basic facts.
MDMA or methylenedioxymethamphetamine, is often known as a 'club drug. It is a man-made drug and substances such as caffeine, dextromethorphan, amphetamines, PCP or cocaine are sometimes added to it. Makers of MDMA can add anything they want to the drug so any tablet/powder's purity is always in question.
effects.
Makes people feel 'buzzed' i.e alert, alive, in tune with surroundings
Colours and sounds are often more intense
Develop a temporary feeling of love and affection for those around them
Become much moer talkative
Dilated pupils
Tightening of jaw muscles or 'grinding'
Raised body temperature
Incresaed blood pressure and heart rate
Colours and sounds are often more intense
Develop a temporary feeling of love and affection for those around them
Become much moer talkative
Dilated pupils
Tightening of jaw muscles or 'grinding'
Raised body temperature
Incresaed blood pressure and heart rate
risks.
You can never be sure what is in it so there could be a number of harmful substances
Can cause anxiety and panic attacks
Can cause paranoia or even psychosis
Some people increase the dose if they do not immediately feel something which could result in both doses kicking in at the same time and amplifying effects, resulting in an increased risk of all the negative effects
Comedown leaves you feeling depressed and tired
Long term users may suffer from memory problems and evelop depression
Has been linked to weaking of the immune system and liver, kidney and heart problems
Drinking too much when you're on MDMA is extremely dangerous; MDMA releases a hormone which stops making urine. This means that drinking more than one pint of water or non-alcholic drink an hour means your body's salt balance gets messed up
Can cause anxiety and panic attacks
Can cause paranoia or even psychosis
Some people increase the dose if they do not immediately feel something which could result in both doses kicking in at the same time and amplifying effects, resulting in an increased risk of all the negative effects
Comedown leaves you feeling depressed and tired
Long term users may suffer from memory problems and evelop depression
Has been linked to weaking of the immune system and liver, kidney and heart problems
Drinking too much when you're on MDMA is extremely dangerous; MDMA releases a hormone which stops making urine. This means that drinking more than one pint of water or non-alcholic drink an hour means your body's salt balance gets messed up
the law.
Argentina
Information not available.
Australia
Sale and possession are both illegal. Penalties range from a $2000 fine and/or a two year prison term to a $100,000 fine and/or a 25 year prison sentence.
Canada
Schedule I narcotic. Possession can result in seven years in prison while trafficking can result in life imprisonment.
China
China are notoriously stricy; if caught with 50g or more of MDMA there is a death penalty.
Hungary
Both sale and possession are illegal. Distribution or consumption of small amounts (1.6g at 60% purity or 1g at 100% purity) can lead to up to 2 years in prison. Larger amounts can result in up to 20 years imprisonment.
India
Both sale and possession are illegal. Small amount for personal use (0.5g) can result in up to 6 months in prison and/or a fine of up to 10,000 rupees. Sale can result in up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to 200,000 rupees.
Iran
Information not avaliable.
Ireland
Posession can result in up to 7 years in prison and/or an unlimited fine. Sale can result in life imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.
Israel
Information not available.
Jamaica
Will be subjected to arrest, a fine and imprisonment for both sale and/or possesion.
Japan
Both possession and sale are illegal. Personal use can result in a fine of up to 5,000,000 yen and/or a 1-10 year prison sentence. Sale can result in deportation with no stance to return for 5-10 years.
Nepal
Information not available
Netherlands
Both sale and possession are illegal. Posession can result in up to 4 years in prison and/or a fine of up to 100,000 euros. Sale can result in up to 12 years in prison and/or a fine of up to 100,000 euros.
New Zealand
Sale and possession are both illegal. It's a Class B1 drug. Selling can result in up to 14 years imprisonment. Possession may result in a fine of $500 and/or a three month jail sentence.
North Korea
Information not available.
South Africa
Information not available.
Serbia
Both sale and possession are illegal. Posession may result in up to 3 years in prison
Spain
Sale can result in up to 6 years in prison. A fine is also imposed. Posession can result in up to 5 years in prison, shortened if the offender agrees to go into rehabilitation.
Thailand
Category I, same as heroin. Punished by imprisonment or death as weighed by the Thai courts.
United Kingdom
Sale and posession are both illegal. Class A drug. Possession can result in a 7 year prison sentence. Sale can result in up to life in prison and/or an unlimited fine.
United States
Schedule I narcotic. Large amount (200g) can result in up to 6 yeras in jail. Small amounts for personal use can result in up to 1 year in prison and a fine. Each re-offence results in a harsher punishment.
