Ecstasy More Risky for Healthy Youth

By Staff Writer

More often than not, fatal drug overdoses are associated with drug addicts who have a long history of using various drugs. But a fatal overdose can happen to anyone, even after just one use of a drug.

A recent study by Britain's University of Hertfordshire found that it is young, healthy people who are not known regular drug users who are more likely to be killed after using the club drug ecstasy. In fact, ecstasy was found to be more likely than other stimulants, such as speed or crystal meth, to have this effect on youth with no chronic health problems or history of substance abuse.

"Ecstasy and amphetamines are very similar – they are part of the same pharmacological group," said the university's Fabrizio Schifano, who led the study, in a Jan. 29 Reuters article. "But ecstasy does seem to show an intrinsic toxicity that is higher than that of amphetamines."

The study looked at deaths caused by stimulants in Britain between 1997 and 2007 and found that people who died after using ecstasy were younger and healthier than those who died after taking amphetamines. According to Schifano, these results indicate that people between the ages of 16 and 24 are particularly vulnerable to ecstasy, but it is unclear why.

Schifano hypothesized that the brains of younger people are still developing, making them more vulnerable to the effects of ecstasy.

Between 2005 and 2008, the use of ecstasy among 12th-graders increased from 3 percent to 4.3 percent, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) Monitoring the Future (MTF) Survey. Between 2004 and 2008, use among 10th-graders increased from 2.4 percent to 2.9 percent. While these may not seem like significant jumps, it is this population that is most affected by ecstasy and at risk for overdose.

For the third year in a row, fewer of the younger students surveyed reported that they perceived great risk associated with MDMA use. Without education, many young, healthy youth who decide to experiment with ecstasy run the risk of fatally overdosing.

Effects of Ecstasy

Ecstasy, which is chemically known as 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, is a synthetic, psychoactive drug that is chemically similar to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. Though it is part of the same pharmacological group as amphetamines, ecstasy reportedly has a higher intrinsic toxicity.

Taking just one dose of ecstasy, a popular club drug, can result in the following:

Increased blood pressure
Rapid heart rate
Feelings of euphoria
Hypersensitivity
Hyperactivity
Nausea
Blurred vision
Heart attack
Stroke
Hyperthermia
Dehydration

Ecstasy, which is taken orally, is often mixed with other substances that make ingestion even more dangerous to the user. It can be mixed with ephedrine (a stimulant), cough suppressants, Ketamine (an anesthetic used by veterinarians), caffeine, cocaine and methamphetamine. Users may also combine ecstasy with such substances as alcohol and marijuana, increasing the risk of overdose.

Long-term use of ecstasy can result in addiction, depression, anxiety, insomnia and other mental health issues.

Risk of Ecstasy Addiction

The majority of ecstasy users will not experience an overdose. However, they are still at risk for addiction. About 43 percent of teens and young adults who use ecstasy meet the diagnostic criteria for addiction, according to NIDA:

Physical and psychological dependence
Withdrawal effects
Tolerance, or diminished response

Withdrawal from ecstasy can include such symptoms as fatigue, loss of appetite, paranoia, insomnia, depression and trouble concentrating.

Ecstasy Addiction Treatment

Treatment for ecstasy addiction requires cognitive-behavioral interventions that help a user understand why they abuse the drug, aim to modify their behaviors related to drug use and increase their life-coping skills.

At a residential treatment center for ecstasy addiction such as Sober Living by the Sea in Newport Beach, Calif., expert addiction treatment counselors and psychologists provide therapy to empower an addict with the tools necessary to prevent a relapse. Patients are also educated about the specific dangers of ecstasy so they can understand the potential damage it will do to them if they continue using the drug.

Ecstasy More Risky for Healthy Youth

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