Ecstacy
It is estimated that 94.1 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 (a.k.a. E’s, New Yorkers, White Doves, Disco Burgers, Love Doves and Dennis the Menace) 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.
Like any other drug, ecstasy is used by different people for a variety of different reasons and because the drug has such a wide rang of effects, it can add excitement...
... middle of paper ...
...for authority. People have used and will continue to use/abuse illicit and licit drugs, despite our governments efforts to try and restrict drug abuse and use. However education and knowledge equips ‘at risk’ teens and potential drug users with the information needed to make an educated decision, to use or not use, based on their knowledge of the drug and the effects it has on the body.
Ecstasy is a Class A drug, meaning that it is illegal to possess, give away, or sell it.
Passing/sharing drugs among and with your friends is considered supplying and allowing your house or property to be used for drug misuse is also illegal which is punishable by seven years of imprisonment (for users), life imprisonment (for the distribution, selling, and or supplying), a costly fine, or all of the above.
Like I mentioned above, I believe that education plays a large part in the war against drugs. If people are not properly educated about the different drugs in our society, the chances that they might experiment with drugs are greater. I also believe that the majority of money recovered in drug bust should go to educating America’s youth on the different drugs that exist in our society.
I have often wondered why the "War on Drugs" has not been very effective, in fact, it really has done nothing. Take for example marijuana. It is banned in any form of growth and use everywhere in the United States. Yet, this drug gets just as much use as alcohol. I probably know just about as many "potheads" as I do alcoholics, yet the persistence of the government to waste countless billions of dollars to try and wipe out the use of this drug is pathetic.
Many of drugs have been created to have different experiences when at a rave. Ecstasy
Some of the most well-known and intriguing symbolic imagery in The Great Gatsby comes from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s use of the color green. Fitzgerald used green primarily to represent two human traits in Gatsby: longing for things beyond one’s reach and hope for the future. The color green was first used symbolically as the character Nick Carraway returned from a party at the Buchanans’ house. He stopped before going into his home, seeing the mysterious Jay Gatsby in the distance. Carraway described Gatsby, saying, “…he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily, I glanced seaward – and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far way…” (Fitzgerald 20). As revealed later in the novel, Jay Gatsby bought his house on West Egg in order to be near the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan, the dock of whose house projected the green light mentioned by Carraway. Although Gatsby was so close to Daisy, he was unable to rekindle their romance because of her husband. The green light served as the manifestation of Gatsby’s desires, strong enough for him to gaze upon, but far enough away to retain its heart-wrenching intangibility. Th...
Boeri, M. W., C. E. Sterk, and K. W. Elifson. "Rolling beyond Raves: Ecstasy use outside the Rave Setting." Journal of Drug Issues 34.4 (2004): 831-860. Sage Journal. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.
Attention Material: Cocaine is mostly known as an illegal drug, but very few truly acknowledge it for its medical purposes and fully understand its history in the country. Cocaine is a tropane ester alkaloid ,which is extracted from the leaves of the coca (Erythroxylon coca) plant (Clayton, 1996). Cocaine is considered the most powerful and most dangerous drug of natural origin. Cocaine is illegal in the United States and is classified under the Schedule II medication which is contained in the Controlled Substance Act of the United States Constitution.
In a world where mental illnesses like PTSD, depression, and autism are becoming more and more prevalent, MDMA, or “Ecstasy” is just the mental boost that someone needs and is illegally being dealt to patients while in therapy or counseling. The theory is that MDMA can raise “happiness levels” by forcing the brain to release serotonin and dopamine at the same time, resulting in intense euphoria and “ego softening” (Errowid). Some other side effects of MDMA can include feelings of inner peace, increase in social bonding, and an increase in ability to communicate. Some of the less positive side effects can be eye wiggling, increased heart rate, and dehydration. All of which, are quite manageable and not too noticeable. Sufferers of social anxiety and depression could greatly benefit from MDMA, as it can break down inner boundaries and increase the need to be around other people. A grou...
It is also very important for people to know about this topic because the issue is not only about drugs but also the growth of inequality between the rich and poor, black and white, upper class and lower class in this country. The war of drugs deals with issues about why they were passed through congress and if there were motives that deals connect directly to black communities. The issues where brought about in Dan Baum book entitled “Smoke and Mirrors” where John Erlichmann, the chief domestic affair advisor talk about how the Drug War fever has been escalated and manipulated from its modest beginnings at the start of the Nixon administration and clarifies the various interests which that escalation has served. He talks about the Drug War on “blacks” and “hippies” but politicians could not say that so had to say the War on “heroin” and “Marijuana”. He also said that “We knew drugs were not the health problem we were making it out to be, but there were political benefits to be gained." This shows that there is more to the war of drugs that the government is letting on.
