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(22%) MDMA (Molly, E, X, Ecstasy, Rolls, Beans)

MDMA


MDMA was becoming popular back in the 1980’s medicinally for only a brief period of time before it fell into the recreational drug scene and then gained far more popularity. It has surged in popularity because Dr. Alexander Shulgin discovered its empathetic therapeutic properties. Over time, MDMA was given the slang term Ecstasy and pressed into tablets to be taken at parties or other social gatherings.


*Things to Add/Look into
MDA was around before MDMA? Why? Reference MDA timeline of experiments to treat parkinsonism in 1940’s-1950’s


Common Names/Types: MDMA, Molly, Ecstasy, Empathy, Rolls, XTC, E, X
Chemical Name3,4 - methylenedioxymethamphetamine
Classifications: Euphoric Empathogen, Stimulant, Phenethylamine [EroMDMA 2015], Hallucinogen [EroMDMA (2) 2015].

*Alexander Shulgin actually classifies MDMA as having very little stimulant properties compared with traditional amphetamines



OUTLINE


(*C*) indicates a 90%+ Completed section
(SSS) indicates the section has been started
No prefix indicates the section hasn’t been started


-(SSS)Basic Introduction of the Drug
-Informs the reader of the general background of this drug, usually focusing on the current world
-(SSS)History of the Drug’s Use
-A brief guide to the history and use of the drug
-(SSS)Legal Status
-What is the legal availability of this drug?
-Testing your Drug and Handling your drug
-Doing an actual reagent test on your substance, taste testing, smell, sight, etc
-Ways to ensure the substance you have is the substance you want
-Handling  your drug without harming the contents or losing potency
-Method of Ingestion
-How is this drug safely consumed or ingested?
-Central (Desired) Effects, Side Effects. What are the dosages?
-How much of the drug is needed for consumption
-What are some of the desirable effects of the drug?
-What are some undesirable effects?
-Long Term effects
Are there lingering long-lasting side effects
-Mechanism of Action – How does this Drug work in the body? [Physical (Physiological) and Mental (Psychological) effects]
-What are some of the physiological effects on the body?
-How does the drug affect the brain?
-Which neurotransmitters are impacted?
-Recommended Uses and Doses (Varies by person)
-Suggestions for how the drug could be used
-Addiction, Withdrawal, Tolerance
-Addiction profile of the drug. Is it physically or mentally addictive?
-What are the withdrawal effects?
-How does the tolerance of the substance impact the usage?
-Drug Combinations with this Drug (Mixing Drugs, USE CAUTION!)
-When mixing drugs, which combinations are most dangerous with this drug
-Enjoyable Drug Combinations
-(SSS)Medicinal Uses
-What has this drug been found to be beneficial for medicinally?
-Detection in Biological Fluids (Drug Testing)
-How can this drug be best detected in the body? For how long?
-(SSS)Personal Experiences
-Personal experience I have on the drug
-Friendly Experiences
-Experiences that close friends of mine have had on the drug
-Other notable experiences
-Experiences that others may have had on the drug, i.e. Sasha Shulgin, Terrence McKenna
-Useful Facts
-Are there any extra fun or useful facts about the drug that seem to be missing?
-Sources and Bibliography (Comments on sources)
-Sources of information on the drug.



-Basic Introduction of the Drug

MDMA has been a personal favorite drug of mine for several years, seeing that it has therapeutic effects, removes social inhibitions at parties, and has an almost psychedelic effect when used at certain doses for people.

According to one History Channel report, “In the psychotherapeutic community, MDMA is called empathy, its effect is likened to a year of therapy in six hours” [DirtPic 2007].

From a similar report on the History Channel, “Just as LSD, marijuana, and Woodstock unite a generation, ecstasy and the rave scene act as a glue for millions of savvy middle-class kids seeking an escape” [DirtPic 2007].

This drug is truly one that baffles me in how it came into existence. When I first consumed it, the effect was not as pronounced and it gave an interesting effect. After consuming it a second time a couple weeks later, at a slightly higher dose, I feel as though my life had taken a positive spin. My motivation grew, my empathy increased, and my emotions became more prominent. This drug produced positive effects that lasted on my life for months later after just these few doses. It was remarkable.





