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Opponents to Criminalization

Many opponents feel that the criminalization of MDMA never should have happened and it should have remained legal, because MDMA had a potential beneficial therapeutic use prior to scheduling.  Hundreds of therapists and psychiatrists used this drug assisted psychotherapy with thousands of patients suffering from terminal illness, trauma, marital difficulties, drug addiction, phobias and other related disorders.  MDMA was also used outside of therapeutic circles. With many anecdotal claims of benefits, users showed little evidence of problematic physiological or
psychological reactions or addiction.

 

Search for New Analog

The search for a legal analog led to MDMA (Ecstasy), which remained legal until 1985. Hence designer drugs were born.
 
A designer drug is a synthetic or lab-produced analog of an FDA-controlled prescription drug, closely resembling the structure of the parent drug, differing in some instances by just a few atoms. MDMA is such a drug, the product of the chemical combination of MDA and methamphetamine. Considered a "designer hallucinogen," it produces less stimulation than cocaine or amphetamines. It is taken for its hallucinogenic effects and is considered a "domesticated" version of some of the stronger psychedelic drugs, producing a "trip" shorter than either MDA or LSD.

According to research, until 1986, it was legal to produce and sell chemical analogs of illegal or controlled drugs, as long as the 'derivative drugs' were only similar, but not identical to the parent drug. It significantly contributed to a burgeoning of the "basement" pharmaceutical industry.

Unfortunately, in the 80s, American drugs dealers supplied the needs of small niches of users. Its increasing popularity has attracted organized crime into this e-trade. Supply-and-demand has also necessitated tapping foreign supply lines. Today, Europe is believed to supply 80% of U.S. ecstasy.

Although it remains a "niche" drug, used by 1.3% of the U.S. population (versus: marijuana, 5% of those older than 12; cocaine 1.8%), its increasing popularity and ease of use (popping a pill instead of injection, snorting or smoking as in heroin, cocaine or marijuana) raise concerns that e might become a drug of epidemic use. Recent studies have been disturbing: ecstasy use among the youth continues to rise, and by 12th grade, 11% have had an ecstasy experience.

According to a UNODC report, MDMA (Ecstasy) users have increased to 8 million; Ireland and Australia are the biggest E users with 3.4% of their population, 15 to 64 years old. In the Philippines, E is used by only 0.91 percent (shabu or methamphetamine, the drug of choice).

Legal Alternatives

There are many legal alternatives, that will work just as well, and because individuals have different tastes for euphoria they are varied. These Herbal stimulants, such as “Herbal Ecstasy”, have gained recent popularity among high school and college students as “safer” alternatives to illicit street drugs.
 
These safer alternatives have become a growing market, and in recent times the availability and popularity of legal MDMA (ecstasy) alternatives has become much more apparent, marketed as ‘legal highs’ or ‘herbal ecstasy’.  This is in part due to the realization that many of these products really do work and also due to the fact that the quality of ecstasy sold on the black market is getting increasingly worse, with many so-called e’s not even containing MDMA.  This coupled with the fact that they are not illegal, and there are no criminal consequences to face, many recreational drug users are turning to the legal high market to fancy their pleasure.

At first there were no legal problems encountered, partly because it was assumed that they did not do much, but sadly after the Magic Mushroom boom of 2004 and the increased availability of party pills, the politicians are now looking at introducing legislature to make sure you cannot get legally high and to ensure the sale and supply of recreational drugs remains firmly in the hands of organized criminals, and of course, the CIA.

Fortunately, at this point in time most of the legal MDMA alternatives remain legal in most countries, though their legal future will always remain at risk as our politicians further expand the power of the State and attempt to restrict people’s rights to alter their conscious state through the use of recreational plants or chemicals.

