and began to massage it and the whole time she consistently kept a smile on her face. I stood there in amazement attempted to understand how this girl was feeling, but it obviously never happened. At that point, I wanted to know more. What is this drug, and how has this counter-culture filled with “ecstasy” entered our mainstream?Many questions arise when talking about a new drug such as ecstasy. What is it? Where did it come from? What are the effects, and most of all is it Harmful? Ecstasy is a drug that contains some hallucinogenic properties and is closely related to amphetamines. The chemical name is MDMA (3, 4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine). It is also called E, XTC, Adam, Euphoria, X, MDM and Love Doves. Ecstasy is usually sold in a tablet or gelatin capsule form and taken orally in doses of 50 to 200 mg. The drug comes in many different shapes and sizes, and colors depending on the manufacturer. Ecstasy can produce a mild intoxication, a strong sense of pleasure, and feelings of euphoria that last for four to six hours. (Swan, 1)MDMA was first produced in 1914 by pharmaceutical researchers as an appetite suppressant. In the 1970’s a small number of psychotherapists in the United States began to use MDMA as a supplement to treatment. MDMA was also used by Baghwan followers and spread to Europe. The setting for its use was different there. In the 1980’s MDMA, or soon acknowledged as Ecstasy, gained popularity as a recreational drug and began to be associated with “raves.” (Long, 3) Raves are often held in abandoned warehouses or outdoor locations that can hold large amounts of people. With its distinctive “techno” or “trance” music and all night dancing, raves have become to mainstream form of entertainment for teenagers and young adults in Europe, Canada, and the United States. (Long, 3-4)The ready availability of ecstasy is a newer a phenomenon. ...
