Something that has never been seen on the same level in the history of human civilization; perhaps only comparable to the Greek celebrations to the god Dionysos.
Three hundred thirty-thousand people.
Ten million live youtube viewers.
The largest Electronic Dance Music festival in the world.
Ultra Dance Festival, an annual celebration, took over Miami this past March and created one of the greatest staged event of EDM music since its inception in the early 1980's. If you are in the twenty-something category you know that EDM is our culture's musical genre, as disco was to those in the 1970's. Although I was unable to attend this event live, I was one of the millions watching this event on Youtube, even when I was in a lighting hang for my show in Patrons theatre. Although my education takes me to small black box theatres, I will eventually end up working these unprecedented spectacle musical events.
So what does this dance music event have to do with drugs? Well everything… "In order to really understand Molly, you need to understand that Molly and EDM are hopelessly intertwined… EDM doesn't exist without club drugs, a majority of the culture and event is built around 'letting go' and 'rolling'…If you're attending a large EDM event…over half of the people will consume Molly…" (KISS). Molly has entered into our culture in an irreproachable manner, with little negative propaganda from the government. But what really is Molly? What is its history? How does it affect me? Why is it illegal? What are the negative effects? Is it scary? Where can I get some? And how can I safely take some?
Molly is a mind altering drug that is usually taken in conjunction with EDM music events. These events are typically attended by white youth between 17-25 worldwide.
Some one hundred one years ago, Dr. Anton Köllisch of Merck Pharmaceuticals, in attempt to create blood-clotting medication discovered a new string of chemicals. As you might predict, one of those was 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine, or MDMA for short.
Dr. Köllisch nor Merck had no idea the potential for the compound and it was stored in their records until 1953. During the US government's experimental drug exploration, the compound was taken out of storage and tested to be used as a weapon of espionage. It wasn't until 1978 when Alexander Shulgin and David Nichols published the first study of MDMA on humans.
This is the first time doctors learned of the drug's potential for human therapy. There were thousands of therapy sessions where MDMA was used and then it jumped to recreational levels. At this time there were no controls on the drug and use of the drug began to skyrocket in the club scene. Dallas, Texas was one of the first cities that added MDMA to the party scene.
Shulgin in his lab, 1978
This is the first time doctors learned of the drug's potential for human therapy. There were thousands of therapy sessions where MDMA was used and then it jumped to recreational levels. At this time there were no controls on the drug and use of the drug began to skyrocket in the club scene. Dallas, Texas was one of the first cities that added MDMA to the party scene.
In reaction to the widespread recreational use of a narcotic, the DEA used its emergency powers to classify MDMA as a schedule one drug. Keep in mind schedule one drugs hold the label as having a high level of potential abuse with no medical value. "Despite expert testimony and court recommendations, it became illegal to make or possess MDMA, so research into its therapeutic value all but disappeared" (Beckley). This obviously did not stop people who had the opportunity to get their hands on it from taking it. "Ecstasy became associated with the birth of Acid House music in the Spanish tourist resort of Ibiza. By the summer of ‘86, Ibiza was popularly known as 'XTC Island'. Returning tourists and disc-jockeys took the message back home. The UK’s rave scene was born. Hundreds of thousands of tablets were consumed each weekend in the famous “Summer of Love” (1988)" (Trans). Ecstasy at this point moved over to the other side of the pond along with a majority of the rave scene that the US first held.
Meanwhile the US was doing everything in its power to hold MDMA as a brain melting drug. MTV aired a special showing what looked like holes in a heavy MDMA user's brain. In 2002 the infamous 'swiss cheese' or 'ice cream scoop' research hoax was released. Now the mind-alterent has resurfaced in the US both with the resurgence of EDM music in main stream culture but also in the medical arena. "Researchers and therapists are rediscovering the potential of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy to transform the lives of men and woman suffering from PTSD" (Beckley).
So what exactly does MDMA do?
MDMA causes increased neurotransmitter activity by increasing the activity of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. "Taking MDMA causes both an increased neuronal reuptake inhibition of the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and also, critically, its increased synaptic release. The consequent additional flood of serotonin in the user’s synapses is soon followed by an increased release of dopamine especially in the reward centres of the striatum and nucleus accumbens. Release of oxytocin, the “cuddle hormone”, surges too via stimulation of the serotonin 5-HT(1A) receptors" (Trans). In laymen's terms, it is "penicillin of the soul"(trans).