The biggest question people ask is if the “war on drugs” was successful. According to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), “The goals of the program are to reduce illicit drug use, manufacturing and trafficking, drug-related crime and violence, and drug-related health consequences.” The best way to measure the effectiveness of the “war on drugs” is to focus on these basic questions; Is drug use down? Is crime down? and Are drugs less available? Since 1988, drug use by individuals ages 12 and over has remained stable according to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA). The number of individuals reporting any drug use has increased by approximately 7 million and the number of those who reported drug use in previous months or previous years has remained unchanged. The Organization Monitoring the Future studies drug use, access to drugs, and perspectives towards drugs of junior and senior high school students nationwide. Results of a study conducted in 2005 showed a minor decline in substance abuse by older teens, but drug use among eighth graders stopped remained the same. However, the changes were not statistically significant and ultimately there was no reduction in substance abuse among young students. Crime in the United States has decreased significantly since 1993, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. On the other hand,
The war on drugs in our culture is a continuous action that is swiftly lessening our society. This has been going on for roughly 10-15 years and has yet to slow down in any way. Drugs continue to be a problem for the obvious reason that certain people abuse them in a way that can lead to ultimate harm on such a person. These drugs do not just consist of street drugs (marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy), but prescription medications as well. Although there are some instances where drugs are being used by subjects excessively, there has been medical research to prove that some of these drugs have made a successful impact on certain disorders and diseases.
“Ecstasy”, a drug with many different opinions and views, is often viewed as a killer, which is a stretch of the truth. The drug is sometimes thought of as one of the worst things in the world, but also as the best. Health issues are a problem and there have been some deaths .The deaths though are no way near the number of alcohol or cigarette deaths. How could such a beautiful word be considered such a horrible thing . Ecstasy can kill, but you can die tomorrow by being hit by a car or getting shot, why not live your life to the fullest. Live everyday as if it were your last, but don’t be stupid about it. Ecstasy does not kill a person, that’s just the excuse they use for ruining their life or killing themselves.
One of the most memorable color symbolisms in the book is the green light at the end of the Buchanan’s dock. Gatsby reaches out to “the orgastic future” (Fitzgerald 152);
Early in the novel, Nick catches Gatsby reaching out to a green light. “I glanced seaward-- and distinguished nothing except a green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of the dock” (26). This is a representation of Gatsby’s hopes and dreams. The green light is telling him to go for it. It influences him to continue fighting for Daisy. The green light also means envy. Everything Gatsby wants is across from him. Daisy lives in a mansion with her husband Tom, who are right across the water from Gatsby’s house. Gatsby is longing for Daisy’s love. Another way Fitzgerald uses green is to describe Gatsby’s future wealth; his hope for a new life or new beginning. “It was James Gatz who had been loafing along the beach that afternoon in a torn green jersey…” (104). Before Gatsby became wealthy he was poor. His parents were hardworking, but they were “unsuccessful farm people” (104). Once Gatsby turned seventeen, he decided to runaway, later meeting Dan Cody. Dan Cody was a wealthy man who hired Gatsby. At the time, Gatsby was known as James Gatz. As he became more wealthier, his name changed as well. It went from “James Gatz”, “Jay Gats”, and to just “Gatsby”. After Cody passes away, to keep Gatsby’s wealth, he starts working as a bootlegger. Later in the novel, we also find more envy and the motive to go for their hopes and dreams that go with the color
F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby, a novel about a tragic lone affair. Although the novel can certainly be viewed as the story of one man, Gatsby, it is in truth about the struggles of himself and his personal goals. Fitzgerald uses the green light on Daisy Buchanan’s dock to illuminate the internal meaning aside from what it really physically is. The green light represents the wants and desires that people had in the 1920’s and still continue to have to this day.
Perhaps the most important factor is the responsibility that each individual has to do their best to continue to fight the war on drugs. This begins at home, educating our young people from a young age on the dangers of using drugs and experimenting with it.
Ecstasy Effects | Information on Ecstasy,Club. Drugs,Pills and MDMA. Web. The Web. The Web.