Popular Alternatives

Some of the most popular legal MDMA alternatives are party pills from New Zealand that contain piperazines, and a chemical known as BZP, usually together with a blend of vitamins and amino acids to help the body recover better, which is of course something you will never find in illegal drug products. These are sold with popular brand names such as PEP Pills, Orbit, Red Hearts, White Crosses, Jax, etc., and were developed in New Zealand where their Government decided not to ban them, but instead allow the legal sale to over 18 introducing a new category of Class D drug.

The New Zealand party pills soon became popular in the UK too, after the UK Home Office confirmed they were legal, but eventually it was all a bit too much for some politicians in the UK and moves are being made to ban BZP, because they do not want safe legal alternatives to be sold, as they know that the New World Order has a vested interest in the criminal drugs trade and the last thing they want to do is upset them. In 2007 the UK Medicines agency issued false advice claiming that BZP was in fact a worming medication for cows (as if you’d ever give a PEP Pill to a cow, though I suppose it would bring a whole new meaning to Mad Cow Disease) and therefore covered by the Medicines Act and illegal to sell in the UK. Unsurprisingly they have not issued one prosecution for the sale of BZP as they know they almost certainly wouldn’t win a prosecution, however, the mere threat of prosecution has understandably put off most retailers in the UK from selling them.

It is estimated that in the UK and New Zealand over 30 million BZP pills have been consumed and not one death has occurred that can be directly linked to BZP. The UK MHRA has used one or two isolated cases of BZP users being admitted to hospital, in their propaganda against PEP Pills, but what the MHRA always fail to mention that in these cases, the pills in question were purchased on the black market, at least three times the recommended dose had been consumed and they were eventually discharged from hospital in a perfectly healthy state.

  
Another popular ingredient in MDMA alternatives is Sida Cordofolia, which oddly enough is now banned in Holland, yet remains legal in the UK. This is a plant that contains naturally occurring ephedra that again is a very safe alternative to other illegal street drugs. It is usually sold in pill form mixed in conjunction with other well known ingredients, such as guarana, caffeine, etc., These products were originally introduced to the market by the Herbal High Co with popular products such as Road Runner, EX1 and Bliss Extra. Over the last 10 years there has been a huge increase in the number of companies selling legal highs, partly due to the advent of the Internet.

Many of these drug combination products are marketed as diet or energy aids and some boast that ingesting these herbs results in euphoric experiences, increased sexual sensations, and heightened awareness.  Several food supermarkets also contain other herbs such as kola nut and guarana, which are natural sources of caffeine.  In 1996 the FDA warned consumers not to purchase or consume ephedrine containing dietary supplements that often portray the products as apparent alternatives to illicit street drugs such as MDMA (ecstasy), because the products pose significant health risks to consumers.  These products were subsequently banned.

As well as in pill form, some of these MDMA alternatives are sold in liquid form in the form of a herbal high drink, such as Dr Hemp’s U4Ea, and Blue Lagoon, both of which are very powerful legal alternatives to ecstasy (MDMA).

Due to the recent Dutch ban on all forms of ephedrine, many of the Dutch products are finding alternative ingredients to use that work just as well as ephedrine. Dutch companies such as Sirius or Happy Caps have adapted to the market and now sell a range of ephedrine free legal highs.

Also, due to the fact our law-makers are always looking at ways to ban all forms of safe legal MDMA alternatives and even popular herbal medicines, the manufacturers have been forced to stay one step ahead of the killjoys. In response to the imminent BZP ban, manufacturers are finding ingredients that do not do much on their own, but in combination, produce effects similar to speed, BZP, or MDM; however, as the ingredients are used in other legal everyday products, it makes it much harder, if not impossible, for the killjoys to ban them.

One example of a popular product introduced in response to the likelihood of a ban on BZP are X-pills – these are completely free from piperzines or ephedrine, yet really do work, and because they contain only plant extracts not chemicals they don’t have the nasty comedown that is sometimes associated with their chemical counterparts and they are not difficult to sleep on when the effects wear off.