-History of the Drug’s Use

The history of MDMA has fascinated me. I was aware that it was synthesized sometime in the early 1900’s and then rediscovered later in the 1950’s or 1960’s, but what was it that made this chemical come back under scrutiny?

Something I had not read previously was this first fact from 189  from source Erowid.org [EroMDMA (1) 2015].

1898 – Some claim that Fritz Haber was the first to publish a synthesis for MDMA, but this appears not to be the case.

1912 – MDMA was first synthesized by Anton Kollisch and patented by Merck Pharmaceuticals in Germany

1927 – Chemist Max Oberlin conducts the first known animal tests with MDMA while investigating ‘adrenaline- or ephetonine-like’ substances.

1953 – The Army Chemical Center studied MDMA toxicity by giving it to guinea pigs, rats, mice, monkeys, and dogs. It is determined to be less toxic than MDA.

1965 – Alexander Shulgin synthesizes MDMA but does not yet try it

1967-1975 – The first small underground batches of MDMA are synthesized. Relatively few individuals have allegedly tried the drug at this point in time.

Aug 1970 – First published case report of recreational MDMA use comes about.

1972 – Police identify MDMA in samples seized from a recreational drug user in Chicago area.

Sep 1976 – Alexander Shulgin begins working with MDMA personally and introduces it to others.

1977 – In Great Britain, a Misuse of Drugs Act put MDA, MDE, and MDMA into a controlled category – the most controlled category in Britain due to the ring substituted amphetamines

1978 – First scholarly characterization of MDMA is published

1977-1981 – Only eight individuals seek emergency room treatment after the use of MDMA during this four year period according to the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN).
1981-1985 – However in this four year period, there are zero individuals who seek emergency room treatment  according to DAWN.

Mar 10-15, 1985 – MDMA Conference on the drug

Jul 1, 1985 – MDMA temporarily placed into Schedule I by the DEA under emergency scheduling provisions.

May 18-19, 1986 MDMA conference

1987 – First published report of a human death due to MDMA use.

Dec 22, 1987 – MDMA is removed from schedule I because of imporoper procedure in its original emergency scheduling by the DEA

Mar 23, 1988 – MDMA permanently placed in Schedule I without challenge.

1991 – Alexander and Ann Shulgin publish PiHKAL, documenting over 250 phenethylamines including MDMA, mescaline, 2C-B, and many others.

1994 – 1999 – During this 5 year period, there were 27 Ecstasy-related deaths in the U.S. as reported by SAMSA

2000-2001 – Nearly 20 deaths around the world are attributed to tablets containing PMA sold as Ecstasy.

Early 2000’s – The term “Molly” becomes common slang for powdered or crystalline ecstasy/MDMA with implication that Molly is more pure than Ecstasy in the black market.

The above timeline is all sourced from Erowid.org at source [EroMDMA (1)  2015].






Now I will finally get to reference a source I transcribed word for word called Dirty Pictures, featuring video evidence of Alexander Shulgin himself speaking about MDMA. This was truly a useful source for a document such as this.

In a report by ABC News, seemingly back in the 1980’s or early 1990’s, a reporter says “It didn’t exist in nature until chemists working for the German pharmaceutical company Merck synthesized it by accident in their laboratories in 1912. No use for the new molecule was discovered and MDMA remained no more than a formula on faded paper for more than 60 years” [DirtPic 2007].

In another news report, Channel 4 cites “Stepfather of Rave’s favorite pharmaceutical” as being Alexander Shulgin, who re-synthsized an obscure drug that had been patented but then ignored. “It was called 3,4-Methylenedeoxy N-Methylamphetamine, MDMA for short. It would later gain the street name ecastasy” [DirtPic 2007].

These statements are consistent with Erowid.org

From “The  History Channel,” the narrator speaks, “This is World War I, with Germany’s defeat, MDMA and every other patented drug is turned over to the allies as a spoil of war. Its existence is lost from memory until the Cold War compels the pentagon to reexamine its potential for National Defense… The Love Drug does little for war, but the compound still exists” [DirtPic 2007].

