Friday, July 19, 2019
Ecstasy Essay -- essays research papers
     Ecstasy, or 3, 4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, was first synthesized and patented in 1914, by the German drug company Merck. The original purpose of the drug was to be an appetite suppressant, however in 1970 it was given to clinical depressed patients to open them up and talk about their feelings. Then in 1986, Ecstasy was determined to cause brain damage (http://faculity.washington.edu/chudler/mdma.html).      Ecstasy is used at the party and rave scene for its effects on the emotional state of the user. The drug lowers the user’s inhibitions; it relaxes them. The drug also increases awareness and feelings of pleasure and joy while giving the user energy. Side effects of the drug includes: headaches, chills, eye twitching, jaw clenching, blurred vision, and nausea http://faculity.washington.edu/chudler/mdma.html). But the hangover ecstasy causes is said to worse then the hangover alcohol causes(â€Å"After the Rave: the Ecstasy Hangover).      The hangover produced by ecstasy causes the user to have memory impairments. This is due to the loss of serotonin, which will be discussed later on. The reduction in serotonine affects the brains capacity to learn and remember. The memory impairment has shown to be detected up until two weeks after use, but habitual users who have become addicted show damage for up until seven years. Research has shown that the impairment is not due to withdrawal, but is heavily dose- dependent (â€Å"Ecstasy’s Legacy†).      Another problem with Ecstasy is the deadly combination it makes when mixed with other drugs and medications. Other drugs have harmed the body more so, because they use the liver enzyme CYP2D6 that metabolizes the drug. Thus the body can not rid itself of ecstasy and acts as if experiencing an overdose. The body then dies as if it has overdosed (â€Å"Deadly Combination†).      Other drugs such as anti-depressants, trigger a surge of blood pressure when mixed with ecstasy. This surge causes the heart to be overworked and eventually burn out, leading to cardiac arrest and death. Molecular Mechanisms, another medication, block the neurotransmitters that clear the nervous system of ecstasy(â€Å"Deadly Combination†).      The nervous system is the area of the body most affected by... ... breathing trouble, and also comas. As with GHB and ecstasy, rohypnol works to destroy the body in the nervous system. Roypnol is a type of benzodiazepine, a sedative or an antianxiety medication. The benzodiazepine interacts with the receptors on neurons in the brain. Roypnol, like GHB targets the neurotransmitter GABA. The interaction between the GABA receptors and the roypnol inhibits neurons and reduces neuronal activity. The bonding of the receptors enhance the affect of GABA and begin to reduce brain activity. Taken over long periods of time, the affect of the hyperactivity of GABA will cease all brain activity (www.faculity.washington.edu/chudler/ghb.html).      Drugs kill. That is the bottom line. It doesn’t matter the dosage of drug taken, because if the user becomes addicted the body is already poisoned with the toxins. Most drugs affect the nervous system. The nervous system is what keeps the body alive, to mess around with substances that are harmful to the system is like writing a death sentence. Drugs are not going to eliminated from society but people need to be kept informed about their decisions and the effects their choices have on them.
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