Facts on File Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

harmful that it renders uninhabitable or unusable
any structures (including homes, apartments, and
motels) used for meth labs.
Chronic, long-term methamphetamine abuse
causes serious and permanent damage to many
body systems. Classic indications of such abuse
include rotted and missing TEETH, emaciated
appearance, open sores on the face, and patchy
HAIRloss. Continuous picking at the SKINreflects
damage to BRAINneurons; PARANOIAand SCHIZO-
PHRENIAare common with chronic methampheta-
mine abuse. DETOXIFICATION and maintaining
SOBRIETYare difficult.

HEALTH RISKS OF METHAMPHETAMINE ABUSE

Short Term

altered reactions and disordered thinking
reaction time DYSPHORIAas effect wears off
excitability and hyperactivity rapid mood swings
unpredictable and violent behavior

Long Term
ADDICTION HALLUCINATION
MALNUTRITION PSYCHOSIS
rotted TEETH SCHIZOPHRENIA
sores on the face and body unhealthy weight loss

See also HALLUCINOGENS; ILLICIT DRUG USE; SCHED-
ULED DRUGS; STIMULANTS; SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT;
WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME.

methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)
An illicit DRUGthat acts on the CENTRAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM to produce hallucinogenic and stimulant
effects. A designer drug, MDMA is best known by
its slang name ecstasy. MDMA is chemically simi-

lar to amphetamine, a stimulant, and mescaline, a

hallucinogen. The drug’s risks for DEPENDENCEand

ADDICTION are very high. In the United States

MDMA is a schedule 1 drug with no therapeutic

uses.

The desired effects of MDMA are euphoria,

increased energy, heightened sensory perceptions,

and intensified sexual interest and experiences.

The undesired side effects of MDMA may have

long-lasting or permanent consequences, includ-

ing ARRHYTHMIA, organ damage or failure, and

damage to BRAINneurons. Cravings for MDMA can

continue long after stopping the drug. As well,

because MDMA is an illicit drug it is often con-

taminated with other drugs, commonly ampheta-

mine compounds, though underground chemists

use a variety of substances as fillers. These sub-

stances may interact with each other or have toxic

consequences of their own.

HEALTH RISKS OF MDMA (ECSTASY) ABUSE

Short Term

disturbed thought processes erratic body temperature

HYPERTENSION hyperthermia

increased or irregular HEART memory impairment

RATE(ARRHYTHMIA)

Long Term

ADDICTION BRAINdamage

cognitive dysfunction organ damage

See also AMPHETAMINES; CLUB DRUGS; COGNITIVE

FUNCTION AND DYSFUNCTION; HALLUCINOGENS; MEMORY

AND MEMORY IMPAIRMENT; NEURON; SCHEDULED DRUGS;

STIMULANTS; SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION; SUBSTANCE

ABUSE TREATMENT.

methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) 343