n 1914, but was not used on humans until the 1960s, according to McDowell and Kleber (1994: 127-130). They further reveal that X was criminalized in 1988 due to its effects on human behavior (127-130). The drug which was sometimes used in "couples therapy" before its criminalization, is considered by some to be the ultimate party supply. Xs effects caused its popularity to soar due to its "capacity to induce feelings of warmth and openness" and is used "by young people as an ideal party drug," allege McDowell and Kleber (1994: 127). This "capsule of Zen," as Reynolds (1994: 56) refers to it, is "popular with teens and young adults at raves who see it as a drug that makes them feel closer to those around them, heightens their sensory perceptions and induces psychomotor restlessness relieved by dancing," according to McDowell and Kleber (1994: 127). Mengel (1992) reported that an experiment comparing the effects of X to Shaman drumming revealed that X gave people higher: empathy, physical arousal, sexual arousal, sensual arousal, orgasmic ability, elevated mood, level of expectation, and degree of control (127-130). Because of these desired effects, there is a large demand for the illicit substance. Statistics are still being gathered on the US use of X, but 500,000 people in the UK take it regularly, says Smith (1992: 31). In both the UK and the US, X "is easily obtainable on the black market," alleges Garcia (1992: 60). Reynolds (1994) reveals that specific brands of X are named after 1970s sweets, such as Pez or Smarties (56), and McKusick (1992) adds that "Special K" is any drug enriched with ketamine (23). Depending on the location, X sells for about $20-$30 for a full pill about the size and consistency of an aspirin. Ravers report needing anywhere between a half roll and a few full rolls. No matter how much X is consumed, there are serious dangers involved. Schifano and Magni (1994) record abuse symptoms including: aggression, psyc...
