Mitchell Berryhill

Ibarra
Life Society And Drugs
April 16, 2016

MOLLY/ECTASY
Molly, short for molecule, is considered to be pure MDMA, unlike Ecstasy, which
generally is laced with other ingredients, such as caffeine or methamphetamine.
According to Pax Prentiss, co-founder and CEO of Passages rehabilitation centers in
Southern California, molly users tend to be ages 16 to 24.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) considers MDMA to be a Schedule
I controlled substance, which means it has a high potential for abuse, and no accepted
use in medical treatment. The DEA notes that MDMA can cause confusion, anxiety,
depression, paranoia, sleep problems, and drug craving. The drug also can cause muscle
tension, tremors, involuntary teeth clenching, muscle cramps, nausea, faintness, chills,
sweating, and blurred vision. High doses of MDMA can interfere with the ability to
regulate body temperature, resulting in a sharp increase in body temperature
(hyperthermia), leading to liver, kidney and cardiovascular failure. Severe dehydration
can result from the combination of the drugs effects and the crowded and hot conditions
in which the drug is often taken, the DEA reports.
While fewer than 4 percent of emergency room visits in 2009 were due to MDMA

use, the national drug abuse warning network found that from 2004 to 2009, there was a
123 percent increase in the number of emergency room visits involving MDMA taken
alone or in combination with pharmaceuticals, alcohol or both.
Ecstasy has long been a common party drug. An estimated 11 million Americans have
used ecstasy at least once in their lives, according to the National Institute for Drug
Abuse (NIDA).
Molly, usually sold for about $30 to $40 per 100-milligram capsule, has the street
reputation of being safe or pure and of producing feelings of warmth and well-being.
But experts say it is far from benign.Just last month, NIDA posted a warning from
Europe about pills sold as Molly with a Superman logo that contained a lethal dose of
another substance. The drugs have not yet been seen in the United States, but have been
linked to four deaths in Britain.
The drug can be adulterated with other chemicals like bath salts, a relatively new
synthetic powder that often contains amphetamine-like chemicals.There are a lot of
nasty drugs out there now and they are all variations on a theme, Doering said. If you
hedge trim one part of a molecule or weld another part, the modification of a known
substance can be very potent.Emergency room visits among people 21 and older who
used ecstasy increased by 128 percent from 2005 to 2011 reaching an annual total of
10,176 cases, according to recent federal figures.There is also a higher association of
abuse when ecstasy is used with alcohol, experts said.
People who use MDMA usually take it as a capsule or tablet, though some swallow it in

liquid form or snort the powder. The popular nickname Molly slang for molecular often
refers to the supposedly pure crystalline powder form of MDMA, usually sold in
capsules. However, people who purchase powder or capsules sold as Molly often
actually get other drugs such as synthetic cathinones.
Fact is that while youre a teen (and even into your early 20s!), youre still growing and
developing, and drug abuse during these years in particular can have a lasting impact.
Another fact to consider: the brain is much more vulnerable to addiction during these
years. 90 percent of americans with a substance abuse problem started smoking,
drinking or using other drugs before age 18.
When it comes to drug use, individual reactions and experiences vary, so its important
to understand the usual risks and effects, both short- and long-term. Knowledge can be
the key to making your own best decisions Information provided isnt to prevent anyone
from seeking medical treatment under the advice and care of their doctor. A variety of
substances offer potential medicinal value, but that doesnt negate their risks, especially
when abused.

CITATIONS:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/molly-edmonds-author.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/fashion/molly-pure-but-not-so-simple.html?_r=0
http://www.drugpolicy.org/drug-facts/mdma-ecstasy-molly-facts