ECSTASY ABUSE

Ecstasy is manufactured illegally in laboratories in tablet or capsule form. Dangerous chemicals are often mixed with ecstasy which causes bad reactions. Ecstasy pushes your body beyond the physical limit and dehydration may occur as a result of prolonged and strenuous physical exertions. In some cases, death has resulted. Ecstasy is classified as a "Schedule 1" controlled substance along with other dangerous narcotics like heroin, cocaine, and LSD. Schedule 1 controlled substances are dangerous narcotics with a high potential for abuse and no acceptable medical use. They carry penalties for possession, delivery, and manufacturing of these drugs. Penalties can include fines as high as $100,000 and up to 99 years or life in prison, depending on the amount seized.

Ecstasy users may encounter problems similar to those experienced by amphetamine and cocaine users, including abuse. In addition to the high ecstasy abusers feel, Ecstasy's psychological effects can include confusion, depression, sleep problems, anxiety, and paranoia during, and sometimes weeks after, taking the drug. Physical effects can include muscle tension, involuntary teeth-clenching, nausea, blurred vision, faintness, and chills or sweating.

One researcher, Matthew O. Howard, Ph.D, found what he refers to as "incredibly high reported rates" of Ecstasy abuse among these youths, whose average age is 15.5 years. The largest abuse of Ecstasy, which is a mind-altering drug with both stimulant and hallucinogenic properties, was by those now remanded to the correctional facilities who are getting treatment and not using while they are in the facilities.

He says nearly half -- or 43 % -- of the teens he interviewed in correctional facilities reported having abused Ecstasy, and 11.5 percent were designated heavy abusers. Heavy abuse of Ecstasy constitutes having taken the drug 30-plus times in their lifetimes. Among these heavy abusers, that meant an average of 156 times. Some teens had taken up to 1,800 tablets.

Those that reported heavy abuse of Ecstasy were found to have increased depression, anxiety, hostility, paranoia, sleep or cognitive problems (difficulty remembering and/or concentrating), and antisocial behavior. In addition, heavy abusers more than nonusers were more likely to report urges to harm someone or smash something.

Lighter Ecstasy abusers reported few side effects, a dramatic difference from those that reported heavy Ecstasy abuse in the study. This lack of easily recognizable effects could lull some light abusers into a false comfort about their usage, Howard says.

"Some teens may not realize that Ecstasy use once or twice may lead to permanent cognitive damage, including impairments of working memory and attention span," Howard says. "Parents, school personnel and social work practitioners need to be better instructed as to the nature and consequences of Ecstasy abuse if they are to identify and intervene effectively with abusers."