Ellen Campbell -Grizzle
THE USE of Ecstasy is beguiling. Called MDMA (3-4-methylenedioxymethampetamine) by scientists, the drug has a way of tricking the mind. It makes hugging, touching and drinking feel more pleasurable and enjoyable. Ecstasy a.k.a E, X. XTC, Disco burgers, Love Doves or Dennis the Menace, is a mood elevator that causes the user to feel more empathetic, open and closer to others. Despite what you may have heard, Ecstasy use is addictive. Users are deluded into believing that they need the drug to remain normal while it destroys neurons in the brain, impairs senses, memory, judgement and coordination.
Ecstasy use is emerging as a major problem worldwide. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that there are eight million recreational users taking three tablets per week. According to that agency, availability is increasing while the perception of harmfulness is decreasing.
Three years ago, the Jamaican narcotics police seized 79 tablets. Last year alone, they confiscated just over 133, 000 tablets. Its use is associated with all-night dance parties called 'raves'. Jamaican consumption data show that the vast majority of people do not abuse drugs, including Ecstasy. However, it is important for
you to know the facts about XTC
in order to protect yourself,
family and friends.
Ecstasy is not always what it seems. The drug is cooked in makeshift laboratories under unsanitary conditions. You can never be sure what a tablet contains. It may be laced with substances such as ephedrine, baking soda, rat poison, caffeine or ketamine. Contrary to popular belief, it is not an aphrodisiac but can retard orgasms and erections. The drug is taken in pill form or injected. Some users crush and snort while others 'shaft' by inserting the pill into the anus where it is absorbed.
EFFECTS
The following effects start
within 20 minutes of taking E and can last for four to six hours or longer.
Increased heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure.
Increased confidence.
Euphoria.
Sweating.
Loss of appetite.
CONTINUED USE
Continued use leads to nausea and anxiety. Death often occurs from harmful overheating (hyperthermia) or from drinking too much fluid at one time (hyponatremia).
A third cause of death is over-
stimulation of the nervous system, resulting in heart attack or brain haemorrhage.
It is sometimes hard to tell if your friend is taking E. Look out for dilated pupils, tightness of the
jaw, inability to speak properly, vomiting and headache.
SIGNS OF OVERDOSE
Warning signs of overdose are:
Feeling hot or unwell.
Not sweating.
Racing pulse when resting.
Loss of control over body movements.
Problems urinating.
Tremors or fainting.
Recent research findings
connect the use of Ecstasy to memory loss. The drug is now known to deplete serotonin, a very important chemical in the brain that regulates mood, sleeping and eating habits, as well as thinking and behaviour, sexual function
and sensitivity to pain.
It can be lethal to mix Ecstasy and several drugs such as alcohol, medication for diabetes or hypertension, some cough and cold preparations, antidepressants and medications used to treat HIV/AIDS. Ask your pharmacist about these drug interactions.
Remember, if you took Ecstasy
at a 'rave', you don't just dance
off the effect. Tell your friend
who is using this drug to get help. If you are using Ecstasy, it is time to quit!
Ellen Campbell-Grizzle,
president, Caribbean Association of Pharmacists; director, Information and Research, National Council on Drug
Abuse; email:
yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
