The Purest Form of Ecstasy

Slang for “molecular,” Molly is marketed as the purest form of Ecstasy. Its main components can include MDMA, 4-Methylmethcathinone (4-MMC), 4-Methyl-N-Ethylcathinone (4-MEC), methamphetamine, ketamine and other drugs. The chemical make-up varies dramatically and users can never be certain what they’re taking. Some forms of Molly are made up of legal chemicals, which makes it difficult for law enforcement to take action when they find someone in possession of the drug.

Also known as Legal E, A2 or Legal X, Molly typically comes in a gelatin capsule filled with a whitish powder. Each pill costs around $15 to $25. Surveys show that the majority of teens have heard of Molly, especially those who frequent the rave party scene. It is readily available, in some cases over the Internet. Yet few teens understand the side effects and consequences of using Molly. Within four to six hours, users report:

• Increased alertness
• Heightened senses
• Feeling of being in constant motion
• Hallucinations (in larger doses)
• Feeling excessively cold (hyperthermia)
• Elevated heart rate and body temperature

Once the high wears off, teens may suffer from severe depression, fatigue, panic attacks and electrolyte deficiencies. Over time, users can crave larger amounts of the drug. Pure MDMA can be psychologically addictive, and the various chemicals often cut with MDMA can result in both physical and psychological dependence.

Molly attracts people, especially teens, who are reluctant to try “hard drugs” like heroin or cocaine but who are curious about the drug’s effects. More teens and young adults from the suburbs are entering drug rehab for addictions to Molly, MDMA, Ecstasy and legal synthetic drugs.

Warning Signs of Molly Abuse

As a stimulant with hallucinogenic properties, the signs of Molly abuse may include:

• Dramatic mood swings
• Dilated pupils
• Sweating
• Agitation
• Insomnia
• Paranoia
• Jaw clenching
• Being more affectionate than usual
• Loss of appetite or nausea
• Psychotic episodes
• Cognitive impairments

Protecting Teens from Drug Abuse

Given the variation in chemical make-up, Molly has the potential to be deadly. Many teens are unaware of the dangers of Molly abuse. Getting educated about the drug and its effects is the first step in protecting teens. As with other drugs, parents must keep the lines of communication open and take affirmative steps to stay involved in their teens’ lives. Once a teen is hooked on Molly, it can be difficult to quit without intervention from loved ones and professional help from a drug rehab center.

Molly has garnered the attention of the Drug Enforcement Administration, which worked in concert with other organizations to bust a drug trafficking ring in 2011. A group of 20 men and women ranging in age from 27 to 52 were arrested for distributing more than 100 kilos of Molly in New York, Florida, California, Texas, Virginia and other states. The conspiracy ring could face up to 20 years in prison and a million-dollar fine.

When law enforcement and loved ones make a concerted effort to prevent drug abuse, teens have a fighting chance. Molly is dangerous, but it is just the latest in an ever-growing number of drug threats. Stay alert to the newest arrivals on the teen drug scene and talk to your teen at every opportunity.

New Drug Trend ‘Molly’ Is Not Your Teen’s Friend is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Well over two-thirds of the Ecstasy-related E.R. visits were by people in their late teens and twenties, from ages 18 to age 29. Even more alarming is the fact that about 18 percent of the visits were children from age 12 to age 17.

Though information tracking E.R. visits related to Ecstasy is fairly new, the drug itself isn’t new. Ecstasy is a Schedule I controlled substance and a synthetic stimulant compared to amphetamine. The drug, in production for more than a century, causes some users to experience a short-term elevated sense of self-confidence or overall well-being, and is often used at all night dance parties.
Ecstasy also causes nausea, vision changes, increased heart rate and excessive sweating. Because the drug has stimulant qualities and is often used in packed, overheated settings, some users have died or become severely dehydrated while using it. Over time, it is believed Ecstasy can negatively impact a person’s ability to regulate their mood and their memory.

