The Ecstasy compound was first produced by Merck, a German pharmaceutical company. There have been misconceptions about the initial purpose of the compound. Some people have associated it with being used to fight appetite. According to the available information, the compound was to be used in producing other products. For so many years, Ecstasy remained undiscovered and almost forgotten despite its existence.
Alexander Shulgin is the person who discovered that the compound was a phenethylamine (Benzenhöfer and Passie 1356). Shulgin tested many phenethylamines using his body and made their accomplished list. He introduced Ecstasy to his friend who was a psychologist. The psychologist did a lot in distributing the compound to his colleagues in a network that had over 4000 people (Benzenhöfer and Passie 1357). The compound got to psychiatrists who took it as a wonder drug and used it alongside their patients. The Boston Group company’s member-initiated setting up shop, as selling the compound was to create a whole new market. It was not until 1985 that the compound was made illegal in the US. By then, its use had already become widespread across the States.
When all this was happening, the tentacles of the compound kept reaching far and wide. It was made illegal in Britain in 1977 but its use was favored by the high cost of drugs then. It came in handy as a cheap substitute. In 1987, the compound bounced back with a bang. It was popularized by DJs and its use increased particularly among dance clubs’ goers. The popularity got a setback after years of the campaign against drug abuse. The death of a teenage girl that was associated with Ecstasy further affected its market. Like other drugs, Ecstasy’s euphoria spread to other countries giving it international status.
Ecstasy’s physical effects could be looked at from different angles. The first one involves the building of the effects when the body is adjusting to the drug. The victim may experience nausea and even vomit. Body temperature raises and vision becomes blurred making it hard to focus on objects properly. The second level pertains to the sustained feeling for as long as the concentration of the drug is high in the body. One feels relaxed, excited, and alert and does not fear anything.
At the final stage, the drug’s concentration starts going down and the person feels tired. At all levels, Ecstasy may cause damage to the internal organs such as the heart and kidneys (Darke et al. 3). The brain may not be spared either. When such vital organs are put at risk, the result could be ultimate death. In the process of exiting the body, the metabolic rate is increased and that is why sweating is a common phenomenon amongst Ecstasy abusers. Loss of appetite is also one of the effects (Singer and Schensul 1).
The psychological effects also manifest themselves in the three levels mentioned above but they generally overlap one another. One may become anxious, depressed, and confused. Hallucinating is also a common side effect (Darke et al. 3). At this point, one may feel unwanted and even believe in things that are not real. Thoughts of suicide may arise compounding the problem. One becomes angry at the slightest provocation. This becomes the onset of ill mental health. If the appropriate interventions do not take place, the victim may become a lunatic.
Works Cited
Benzenhöfer, Udo, and Passie Torsten. “Rediscovering MDMA (Ecstasy): The Role of the American Chemist Alexander T. Shulgin.” Addiction 105.8 (2010): 1355-1361. Academic Search Premier. Web.
Darke, Shane, Sharlene Kaye, Rebecca McKetin, and Johan Duflou. “Major Physical and Psychological Harms of Methamphetamine Use.” Drug & Alcohol Review 27.3 (2008): 253-262. Academic Search Premier. Web.
Singer, Elyse O., and Jean J. Schensul. “Negotiating Ecstasy Risk, Reward and Control: A Qualitative Analysis of Drug Management Patterns among Ecstasy-Using Urban Young Adults.” Substance Use & Misuse 46.13 (2011): 1675-1689. Academic Search Premier. Web.