On April 25, 1985, on an episode in the Donuhue Show for which there is video evidence, TV show host Donahue is documented saying, “We’ve got another drug and it is synthetic and it makes you love everybody… It’s called Ecstasy! Now who doesn’t want to take Ecstasy?”

However, shortly later on May 31, 1985 in a DEA Press Conference, the speaker announces, “This morning the Drug Enforcement Administration is announcing its intention to place the drug MDMA or by the street name ‘ecstasy’ under emergency control and schedule I” [DirtPic 2007].

These video-graphic images are still consistent with what was mentioned before with Erowid.





I found yet another source, one that cross references Erowid.org within one of its years in timeline to cite Alexander Shulgin, where information is consistent with the above two sources, and some new information is also provided. Cross-reference to MAPS.org is also provided, a site that discusses psychotherapeutic drug treatment for those who may be mentally ill. The below timeline follows from [EcstBasic XXXX].

On Christmas Eve, 1912, the pharmaceutical company Merck files for a patent on MDMA as a precursor to a drug that they hoped would be effective in controlling bleeding.

1927 – Merck researchers perform some animal experiments, noting that the substance had some similarities to adrenaline.

1953-1954 – The US Army conducts animal experiments with MDMA and a number of structurally related drugs. What they hoped to discover is unclear, but the rearch was labeled as sensitive and not declassified until 1969. It seems likely they were seeking new non-lethal chemical weapons or interrogation tools.

1959 – Merck researchers again investigate MDMA’s potential use as a stimulant. There are rumors that it was investigated as a drug to keep aviators alert, but no evidence of human experiments has been found.

1965 – Alexander Shulgin synthesizes MDMA but does not try it. He had already made Dow Chemical a good amount of money by synthesizing a biodegradable insecticide, so he was allowed to study Psychoactive drugs.

1977 – A friend of Shulgin’s, psychologist Leo Zeff prepares for retirement when Shulgin gives him a gift: a small vial of MDMA. Shulgin receives a phone call just a few days later that Zeff no longer wants to retire and wants to begin using the drug in psychotherapeutic sessions. He had noted that the ability of MDMA to help patients overcome emotional barriers was so striking that it was dubbed by a psychiatrist as “penicillin for the soul.” After passing years later, it was assumed the window of therapists networked in using MDMA had grown to about 4,000.

1984 – The growing network of therapists and users managed to stay well below the radar of the government until Michael Clegg began to openly sell MDMA in Texas, using advertising, a 1-800 number, and even offering shipping. He considered himself an “Ecstasy missionary” having given the drug that name itself, destined to bring MDMA to the public. His highest import was half a million pills a month to the Dallas area.

1985 – Emergency scheduling ensued which gave outrage to psychiatrists

1986 – On May 22nd, Judge Young released his decision on the laws, science, and use surrounding MDMA, declaring that MDMA was safe under medical supervision, and did not have a high potential for addiction, and had legitimate medical use. As such, Judge Young said, it was not legal to place MDMA higher than Schedule 3. This would have allowed doctors to continue using it but made it unavailable without a prescription. The DEA thought Judge Young as biased, shortsighted, and incorrect and rejected his ruling and declared MDMA permanently Schedule 1.

The psychiatrists who found use in MDMA were outraged and the groups that challenged the Scheduling of MDMA sued and took the DEA to court.

1988 – After several years of motions, hearings and debate, the doctors and scientists won victory and on January 26, the courts agreed with Justice Young’s original opinion and ordered the DEA to reassess its Scheduling decision. Meanwhile MDMA is removed from Schedule 1, becoming briefly legal once again.

The DEA complied with the court and re-evaluated its decision saying they were right all along and with that MDMA was declared Schedule 1, taking effect on March 23, 1988.

1991 – Alexander Shulgin posted his book “PiHKAL” and describes MDMA as
“I feel absolutely clean inside, and there is nothing but pure euphoria. I have never felt so great or believed this to be possible. The cleanliness, clarity, and marvelous feeling of solid inner strength continued through the rest of the day, and evening, and into the next day. I am overcome by the profundity of the experience…”
This is coming from a man who is responsible for synthesizing many drugs that are illegal today.

