Addiction
December 1, 2002
Jon C. Cole, Mike Bailey, Harry Sumnall et al.
149 citations
In 2001, ecstasy tablets seized in north-west England contained between 20 and 109 mg of MDMA, with most tablets averaging 60–69 mg. Some tablets also contained MDEA. The most common type, Mitsubishi tablets, spanned the full range of MDMA content. Analysis of 80 samples from a single large seizure of White Dove tablets showed low variation, indicating consistent manufacturing. Comparing these data with UK-wide analyses from 1991 to 2001 shows that the average MDMA content in ecstasy tablets has been declining over the decade. The authors argue that because the amount of MDMA per tablet is dropping, studies of long-term effects and neurotoxicity must account for actual ingested doses.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2014
Jon C. Cole
34 citations
After nearly 30 years of research warning about MDMA's dangers, the expected widespread harm among millions of ecstasy users has not materialized in epidemiological evidence. The precautionary principle has led experts to advise avoiding MDMA, but these dire warnings persist despite a lack of clinically relevant problems. The 'ecstasy paradigm' describes how research funding and publication bias shape public information. The evidence base for MDMA's harms has significant problems, raising the question of whether maintaining this status quo is acceptable given MDMA's therapeutic potential.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
July 17, 2020
Carl Roberts, Isaac Osborne-Miller, Jon C. Cole et al.
33 citations
Both people who have used magic mushrooms and those who have not perceive mushrooms as less dangerous than heroin, cocaine, prescription painkillers, GHB, ecstasy, tobacco, and alcohol. However, those without experience rate mushrooms as significantly more dangerous than users do, and they expect more negative intoxication effects. Users expect greater entactogenic, prosocial, aesthetic, and mood effects, as well as perceptual alterations. Motivations for use predict expected effects—for example, using mushrooms for personal psychotherapy is linked to expecting increased entactogenic and decreased negative effects. The findings align with data on low actual harm but conflict with legal classifications.