MDMA
Pronunciation:em-dee-em-a ̄
Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number:42542-10-9
Formal Names:Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, 3,4-Methylenedioxymetham-
phetamine
Informal Names:A, Adam, Baby Slits, B-Bomb, Bens, Benzedrine, Biphetamine,
Blue Kisses, Blue Lips, California Sunrise, Chrystal Methadrine, Clarity, Cristal,
Debs, Decadence, Dex, Dexedrine, Diamonds, Disco Biscuit, Doctor, Dolls,
Domex, Draf, Drivers, E, E-Ball, E-Bomb, Ecstasy, Ekies, Elaine, Essence, Eu-
phoria (combined withmescalineandmethamphetamine), Everclear, Fastin,
Gaggler, Go, Greenies, Hamburger, H-Bomb (withheroin), Honey Flip (with
2C-B), Hug Drug, Hydro, Iboga, Ice, Khat, Kleenex, Love Doctor, Love Drug,
Love Potion Number 9, Lovers’ Speed, Love Doves, Love Trip (with mescaline),
Lucky Charmz, M&M, MAO, MDM, Methedrine, Mini Beans, Mitsubishi,Molly,
Monoamine Oxidase, Morning Shot, M25, New Yorkers, 19, Number 9, Orbit,
Pikachu (mixed withPCP), Pink Studs, Pollutants, Rave, Road Runner, Rolling,
Running, Scooby Snacks, Shabu, Slamming, Spivias, Strawberry Shortcake,
Sweeties, 10, USP, Venus, Vitamin E, West Coast Turnarounds, Wheels, Whif-
fledust, White Dove, Whiz Bombs, Wigits, X, XTC, Yuppie Drug, Zen
Type:Hallucinogen.Seepage 25
Federal Schedule Listing:Schedule I (DEA no. 7405)
USA Availability:Illegal to possess
Pregnancy Category:None
Uses.MDMA was discovered and patented in Europe as World War I be-
gan, intended to make soldiers feel less hungry. In civilian usage the drug
was supposed to help people lose weight, but other effects portended the
product’s commercial failure, and it never went on the market. Those other
effects attracted attention in the 1960s and 1970s among therapists and rec-
reational drug users alike.
MDMA intensifies sensory sensations (taste, touch, etc.), alters old under-
standings of what people observe, and allows people to feel distant from
themselves. Some users experience self-insights and closer emotional attach-
ment to other persons. Generally the drug does not appear to act as an aph-
rodisiac, but users report enhanced sexual experiences while under the
influence. In therapeutic doses, which may be lighter than those taken by