his chemically induced pleasure comes at a price, however. MDMA has many negative side effects even when taken within non-toxic levels, including “increased muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, muscle aches, blurred vision, rapid eye movement, faintness, chills and sweating” (MDMA). These effects are temporary, however, and for recreational users are usually gone within 36 hours. Chronic users of MDMA, or people who use the drug frequently in high doses, often suffer long-term physical damage as a result of their habit. Increased muscle tension often persists in heavy users, resulting in chronic muscle aches and pains, particularly in the lower back area. This increased tension is also evidenced in persistent jaw clenching and tooth grinding, which often results in a wearing away of tooth enamel (Kalant 4). The circulatory system may also be damaged in chronic Ecstasy users, and is characterized by low blood pressure and heart rate fluctuations. In relation to this, decreased blood flow is often seen throughout certain areas of the brain. MDMA, when used in improper doses or environments, has also been known to cause major physical toxicity, with the most frequently occurring and dangerous conditions being hypothermia and hyponatremia. Both are associated with the tendency of younger ecstasy users to “roll” at all night dance parties, commonly referred to as “raves.” These are often hot, crowded environments where people dance intensely for hours without resting. In fact, users often take Ecstasy because it gives them the ability to dance vigorously for extended periods of time (Leschner 2000). Hypothermia, defined as a dangerously high body temperature, often results because ecstasy disrupts the ability of the body to regulate its own temperature. It also disrupts the users capacity to sweat, causing a surge in body temperature when combined with high energy dancing in a ...
