use of these drugs appears to be rare, but it does
occur; this outcome may be more common in individuals with underlying cardiac
disease,” wrote Dowling. “MDMA is thought to be safe by recreational users and
by psychotherapists who support its use.”
The
real danger of ecstasy comes not from the actual component that constitutes it
as ecstasy (MDMA) but rather, the other ingredients that are mixed into ecstasy
tablets. Heroine, meth, cocaine and ketamine among many other more harmful
drugs are frequently mixed in with MDMA in order to produce different effects
and sensations in the user. Myths stating that ecstasy is an extremely
dangerous drug most likely came about because people are less likely to do a
drug that they think is so harmful versus drugs that only have minor negative
or side effects. Countless
surveys
depict the statistics and true facts about ecstasy use.
Studies have been published that report to drill holes into
the brain. However, “the Johns Hopkins brain scans which have been used to
'prove' MDMA causes brain damage have been called flawed by independent
researchers and editors of the magazine New Scientist,” according to a British
science-oriented magazine “New Scientist” that published a series of
articles
and
editorials
“denouncing the use of the questionable scientific data in the war on ecstasy
consumption.”
