Drug Abuse Texas: Ecstasy Abuse – History and Facts

Ecstasy has gone from being an experimental drug researched by the military to a broadly abused “party drug”.

Ecstasy, like many other commonly abused street drugs, had its roots in the pharmaceutical industry.

Ecstasy, in its original form (called “MDMA”) was developed by the Merck corporation in 1912, and the drug resurfaced in military experiments attempting to find a drug for use in psychological warfare. The drug became popularized in the 80s, being advertised as a mood enhancer and covered in popular magazines as the “latest scientific step toward chemical happiness.” It was promoted as a party drug under the brand name “ecstasy”.

The drug was later banned in the late 80s. Since the 80s, the drug has been distributed as an illicit street drug and has grown more popular after the turn of the century.

Modern ecstasy often contains little or no MDMA, and rather may be a tablet concocted of various street drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine, as well as rat poison, caffeine, and other potentially dangerous substances including psychoactive drugs and poisons.

Ecstasy’s history followed the typical pattern of street drugs arriving to market. First came a period of time where it was actually developed and released by a pharmaceutical company as safe for public consumption. After a period of public use, however, the drug was pulled from the market as dangerous. People already addicted to the drug, however, continued to demand it, and so it arrived on the black market at a high price.

Side effects of ecstasy can include impaired judgment, a false sense of affection (which has sometimes occasioned ecstasy’s use as a date-rape drug), confusion, depression, problems with sleeping, anxiety, severe paranoia, muscle tension, faintness, chills, involuntary clenching of teeth, blurry vision and nausea.

Longer-term effects of the drug include brain damage, degenerated nerve branches, kidney problems, hemorrhaging, psychosis, and even death.

Ecstasy’s street names include

-XTC -XE -Snowball -X -Roll -Lover’s speed -Love pill -Scooby snacks -Hug drug -Hug -Eve -Elephants -Essence -E -Clarity -California sunrise -Beans -Adam -Cadillac

More than twelve million Americans have tried ecstasy at least once. Moreover, more than 9 out of every 10 ecstasy users go on to other drugs, such as amphetamines, crystal meth, pot, coke, or heroin.

Ecstasy has been classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Schedule I drug, which means that it is designated as a dangerous substance with no known medical use. Ecstasy is thus in the same class of drug as heroin or LSD. Unfortunately, ecstasy is one of the most popular drugs amongst young people today.

Drug rehabs in Texas, California, New York and other populous states have been overwhelmed by the number of addicts coming to them who started with ecstasy abuse.

Texas Woman Arrested for Warning Drivers About Speed Traps – A Houston woman’s attempt to save drivers from a speeding ticket landed her something worse: 12 hours in jail. As she rode her bicycle home from a grocery store last week near downtown Houston, Natalie Plummer noticed police officers pulling over speeders. After she parked her bike and turned one of her grocery bags into a makeshift sign warning drivers about the “speed trap” ahead, an officer drove up and arrested her. “I was completely abiding by the law,” Plummer told ABC’s affiliate KRTK. “I was simply warning citizens of a situation ahead.” But Houston police saw it differently, and arrested Plummer for standing in the street where there a sidewalk was present, a misdemeanor charge. Houston police spokeswoman Jodi Silva said that officers found Plummer standing in the street, waving her arms as she held the sign. But Plummer denied ever leaving the sidewalk on West Dallas Street, alleging that the arresting officer invented a reason to detain her. ABC News Natalie Plummer tried to save drivers from… View Full Size Boy’s Stolen Wallet Returned Because of Sign Watch Video Failing Student Shamed on Street Watch Video Mom Punishes Son With ‘I Sell Drug’ Sign Watch Video “He couldn’t take me to jail for holding up this sign or he would have. So all he could do was make up something fake about it,” Plummer told KRTK. The officer searched Plummer’s backpack, she said, and threatened to arrest her for obstructing justice, a felony charge. Michael Dirden, Houston’s …

Sophisticated Border Drug Tunnels Discovered

Filed under: Drug Abuse Texas

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS | CONTINUOUS NEWS COVERAGE. Home · Be Our Guest … PHOENIX (AP) – Two drug-smuggling tunnels outfitted with lighting and ventilation systems were discovered along the U.S.-Mexico border, the latest signs that cartels are building …
Read more on KRIS Corpus Christi News

Syria Could Use Chemical Weapons if Attacked

Filed under: Drug Abuse Texas

"It would be reprehensible if anybody in Syria is contemplating use of such weapons of mass destruction like chemical weapons," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said during a trip to Belgrade, Serbia. "I sincerely hope the international community …
Read more on KRIS Corpus Christi News

U.N. expert: Ga., Texas executions illegal

Filed under: Drug Abuse Texas

Warren Hill was convicted of murder in Georgia and Yokamon Hearn was convicted of murder in Texas. Their convictions have been the subject of a number … Texas said last week it switched to the single-drug execution and Hearn would be the first …
Read more on UPI.com