March, 2001 – Alarmed by skyrocketing use of MDMA and their own clear inability to stop it, the US government increases penalities, making the distribution of MDMA ten times more severely punished, dose for dose, than heroin. The former head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse found this irrational and a diversion of resource from the control of truly dangerous drugs, but the measure passed easily.
***GET SOURCE***

November 2, 2001 – The US Food and Drug Administration gives approval for human testing of MDMA for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies.

September 5, 2003 – The infamous MDMA researcher George Ricaurte, who’s work had been the cornerstone of MDMA prohibition and anti-MDMA government campaigns confesses: One of his most recent and sensational studies, claiming that a “common recreational dose” of MDMA could cause extensive brain damage and Parkinson’s-like symptoms never actually happened. The monkeys in the experiment were given near-lethal doses of methamphetamine, not MDMA. The lies of this

September 23, 2003 – The “It’ll eat holes in your brain” theory comes tumbling down, and MAPS was finally granted IRB approval for human research with MDMA. Methamphetamine was the substance that was eating holes into people’s brains.

April 6, 2004 – The first dose of MDMA in MAPS’ post-traumatic stress disorder study is administered.

Timeline from Christmas Eve 1912 and on is from source [EcstBasic XXXX].





What I like to do when running sources side-by-side comparatively, especially with this drug blog is to run a source that points out potential positives of a substance (such as documentaries or Erowid.org) and run it next to a governmentwebsite such as The National Institude on Drug Abuse (NIH), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In this instance, the NIH is used for “A Brief History of MDMA

MDMA was developed in Germany in the early 1900’s as a parent compound to be used to synthesize other pharmaceuticals. During the 1970’s, some psychiatrists began using MDMA as a psychotherapeutic tool, despite the fact that the drug had never undergone formal clinical trials nor received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in humans. Only in late 2000 did the FDA approve the first small clinical trial for MDMA for post-traumatic stress disorder in carefully monitored conditions [NIHmdma 2006].

The drug nevertheless gained popularity in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s with some calling it “penicillin for the soul” because it was perceived to enhance communication in patient sessions and reportedly allowed users to achieve insights about their problems. It was also around this time that MDMA first started becoming available on the street. In 1985, the US DEA banned the drug, placing it on its list of Schedule 1 drugs, corresponding to those substances with no proven therapeutic value [NIHmdma 2006].

What is included is a picture of a graphic showing brain damage to monkeys after alleged MDMA exposure, but the previous source ([EcstBasic XXXX]) just indicated that in 2003 the “holes in the brain” theory was overturned due to an incorrect study performed on monkeys showing damage to the brain only after methamphetamine exposure – Not MDMA. I find it disappointing that the National Institute on Drug Abuse has not corrected this.





-Legal Status

Under U.S. Federal Law, MDMA is Schedule I (Schedule 1). This means it is illegal to manufacture, buy, possess, or distribute (sell, trade, or give) without a DEA license. It is classified as a Hallucinogen [EroMDMA (2) 2015].

A short scroll down the list finds this substance illegal in many other countries such as Cacnada, Finaland, Germany, Peru, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. In the Netherlands, while MDMA is classified as a “Hard Drug,” possession of small amounts for personal use is ignored and generally not prosecuted, yet it is still illegal [EroMDMA (2) 2015].

For further information on how MDMA was initially classified, please consult the above section on the history of MDMA, and how despite there being some evidence for therapeutic use. The DEA insisted upon scheduling it and making the distribution ten times more severely punished dose for dose than heroin [EcstBasic XXX].





-Testing your Drug and Handling your drug

As I believe is always important with Any drug, especially MDMA (Ecstasy, Molly, E, X), it is in the user’s best interest to ensure they get the actual drug they are looking for, and at the desired purity. From experience, what I have seen when users try to obtain MDMA from someone untrustworthy, the person who supplies it to them may be giving them an impure product. Sometimes, there is no MDMA at all. Users will occasionally cut their products with methamphetamine, or more commonly, since the explosion of chemicals like methylone, ethylone and butylone, will sell these products as MDMA. This is usually under the street name Molly, which has come to mean any “Euphoric Stimulant” under my definition instead of MDMA.