So, however much our politicians try to ban all forms of legal highs - it looks like the legal high market is here to stay!   Maybe one day we will even be able to buy legal and safe MDMA from legitimate traders? That is instead of the poor quality dangerous crap that is currently sold on the black market.

How it is taken

MDMA comes in the form of a white, crystalline powder which can be buffered and pressed into pills. The usual dose for MDMA is 1 to 2 mg/kg body weight (125 to 180 mg). A 100 mg tablet usually costs around $20. MDMA may be ingested orally, placed under the tongue, added to juice or a carbonated beverage, or snorted intranasal.

Candyflipping is another method and it is the combination of the use of ecstasy (MDMA) and LSD.

Yet another form is stacking, which is simply taking three or more ecstasy tablets (MDMA) at once, mixing it with LSD, alcohol, methadone, amphetamine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, ketamine, GHB, or marijuana, and taking the drugs in different phases of the evening in order to modify and modulate the high effect.  This obviously increases the risk of overdose.  Alcohol, although a diuretic, increases the risk of dehydration from the marathon rave dancing.
 
In the brain, MDMA (Ecstasy) causes the release of serotonin, one of the chemicals that transmit signals from one nerve to the next. The release of serotonin, believed to be responsible for its effects, occurs unimpeded and causes a flooding of the synapses, overwhelming the serotonin receptors and, at the same time, preventing its re-absorption. This serotonin glut is suspected to cause axonal damage that leads to axonal death (or at best, defective regeneration) and irreversible brain damage.

Increasingly popular, it is perceived as a fun drug with few side effects. Fast becoming an accompaniment to generic social encounters, it is the drug of choice at raves, all-night marathon dance parties to the sound of techno-music. It is said to facilitate insight, heighten sensory perception, peace, self-awareness, empathy, clarity and energy. It may also cause logorrhea (verbal diarrhea) and other side effects similar to its parent compounds: loss of appetite, nausea, insomnia, and general restlessness.

 

The worst short-term effect is hyperthermia which has been reported to go up as high as 110, causing death. Increased heart rates are common. Long term dangers relate to possible irreversible serotonin receptor damage and depletion. It may have unpredictable psychological effects and 'bad trips' and the waning of drug levels may be marked by depression. It may also cause memory loss and learning difficulties.

As in any street drug, adulteration and/or substitution can be a problem. In about 20%, no MDMA was found, substituted by usually benign ingredients like aspirin and caffeine. Some substitutions may have fatal consequences, like DXM and PMA. DXM (detromethorphan), a common over-the-counter medication, has been found to cause hallucinations in 13 times its cough suppressant dose. PMA (paramethoxyamphetamine), a more dangerous adulterant, is significantly more hallucinogenic and hyperthermic than MDMA (ecstasy.)

On-going studies show that MDMA (ecstasy) causes impairment of memory and damages the brain mechanisms that regulate sleep and mood. A single use can cause brain changes and the effects may persist for years; the studies suggest these changes could be permanent.

 

The memory impairment may last 2 and 1/2 years after discontinuing use of the drug. The degree of memory impairment and difficulty in concentration appear to be more than that noted in marijuana and alcohol users. A brain scan study showed decreased blood flow to the brain two weeks after a low dose of MDMA (Ecstasy.)

A UK Study by Jacqui Rodgers, MD and colleagues (March 2004-Internal Medicine Report) from Web-based questionnaires of 763 participants reported that MDMA (Ecstasy) users are at risk for long-term memory loss and impairment in performance of simple tasks. Those who used MDMA (Ecstasy) more than 10 times were 23% more likely to have long-term memory loss than those who have never taken recreational drugs and 14% more likely to have long-term memory problems than users of other recreational drugs. Also, ecstasy-cannabis users have both long- and short-term memory problems.

As with any drug, be aware of its problematic potential as well as its beneficial potential,  and, be sure to do your research before experimenting with any drugs, even MDMA.