The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has a web site to provide scientific evidence about "club drugs." Go to: http://www.clubdrugs.org

Ecstasy: MDMA, called "XTC", or "X", is a Schedule I synthetic, psychoactive (mind-altering) drug with both amphetamine and hallucinogenic properties. Its chemical structure is similar to two other synthetic drugs, MDA and methamphetamine, which are known to cause brain damage. Commonly referred to as Ecstasy or XTC, MDMA was first synthesized in 1912 by a German company. In the late 70's MDMA was used to facilitate psychotherapy by a small group of therapists in the United States. Illicit use of the drug did not become popular until the late 1980's and early 1990's. MDMA is frequently used in combination with other drugs. However, it is rarely consumed with alcohol, as alcohol is believed to diminish its effects. It is most often distributed at late-night parties called "raves," nightclubs, and rock concerts. As the rave and club scene expands to metropolitan and suburban areas across the country, MDMA use and distribution are increasing as well.

What can XTC do to me?

According to its proponents, MDMA can make people trust each other and can break down barriers between therapists and patients, lovers, and family members. Many people claim that MDMA is a "safe drug"; these claims are reminiscent of what was said about LSD in the 1950's and 1960's, which proved to be untrue.

Many of the risks associated with MDMA are similar to those found with the use of amphetamines and cocaine.

• Psychological difficulties, including confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, severe anxiety, and paranoia--during and sometimes weeks after taking MDMA (even psychotic episodes have been reported).
• Physical symptoms such as muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, rapid eye movement, faintness, and chills or sweating.
• Increases in body temperature (hyperthermia) to potentially fatal levels.
• Increases in heart rate and blood pressure, a special risk for people with circulatory or heart disease.
• There is also evidence that people who develop a rash that looks like acne after using MDMA may be risking severe side effects, including liver damage, if they continue to use.
• Research findings link MDMA use to long-term damage to parts of the brain critical to thought and memory.

One inherent danger when taking an illegal substance is thinking it's Ecstasy when it may be an entirely different drug altogether. There are no agencies that supervise the production quality of these substances and this means that you never know what you're going to get. Officials say many makers of Ecstasy who are eager to cut costs and meet the demand for the euphoria-inducing drug are lacing the pills with cheaper and more dangerous substances. One drug that is being passed off as Ecstasy is PMA (paramethoxyamphetamine). When ingested, PMA causes sharp increases in body temperature. It also prevents blood from clotting and causes internal bleeding. "You essentially bleed to death from the inside," says Emily Romano of the New England Chapter of DanceSafe, a national group that promotes health and safety in nightclubs. Besides PMA, other common additives include amphetamines, Valium, and even caffeine.

Where does Ecstasy come from?

Clandestine laboratories operating throughout Western Europe, primarily in the Netherlands and Belgium, manufacture significant quantities of the drug in tablet, capsule, or powder form. Although the vast majority of MDMA consumed domestically is produced in Europe, a small number of MDMA labs operate in the United States. Overseas MDMA trafficking organizations smuggle the drug in shipments of 10,000 or more tablets via express mail services, couriers aboard commercial airline flights, or, more recently, through air freight shipments from several major European cities to cities in the United States. The drug is sold in bulk quantity at the mid-wholesale level in the United States for approximately eight dollars per dosage unit. The retail price of MDMA sold in clubs in the United States remains steady at twenty to thirty dollars per dosage unit. MDMA traffickers consistently use brand names and logos as marketing tools and to distinguish their product from that of competitors. The logos are produced to coincide with holidays or special events. Among the more popular logos are butterflies, lightning bolts, and four leaf clovers.

GHB: G, GABA, Grievous Bodily Harm, Liquid Lust, Soap, Easy Lay, Party Drug, or Liquid Ecstasy

GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) is a fast-acting central nervous system depressant previously sold over-the-counter in health food stores. Now illegal, some students use homemade GHB to produce intoxicating effects without the hang over effects of alcohol. The problem is, being homemade, the strength is difficult to judge and overdose is very easy. Also, the margin between intoxication and overdose is very small and it is extremely risky to mix GHB with other drugs, especially alcohol. Nationally, GHB overdose has resulted in permanent brain damage and death with one dose.

Effects can include:

• dizziness
• verbal incoherence
• immobility
• loss of bladder control
• unconsciousness
• diarrhea
• loss of memory
• seizures

• severe seizures
• respiratory distress
• cardiac arrest
• death

Rohypnol: "roofies"; fllunitrazepam is sometimes referred to as the "date-rape drug" due to its capacity to render someone helpless to sexual assault and rob them of their memories while under the influence. Rohypnol use can cause complete blackouts, coma, or even death. It is often slipped into someone's drink unknowingly, so it is important to know where your drink came from and to keep an eye on it at all times. If you believe someone has been slipped Rohypnol, get them to a hospital immediately.

This drug is a benzodiazepine, a central nervous system depressant. It is manufactured by Hoffman-LaRoche, Inc. in Europe and Latin America. Rohypnol is colorless and odorless, but has a slightly bitter taste when dissolved in alcohol. It is found in the form of a white or brownish-pink pill, slightly smaller than aspirin and is pre-sealed in a bubble-pack.

By itself, Rohypnol is a sedative 10 times more powerful than Valium. It creates a sleepy, relaxed, and drunk feeling that lasts for 2 to 8 hours, depending on the individual and the dosage. Effects experienced by users can include:

• feeling of fearlessness
• dizziness
• impaired motor functions
• aggressive behavior
• nausea
• prolonged blackouts
• loss of memory

• amnesia
• respiratory depression
• aspiration
• death

Ketamine: Ketalar, Ketaset, K, Special K, Vitamin K, Ket, Jet, Green, or KitKat

Commercially sold as Ketalar, this drug is a powerful anesthetic used primarily for veterinary purposes. Ketamine blocks the nerve pathways without depressing respiration or circulatory function.

Ketamine produces "disassociate anesthesia," where the mind feels separated from the body. It causes hallucinations, and as an anesthetic, stops the user from feeling pain. This could cause the user to unwittingly injury him or herself. Other effects include:

• increased blood pressure
• decreased heart rate
• vomiting
• combative or belligerent behavior
• spasms
• respiratory depression
• temporary paralysis
• unconsciousness

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