Searching for Molly. Andrew Yang

Transcription

1 Searching for Molly Andrew Yang MDMA is short for 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine. Perhaps, one might be a little more familiar with its street colloquial terms such as E, XTC, X, Adam, Molly, Clarity, or Love Drug. All these urban colloquial terms are names for the infamous drug ecstasy. In the past year ecstasy has been illegally abused by approximately million people globally. During the past 10 years in the U.S. alone, more than two percent of teenagers have used this drug at some point and approximately 5% of the population age 12 or older has at least tried ecstasy at least once in their lives. Although the topic of drug abuse is a very sensitive topic and frowned upon by the general public, the entertainment industry has a different outlook on this opinion, causing American youth to embraced drug use in its entirety. Many songs in popular music celebrate drug use. For example, Molly, a song produced by the rapper Tyga is used to glorify the use of ecstasy. Numerous other songwriters have followed suit and made references to ecstasy within their songs. The youth of today accepts these messages in these songs and praise drug use because it enhances street credibility by making one cool or help one get with bad bitches. Does this drug magically, as most people like to call it, give one the ability to accomplish that? Although it is indisputable that one will gain street credibility for taking ecstasy, as portrayed by popular culture, is it truly worthwhile for one to also deal with its consequences? (Molecular Structure of NMDA) Ecstasy has a very unique history. It is common knowledge that ecstasy is illegal. However, at one point in time, it was made available to the public. In 1912, ecstasy was first synthesized by German Merck Pharmaceuticals, which was originally interested in designing a drug to stop abnormal bleeding. Forty years later, in 1953, the US army financed a study for the toxicity of ecstasy. Ecstasy became a drug of choice as a tool for interrogation. Beginning in the early 1980s, ecstasy was promoted as the hottest thing in the continuing search for happiness through chemistry. Ecstasy causes amplification of body responses causing euphoria, a sense of intimacy with others, diminished anxiety, and mild psychedelia. The drug had become a popular substance of choice at local discos and trendy nightclubs. From there, rave attendees began to take notice of the drug s enhancement of the senses and began to embrace it. Eventually, ecstasy reached international stardom by spreading to Europe. Ecstasy eventually became a depressant

2 consumed by many to alleviate serious psychological problems. It was not until 1985 that the drug was banned and considered illegal in the U.S.. Other countries soon began to follow the precedent set by the U.S. and began the ban of ecstasy. The DEA categorizes E as a Schedule I substance, categorized along with the most dangerous drugs that are suitable not for medical use. The penalties for possession, manufacturing or distribution of the drug are frightening. There is zero tolerance for anyone who has any association of some sort with the drug. Penalties can range from a minimum jail sentence of 4 years to life, and fines can range from $250,000 to $ 4,000,000 depending on the amount of drug in one s possession. Because selling ecstasy became profitable due to its ban, many criminal organizations center their operations on selling ecstasy. Why does the government heavily enforce the ban of ecstasy and prosecute those found with it? The drug is simply deemed as too dangerous and detrimental to the human body. In the most common scenario, after taking the drug, individuals go beyond the physical limits and endurance. A person who has consumed ecstasy will not realize that their body has reached it limits. Their body function will be severely disrupted, preventing them from realizing that they have become overheated, causing a risk for fainting or death. (Common ecstasy pills) Chemically, ecstasy is chiral molecule, structurally related to amphetamines. It is often administered as a racemate mix. The two enantiomers exhibit different drug metabolism in the body. The S-form more readily in causes 5-HT, NE and DA release. The R-form is less readily in their releases. The S-form is known to have a shorter elimination half life and a greater excretion than the R form. In other words, for a fixed time after either the S or R enantiomers haave been administered, the plasma lifetime of the R form is significantly longer than that of the S form. The main difference between ecstasy and amphetamines is the presence of the methylenedioxy group (-O-CH2-O-) attached to the aromatic ring. This attachment also makes the drug resemble the structure of the hallucinogen mescaline. Like amphetamines, ecstasy is a synthetic substance. Similar to amphetamines and cocaine, ecstasy can exist as a free base or as salts of various acids. Unlike these drugs, ecstasy tends not to be inhaled in its free base form because the

