Beware “Extreme Ecstasy”

This poorly written article got a Drudge link a few days into the new year. This extreme version of Ecstasy is MDMA cut with methamphetamine. This has been occurring, to varying degrees, ever since Ecstasy was made illegal. MDMA was first synthesized in 1912, saw minor recreational use in the 1960s, was used by some mental health professionals for therapeutic purposes starting in the 1970s, then became popular around Dallas – especially in gay clubs – in the early 1980s. Once the gays get hold of something, it has to go – MDMA was classified Schedule I in the U.S. in 1985.

MDMA isn’t perfectly safe, nor is it nearly as harmful everyone I know believes. It is more dangerous when cut with methamphetamine or other dangerous adulterants. Most of the danger associated with Ecstasy is due to its illegality. Recently, I saw someone sum up drug policy very succinctly: you can put the control of drugs in the hands of the government, private enterprise, or criminals. There is no other option. You cannot curb the demand for drugs, nor can you stop the supply. We know this because we have tried – really, really hard – to do both. By leaving drugs in the hands of criminals, we ensure huge profits for our enemies. Radicals in Afghanistan, paramilitary groups in South America, Mexican kingpins, etc. When we wage silent wars against production strongholds, the supply simply shifts to another area. Hundreds of billions of dollars don’t get left sitting on the table simply because the U.S. wills it so.

No, You’re Wrong. Actually . . .

I catalog scams and urban legends. Misconceptions about illegal drugs and health-related issues. Basically any subject where I might overhear someone say something naive or ignorant and can jump in with an: “Actually, that’s a common misconception. The truth is . . .” I swear that isn’t the motivation, but there is a switch that flips in my brain when I’m faced with misinformation that I know better about. I just can’t help being a know-it-all.

These situations come up weekly, on average – depending on how often I put myself in social situations. A couple in the last week frustrated me more than usual. The first came at work. Someone mentioned Halloween, and one of my (young) co-workers mentioned how sad it is that people put razor blades and poison into Halloween candy that they distribute to children. Chances are, unless you have an affinity for urban legends, you believe this poisonification of Halloween to be true as well.