Research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse shows a decline in high-school age use of Ecstasy during the past nine years. However, findings also indicate many teens may not view infrequent use of the drug as harmful to their health, suggesting that more efforts to warn teens of the serious health consequences of Ecstasy are needed.
 

Health Problems from Ecstasy Use Related to Emergency Room Visit Spike is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Fergie found fame at the age of 17 with the girl group Wild Orchid. But when the band tanked, she turned to Ecstasy and eventually crystal meth.

"I thought it would be disloyal if I left (Wild Orchid), but I wasn’t happy anymore with the music we were doing. I really internalized it and found my outlet in the underground club scene and the raves," the 34-year-old singer said.

"It started with Ecstasy. I loved Ecstasy. Loved it, loved it. It was great at first," she told OK Magazine.

"I had a blast but those things can only last for so long. I’m actually lucky that I hit it as hard as I did because it took me to a place where I knew I never wanted to do it again," she added.

Fergie also confessed that her search for crystal meth once led her to being held at gunpoint while traveling to East Los Angeles.

"Yeah, that was crazy. Don’t mess with East LA. Thank the Lord I’m here," she said.

Fergie Admits Past Addiction to Ecstasy, Crystal Meth is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

How it starts is fairly predictable. At an all-night rave or trance, where the dance scene is frenetic and the music is loud and non-stop, someone passes around brightly colored pills or tabs of E (ecstasy), or hands you a drink containing Rohypnol, GHB or ketamine. With the heat, the intoxicating energy of dancing bodies, strobe lights and your own excitement, you take the pill or drink.

Within minutes, you begin to feel the effects of these so-called club drugs. At first, the euphoria feels wonderful, but when it starts to wind down, you may start to stack or bump additional quantities of the substances. You want to sustain the high and keep the party going. But eventually the drug wears off, leaving you with depression and confusion. So you take more, just to get rid of the anxiety and jitters. Stacking is especially risky for the body, which can’t keep up with the amount of the drug in the system.

Club Drugs Are Dangerous

Sometimes these effects last for hours, but the greater danger is long-term consequences that may persist for weeks, months or years – or even be permanent. Chronic use can produce tolerance and dependence. Before you know it, you’re hooked on club drugs. Sooner or later, your mind and body begin to suffer. The results can be serious, even fatal.

·         GHB, a sedative, can cause sleepiness, coma or death.

·         Rohypnol, a benzodiazepine, can result in memory loss of events or actions committed while under the influence of the drug. When mixed with alcohol or other drugs, Rohypnol can be fatal.

·         Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic, produces effects similar to PCP – distortions in perceptions, sight and sound. You may feel detached from reality, experience hallucinations, vomiting, and convulsion, be aware of what’s happening but unable to move, and not remember what happened afterwards. The drug may also cause high blood pressure and respiratory problems that may prove lethal.

·         Ecstasy, or MDMA, can cause confusion, insomnia, intense fear, anxiety and depression, symptoms which, in regular abusers, can last for weeks after taking the drug. Many of the effects are similar to those in cocaine and amphetamine abuse. In high doses, ecstasy can also cause the body’s temperature to increase rapidly, called hyperthermia, and dehydration. Hyperthermia can lead to heart problems, liver failure, seizures and death.

All of the club drugs and ecstasy have been associated with unwanted sexual assaults and have been referred to as “date-rape drugs.”

How You Know When You’ve Had Enough

Your everyday existence turns into a blur. You can’t remember what happened yesterday, let alone last week. You start to neglect your appearance. Your skin turns pasty and pale. Your weight drops dramatically and you have little or no appetite. You start stealing from family and friends to support your habit. Pretty soon, your family may disown you and you may wind up on the street.

Is this when you know you’ve had enough? When your friends call you a drug addict or a lowlife and refuse to have anything to do with you – is this when you decide to call it quits? Do you look in the mirror in shock and horror at the gaunt, crazed-looking person staring back at you?