When looking for real MDMA, it is hard to see what it looks like by direct physical or visual observation. It can come in a rocked, crystalline, or powdered form. If you get it in the highest purity, it is usually crystallized together. In its cleanest form (without impurities synthesized by the chemist) it is usually a nearly translucent white color in rock form, or slightly off-white. Do not be fooled by the color, as MDMA can also be nearly black, brown, grey, or tan, and shockingly purple, blue, or green. I have seen nearly all of these colors, and the color does not necessarily alter effects, as it is usually only a difference of a few percent in terms of purity.

MDMA can come in 100% MDMA Hydrochloride, which is 84% MDMA, and 16% HCl (Hydrochloride salt). If  the MDMA were any higher purity it would be in liquid form and more unstable ***Citation needed***.

Now onto testing your drug. I would recommend purchasing drug test kits (reagent test kits), mainly the Marquis, Mandelin, Marquis, and Simon’s  kits. These can be found with a simple Google search in most countries. The links to common reagent kit sites are included below along with a relative color chart

[EpillTest xxxx].

Source: Dancesafe.org


I have tested MDMA many times and the results I seem to find are similar when the product is what it says it is.





-Medicinal Uses

Even though I have been commenting on various psychotherapeutic uses of this drug throughout this blog page, are there any Biologically medicinal properties of MDMA? One of my friends appears to have found one. I am very very excited to be able to share it!

Unfortunately, she is diagnosed with ITP (Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura/immune thrombocytopenic purpura). In case the reader is unfamiliar, ITP is a disorder that can lead to easy or excessive bruising and bleeding. The bleeding results from unusually low levels of platelets – the cells that help your blood clot. ITP that develops in adults is often chronic [MayoITP 2014].

ITP may have no symptoms, but when signs and symptoms do occur, they may include:
-Easy or excessive bruising
-Superficial bleeding into your skin that appears as a rash
-Prolonged bleeding from cuts
-Spontaneous bleeding from nose
-Bleeding gums, especially after dental work
-Blood in urine or stools
-Fatigue [MayoITP (1) 2014]

She was being treated for the disease by traditional means with steroids ***Add more info***

These medications caused agitation, weight gain, mood swings, and did not even fully raise her platelet count back to normalcy.

She began to do research herself on her disease as the way she was being treated for the disease was not favorable to her overall well being. She stumbled upon a few alternative therapies including herbal remedies, or other difficult alternative medicine, but what she did find was treatment with MDMA.

I also found a website providing a citation for this information on MediPrimer.com. As forms of alternative treatment, Ayurvedic medicine is listed, where natural therapies are combined with a personalized approach to the treatment of the body and disease. This aims to treat the whole person by not only addressing the specifics of the disease but any other conditions. Herbal remedies is listed as an option where herbs can be mixed and combined to create a healthier individual. At the end, Ecstasy (MDMA) is mentioned, almost as a final thought and does not want to be mentioned citing it as an illegal drug but a person reported a boost from 30,000 cu/mL to 110,000 cu/mL after taking the drug just one time. The platelet count went down gradually over the next few weeks, but went up again upon subsequent administration. No further research was done because the evidence is very anecdotal and involves a highly illegal substance [MediItpMd 2013].

Similar to the source just cited, my friend also found that if she administered about 100-200 milligrams of pure MDMA to herself once or twice a month, her platelet count would skyrocket back to near normal levels! She informed me normalcy is about 150,000 cu/mL to about 200,000 cu/mL according to her Hematologist. Her hematologist had asked her how levels were increasing without going by regular treatment, and she informed him that she was treating herself with a drug after doing some research. He was amazed, but encouraged her to continue treatment as long as she believed she was suffering no ill effects either mentally or physically.

Interestingly, she found that she was gaining even more increased positive effects from taking the drug on a semi-regular basis. She found that without the steroid drugs and other conventional treatments, her mood was not as irregular, she was losing weight that the steroids made her gain, her bruising decreased, and she felt an overall sense of well-being

***
Treating this disease by raising platelet counts raises new questions in my head. Does MDMA have other potentially biologically medicinal benefits when used in moderation? More research is needed!