Uruguay
Information not available.
Venezuela
Information not available.
Information not available.
Australia
Sale and possession are both illegal. Penalties range from a $2000 fine and/or a two year prison term to a $100,000 fine and/or a 25 year prison sentence.
Canada
Schedule I narcotic. Possession can result in seven years in prison while trafficking can result in life imprisonment.
China
China are notoriously stricy; if caught with 50g or more of MDMA there is a death penalty.
Hungary
Both sale and possession are illegal. Distribution or consumption of small amounts (1.6g at 60% purity or 1g at 100% purity) can lead to up to 2 years in prison. Larger amounts can result in up to 20 years imprisonment.
India
Both sale and possession are illegal. Small amount for personal use (0.5g) can result in up to 6 months in prison and/or a fine of up to 10,000 rupees. Sale can result in up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to 200,000 rupees.
Iran
Information not avaliable.
Ireland
Posession can result in up to 7 years in prison and/or an unlimited fine. Sale can result in life imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.
Israel
Information not available.
Jamaica
Will be subjected to arrest, a fine and imprisonment for both sale and/or possesion.
Japan
Both possession and sale are illegal. Personal use can result in a fine of up to 5,000,000 yen and/or a 1-10 year prison sentence. Sale can result in deportation with no stance to return for 5-10 years.
Nepal
Information not available
Netherlands
Both sale and possession are illegal. Posession can result in up to 4 years in prison and/or a fine of up to 100,000 euros. Sale can result in up to 12 years in prison and/or a fine of up to 100,000 euros.
New Zealand
Sale and possession are both illegal. It's a Class B1 drug. Selling can result in up to 14 years imprisonment. Possession may result in a fine of $500 and/or a three month jail sentence.
North Korea
Information not available.
South Africa
Information not available.
Serbia
Both sale and possession are illegal. Posession may result in up to 3 years in prison
Spain
Sale can result in up to 6 years in prison. A fine is also imposed. Posession can result in up to 5 years in prison, shortened if the offender agrees to go into rehabilitation.
Thailand
Category I, same as heroin. Punished by imprisonment or death as weighed by the Thai courts.
United Kingdom
Sale and posession are both illegal. Class A drug. Possession can result in a 7 year prison sentence. Sale can result in up to life in prison and/or an unlimited fine.
United States
Schedule I narcotic. Large amount (200g) can result in up to 6 yeras in jail. Small amounts for personal use can result in up to 1 year in prison and a fine. Each re-offence results in a harsher punishment.
Uruguay
Information not available.
Venezuela
Information not available.
medical uses.
Proposed medical useTreats PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
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Proposed benefitsWhen given MDMA or a placebo, patients who had taken MDMA reported a decrease in symptoms of PTSD and feeling happier.
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Blood cancers e.g. Leukemia
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Scientists believe the compounds in MDMA hold the key to better treatments.
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Ease Parkinson's disorder
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MDMA increases dopamine and serotinin, restructuring brain chemistry temporarily which has an effect on the neurotransmitters and electrical impulses that cause the movements associated with MDMA.
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professional views.
For"This seems rather unethical to not help suffering patients who have shown failed responses to other treatments. Such actions ignore patient autonomy and violate the beneficent roles our society expects of medical practitioners" - Psychopharmacology,
D.P. Folsom, J. Sable, D.V. Jeste Encyclopedia of Bioethics, 3rd Ed. Pages
2190-2192.
"Some Schedule I drugs have huge potential for serious conditions where treatment is currently inadequate, including addiction and depression." - Professor David Nutt, D.M, psychiatrist and neuropsychopharamacologist
"When it comes to the health and well-being of those who serve, we should leave our politics at the door and not be afraid to follow the data. There’s now an evidence base for this MDMA therapy and a plausible story about what may be going on in the brain to account for the effects." - Loree Sutton, retired army psychiatrist
"The prospect of being able to target blood cancer with a drug derived from Ecstasy is a genuinely exciting proposition. Many types of lymphoma remain hard to treat and non-toxic drugs which are both effective and have few side effects are desperately needed. Further work is required but this research is a significant step forward in developing a potential new cancer drug." - Dr David Grant, Director of UK charity for Leukemia and Lymphoma Research
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Against"It is not widely administered to outpatients due to fear of such side effects as hallucinations and other cognitive disturbances." - Lynn R. Webster and Mary Jean Walker, American Journal Of Therapeutics (2006)
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