If you’re really lucky, you’re able to recognize when your casual use of club drugs has become dependence. If you have the strength and willingness to admit your problem and seek help for it, you have a chance to beat it.

Getting Off Club Drugs

When club drugs hit the scene, there was little if any treatment protocol in place to handle people who exhibited classic dependence or addiction to the various substances. Compounding the problem is the fact that club drugs are not pure substances. They are laced with numerous other chemicals, impurities and toxins. Treating someone for dependence on Rohypnol or Ecstasy, for example, often meant treating them for multiple addictions, including alcohol.

With GHB, there are no standard tests for use by emergency room physicians to detect for the drug. Many cases of GHB overdose are therefore undetected. When a GHB-dependent individual goes into treatment, they often have a mixed bag of severe problems. But they do generally respond well to treatment, which is best accomplished in a residential treatment setting. Anti-seizure medications, sedatives and benzodiazepines may be used to help manage severe withdrawal symptoms during detoxification. Medicine to help control blood pressure is also warranted. Some studies have found that using antipsychotic medications helps make detoxification safer for the patient. Detox for GHB dependence requires a gradual tapering off the drug, as abruptly stopping can be fatal. An addiction specialist assists the patient during the approximate 10 to 14 days of detoxification. Following detoxification, the patient is encouraged to enroll or participate in counseling and additional treatment to help ward off relapse and to help with sleeping difficulties, anxiety and depression.

Rohypnol treatment follows the standard protocol for benzodiazepine dependence. A 3- to 5-day inpatient detoxification with 24-hour intensive medical supervision to monitor and manage withdrawal symptoms may be warranted, since coming off benzodiazepine dependence can be life threatening. Certified addiction counseling or treatment at a specialized residential drug treatment center should follow. The type of treatment to use depends on the extent of the addiction and other factors.

Ketamine overdose requires hospitalization to provide care for acute symptoms, including problems with the heart and respiratory system. There are currently no medications to combat ketamine addiction. Treatment after overdose or detoxification involves psychotherapy and behavior modification, followed by recommended attendance at drug abuse recovery support meetings.

Overcoming dependence on Ecstasy is a little different. There are no medicines currently approved or available for MDMA addiction. Long-term users experience severe withdrawal symptoms and abruptly quitting may pose serious medical consequences. But inpatient and outpatient detoxification programs are available, with some of the withdrawal symptoms managed with sedatives. The best solution for quitting MDMA addiction is through residential treatment programs consisting of intervention and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help the patient modify their thinking, expectancies and behavior related to the drug.

In all cases, abusers of club drugs need to learn new coping skills to be able to deal with the stresses of life, and the triggers that cause them to use drugs. Many club drug-dependent individuals have positive outcomes by attending drug abuse recovery support group meetings, in addition to CBT.

How To Find A Club Drug Treatment Center

You need to do a little research and ask a lot of questions. The best place to start is to call the referral hotline at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at (800) 662-HELP or find a treatment facility near you by using their facility locator at http://www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov/about.htm.

See your family physician or personal doctor and ask for a referral. With a list of potential treatment centers or facilities, call and ask questions. Then go check it out yourself. See if the treatment facility or center customizes treatment to patients. Make sure the facility/center is licensed by the state and all the staff is fully credentialed. You definitely want a treatment program in a facility or center that has expertise and a track record in successfully treating your type of addiction or dependence.

Don’t put off seeking treatment due to cost considerations. There are resources available that include insurance coverage, sliding scale or ability to pay programs, scholarships, and loans. The important thing is to get into treatment. Go get an assessment. See what it’s going to take. Then, do it. Life after club drugs will be so much richer and more enjoyable than the gloomy and self-destructive path you’ve been on. Don’t wait. Get help today. You can get off club drugs

When the Party’s Over: Getting Off Club Drugs is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment