After assessing patient characteristics from its first year of operation, the staff noted that most of the patients from its newly formed party drugs clinic were young, professional, well-educated gay men. The staff claims that the statistics from their clientele are consistent with those of other recent reports from the UK. In July of this year, the UK Drug Policy Commission (UKDPC) reported that mainstream substance abuse resources were not adequately servicing the needs of the population’s minority groups, such as the lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender community (LGBT). The UKDPC’s findings show that illicit drug use was higher among homosexual groups compared to heterosexual groups, particularly among gay men.

Furthermore, LGBT groups were found to have higher rates of recreational drug use than heterosexual groups, indicating that LGBT groups may experiment with newer drugs much earlier than the general public and also suffer more problems than the general public as a result of this drug use. Because their rate of drug use was comparatively much higher than the general public’s (33% vs. 10%), the UKDPC emphasized that conventional substance abuse treatment services were not effectively reaching all members of the community, and therefore need to reformat their outreach and preventive strategies with these underserved groups in mind.

Many stimulant drugs have been banned over time to protect at-risk groups. However, this trend of controlling substances has simultaneously encouraged the budding of newer, potent drugs filtering into the party scene that are also legally marketable. The SLaM physicians found newer pharmaceuticals like GBL (known as a new “date-rape” drug) and mephedrone (known as “meow meow”) to have been commonly misused among their patients. A newer and powerful stimulant called ‘ivory wave’ has also gained popularity as the new legal high. Ivory wave is a mix of ecstasy and amphetamine, and is also referred to as ivory coast, vanilla sky, or purple wave. Some mixtures of ivory wave may contain an illicit and highly powerful stimulant, MDPV, which can cause tachycardia, prolonged panic attacks, psychosis, withdrawal, and addiction.

The rate at which newer psychotropic drug compounds are being formulated, marketed, and distributed to the public has become so rapid that the law’s ability to control them cannot keep up. As a result, these “legal” and potentially lethal substances are reaching the public before they can ever be restricted or their dangerous adverse effects can be clinically recognized. The fast pace of new club drugs is leaving at-risk groups (such as the LGBT community) most vulnerable to the toxic and chronic negative effects of these drugs. Many of the patients admitted to SLaM within the past year admit that they were unaware that the club drugs they had been using were addictive or life-threatening. Even though these club drugs are currently made from legally marketed pharmaceuticals, they have the same potential for withdrawal, addiction, and overdose as such street drugs as ecstasy or amphetamine.

SLaM physicians recommend that more precautions be set in place regarding GBL product safety, and that treatment services for GBL-related problems be improved to better service those communities affected by GBL abuse and dependency. GBL has a high potential for dependency, addiction, and overdose; withdrawal symptoms include insomnia, anxiety, and panic attacks. Individuals addicted to GBL or other related party drugs should seek professional help for monitored detoxification treatment as GBL withdrawal can cause a high risk of relapse.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), in 2006 there were an estimated 528,000 people (0.2 percent of the population) in the U.S. who reported using ecstasy in the month prior to being surveyed. These included individuals from age 12 and up. The survey also indicated that 860,000 persons in the U.S. used the drug for the first time in 2006 and most (70.1 percent) of these new users were 18 or older.

From 2006 to 2007, according to the NSDUH report covering 2007, use of ecstasy among individuals aged 18 to 25 declined, from 1.0 to 0.7 percent.

What Is Ecstasy

Ecstasy is a synthetic drug whose scientific name is MDMA (3.4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine). The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) characterizes ecstasy as a “psychoactive drug” that is similar chemically to methamphetamine (a stimulant) and mescaline (a hallucinogen).

Common Street  Names for Ecstasy

Street names include Adam, beans, clarity, crystal, disco biscuit, E, go, hug drug, love drug, lover’s speed, MDMA, roll, X, and XTC.

Identifying Ecstasy

Ecstasy comes in a tablet or capsule, often with names stamped on it such as “Playboy bunnies” or “Nike swoosh” or “CK.” Imprints of street names may include Adam, Love or include a happy face or other icons. The ecstasy tablets or capsules come in a rainbow of colors.

How Is Ecstasy Used?

Users take ecstasy orally, either as a tablet or capsule. While users at raves and techno clubs still take ecstasy, the NIDA reports that the user profile has changed to include more ethnic groups, including urban gay males. Users also often partake in a smorgasbord of drugs that include ketamine, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine and other legal and illegal drugs.

Ecstasy is often combined with alcohol and/or other drugs such as GHB.

The Effects of Ecstasy

People take ecstasy as a so-called “mood elevator.” What this means is the drug gives them a temporary high, a feeling of relaxation and euphoria. Effects are felt between 20 and 40 minutes after taking the drug, and can last for 4 to 5 hours. A rush, accompanied by nausea, often is part of the experience. The peak occurs 60 to 90 minutes after taking ecstasy.

Users report sensations of empathy, feelings of emotional warmness and self acceptance. In addition, users say they still feel they’re in control of the situation and that the overall experience is very pleasant.

Why Us Ecstasy  Bad for You?

Pure ecstasy is hard to find. Often what appears on the street is doctored or adulterated with any number of substances, including speed, PMA(paramethoxyamphetamine), PCP (phencyclidine), and DXM (dextromethorphan). Depression is another common negative consequence of taking ecstasy, due to the action of the drug on the brain’s chemicals.

Other negative side-effects and consequences of taking ecstasy include:

• Adverse reactions due to mixing alcohol and ecstasy

• Blurred vision

• Chills and/or sweating

• Clenching of teeth on an involuntary basis

• Death

• Faintness

• Hyperthermia, a sharp increase in body temperature that can result in failure to the liver, kidney and cardiovascular systems, ending in death

• Increase in heart rate and blood pressure (potentially leading to heart attack and stroke)

• Muscle tension

• Nausea

• Potential neurotoxic damage (demonstrated in laboratory tests with animals)

Is Ecstasy Addictive?

Ecstasy has been illegal since 1985. It is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Users can be arrested and go to prison for lengthy sentences.

Although some sources claim it’s not physically addictive, users can become habituated to its use. In other words, they crave the euphoric feeling they get from taking ecstasy and keep on taking it despite negative effects. When taken repeatedly, however, ecstasy begins to lose its effect.

The NIDA, however, states that ecstasy can be addictive to some people. A survey of ecstasy young adult and adolescent users showed that 43 percent met accepted diagnostic criteria for dependence – they continued usage despite knowing its physical and psychological consequences, effects of withdrawal and tolerance.

Withdrawal from chronic ecstasy use can include symptoms of fatigue, depression, loss of appetite and problems with concentration.

Because it releases serotonin into the brain, which causes users to experience an elevated mood, ecstasy also masks depression, acting literally as a short-term antidepressant. Persons who are chronically depressed may by trying to use ecstasy as a means of treating depression, even though they don’t realize that’s what they’re doing. Depression should be treated by a qualified physician and or psychotherapist.