Hundreds of thousands of college students have taken ecstasy, which is an illegal substance especially popular with the club scene. Legally, it is regarded in the same way as crack cocaine and heroin. The drug’s scientific name is a mouthful: methylenedioxymethamphetamine.

A Club High

The drug is so popular among party goers because of the euphoric high it provides its users. The drug works by triggering a huge release of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for regulating such body functions as sleep, memory, heart rate, and temperature regulation. Ecstasy owes its appeal to its euphoric, pain-free high and its stimulant properties. The real danger in the drug lies in what it does: taking ecstasy uses up the brain’s entire supply of serotonin, so until that supply is replaced, some functions of the body that the chemical regulates will not function properly.

Short term side effects of the drug include sweating, raised blood pressure, nausea, and panic. Blurred vision, vomiting, and insomnia can also be caused by the substance. People who are already prone to panic attacks and depression should be prepared to experience some rocky periods, as the drug interrupts the delicate chemical balance in the brain. Animals that have been injected with ecstasy have shown signs similar to those of an Alzheimer’s disease patient.

Long-term effects include permanent damage to the nerve terminals in the brain. Also, people who take the drug and become too excited due to its stimulant properties may continue to party and dance long past the point of reaching dehydration. These people can become extremely dehydrated and can suffer from convulsions, coma, seizures, or death.

Sometimes, the effects such as convulsions and panic attacks can last longer than several weeks, and people who have taken the drug can also experience kidney, heart, or lung failure, as well as internal bleeding.

Students who take ecstasy as a weekend drug for their club outings may not be aware of all the potential dangers of the drug. Students should realize that ecstasy has the potential to kill even first-time users, as well as chronic users of the drug.