Ecstasy, a drug medically termed as MDMA has created a huge stir among teenagers today. Ecstasy meaning extreme emotional excitement (Websters 167), has many eyes of speculation on it. From the drugs history, its components, the risks, the benefits, as well as why people seem to take it are all-important issues that need to be discussed. It's rapid popularity and quotas of being the "happy drug" can't all be true, this drugs deadly long-term effects need to be addressed.
Although MDMA has been in the limelight since the 1980's, it's history has dated back to the start of the twentieth century(Holland 11). In an attempt to find new medication to stop bleeding; Merck, a German pharmacist, stumbled across the drug. Many rumors were formed that the drug was used as an appetite supressent, however the drug was never marketed for this purpose(Yew 1). When Merck patented MDMA in 1
As public awareness increased about the drug, a portion of the public began to use the substance for recreational purposes(Yew 1). MDMA became a popular drug in dance clubs, raves, college scenes, and many other social settings(NIDA 1). The drug became a part of the "social world" or "scene" in the 1980's(Beck, Rosenbaun 27). According to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1.5% of Americans have used MDMA at least once in their life, which is 3.4 million Americans. By age group, the heaviest use was between the ages of 16 and 25.
The most common place that MDMA is used are at Raves. According to the book, "The Pursuit of Ecstasy" it says that Ecstasy is viewed as an essential part for the Rave scene. Raves mainly occur in dance halls or clubs. People ingest the drug which gives them enough energy to dance all night to the electronic music(Yew 2). The combination of the drug
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