Leo Zeff, a psychologist from Oakland, California, dubs the drug "'Adam' for what he saw as its power to return patients to an Eden-like state of uncorrupted consciousness." (Oprah)
"MDMA can promote an extraordinary clarity of introspective self-insight, together with a deep love of self and a no less emotionally intense empathetic love of others. MDMA also acts as a euphoriant. The euphoria is usually gentle and subtle; but sometimes profound…. On pure MDMA, subjects feel at peace with themselves and the world. They discover an enhanced sense of self-worth, self-forgiveness and complete self-acceptance. Cynical thoughts and negative feelings disappear. Aspects of life normally too sensitive to talk about can be explored freely… MDMA acts to boost self-esteem and self-confidence, while paradoxically diminishing egotism. The user’s sense of social isolation vanishes. 'I love the world and the world loves me', affirmed one beneficiary of MDMA-assisted therapy" (Trans).
There are 4 different stages of effects of MDMA. Comeup, peak, comedown, and afterglow. In comeup, one gradually begins to feel the effects spread around the body. Typically one will feel nauseous, but this period will only last from 15-60 minutes, dependent on many variables. Then the peak, which is when the intense effects are felt. Some feel a long plateau but others might receive a series of rushes, coming up and down. The comedown, as it sounds, is when the effects begin to wear off. Users will typically feel tired, sore, and potentially depressed; all these will be directly related to how the user performed before, during, and after administering drug. Preloading and post loading shall be discussed later. Afterglow is the state after the comedown, where some users will be in a state of happiness for days after or some will "crash". This can be lack of energy, weak muscles, depression, nausea, mental fuzziness, being overly tired, or unable to sleep; all which are able to be helped or even eliminated with good preloading and post loading practices.
So if there is a drug that is considered "Adam… returning patients to an Eden-like state of uncorrupted consciousness" how is it that it could possibly be illegal? What the fuck right?
Well obviously I'm right there with you. If you were along with the ride last week, you know about a bit about the failing "Just Say No" campaign that the Reagans pounded into the American culture.Basically any mind-altering substance, other than those of corporate pharmaceuticals, were banned, despite any scientific evidence.
It is pretty clear that Nancy Reagan wanted to stuff down the throats of Americans, God, rather than have them make their own decision of how to find internal satisfaction.
It is pretty clear that Nancy Reagan wanted to stuff down the throats of Americans, God, rather than have them make their own decision of how to find internal satisfaction.
Despite efforts from all sides, religious, scientific, medical, and even judicial review, the DEA administration went forward with placing it on the schedule I status in 1985, despite the efforts to place it on schedule III status. For the detailed story go here. The entire process is a blatantly flawed, illegal, and inappropriate process of power by some of the highest levels of the US government. Basically, the DEA totally screwed the pooch on this one… At this point the only step to move this and really any drug off illegal status is to draft a new U.N. Convention which would give the power of decriminalization and personal possession, while including regulation allowances to individual countries. (Beckley) Obviously this will be no easy task.
But the fact is that MDMA is illegal and there is no getting around that. Obviously that isn't stopping the EDM culture from actually condoning its use. Even with its potential to "open up a direct channel to God", as a Benedictine monk explains, newton's third law has to come into play somewhere here; there has to be some kind of catch…
Before we jump into negative effects I want to first mention something that Brad Burge of Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies brings up. "MDMA has now (2012) been administered to nearly 550 participants in clinical research settings, without a single negative side effect happening as a result of the drug" (Beckley). But lets see what the US government warns about the drug…
"MDMA is not a benign drug. MDMA can produce a variety of adverse health effects, including nausea, chills, sweating, involuntary teeth clenching, muscle cramping, and blurred vision. MDMA overdose can also occur—the symptoms can include high blood pressure, faintness, panic attacks, and in severe cases, a loss of consciousness and seizures. MDMA is associated with vigorous physical activity for extended periods. This can lead to one of the most significant, although rare, acute adverse effects—a marked rise in body temperature (hyperthermia)" (NIH). Yet it is not physically addictive, only physiologically. After the importance it can take on some people's lives, users might take it too frequently, which although there is no research to conclusively say this is unsafe, it will eventually lose its special effect. (DanceSafe)
A well known fact about Ecstasy is that you have to carefully examine your hydration. Too much water and you risk hyponatremia, too little you can slip into a state of hyperthermia- for me the "sipping" method works well. Drinking liquids high in electrolytes (i.e. Gatorade) to not deplete salt levels in the body also works well. For more detail on this important element of taking MDMA check out this Erowid brief.
