Ecstasy or MDMA

abstracts source:
http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/atod/od_ecstasy.htm

"Are there short-term dangers of taking Ecstasy?Pills sold as Ecstasy may not be Ecstasy at all. MDMA purchased on the street is frequently laced with other drugs like cocaine, heroine, PCP, or toxic chemicals like PMA and DXM, atropine, and rat poison. In a 1996 study of Ecstasy content, 19 out of 33 pills (58%) were found to contain less than 25% MDMA. Only 5 pills (15%) were more than 75% MDMA.
Second, users report a number of side effects, including:
Heatstroke (also known as hyperthermia)
Nausea
Muscle tension
Blurred vision
Faintness
Chills
Sweating
Teeth clenching
Day-after depression
Ecstasy raises your body temperature and heart rate. Combine this with hot conditions, the physical activity of dancing in a party or club, and not drinking water, and the greatest immediate danger of MDMA is heatstroke. Heatstroke (or hyperthermia) is the primary cause of death from Ecstasy. Someone taking Ecstasy should make sure to drink about a pint of water every hour while on Ecstasy, sipping, rather than drinking it all at once. Also, taking breaks from dancing on a hot dance floor to cool off is an important way to reduce the risk of heatstroke. Ecstasy-related deaths are relatively rare (there were 27 nationwide from 1994 to 1999). However, emergency room hospital visits are on the rise.Ecstasy causes the release of norepinephrine, which increases your heart rate dramatically and can be dangerous for people with cardiovascular disease or weakness. Dehydration can also lead to liver or kidney failure. Some people report bad emotional reactions to Ecstasy including confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, severe anxiety, and paranoia, sometimes lasting long after taking the drug. Using Ecstasy with alcohol and/or other drugs can increase the risk of adverse effects. Alcohol is dehydrating, too, and its depressant effects can mask the stimulant properties of Ecstasy misleading the user about how intoxicated they really are.
Finally, some studies have shown that people who use Ecstasy are more likely to engage in other risky behaviors such as binge drinking, cigarette smoking, and having multiple sexual partners. The use of Ecstasy and other club drugs can also lead to unsafe sex, the spread of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and unwanted pregnancy.back to top"

"Are there long-term consequences to taking Ecstasy?Although further studies are needed, more and more research suggests that Ecstasy causes serotonin levels to drop below normal, which impairs the brain's ability to learn, retain information and regulate mood. It appears that Ecstasy causes serotonin receptors, which allow the serotonin to fire in the brain, to shrink from overuse. Some evidence shows that restoration of serotonin receptors is possible with continued abstinence from the drug, but that people who have never taken Ecstasy have more functioning serotonin receptors than those who have.
Other studies suggest that regular or heavy Ecstasy use has long-term negative effects on memory and brain function which go well beyond the last pill taken (and seem to continue to increase in spite of long-term abstinence from the drug). One study found that women are particularly vulnerable to damage to the serotonin system by MDMA. back to top
How do I recognize a problem with Ecstasy?Some danger signs are:
More frequent use
Needing more and more to get the same effect
Spending time thinking about using the drug
Spending more money than you have on it
Missing class or failing to finish assignments because of Ecstasy.
Making new friends who do it and neglecting old friends who don't
Finding it's hard to be happy without it.
If you find that you can't stop using Ecstasy, then remember, there's help available. back to top"

"Is Ecstasy addictive?Heavy users whose serotonin system is regularly depleted by the drug rely on greater quantities of the drug to produce smaller and smaller effects. Because your serotonin supply is finite, repeated dosing cannot provide a stronger or lengthened high after all your serotonin has been released. A study of young adult and adolescent ecstasy users found that 43% were dependent, and 34% met the criteria for drug abuse. Almost 60% of users reported both physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms. Frequently, though, Ecstasy users also use other drugs and alcohol and may be addicted to more than one drug simultaneously."