Drug crimes come in all shapes and sizes, but one that is common among youth is the use of MDMA. The drug, 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine, is best known as Ecstasy.
This drug produces feelings of euphoria, making it popular in the club scene. It affects the brain by causing increased dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. This results in euphoric feelings, increased energy, a higher heart rate and blood pressure, sexual arousal, a sense of trust and elevated mood.
While it has some benefits initially, the reality is that MDMA quickly becomes dangerous. It causes nausea, muscle cramps, blurred vision and chills. It can cause sweating and involuntary teeth clenching, depression, decreased appetite and trouble sleeping. Its effects last only three to six hours, leaving the user with withdrawal symptoms over the course of the next week.
MDMA has the negative effect of causing a spike in body temperature, which could result in heart failure, liver failure, trouble with the kidneys or death. The drug is often not pure, meaning that the person using it has no idea what substances may be inside.
If you sell MDMA or possess it for your own purposes, you can face serious trouble from the law. MDMA is an illegal substance, and it does not presently have any medical purpose. While it is being studied for its potential to treat terminally ill patients, those with social anxiety and those with traumatic stress disorder, there is not yet an approved form of the drug that is legal on the market. Getting caught with it in any form could lead to an arrest, jail time and heavy fines.
Source: Drug Facts, “What is MDMA?,” accessed May 10, 2018