If you are diabetic, taking antidepressants, epileptics, too old or (too young), or overall just don't think you could handle the unlocking power of the drug, you obviously shouldn't take the drug… Like anything its just about self-control and just using common sense.
Really the most unsafe part of taking MDMA is not actually the MDMA. According to Harvard Medical School's most recent study on MDMA, "Ecstasy consumption is dangerous because illegally made pills often contain contaminants that can have harmful side-effects. As the study shows, the major danger associated with the drug is not the drug itself but other contaminants that are included." (Beckley)
To be clear this danger is being caused directly by the DEA and its failed scheduling programs. "Adulterants found in MDMA tablets purchased on the street include methamphetamine, caffeine, the over-the-counter cough suppressant dextromethorphan, the diet drug ephedrine, and cocaine" (NIH). The easiest way to combat this issue is to purchase self testing kits, which shall be explained later.
To be clear this danger is being caused directly by the DEA and its failed scheduling programs. "Adulterants found in MDMA tablets purchased on the street include methamphetamine, caffeine, the over-the-counter cough suppressant dextromethorphan, the diet drug ephedrine, and cocaine" (NIH). The easiest way to combat this issue is to purchase self testing kits, which shall be explained later.
The recent MDMA deaths around the country that have been publicized by the media are most likely caused by dangerous mixtures with other drugs or adulterated MDMA. Unfortunately finding exact information on the deaths is damn near impossible due to the innumerable variables that are in effect.
So with this drug doing so much in our brains, that has to be bad right?!?!
According to NIH, "Numerous studies in animals have demonstrated that MDMA can damage serotonin-containing neurons;1,3 some of these studies have shown these effects to be long lasting". They continue saying "improved imaging technologies and more research are needed to confirm these findings and to elucidate the exact nature of the effects of MDMA on the human brain…In humans, the research is not conclusive at this time…" (NIH)
As with any drug, especially one that directly effects our brain, there needs to be bountiful quantities of research for any sort of conclusion to be met, but also for the US government to be satisfied with its classification system. One of the biggest excuses the DEA made for placing MDMA on schedule I is that it could not fully satisfy the FDA's regulations to be faithfully placed on the schedule III status. Ironically, the only people who have enough money to do the research required for the FDA are the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical companies, who have no interest in spending a billion dollars on a drug that has an expired patent, because well its just not in their best interests financially.
For most of its popular lifetime, most people thought that MDMA was a lot worse than it actually is. It didn't help that in 2002 the "swiss cheese" research was published by Science magazine. In his article, scientist George Ricaurte "outlined the severe neurotoxic of MDMA on dopaminergic neurons, producing what looks like "holes" in the brain and causing Parkinson's-like symptoms in users" (Palm). This was a media frenzy. In a sick twist of fate, the article was later retracted as the test subjects, which were monkeys, were actually given methamphetamines, not MDMA. The publisher was criticized for clearly being apart of a "political scare tactic" (Palm). Obviously the retraction gained very little publicity and much of the "general public still believe that MDMA will 'eat holes in your brain'" (Palm).
