Negotiating Ecstasy Risk, Reward, and Control: A Qualitative Analysis of Drug Management Patterns Among Ecstasy-Using Urban Young Adults

Abstract

This paper is based on qualitative in-depth interviews conducted from 2008 to 2009 with 118 ethnically diverse Ecstasy users from the greater Hartford area, CT, USA. Participants were urban, primarily Black and Hispanic, aged 18 to 36, and had limited higher education compared with samples in previous Ecstasy research. Interviews focused on personal background, history of Ecstasy and other drug use, and recent sexual events. In this paper, we examine: participants' negotiation of perceived risks and benefits of Ecstasy use, behavioral strategies employed to minimize risks, and the relationship of risk-benefit analysis, motivation for use, frequency of use, and polydrug use to participants' sense of control over their Ecstasy use. We conclude with recommendations for intervention approaches and suggestions for future research.

The Role of MDMA (Ecstasy) in Coping with Negative Life Situations Among Urban Young Adults

“…At the same time, they recount that Ecstasy does produce undesired effects from time to time, and there is widespread awareness among users that Ecstasy can contribute to mental health problems (Singer & Schensul 2011). Research has shown that Ecstasy has been associated with cognitive impairment, attention deficits, long lasting neurotoxicity as well as a range of mental disorders (Lieb et al 2002; McCann et al 1999; Parrott and Lasky 1998).…”

Correlates of African American female adolescent offenders 3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or “Ecstasy”) use and sexually transmitted infection morbidity

“…Wu and colleagues reported that in a sample of 20,858 adolescents ages 18–22, 2.3% reported a past-year STD and 3.9% reported a lifetime STD, with nonstudents being more likely than college students to report a lifetime STD (Wu, Ringwalt, Patkara, & Hubbard, 2009). Some have suggested that among urban populations history of ecstasy use plays a major role in individual perceived risk associated with sexual events (Singer & Schensul, 2011). Findings of a recent national community survey reported that in 2007 more than 12 million people in the United States had used ecstasy at least once (SAMHSA, 2008).…”

Consequences of concurrent and simultaneous amphetamine-type stimulant and alcohol use among young adults: hazardous drinking, antisocial behaviour, and contact with police

“…The social settings of ATS consumption are important to consider as they may affect levels and patterns of alcohol and other drug use and associated harms (Boys et al, 1999;Jacinto, Duterte, Sales, & Murphy, 2008;Singer & Schensul, 2011). For example, in a qualitative study of 16-to 21-year-olds, Boys and colleagues (1999) found that participants commonly discussed needing to be in the right sort of environment when taking drugs.…”

“…As has been noted above, young adults often combine alcohol and ATS in licensed venues and aggressive behaviour among young adults often occurs in and around these venues. Research suggests that regular attendance at licensed venues may promote heavier patterns of substance use (Leslie et al, 2015;Singer & Schensul, 2011), which could have commensurate effects on aggressive behaviour. Further, environmental characteristics of these settings (e.g., prominent promotion of alcohol and tolerance for rowdy behaviour; Graham, Bernards, Osgood, & Wells, 2012;McFadden, Young, & Markham, 2015) and outcome expectancies regarding alcohol consumption in these settings (Zinkiewicz et al, 2016) have been shown to increase the risk of violence.…”

“…Stimulant use is inextricably linked to young adults' social environmental settings (Van Havere et al, 2011), and the settings in which ATS are used may contribute to hazardous levels of alcohol consumption (Jacinto et al, 2008;Singer & Schensul, 2011). Licensed venues, particularly nightclubs, are characterized by both alcohol and other drug use (Calafat et al, 2008;Van Havere et al, 2011) and, consequently, may encourage simultaneous use.…”