Is the Use of Ecstasy and Hallucinogens Increasing?

Schuster, Peter; Lieb, Roselind; Lamertz, Christina Maria; Wittchen, Hans‐Ulrich

doi:10.1159/000018925

Cited by 97 publications

(66 citation statements)

References 11 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…There is some empirical evidence for cognitive deficits in light MDMA users Parrott and Lasky, 1998). Schuster et al (1998) assessed a random sample of 3000 German adolescents (14 -25 years old), 3% of whom had taken ecstasy, mostly on just a few occasions. Yet, despite comparatively light patterns of use, one-in-five of the ecstasy users reported MDMA-related problems, which were categorized as 'abuse or dependence'.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychobiological problems in heavy ‘ecstasy’ (MDMA) polydrug users

Parrott

Sisk

Turner

2000

Drug and Alcohol Dependence

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Twelve heavy recreational ecstasy drug users (30-1000 occasions), 16 light ecstasy users (1 -20 occasions) and 22 non ecstasy user controls, with group mean ages around 21 years, were compared. Three self-rating questionnaires were completed when drug-free: the SCL-90 (an outpatient psychiatric symptom checklist), the impulsiveness venturesomeness and empathy (IVE) scale; and the uplifts, hassles, stresses and cognitive failures questionnaire. Heavy Ecstasy users reported significantly higher scores than controls on the following SCL-90 factors: paranoid ideation, psychoticism, somatisation, obsessionality, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, altered appetite and restless sleep, together with greater IVE impulsiveness. Light ecstasy users generally produced intermediate scores, with significantly higher scores than controls on two factors and significantly lower scores than heavy ecstasy users on another two. Previous reports have described various psychiatric and psychobiological disorders in recreational ecstasy users, but it is not known how typical they are, being mainly based on individual case studies. This is the first study to describe psychological problems in a non clinical sample of young recreational ecstasy users. However, our ecstasy users were polydrug users, with both groups showing significantly greater usage of amphetamine, LSD and cocaine, than the controls. These other illicit drugs probably contributed to their adverse psychobiological profiles, while there is also the possibility of pre-existing differences between ecstasy users and non users. However, since repeated MDMA can cause serotonergic neurotoxicity in laboratory animals and man, these problems may reflect reduced serotonin activity induced by regular ecstasy use.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychobiological problems in heavy ‘ecstasy’ (MDMA) polydrug users

Parrott

Sisk

Turner

2000

Drug and Alcohol Dependence

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Globally, methamphetamine is the most widely available and used club drug (United Nations, 2003). Investigators in many different countries also have reported an increase in MDMA use, as well as MDMA-related deaths, particularly among young people (Cregg and Tracey, 1993;Landry, 2002;Raikos et al, 2002;Schifano et al, 2003;Schuster et al, 1998;Wilkins et al, 2003). In the United States, Patel et al (2004) reported a 400% relative increase in MDMA-related fatalities between 1999 and 2001.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In an attempt to combat the increasing use of club drugs in the community, NIDA has established a Web site to provide scientific information about them-http://www.clubdrugs.org (Volkow, 2004). Similarly, many investigators in other countries have suggested that the use of such drugs has increased (Gross et al, 2002;Joe Laidler, 2005;Lua et al, 2003;Schuster et al, 1998), and that party attendees typically use multiple drugs (Barrett et al, 2005;Boys et al, 1997). To better gauge the extent of this drug use, we examine the prevalence rates, patterns, and correlates of club drug use among youths aged 16 to 23 in the United States.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Concurrent use of methamphetamine, MDMA, LSD, ketamine, GHB, and flunitrazepam among American youths

Schlenger

Galvin

2006

Drug and Alcohol Dependence

143

116

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background-The magnitude and the characteristics of the use of methamphetamine, MDMA (Ecstasy), LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide), ketamine, GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate), and flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) were examined in a probability sample of the U.S. civilian population that included multiethnic urban, suburban, and rural youths aged 16 to 23 (N = 19,084).Methods-Data were drawn from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the characteristics associated with the use of each of these drugs and of multiple drugs.Results-Approximately 20% of youths aged 16 to 23 reported having ever used one or more of these drugs. Less than 1% of club drug users used club drugs only, and 82% of them had ever used three or more drug classes. Females were more likely than males to report using multiple club drugs. Recent users of methamphetamine were most likely to be females and adolescents aged 16 or 17. Recent users of MDMA tended to be young adults aged 18 to 21 and residents of metropolitan areas. Most recent users of LSD were adolescents aged 16 to 19 and those in low-income families. Ketamine users were primarily employed youths. Staying in school and getting married were associated with decreased odds of club drug use. Club drug use was highly associated with the presence of criminal behaviors and recent alcohol abuse or dependence.Conclusions-Adolescents are more likely than young adults to use multiple drugs. The clustering of multidrug use and alcohol use disorder is a cause of concern.

show abstract

“…Among casual ecstasy users, 20% reported ecstasy-related problems and met criteria for abuse or dependence (Schuster et al 1998).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Relevance of rodent models of intravenous MDMA self-administration to human MDMA consumption patterns

2006

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Rationale: Despite decades of research specifying harmful effects produced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; a principal component of 'ecstasy' pills), young people (and adults) continue to use it.In an attempt to model human MDMA consumption patterns, preclinical investigators have sought to establish reliable patterns of intravenous MDMA self-administration in rodents. Objective: The objective of this report is to offer a critical review of published data (including our own novel findings) that reveal MDMA self-administration in rodents. Results: The data indicate that MDMA serves as a reinforcer in rodents, though the responses are not similar to those previously reported for psychostimulants (i.e., cocaine). Important differences between rodent models and human use patterns include frequency of dosing and dosage exposure, routes of administration, tolerance that develops to MDMA after repeated exposure, polydrug use in humans but not by rodents, limits on the repertoire of behaviors that can be exhibited by rodents undergoing IV self-administration procedures, and the question of neurotoxicity as it relates to models of self-administration. Conclusions: While MDMA is not as potent a reinforcer as other drugs of abuse, the fact remains that young people and adults continue to use the drug, and therefore, additional research is needed to determine why drugs with low reinforcing effects continue to be abused.

show abstract

Is the Use of Ecstasy and Hallucinogens Increasing?

Cited by 97 publications

References 11 publications

Psychobiological problems in heavy ‘ecstasy’ (MDMA) polydrug users

Psychobiological problems in heavy ‘ecstasy’ (MDMA) polydrug users

Concurrent use of methamphetamine, MDMA, LSD, ketamine, GHB, and flunitrazepam among American youths

Relevance of rodent models of intravenous MDMA self-administration to human MDMA consumption patterns

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About