Ecstasy

ecstasi
  • Shamrocks
  • Green Apple
  • Pink Love
  • Tablets
  • Mitzies
  • Exies
  • Echos
  • Eckies
  • E
  • Ecstasy
  • Burgers
  • MDEA
  • MDMA
  • Phenethylamines
  • Pigs

Drugs A-Z

Scientific Names: Methylenedioxymethylamphetamine: Is it any wonder this gets abbreviated to MDMA?

Generic Names: Enwau Generig: Phenethylamines

An example of what Ecstasy looks like
Tablets, capsules, in a range of sizes, shapes and colours. Occasionally white powder.

Desired Effects:

Euphoria, empathy, exhilaration, energy.

Side Effects:

Sweating, nausea, vomiting, rapid eye movement (nystagmus), dehydration, confusion, anxiety.
  • You never know what is in the tablet or powder you get so be careful - use a small amount first to see what the effects are and wait a while before taking any more.
  • If using ecstasy and dancing take a break to cool down, ecstasy can cause overheating and dehydration.
  • Get your water balance right - if you are dancing and sweating you should drink up to a pint of non-alcoholic drink every hour to help replace fluid lost through sweating. If you are not dancing & sweating then drink a little less water - you need to remember that drinking too much water in one go can be dangerous.
  • Mixing ecstasy with alcohol will increase the risk of dehydration and can make you take more risks; and mixing ecstasy with any other drugs increases the risks even further and can be very dangerous.
  • If you suffer from any kind of heart condition you should avoid stimulant drugs like ecstasy.
  • If you choose to use ecstasy it is safer to use small amounts on an occasional basis, giving your body time to recover.
  • If someone is suffering bad effects like vomiting, convulsions, unconsciousness - put them in the recovery position and call for medical assistance immediately.
short term effects

Short term risks

Unknown contents, heatstroke, collapse, coma

desired effects

Desired risks

Euphoria, Empathy, Exhilaration, Energy

long term effects

Long term risks

Affects to mental wellbeing, Depression, Liver and kidney damage

Long term risks:

As yet unclear, but may include psychological disturbance, depression, liver and kidney damage. There is growing evidence of damage to nerve endings in the brain but the effects of this on behaviour and the long term consequences for users is still unknown.

Short term risks:

Unknown content of tablets (many fake tablets are sold as ecstasy, which can contain other, more toxic, substances), heatstroke, collapse, coma.
Stimulant/psychedelic, empathogen.
Usually orally, but can be smoked. Injection is unpopular because of the shortened duration of action. This is the stereotypical dance drug.
MDMA is illicitly made in the USA and in both western and eastern Europe. Due to the overwhelming demand for ecstasy and the unreliable nature of the illicit drug market, many other products are sold in its place.

These can include other compounds of the phenethylamine family, such as methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) or methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA). There can also be mixtures of other drugs, such as amphetamines and LSD, caffeine, Ketamine and ephedrine.

There are also look-alike pills or tablets which contain no drugs at all. There is no reliable way of finding out what is in a tablet coming from this illicit drug market without having it analysed.
Most areas of the UK have ‘street agencies’ or projects (sometimes called community drug services or community drug teams) which offer a range of services including information and advice, counselling, and sometimes support groups and complementary therapies such as acupuncture. Some services have extended working hours and may offer weekend support. If use of this substance becomes a problem you can seek help, advice and counselling from a service in your area. However, very few users of ecstasy and other 'dance drugs' present at drug agencies because they don't perceive their recreational use to be a problem. Many drug agencies do outreach or other information work with young dance-drug users. For a description of what the different drug services do, choose helping services from here or the main menu.

Parents & other relatives

Drug agencies also provide lots of advice and support to parents of young people using these drugs. Many street agencies can provide relative support groups or counselling for family members, partners etc.

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