-Personal Experiences

I have tried MDMA on many occasions. Although in the beginning it was the most therapeutically beneficial, I will still occasionally enjoy it when I take the drug, especially in the company of good friends!

I will be including several accounts of my personal MDMA ingestion below to try to share awareness with many.

The first time I ever knowingly consumed pure MDMA was before a short trip to Wal-Mart with one other close friend before a Halloween occasion. I ingested approximately 90 milligrams on a rather empty stomach. She ingested roughly 80 milligrams. Although this was several years ago (perhaps in 2010), shockingly the memories are coming back to me rather clearly. Both of us had consumed alcohol, cannabis, cigarettes, methylone (MDMA-like substance), and Adderall (Dextro-amphetamine/Lev-amphetamine salts) previously in our lives so we could attribute some of the effects of this MDMA to some feelings felt by other drugs.


PERSONAL EXPERIENCE 1 (October 2010):
At about 8:00PM, ingestion commenced. I did not feel anything for at least a full hour after dosing. When I arrived at Wal-Mart I was choosing a Halloween costume as was a friend of mine when we both looked at each other and had a sudden feeling of “We’re on drugs!”. This was unlike any feeling that I had ever felt. I was not very stimulated, nor very relaxed, but I was feeling content. I began to enjoy the general touch of my hands on the items in the store, and a growing appreciation of what was around me.

About two hours into the experience, we were coming home from Wal-Mart and emotions were growing. An overall sense of well-being was present. My pupils were massive and I had a slight feeling of nystagmus (involuntary eye movement) where my eyes felt like they would wiggle back and forth. I felt mildly intoxicated, but overall since the dosage was not very high I do not think I achieved too great of an effect from the substance, but definitely noticeable. There was slight desire to repeat a dosage by about the third hour of the 90 miligram dosage, but we were going to be taking the substance the following weekend so we elected to halt the experimentation there for the day.



-Sources and Bibliography (Comments on sources)

EroMDMA 2015
MDMA
https://www.erowid.org/chemicals/mdma/mdma.shtml
(1) https://www.erowid.org/chemicals/mdma/mdma_timeline.php
(2) https://www.erowid.org/chemicals/mdma/mdma_law.shtml
Author: Erowid.org, Date Updated: 7 May, 2015

DirtyPics 2007
Dirty Pictures - Documentary with Sasha and Ann Shulgin
(watched) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nuy5m2ppCAA
TRANSPOSED from documentary by myself to the best of my ability.
[SEE SOURCES REFERENCES PAGE]
http://drugsoftheuniverse.blogspot.com/p/dirty-pictures-transcribed.html

EcstBasic XXXX
TheDEA.org, In the Beginning
http://thedea.org/drughistory.html
Author: TheDEA.org, Date Pubilshed: ????

NIHmdma 2006
MDMA (Ecstasy) Abuse – A Brief History of MDMA
http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/mdma-ecstasy-abuse/brief-history-mdma
Author: NIH, Date Updated: March 2006

MayoITP 2014
Diseases and Conditions – Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/idiopathic-thrombocytopenic-purpura/basics/definition/con-20034239
(1) http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/idiopathic-thrombocytopenic-purpura/basics/symptoms/con-20034239
Author: MayoClinic.org, Date Updated: 10, December 2014

MediItpMd 2013
ITP (Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic purpura, immune thrombocytopenic purpura): Alternative Treatments
http://www.mediprimer.com/Hematology/itp/5.html
Author: MediPrimer.com, Date Updated: ???? 2013

EpillTest xxxx
New Reagent Chart
http://www.ecstasypilltest.com/pdf/New%20Reagent%20Chart.pdf
Author: EcstasyPillTest.com, Date Published: ????

BPTestKits 2015
Bunk Police Marquis Kit
http://bunkpolice.com/basic-test-kit/
Author: BunkPolice.com, Date Updated: 14 February, 2015







SOURCES TO ADD


DEA Approves Study Of Psychedelic Drug MDMA In Treatment Of Seriously Ill Patients

Possibly attribute this to medicinal use in1985 where a woman with terminal cancer came to terms with her disorder in the Shulginian documentary, relate also to the MAPS program

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