Ecstasy

            
             1 million Americans of the age 12 or older has used an illicit drug at least once in their lifetimes, one of those drugs being Ecstasy. Ecstasy was invented in 1914 as a prescription drug, used to reduce appetite and introduced in 1981 to teens in America, who started using it as a recreational drug. It is estimated that one and a half million E's are taken every weekend (mostly in teen dance clubs) and although Ecstasy is commonly considered to be a "safe drug", very few reports of bad trips, and only about 50 Ecstasy related deaths last year (which is very slim in comparison to other drug related deaths), it is speculated that the number of deaths caused by the use of Ecstasy is on a rise and will be at an all time high by the end of the year. .
             Ecstasy (MDMA) is a semi-synthetic drug (used as an appetite suppressant) patented by Merck Pharmaceutical Company in 1914, abandoned for 60 years, and reintroduced by Psychiatrists and Psychotherapists in the late 1970s and early 1980s to facilitate psychotherapy in the United States. The use of Ecstasy was completely legal in the United States until 1985, when it was added to the banned list because it was becoming the drug of choice for American youths (Ecstasy was also placed as a Schedule I drug by the DEA in 1985 meaning 1.that the drug has a high potential for abuse, 2.the drug has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the US , and 3.that there is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug under medical supervision), however, it was about the same time that the drug became illegal that its popularity skyrocketed and spread to dance clubs and the dance culture. Now, due to the effect that the drug has on the body, it seems as if Ecstasy and dance clubs go hand in hand. After the initial consumption of the pill it takes about twenty minutes to an hour to feel the effects which tend to last for three to six hours. People who use E's at "raves" consider the drug to be a mood elevator that produces feelings of empathy, openness and well-being making it easier to communicate, dance, and feel close to others.