History and Effects of Club Drugs Meth and Ecstasy

While the effects of ecstasy and meth vary to some extent, the histories of these two distinct drugs begin to intertwine. Both drugs were synthesized at the beginning of the Twentieth Century at a time when the pharmaceutical market was beginning to take its hold on the world. Each drug filled the role of a variety of different elixirs before being cast into the realm of illicit substances. While both drugs are considered extremely harmful to their users, the extent to which these drugs are used varies greatly. Ecstasy seems to have remained within the same demographic for over twenty years, although the areas in which usage occurs spans across the entire country. The demographic of meth users, on the other hand, varies significantly, but the areas of usage seem to be more concentrated. Since both drugs are considered to be stimulants, the long- and short-terms effects of ecstasy and meth use are strikingly similar. The varying degrees to which these drugs are comparable (or not) will be demonstrated below.

Etiology/History of Ecstasy
MDMA, also known as ecstasy, was first synthesized in 1912 in Germany by the Merck company while they were attempting to produce Hydrastinine (a drug that causes the constriction of blood vessels). After receiving its patent in 1914, MDMA was used as an appetite suppressant until the United States government began testing the drug as a truth serum in the 1950s. After the military finished its testing, the psychoanalytic community began using MDMA during therapeutic sessions (EcstasyâÂ?¦, para. 1-7). “[T]he emotional closeness MDMA users feel towards anyone near to them has lead some therapists to see the drug as a potential elixir for relieving pain and distress for terminal cancer patients, opening clients to their emotions, treating eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol and drug abuse, increasing self-acceptance and for repairing damaged relationships” (Durrheim, para. 6). Although ecstasy was made illegal by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in 1985 because it was found to cause addiction and serious brain damage, parts of the psychotherapeutic community still rally behind its use during sessions.

“By 1984 the drug was still legal and was being used widely among students in the USA under its new name ‘Ecstasy’. (Rumor has it that a big-time dealer called it ‘Empathy’, but, although the name is more appropriate, he found that Ecstasy had more sales appeal.)” (Saunders 1994, para. 9) Ecstasy was popularized as a “dance” drug in the 1980s and was commonly used by young adults during this time period. Before its illegalization in 1985, “ecstasy [began to replace] cocaine as the drug of choice in bars and clubs, and in some US states could be purchased behind the counters with a credit card” (History of Ecstasy 2001, para. 5).

“A batch of ‘China White’âÂ?¦caused a form of severe brain damage similar to Parkinson’s disease” (Saunders 1994, para. 11) triggering the passage of a new law allowing the DEA to impose an emergency ban on any drug that could potentially cause harm to its users. MDMA was the first drug to become a victim of this law causing an enormous amount of media attention to be placed on the drug and a new wave of drug usage throughout the U.S. “The case ended with the judge recommending that MDMAâÂ?¦[be allowed] to be manufactured, to be used on prescription and to be the subject of research. But the commendation was ignored by the DEAâÂ?¦A group of MDMA supporters made a successful challenge to this decision in the Federal Court of Appeal, but their objections were overturned on 23rd March 1988” (Saunders 1994, para. 11).

Pharmacology/Symptoms and Effects of Long-Term Abuse of Ecstasy
“MDMA produces a state of reduced anxiety and lowered defensiveness, as well as a heightened effect from physical contact. The hallucinogenic effects of MDMA result from initial increased release of the brain neurotransmitter, serotoninâÂ?¦The stimulant effects of MDMA are produced as a result of an increased release of the brain neurotransmitter, dopamine” (Sprague, Pharmacological Effects para. 1). Short-term usage of ecstasy may cause such symptoms as: confusion, sleep problems, anxiety, teeth clenching, addiction, paranoia, nausea, chills and sweating, blurred vision, acne-like rash, brain damage, depression, liver damage, and aggression (Ecstasy Effects 2005, para. 2). “In addition to these consequences, impaired memory and long term reduction of serotonin and dopamine can disrupt normal brain activity in the ecstasy user and cause learning disorders and emotional problems” (Ecstasy Effects 2005, para. 3).

While the long-term effects of ecstasy abuse are still under investigation, “a 1999 National Institute on Drug Abuse study said brain scans revealed a significant decrease in serotonin transporters in heavy users compared to a control group” (DangersâÂ?¦para. 2). The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency links this decrease in serotonin transporters to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and paranoia in long-term users of the drug (DangersâÂ?¦para. 1). Various studies have found that repeated usage may also cause memory impairment and an increased risk of mental health problems. The problem in studying these effects is that no two ecstasy pills are the same, and most pills today contain little to no MDMA.

