A unusually even-handed article

January 21, 2001 1:34 PM

A unusually even-handed article about Ecstasy use. The author describes his own experiences in the mid-80s with the now-popular drug . Nice to see a mainstream publication tackling this issue in the right way.
posted by brittney (11 comments total)

not to mentiont that matt klam is just awesome.
posted by palegirl at 3:23 PM on January 21, 2001

i think the mainstream media is on a crusade to get me to try ecstasy. there was an article in time magazine a few months ago that practically begged me to go try it. i wonder if they're aware of how pro-ecstasy these articles sound? not that it's bad, i just didn't expect time to tell me how awesome drugs are.
posted by pikachulolita at 3:32 PM on January 21, 2001

I agree with that assessment-- I think the ecstasy industry is conducting an awareness campaign or something. I haven't been this motivated to try drugs since I first heard "White Lines".

Pipeline (pure as the driven snow)
connected to my mind
(and now I'm having fun, baby!)
Highrise (it's getting kind of low)
'cause it makes you feel so nice
(I need some one on one, baby!)

And then, of course, you have to shout "Don't do it!" so that no one suspects you of being a pusher.
posted by anildash at 3:52 PM on January 21, 2001

It's good to see that E has gone "mainstream media" in the US, only a decade or so after the UK. ;)

But it's odd to see the "first rush", as it were, from the NY Times, when the mags which defined the early 90s, such as The Face or Dazed and Confused, run equally even-handed features on the comedown. (And yeah, it's lovely; but I don't particularly want to put my brain through another serotonin bath right now.) Déjà vu all over again.

The amusing thing is that there's less and less pure MDMA on the streets, so it's even more of a nostalgia piece.
posted by holgate at 4:12 PM on January 21, 2001

so maybe instead of being an ecstasy recruitment drive, it's an ecstasy cut with speed, heroin, and cocaine drive! there's a happy thought.
posted by pikachulolita at 6:10 PM on January 21, 2001

actually, there has never been a documented case of cocaine or heroin found in a pill being sold as ecstasy. (does that sound cost-efficient to you?) speed, yes--some rave-goers actually look for "speedy" e.

now, that isn't to say that there aren't bunk pills being sold out there. currently DXM, which is known to up your body temp and heart-rate, has killed several people who believed they were taking e.

but believe it or not, there are responsible drug users who are educated about the things they put in their body. ecstasy is no different.

dancesafe.org sells pill testers ($20 to test 200 pills) that determine what is in that tab you just picked up from the Ecko wearing thug at the party. and/or you could forgo the thug altogether and get a trustworthy and reputable dealer who allows you to test his pills before you make a purchase.

there is pre- and post-loading which helps to reduce neurotoxicity and smart users know (or have learned) the lesson of moderation.

while there isn't enough research to prove that ecstasy is completely harmless (which, after all, what is?), studies have so far shown little to no long-term effects on moderate users.
posted by brittney at 7:08 PM on January 21, 2001

holgate : be nice to the 'mericans.

Actually, it's quite a buzz to read about kids enjoying raves again. I have to admit, I'm a bit jealous (in a nostalgic kinda way)
posted by fullerine at 5:39 AM on January 22, 2001

Brittney: You should re-check your sources. Dancesafe.org lists in its May-July 2000 results a pill called Red Bull, which contained Cocaine and Ketamine.
posted by Jairus at 5:56 AM on January 22, 2001

Feh! You kids with your ecstasy. In my day we took acid and we liked it. 10 hours later we still liked it. After 14 hours it got a little bit old, however.




posted by bondcliff at 7:55 AM on January 22, 2001

jairus: oops. i digress.

just a side-note: the dancesafe pill reports are going to look abnormally full of bunk pills. keep in mind people usually don't send their $25 pills to a lab unless they already suspect something is wrong with it.
posted by brittney at 11:09 AM on January 22, 2001

Actually, there are many Dancesafe chapters that set up booths at electronic music events where people can go to test their pills - said person hands the pill over, a small fragment is chipped off and tested, and the pill is handed back with the results of the test...

When are people going to learn that harm reduction really works?
posted by e-smiley at 5:32 PM on January 27, 2001