Unveiling the Truth about Ecstasy: Uses, Effects, and Impact on Teens

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Table of Contents

Abstract
Introduction
Therapeutic use of the drug
Adverse effects of the Drug
Rise of the Illegal use of the drug
Raven Culture
Use of Ecstasy among Teens
Laws and Acts against Ecstasy Dealing
Conclusion
References

Abstract

This paper is designed to provide some significant information about an abusive street drug is known as ecstasy among its users. The information given here is about the therapeutic and recreational use of the drug, its adverse effects, and implemented laws against the use and possession of the drug. The whole paper is written in simpler words to make it easier to understand by the people who belong to fields other than health sciences. The point which is specially discussed here is; the use of ecstasy and its use among teens. The issue of the use of ecstasy and other street drugs is thoroughly discussed with solid reasons to give a complete perception of the issue.

Introduction

The drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine(MDMA); popularly known as ecstasy is becoming popular among the astray youth for its mood altering effect. The drug MDMA was first produced by Merk (a German pharmaceutical company) in 1912, initially it was produced for therapeutic purposes but after discovering its heroin, cocaine, and other drug mimicking effects, it was made banned in all parts of the country. The reason for its popularity is its mimic effect of generally used drug like heroin and others, for this image effect of the drug, it is referred as designer drug.

Mode of Action of the drug:

More often, ecstasy is found in the form of pills, it starts affecting right after 20 minutes of the drug administration; first it affects the brain by transmitting serotonin; a neurotransmitter which carries the signal from one nerve cell to the other. Due to the rise in serotonin level in the blood the user of the drug feels changes in mood and feelings forwith interacting with people. The effects of the drug get more adverse sometime when after the administration of the drug; the user starts feeling nausea with blurred vision, anxiety, high perspiration, cognitive disorders, and irregular palpitation which leads the user towards agitation.

Therapeutic use of the drug

Initially, ecstasy gained fame as a psychotherapeutic drug anan not as a abusive drug, it was more popular as a therapeutic during 197 but if look back in the early period of the drug ,we will enjoy an interesting fact about the drug is; the drug was first used as an appetite suppresser among the troops of Germany. This smallest fact provides us the ground to become hopeful about the usefulness of MDMA. Apart from its initial beneficial use this drug produces other mimic effects to provide peace of mind to the patients it administered to. Several relation had good results of this anti depressant drug thus, this drug helped in the creating a feeling of self esteem, love and trust among the psychologically disturbed patients for their friends, family and the love ones. It is on record that that within the span of eight years (1977 to 1985) the drug was administered to half million patients. Besides the use of this drug in the field psychopathology, it was also used as an analgesic like another drug from the same category called morphine by suppressing the feeling of pain in terminal cancers. After a long term ban on the drug’s production and sell; In 1994 Federal drug. This research will be made for studying effects of the drug on brain chemistry and the solution to suppress the adverse effects of the drug on brain will be found and it will also be tested for the treatment of several psychological disorders like schizophrenia and traumatic conditions (Elk, p. 4).

Adverse effects of the Drug

The use of ecstasy could be fatal due to its hyperthermic effect, each year about 50 deaths occurs due the use of ecstasy leading toward hyperthermia. High water intake by the ecstasy user to reduce the heating sensation; forms body fluid imbalance which is quite dangerous for life.

“Scientists debate whether ecstasy causes permanent damage to nerve cells in the brain. Studies in rats and other animals document damage to the nerve structures that produce and process serotonin. In humans, some brain scans of frequent ecstasy users show permanent damage to serotonin pathways. Furthermore, tests in humans indicate that the drug may negatively affect memory, learning, and other mental processes”.

The illegally sold pills of ecstasy by the unauthorized labs; most of the times contain other illegal compounds such as cocaine and others which leads drastic rise in serotonin level. The long term ecstasy effects can not be controlled with out calculating the ingredients of the pill.

The aim of the production of MDMA was therapeutic; it can be useful in the field of pathopsychology if administered in low and infrequent dosage. Another plus sign of the drug is that, it is not produce physical addiction like other drugs like cocaine and heroine.It can also be used for the treatment of anxiety due to the experiencing of some traumatic event like earthquakes, hurricanes and floods (Brown, p. 1).

According to a survey; conducted by The National Institute of Drug Abuse in 2007; the use of ecstasy was monitored among the students of 8^th grade, 10th grade and 12th grade. They categorized these students according to the span of drug use. The result showed astonishing findings and revealed that 2.3 percent of grade 8 student, 5.2 percent of grade 10 and 6.5 percent of grade 12 students are life time users of ecstasy while other findings says that 1.5 students of grade 8 started to use ecstasy in 2006 while this percentage for the students of grade 10 and 12 is 3.5 and 4.5 respectively. The percentage of the students of grade 8, who started to use the drug just last month prior to this survey is; 0.6 while among the students of grade 10; it was 1.2 and for grade 12 students; its 1.6.