There are two major organizations that are supporting international research on MDMA for post traumatic stress disorder, better know as PTSD. "Against formidable odds, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) has been seeking funding and FDA-approval for controlled trials of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. If these trials are successful, then MAPS hopes that MDMA could eventually become a prescription-medicine" (Trans). The more world-wide organization is Beckley Foundation, which focuses on all drugs, not just MDMA. The Foundation "has focused on using psychoactive substances as tools to alter cognitive function. By studying the impacts psychoactive substances, like MDMA, have on the brain, we gain a clearer understanding of brain flow, neural activity, and how the mind works" (Beckley). I find it fascinating how powerful this drug really is when it comes to how our brain works and how it has the potential to find far deeper understandings of the human mind than ever thought possible. A little bizarre still is how this is a schedule I drug in the eyes of the DEA and US government. (Probably why no one in their right mind actually listens to them for advice on drug use…)
The most recent and perhaps most scientifically valid study done on MDMA comes from Harvard Medical School. They first pointed out the many errors in previous research done on the controversial drug. "Previous studies had made over-arching conclusions from insufficient data, and that the drug's dangers have been greatly exaggerated…"(Beckley). "Too many studies have been carried out on small populations, while overarching conclusions have been drawn from them… Some previous research has studied users who were taken from a culture dominated by all-night dancing, which thus exposed these individuals to sleep and fluid deprivation – factors that are themselves known to produce long-lasting cognitive effects. Essentially we compared one group of people who danced and raved and took ecstasy with a similar group of individuals who danced and raved but who did not take ecstasy. When we did that, we found that there was no difference in their cognitive abilities" (Harvard). Other research's data was flawed because the problematic results came from other factors not related to MDMA itself.
Okay so great. Now we can make a personal judgement here and say that it is relatively safe to use. Many first time users ask, "Is it scary?" Well obviously this is nothing someone can answer because everyone reacts to it differently. I would say the scariest part about it is the anxiety when it is first administered because of the feeling of your body "releasing" itself from the stressful grounds of humanistic sober reality. MDMA is not a powerful hallucinogenic like say mushrooms or LSD but it is a methoxylated amphetamine, which structurally emulates mescaline or better known as peyote. "MDMA may feel mystical, magical or sublime; but it doesn’t feel weird. The drug’s influence feels highly controllable. MDMA tends to enrich the user’s sense of self-identity, not diminish it. MDMA 'provides a centering experience, rather than an ego diffusing experience' (Dr. Philip Wolfson), though it may also cause a 'softening of the ego-boundaries'" (Trans).
Okay so now I know how awesome it is… where can I get some? Well MISTER PINK, a EDM DJ promoter explains in an eye-opening article that MDMA can be readily found at any major EDM event (and most likely any smaller ones around the country). Also underground online marketplaces are the amazon of the drug trade, is a far more legitimate place to buy from than a sketchy guy in a dark club. This drug market will probably be brought up later on in this blog.
So now you have your MDMA! Its either in a capsule, in powder form, or in a pill form. It can be administered either orally, sublingually, rectally, insufflation, or in a dangerous manner but still valid via injection. If you are able to, I would definitely research and perform a self test on the product so you know its purity. Erowid has great resources for where to start for these tests. If you don't know the site Erowid, it is the site for any type of drug information you might ever need.
One of the most important part of your MDMA experience is the preload and post load. This is basically to prepare the body for the shock that MDMA performs so you can remain as healthy as you can. If done properly, one could avoid almost all of the side effects. This is the best online resource I have been able to find to give you a good plan for this. As an MDMA user, this is the one area I really wish I could get advice from a medical professional, but until it becomes a controlled substance, good luck getting anything other than negative comments from your doctor.
So all in all, as with any choice in life, the choice of taking MDMA is highly personal and up to each human to consciously decide if they want to dive into the realms that MDMA will allow them to go in. Despite any information you might have heard or inferred about the drug, I hope that you are able to make an unbiased, free decision about the drug. "But, all and all, most people still agree that they [feel] safer using MDMA than any other drugs, including drinking alcohol…. For those of you who have not seen the world of [MDMA], I recommend that you open your eyes to their world. "Hippies," during the '60s, can relate to this culture when they used to "expanded" their mind and shared their thoughts among a group of people who offer nothing but love and peace. [It] can be a utopia for just one night. But during this night, people forget about their worries and their unhappiness. Even though, [they] know that reality will hit them when they have to return to work on Monday, they will never forget the night before" (Wolfe).
A detailed guide can be found here: http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/threads/79027-MDMA-Essential-Guide-v1-00?s=&r=22
MDMA and SSRIs- http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/mdma/mdma_info9.shtml
Festival Guide: http://dancesafe.org/content/story/win-summer-festivals
Drug Science: http://www.drugscience.org.uk/drugs-info/