The Rise of Ecstasy Use Among College Students.
Drug use among college students is no secret, and actually many people expect drugs to be just as much of a part of college as classes. The drug of choice in college in most instances is Marijuana, but is Marijuana starting to fade away as the drug of choice? Many college students now may choose a different drug of choice, and that drug is Ecstasy. Ecstasy or MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a stimulant that combines the properties of methamphetamine or "speed" with mind-altering or hallucinogenic properties. Since the use of Ecstasy has seemed to rise among college students, the question is why? In this research paper I will address the following: the history of Ecstasy, Ecstasy's positive effects on the body while in use, the side effect Ecstasy has on the body while in us, and reasons why Ecstasy use has risen among college students. I also interviewed 3 people (2 of whom have done Ecstasy, and 1 who has not) and got feedback from them about the rise of Ecstasy use in college.
The History of Ecstasy .
MDMA was patented in 1913 by the German chemical company Merck supposedly to be sold as a diet pill, the company decided against marketing the drug and had nothing more to do with it. It is also believed that the US army tested MDMA in 1953 as a possible truth serum, but the man responsible for the modern research of MDMA is Alexander Shulgin, who after graduating from the University of California at Berkeley with a Ph.D. in biochemistry landed a job as a research chemist with Dow Chemicals. Among his many achievements for Dow Chemicals was one profitable insecticide and several controversial patents for what were to become popular street drugs. Dow was happy with the insecticide but Shulgin's other projects created a separation of the means between the biochemist and the chemical company. Alexander Shulgin is also the first reported human to use MDMA (Nelson).