Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)a.k.a. Ecstasy
Our Love Affair with Drugs October 1, 2020 Jerrold Winter
MDMA is currently a Schedule I drug with no accepted medical use, high abuse potential, and no accepted safety even under medical supervision. However, the FDA has designated MDMA-assisted psychotherapy as a breakthrough therapy, and the drug may eventually be available by prescription. The recreational drug Ecstasy often differs from pure MDMA: an analysis of 1,214 tablets sold as Ecstasy found only 39% contained only MDMA, 46% were substances other than MDMA, and 15% were mixtures. Street-bought Ecstasy may contain ketamine, GHB, cathinone, ephedrine, caffeine, or designer drugs, leading to hazards being incorrectly attributed to MDMA. In clinical trials, MDMA is FDA-approved and of known composition.