Media Tip Sheet: MDMA / Molly / Ecstasy

MDMA, short for 3,4-methylenedioxy- because of the unregulated nature of What is the methamphetamine, is a psychoactive drug distribution under prohibition, no one drug derived from safrole oil. It acts as a is 100% sure what is actually being sold difference central nervous system stimulant and has and consumed.2 effects that resemble both stimulants and between MDMA, psychedelics. People who use MDMA EXAMPLE PHRASING report feeling open, accepted, unafraid “A young woman was hospitalized ecstasy, and and connected to people around them.1 after taking a substance sold as “Ecstasy” and “molly” are both colloquial molly, a drug commonly associated molly? terms used by sellers and consumers to with MDMA. In actuality “molly” refer to MDMA. Although people taking can contain any number of different ecstasy or molly usually want MDMA, substances.”

Before MDMA became popular at festivals, results have emerged, and MAPS is aiming Can MDMA be clubs and concerts, it was utilized for for MDMA to be FDA-approved and legally therapeutic purposes by mental health available for medical uses within the next used as medicine professionals. Currently, organizations decade.3 like MAPS (the Multidisciplinary or therapy? Association for Psychedelic Studies) are EXAMPLE PHRASING funding research that demonstrates how “Experts point out that a growing body MDMA is effective in treating people with of research is demonstrating MDMA’s PTSD, autism, end-of-life anxiety, and efficacy in helping treat PTSD, various other difficult-to-treat conditions. Promising forms of autism, and the terminally ill.”

“Overdose” refers to taking a higher than EXAMPLE PHRASING Why is using the appropriate dose of a medicine or drug. “A recent festival saw several MDMA overdose can occur, but it’s hospitalizations as a result of word “overdose” extremely rare. It is much more likely that a attendees who had taken “molly”. problem would occur as a result of MDMA Given the highly adulterated market, in association use with contraindicated medications where several substances including (such as MAOI anti-depressants), cathinones (“bath salts”) may be sold with MDMA preexisting health conditions, overexertion, as MDMA, toxicologists are currently or dehydration. Hyperthermia – a working to determine what drug the usually dangerously high increase in body attendees actually ingested, and temperature, or heatstroke – is the most if overdose played a role in these common health problem related to medical emergencies.” inaccurate? MDMA.4 Given the highly-adulterated molly market, it’s also more likely to see an unidentified substance cause problems, rather than MDMA itself – such as what transpired in 2015 at Wesleyan University. consumers and to society, and MDMA effect, since this group is the most likely to What risks was found to be among the least risky.5 use the drug under these circumstances. Still, for a small number of people, even The impact of these potential harms can are associated at the typical recreational dosage taking often be reversed when detected and MDMA can result in hospitalization or addressed early on. with taking death. MDMA can make someone more susceptible to heatstroke, especially if EXAMPLE PHRASING MDMA? dancing in close quarters in a hot room, “A local student was sent to the or outside on a hot day. It also increases hospital after overheating while under As with all alcohol and other drug use, water retention, meaning that excessive the influence of MDMA. Once the MDMA carries risks, albeit comparatively water intake can be harmful. Mixing patient received fluids and spent time lower than most. For example, a 2010 MDMA with other drugs, especially cooling down, she was sent home with study published in the prestigious Lancet alcohol or other stimulants, also poses no further cause for concern.” journal was conducted to gauge the great risk.6 Many of these harms could be relative potential harms of drugs to both prevented by educating the concert and festival-going population about MDMA’s

such as unbiased information about better understand what they are taking. What can be drug effects and risks, safe sex tools, and Due to the way drug paraphernalia laws ear plugs. Other organizations like The are written, drug checking kits may be done to prevent Zendo Project provide nonjudgmental considered illegal in many states, despite peer and trained professional assistance their educational and potentially life- these risks? for when conditions – whether drug- saving value. related or not – become unmanageable for an event attendee. EXAMPLE PHRASING There are three key prevention tactics: “To better protect young people from 3. Promote drug checking the risks associated with MDMA, 1. Create safe settings Promoting the fact that molly does not drug education experts recommend MDMA is commonly used by people necessarily equate to pure MDMA is a providing free water and areas to attending festivals, concerts and clubs. key step to safer usage.7 Drug checking, cool off to avoid overheating at As such, prioritizing safe settings with a process that tests substances to events, and encouraging the use access to free water and areas to cool off determine what chemicals are present, of drug checking kits to test drugs greatly diminishes the risks of MDMA use. can allow people to get a better idea of sold as molly for potentially what’s actually in their molly.8 Substances harmful adulterants.” 2. Provide drug education and other called cathinones (amphetamine-like services on-site stimulants also known as “bath salts”) Organizations like DanceSafe promote are often found in molly, for example, harm reduction services at festivals so and have different dose levels and that people can make informed decisions, effects than MDMA.9 Drug checking kits are available, and can help individuals

For more information, Endnotes please see: 1. http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/drug-profiles/mdma www.drugpolicy.org/drug-facts 2. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/fashion/molly-pure-but-not-so-simple.html?_r=0 www.drugpolicy.org/news 3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0014966/ or email: Tony Newman, 4. http://www.maps.org/research/mdma Media Relations Director 5. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2810%2961462-6/fulltext [email protected] 6. https://dancesafe.org/mdma-related-deaths-stop-calling-them-overdoses/ 7. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6350a3.htm 8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3123557/ 9. http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/synthetic-cathinones-bath-salts