Ecstasy

What Is It?

“Ecstasy” is a slang term for MDMA, short for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a name that’s nearly as long as the all-night parties where MDMA is often used. That's why MDMA has been called a “club drug.” It has effects similar to those of other stimulants, and it often makes the user feel like everyone is his or her friend, even when that’s not the case.

MDMA is man-made—it doesn't come from a plant like marijuana does. Other chemicals or substances—such as caffeine, dextromethorphan (found in some cough syrups), amphetamines, PCP, or cocaine—are sometimes added to, or substituted for, MDMA in Ecstasy tablets. Makers of MDMA can add anything they want to the drug, so its purity is always in question.

What Are the Common Street Names?

There are a lot of slang words for MDMA. “Ecstasy” is one of the most common. You might also hear “E,” “XTC,” “X,” “Adam,” “hug,” “beans,” “clarity,” “lover's speed,” and “love drug.”

How Is It Used?

Most MDMA abusers take a pill, tablet, or capsule. These pills can be different colors, and sometimes have cartoon-like images on them. Some MDMA users take more than one pill at a time, called "bumping."

How Many Teens Use It?

According to a 2008 NIDA-funded study, many smart teens are turning their backs on MDMA. Since 2001, the percentage of 8th-graders who have ever tried MDMA has dropped from 5.2 percent in 2001 to 2.4 percent in 2008, though it is a slight increase from 2007 (2.3 percent). The drop for 10th-graders was from 8.0 percent in 2001 to 4.3 percent in 2008, and 12th-graders have had the greatest decrease, from 11.7 percent in 2001 to 6.2 percent in 2008. According to 12th-graders, MDMA also seemed to be less available in 2008, which is good; but fewer 8th-graders saw "great risk" in occasionally using MDMA—perhaps the reason for the slight increase in use from 2007. It means that 8th-graders may not understand the health risks of using MDMA as well as they should.

Is MDMA Addictive?

Like other drugs, MDMA can be addictive for some people. That is, people continue to take the drug despite experiencing unpleasant physical side effects and other social, behavioral, and health consequences.

No one knows how many times a person can use a drug before becoming addicted or who's most vulnerable to addiction. A person’s genes, living environment, and other factors play a role in whether they are likely to become addicted to MDMA.

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