Ecstasy
In America today, somewhere around 4 and a half million people regularly take some kind of illegal pill. One of these pills that have lately increased in popularity is known as ecstasy. Ecstasy, or also known as MDMA, was first developed as an appetite suppresser. Eventually it was figured out that this little pill could give you quite a trip. Some people may say that ecstasy is fun, but what they fail to realize is that it can have physical effects as well as mental ones (Source 2). Ecstasy first originated in Germany as an appetite suppressant. It was never tested; therefore, when it hit the market, dieters seemed to complain of mirages, psychedelic features, and afterimages. But before these side effects occurred, many felt increases of confidence, well-being, a rise of blood pressure, body temperature, and pulse rate. With a rise of blood pressure comes dehydration. The problems increase with a higher dosage (Source 3). Ecstasy, or MDMA-methylenedioxy-n-methylamphetamine, is a synthetic chemical that can be found in the oil of the sassafras tree. Ecstasy's molecular formula is C11H15O2N. Its molecular weight is 193.25, and it has a melting point somewhere around 148 degrees Celsius. Here
is a structural diagram of the drug: Originally introduced as a dietary supplement, but was untested and people soon figured out that it was more than just an appetite suppressant. As it becomes more and more popular, it was found to be illegal in the United States as a Schedule I substance in 1985. It may seem like a good time at first impression, but in all reality, ecstasy is a nasty "party drug" that can do nothing but harm to the human body. The positive effects such as the mood change to a happy, carefree environment are grossly outweighed by the negative side effects, which include, dehydration, nausea, vomiting, and possible permanent brain damage (Source 3). This drug spells only trouble for those who choose to use it. Ecstasy was patented in 1912, but wasn't used until the late 1970s (Source 4). It started out just being a psychotherapeutic tool, but gradually it has become a mainstream street drug. Earlier this year, ecstasy was brought to national attention when ex-mafia man Sammy "the Bull" Gravano was arrested for selling it throughout the southwest United States (Source 1). The exact risks of ecstasy are not quite clear. For instance, the most common complaints are heat exhaustion and dehydration. Users must beware to replace fluids or eve
Some common words found in the essay are:
STDs MDMA, Ecstasy MDMA, Ecstasy MDMA-methylenedioxy-n-methylamphetamine, United Schedule, United Source, Ecstasy America, Bull Gravano, source 2, rise blood pressure, permanent brain damage, permanent brain, appetite suppressant, blood pressure, rise blood, brain damage, source 3,
Approximate Word count = 867
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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