3 methylenedioxy group raises the boiling point of the free base so high that it becomes too difficult to use in such a manner. As a result, ecstasy is commonly administered orally. Ecstasy acts on the body by releasing various neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. These neurotransmitters enter the neurons through monoamine transporters. Ecstasy inhibits the monoamine transporters and increases the concentration of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine in the cytoplasm. Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter that contributes to the feeling of well being and happiness; one might have heard of the rewards pathway. The increase of serotonin concentration in the cytoplasm causes ecstasy user to feel happy. Three neurobiological mechanisms on the body have been suggested. Ecstasy increases the body s release of oxytocin, which can strengthen therapeutic alliance. Secondly, ecstasy increases the ventromedial prefrontal activity reducing activity in the amygdala, increasing emotional regulation and decreasing avoidance. Lastly, ecstasy increases norepinephrine release and cortisol levels, which can regulate emotional engagement and enhance extinction of learned fear associations, causing people to go on trips and overreact to danger or fear. Therefore, it is advised that one s companies do not do any actions that aggregate fear in the person taking ecstasy. Sensitivity of hearing escalates quickly due to enhanced association. Although ecstasy can give one euphoric feelings, it also takes a massive toll on the body when one uses it chronically. Study has found that ecstasy can increase the rates of depression and anxiety, even though one has already quit the drug. In addition, frequent abuse of ecstasy can lead to the degradation of mental health, lifestyle choices. It has also been known to cause severe liver damage, excessive wear of teeth, and the possibly of developing hallucinogen persisting perception disorder. Other long term effects include memory loss, kidney failure, degenerate nerve functions, psychosis, convulsion and cardiovascular collapse. There are also many short term health risks associated with popping a molly. These risks include hyperthermia and hypothermia. Other short term effects include confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, muscle tension, blurred vision, nausea, false sense of affection. The effects of ecstasy intensify when one has pre-existing medical conditions. The effects of ecstasy intensify with preexisting cardiovascular problems, such as cardiomyopathy, hypertension, viral myocarditis, and congenital cardiac conduction abnormalities. Few treatments have been proposed to treat ecstasy overdose. Antidepressant drugs such as Prozac, Paxil can mediate the serotonin release without disrupting the severe side effects. In less serious case of overdose, serotonin elevating supplements such as 5-HTP is used to alleviate the symptoms of ecstasy overdose. If the drug user started taking ecstasy due to emotional problems and not for a night out at the dance club, other solutions have been proposed to alleviate the abuse in order to prevent the user from taking ecstasy again. Although ecstasy addicts enjoy the euphoric feeling provided by ecstasy, many have also regretted consuming the drug. One ecstasy user said: Rave parties are okay so long as you don t take Ecstasy. But as soon as you start, you think people who advise you to stop are idiots. You

4 start to believe you have found something great and others must not try to tell you the contrary. When you start liking Ecstasy, it s too late, you re sunk. This one individual recalls the intensity of the drug and advises the beginners to not take the drug lightly. The drug makes one completely unaware of his or her surroundings. One long term abuser said: In five months, I went from living somewhat responsibly while pursuing my dream to a person who didn t care about a thing and the higher I got, the deeper I sank into a dark, lonely place. When I did sleep, I had nightmares and the shakes. I had pasty skin, a throbbing head and the beginnings of feeling paranoid, but ignored it all, thinking it was normal. Until the night I thought I was dying. Those who have consumed the drug first hand well know the harmful consequences that came with consuming the drug. The drug takes away an individual s ability to perform daily tasks and start to slowly deteriorate one s mental health. One s mental state worsens the more one abuses the drug. While the general public may be ignorant of the matter and the health consequences of ecstasy, they can educate themselves by looking up quick health statistics associated with the drug. They will realize that instantly boosting their credibility is not worth the health risks in the long run. Not only is taking ecstasy taking a toll on the user by taking away all of one s ability to perform regular function, but also it will make those around the drug user witness the disparity the user has go through. Since the ban of MDMA, governments around the world have taken many measures to decrease the abuse of ecstasy. However, with the rapid promotion of drug abuse through the entertainment industry, youths today have been brain-washed thinking drug abuse give them street credibility. With the continual expansion of multimedia through various social media networks and other means, the problem of drug abuse will continue to increase. Not only will the number of cases related to ecstasy consumption increase, but also it will start to target the audience at an early age. Songs promoting drug abuse will not stop. It is up to the audience to educate themselves before making decisions they will forever regret. Reference:

5