Usage Trends and Population Affected by Ecstasy
“[T]he National Institute of Drug Abuse-funded survey of nearly 50,000 high school students, called Monitoring the FutureâÂ?¦found that of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-graders, 5%, 8%, and 12%, respectively, had reported ever taking Ecstasy [in 2001]” (Sprague, Usage Trends para. 1). The Harvard School of Public Health Alcohol Study in 1997 and 1999 found that ecstasy usage among college students rose from 2.8% in ’97 to 4.7% in ’99. The study also found that ecstasy users were more likely to binge drink, smoke cigarettes and marijuana, and have more sexual partners than those who do not take ecstasy (Sprague, Usage Trends para. 2). Usage mainly occurs among teens and young adults because of its popularity among the rave and nightclub scene. The Community Epidemiology Work Group found a rise in usage among Hispanic- and African-American population and “the highest numbers of MDMA [emergency department] mentions in the 2002 period were in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston, and Detroit” (NIDAâÂ?¦Extent of Use para.1).

Etiology/History of Meth
Methamphetamine (MA) is a derivative of amphetamine which “was first synthesized by Edeleano in Germany in 1887, but it only entered clinical medicine in the late 1920s when its psycho-stimulant effect was recognized” (The Benzedrine Inhaler, para. 1). In 1932, a company called Smith, Kline, and French introduced the Benzedrine Inhaler. This inhaler used amphetamine to cure asthma, hay-fever, and the common cold. Soon after, “doctors prescribed amphetamine for depression, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, travel-sickness, night-blindness, hyperactive disorders of children, obesity, narcolepsy,
impotence, and apathy in old age” (The Benzedrine Inhaler, para. 1). Later, amphetamine was prescribed in the 1950s and 1960s as a medication for depression and obesity and was sometimes referred to as “pep pills” (Anglin et al, 2000, para. 1).
Discovered in 1919, methamphetamine is simpler and cheaper to synthesize than amphetamine. It was made into a powder form which made it perfect for injection (History of Meth (1998), para. 3). “In the United States in the 1950s, legally manufactured tablets of both dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) and methamphetamine (Methedrine) became readily available and were used non medically by college students, truck drivers, and athletes” (History of Meth (1998), para. 4). In 1970, the Controlled Substances Act prevented any further legal production of methamphetamine.

Today meth is produced through two different methods. “Large-scale production of methamphetamine using [the ephedrine/psuedoephedrine reduction] method is dependent on ready access to bulk quantities of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. During the past two years, several bulk ephedrine seizures destined for Mexico focused attention on the magnitude of ephedrine acquisition by organized crime drug groups operating from Mexico and in the United States” (History of Meth (1998), para. 8). Today, meth manufacturing occurs more frequently in rural areas of the U.S. due to the intense smell that comes from the burning of chemicals. It can be concocted from a variety of toxic chemicals found in common household products and can be made at home.

Pharmacology/Symptoms and Effects of Long-Term Abuse of Meth
“[M]ethamphetamineâÂ?¦resembles a fine coarse powder, crystal or chunks. Its color varies from off-white to yellow, and it is furnished in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, capsules or tablets of various sizes and colors. It is taken into the body by swallowing, snorting or injecting intravenously” (Methamphetamine Effects (1995), para. 1). Meth symptoms are very similar to those of cocaine or heroin, but methamphetamine is more readily available, less expensive, and has a longer-lasting effect than these other stimulants (Methamphetamine Effects (1995), para. 2).

Short-term effects of methamphetamine include: extreme elation, wakefulness, alertness, enhanced self-confidence, aggression, talkativeness, loss of appetite, increased initiative, and increased physical activity. “Short- and long-term health effects of MA use include stroke, cardiac arrhythmia, stomach cramps, shaking, anxiety, insomnia, paranoia, hallucinations, and structural changes to the brain” (Anglin et al, 2000, para.1). Withdrawal symptoms may include: severe craving, deep depression, fatigue, inertia, paranoia, and psychosis, causing the user to keep injecting the drug to avoid these symptoms.
Meth users are not just at risk from the effects of the drug alone, but also from outside causes related to methamphetamine usage. If the drug is injected, the user raises his/her risk of contracting HIV or AIDS, as well as other cardiovascular diseases. The effects of a high from meth may also induce mental illness, suicide, and violent death due to the “superman syndrome” associated with meth use (Methamphetamine Effects 1995, para. 7-9).

Usage Trends and Population Affected by Meth
“According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Results From the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings, more than 12 million people age 12 and older (5.3%) reported that they had used methamphetamine at least once in their lifetime. Of those surveyed, 597,000 persons age 12 and older (0.3%) reported past month use of methamphetamine” (Methamphetamine (2003), Prevalence Estimates para. 1). Although meth is available across the United States, the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s Community Epidemiology Work Group found in 2002 that meth indicators were the highest on the West Coast, parts of the Southwest, and parts of Hawaii, and the highest number of people arrested while on meth was in the Western part of the U.S. “Out of 36 sites, the highest percentages of adult male arrestees testing positive for methamphetamine were located in Honolulu (44.8%), Sacramento (33.5%), San Diego (31.7%), and Phoenix (31.2%). Out of 23 sites, the highest percentages of adult female arrestees testing positive for methamphetamine were located in Honolulu (50%), San Jose (42.8%), Phoenix (41.7%), Salt Lake City (37.7%), and San Diego (36.8%)” (Methamphetamine (2003), Regional Observations para. 3).