Move over Mary (Pot), Lucy (LSD) and Aunt Nora (Cocaine) - there is a new girl in town and she's making her presence known! "Girls," meet Molly(MDMA). But just how “new” is Molly? Well, she’s actually rather old, over a hundred years in fact. Her newness comes from her facelift (some say she’s a purer form of MDMA) and name change that she has undergone. You may remember her in the 1980's and 90's as the popular club drug Ecstasy.
Molly has rolled out the red carpet for her new debut with songs supporting her use by various artists. Artist and songs such as Tyga's - "Molly"an explicit link, and Kanye West's - "Mercy" an explicit link all mention or highlight the awesomeness of Molly’s effects. With all of the hype and media attention, Molly is being glamorized throughout the pop teen culture as an acceptable drug that provides a ride that is packed with hours of fun. Unfortunately, the feel-good reputation that precedes Molly is deadly and deceiving. Earlier this month, Molly was responsible for claiming the life of three young people, two at a music festival in New York.
Learn more about this dangerous drug, as this blog sets out to explore the origins of MDMA, the new form Molly, the adverse side effects and the prevalence of this substance in our culture.
The History of MDMA (Molly)
MDMA has its origins back in the early 1900's when it was first created in a German lab. It began gaining popularity in the US during the 1980's as a popular club and party drug. By the mid-eighties, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) banned MDMA and classified it as a Schedule I drug - meaning it has no accepted medical value.
MDMA continued to grow in popularity in the 1990s under the name of Ecstasy. It was widely used among college students and young adults. You could find it being distributed at raves (late night parties), nightclubs, rock concerts, and music festivals. It was known for giving users a heightened sense of pleasure and euphoria that could last for hours on end. Users frequently used MDMA in combination with other drugs, except for alcohol, as alcohol was believed to diminish its effects.
What is Molly?
MDMA is 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine, a stimulant with psychedelic effects. Molly is a capsule of a purer molecular (hence the name) form of MDMA, compared to ecstasy pills which are pressed with MDMA and other filler drugs. However, that doesn't mean that she's free of contaminants. She's still illegal and manufactured on an illegal market. So, the makers of MDMA can alter anything they want in the substance, so "purity" is just an illusion to make Molly more appealing.
The Side Effects
Molly’s users tend to focus on feel-good effects that Molly has, but the list of negatives far outweighs the positives. Take a look for yourself at the adverse effects Molly has on her users. Looking at this list, with a friend like Molly, who needs an enemy?
Negative side effects of using MMDA:
· Anxiety
· Paranoia
· Restlessness
· Irritability
· Agitation
· Depression
· Fatigue
· Jaw soreness from teeth grinding
· Dizziness
· Impulsiveness
· Aggression
· Sleep Problems
· Poor appetite
· Thirst
· Reductions in mental functioning
Negative health effects:
· Nausea
· Chills
· Sweating
· Teeth grinding
· Muscle cramping
· Blurred vision
· Hyperthermia
· Dehydration
· High Blood Pressure
· Heart failure
· Kidney failure
· Erratic heart beat
· Potentially Death
How prevalent is Molly?
Unfortunately, due to the new form of MDMA the actual number of “Molly” users is unknown. It is known that Molly attracts young users, typically between the ages of 16 to 24 years. Most studies report MDMA or Ecstasy statistics, not Molly. Unfortunately she is growing in popularity, so the statistics will soon follow. However, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse's report on MDMA in 2010, 4.6 percent of 12th-graders, 4.7 percent of 10th-graders, and 2.4 percent of 8th-graders reported they had used MDMA in the past year. In 2000, 8.2 percent of 12th-graders, 5.4 percent of 10th-graders and 3.1 percent of 8th-graders reported they had used MDMA. In regards to college students use of MDMA, there is limited information.
In conclusion, parents, this drug is scary stuff... please take time to speak with your teen about the dangers associated with Molly (MDMA). If you suspect your teen is using Molly, or any other substance, please reach out to him or her and get help. Following this blog are some resources for teen substance use/abuse.
Resources
National Institute on Drug Abuse. DrugFacts: MDMA (Ecstasy) (http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/mdma-ecstasy). Bethesda, MD. NIDA, NIH, DHHS. Revised December 2012. Retrieved December 2012.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. DrugFacts: Club Drugs (GHB, Ketamine, and Rohypnol) (http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/club-drugs-ghb-ke...). Bethesda, MD. NIDA, NIH, DHHS. Revised July 2010. Retrieved December 2012
National Institute on Drug Abuse. DrugFacts: High School and Youth Trends (http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/high-school-youth...). Bethesda, MD. NIDA, NIH, DHHS. Revised December 2012. Retrieved December 2012.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. Monitoring the Future. Data Tables and Figures (http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/data/12data/pr12t2.pdf). Bethesda, MD. NIDA, NIH, DHHS. December 2012. Retrieved December 2012
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings, NSDUH Series H-41, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 11-4658. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2011.
Getting Help
1. Teen Drug Abuse
http://drugabuse.com/library/teen-drug-abuse/
2. The Partnership at Drugfree.org
3. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
http://teens.drugabuse.gov/utilities/resources.php
4. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/