Another research organized by the same department says that in 2006 about 860,000 Americans used ecstasy first time in their lives which is a gradual increase from the last year survey report. Among the beginners of using the drug 70.1 percent were in their teens; mostly 18 years old.

Rise of the Illegal use of the drug

All the drugs included in this category are prohibited by law but these drugs are still being produced secretly in many parts of the world. Another reason for its common use is its low price as compare with the other drugs with same effects. Drug dealers started producing this drug illegally in hide out laboratories after the ban implemented on the drug by the US government. The street name ecstasy was given to this drug for its mind relaxing effect; by the drug dealers. MDMA gained popularity among youth during late 80’s after the discovery of psychoactive effects of the dug in 1976 and after the rise of Drug culture which made the drug most popular drug of youth of night clubs and parties. In the consecutive years the drug fixed its root in Europe and other parts of the world along with the invasion of drug culture (Morgan, p. 1).

Raven Culture

During the end of 80’s the youth of America started to suffer from a drastic cultural transition, they started to change their life styles and adopted certain ways to get rid of the broken family systems that was rising in American society during that era. Late night parties and excess of younger teens into the night clubs opened the gates of many social crimes and malevolent activities for the teens; open use of all kind of drugs become common in these late night parties of the teens which resulted into illegal sexual relations and aggression and intolerance among the teens. This whole new trend of absurd activities was named as raven culture or hippie culture. This culture had not only sabotaged the American youth but it also started to spin the web around the countries with similar family systems. The raven culture is called the nursing home of the ecstasy; where it was nurtured and become full grown up evil for the entire world.

Use of Ecstasy among Teens

According to a research published in the journal of Adolescent Health, 2002; the use of ecstasy among the teens was 2.8 to 4.7 percent during the period of two consecutive years that is 97 to 99, this increase of users of teen ecstasy users is 6 percent more from the previously recorded figures. The students of all categories were chosen as a subject of the study. it included the students from 12 to 20 years of age.

Most of the ecstasy users were found already addict of marijuana, drinking and smoking, among them many were found; having sexual relationship with many partners. These kids were kind of party animals.they like to spend more time out of their homes away from the parental restrictions. Religion has no place in their lives. These habits of becoming more socialize increased the interaction of these students with wrong people and they were hunted by the lustrous network of the drug mafia. Another observation was made by the researchers about these kids was their academic performance. They noticed that the students using ecstasy have no effect on their academic performances. Their academic participation and progression was found completely satisfactory. The use of ecstasy is increasing day by day due to the tendency of these people to be attracted towards the lustrous and daring things; no matter how dangerous they could be for them. Violent behavior has been observed among the teens due to the adverse effects of the drug and they are involving in more social crimes. It is also reported that about 8 deaths occur every year due the use of ecstasy (SAE, p. 1).

Laws and Acts against Ecstasy Dealing

MDMA is a white powder; used in the form of pills, injection, sniffing powder and rarely in the form of suppositories. The sentence for ecstasy possession is different ; according to amount of drug carried but selling more than 200gm of the drug can be sentenced 5 five years of prison or more. The sentence can be varied with the possession or sell of the drug. In most of the developed countries of the world like china, England, Australia as well as united states; ecstasy is banned. The United States Sentencing Commission has gathered important information by conducting a thorough investigation on the transportation of the drug to explain a proper penalty. The Commission discovered the fact that the pills are so small that they could be carried in a larger amount by using different deceptive techniques. These pills can be transported by strapping them on the body or by making invisible recesses in the luggage; nearly about 10,000 to 50,000 pills can be transported in this way. Illegal import and export of this drug is continued by using several methods by the drug dealers (USSC, p. 16).

Conclusion

The purpose of producing the drug was human friendly but some how the discovery of its abusive use inflected its purpose and it started to be used as street drug. The drug mafia is controlling the illegal production of ecstasy in substandard laboratories with the strong net work of its export within the country and abroad. Laws have been implemented to control this drug trafficking and consumption in the country even than the culprits are still at large. MDMA has once again got approval of being research for the good purpose.

The students of all levels; still in their teens are the primary target for the drug sale, general awareness about the adverse effect of the drug should be built among the teens to persuade them to stop the use of any such drug. Strict parental control and guidance can also be helpful for them. No matter what are the findings and what are the conclusions the thing to be done is to save our youth from the tentacles of drug mafia and drug culture

References

Brown.E, 2000, e-commerce,Newyork magazine. Once just for raves, ecstacy is now all the rage.page 1
Elk.C, useful information for health professionals involved in drug education programe.page 4.
Morgan.J.M, (2000), Centre of substace Abuse Researh,Department of psychology wales Swansea.
SAE ( Society for the advancement of education,2002), ecstasy usage increasing among teenagers-Drug abuse- brief article- Statistical data included. Page 1.
USSC(United states sentencing commission), MDMA drug offences, explaination of recent guideline amendments.May 2001,as directed by section 3663(e) of the ecstasy antiproliferation act of 2000,public law 106-310, page 16.

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