"Dr. Ecstasy" laments the rave drug's notoriety

[karyn]

from yahoo

By Jason Szep
Fri Dec 2, 7:02 PM ET

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (Reuters) - The scientist who introduced Ecstasy to the world in the 1970s fears the drug's notoriety and popularity at nightclubs is destroying any chance that it might be used to treat the mentally ill.

"It's very excellent potential for being used as medicine has been badly jeopardized," Alexander Shulgin, told Reuters after defending the merits of mind-altering drugs at a symposium on the human brain at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this week.

"It's gone out of control," lamented Shulgin, a tall Californian with a mane of white hair and a Santa Claus-like beard, who is widely known as "Dr. Ecstasy."

A psychopharmacological researcher who once had a license from the U.S. government to develop any illegal drug, Shulgin believes so strongly in the power of psychedelic drugs in unlocking the human mind that he plans to publish a 1,500-page encyclopedia next year of all his creations.

The 80-year-old former lecturer at the University of California at Berkeley, who self-tested many of his experiments and admits to more than 4,000 psychedelic experiences, finds little comfort in Ecstasy's image as the drug of choice at all-night nightclub dance parties or raves.

"These rave scenes have added kindling to the fire of governmental disapproval," he said.

Use of the drug, known for inducing euphoria and energy while reducing inhibitions, surged 70 percent from 1995 to 2000, according to United Nations data.

Ecstasy-related deaths, while relatively rare, make enough headlines to force authorities to regularly issue health warnings. Australia's National Drug and Alcohol Research Center in April said users risked harmful psychological effects.

Tracing that rise of the drug leads straight to Shulgin. A gifted biochemist and former National Institutes of Health consultant, he unearthed a formula for MDMA -- a synthetic drug with psychedelic and stimulant effects -- in a 1912 chemistry text and synthesized it into Ecstasy in 1976.

After testing it on himself, he became convinced of its power to treat mental illness. He gave the drug to psychotherapist and close friend, Leo Zeff, who sampled it, agreed, and passed it to hundreds of other therapists.

Shulgin, who had already quit a senior job at Dell Chemical after sampling mescaline in 1960 in a life-changing introduction to psychedelic drugs, enjoyed a period of celebrity as a cutting-edge chemist.

He described his first experiment with psychedelic drugs as a "very delightful experience" in which he could "see clearly what he could not appreciate before."

Ecstasy was used in its early days as a treatment for depression and other illnesses, but that ended abruptly in 1986 when it was banned by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.

Recently, however, Ecstasy has had a modest comeback in clinical therapy. U.S authorities gave researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina permission last year to use MDMA in a small study of patients suffering post-traumatic stress.

In August, researchers at Duke University in North Carolina found that amphetamines, including Ecstasy, reversed the effects of Parkinson's disease in mice, raising the possibility of exploring related treatments for humans.

Meanwhile, Shulgin, whose involvement in psychedelic drug research spans 40 years, is at work compiling his encyclopedia on 1,000 psychedelic compounds. It is modeled on the Merck Index of chemical properties.

"It will be everything that is known to be, has been tried but not found yet to be, or should be tried because they are apt to be psychedelic," he said of the work, which he expects to self-publish by the middle of next year.

[Morning Glory]

yup, if it's one thing that cures mental health it's psychedelic drugs. I personally hold all those ravers responsible for fucking it up, along with soldiers for ruining the great effects of morphine and heroin, and just about everyone for making cocaine look bad. drugs are good ok, if 80% of the people that use them have thier lives ruined, then we need to put the blame on the users.

[Amelia G]

yup, if it's one thing that cures mental health it's psychedelic drugs. I personally hold all those ravers responsible for fucking it up, along with soldiers for ruining the great effects of morphine and heroin, and just about everyone for making cocaine look bad. drugs are good ok, if 80% of the people that use them have thier lives ruined, then we need to put the blame on the users.

The majority of people use drugs at some point in time and suffer no ill effects other than perhaps a brief hangover. The Christian Science Monitor has an article right now about how parents today are having trouble telling their kids to just say no because they played with drugs when younger and are fine now. Somehow this article was supposed to explain why everyone had to work harder to tell everyone how drugs are bad, but I didn't get how they arrived at that conclusion.

I'm not saying drugs are good and everyone should do them, but they definitely do not cause damage to 80%.

I haven't studied MDMA (or even done it), but it stands to reason it might help people with certain mental problems. Kind of like speed makes hyperactive children chill. It can't be creepier than Prozac.

[Morning Glory]

well I don't want to really get into a whole big thing. I have a hard time believing that the majority of people that use the above named drugs regulalry don't suffer ill effects as a result. my point was more so how it seems to be kind of a pandoras box, where these things are created without thinking of the possible ramifications of releasing an addictive, potentially lethal substance on the public.

[Tequila Zaire]

You'd be surprised man, the percentage that have bad experiances is small...they just get all the attention. For every junky you have dozens of casual users who's time on drugs is not all that bad...it may be bad compared to your standards...but not to theirs.

I'm well past my desire and curiosity for them but of the friends I know who do them...few these days seem all that screwed up by them. My sober and "clean" friends seem far more fucked up.

[Buster Friendly]

I just tell the kids straight up, 'drugs are boring, try trance induction, and holotropic breathing... they're free.'

[mmmcherry]

After testing it on himself, he became convinced of its power to treat mental illness. He gave the drug to psychotherapist and close friend, Leo Zeff, who sampled it, agreed, and passed it to hundreds of other therapists.

sooo... all these therapists are on extacy?? hmm... thats real comforting. i hope theyre sharing...

wtf is trance induction and holotropic breathing? they sound kinda fun hahaa... but only cause im too cheapass to buy some drugs...

[Morning Glory]

I have a feeling that it's a big word for sitting in a chair and spinning around real fast.

[Mr Karl]

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me
than to have a frontal lobotomy

And I dont really care whats in the bottle

[Morning Glory]

what about a really tiny guy that will give you a lobotamy?

[Mr Karl]

nah if I got a lobotomy then I'd need someone to smother me with a pillow

[OliX]

now who's the f**kin' junkie!!!


I know I'm spaming.... but it's for your good

[scabre]

maybe 1 in 10/15 people i know over the age of twenty who have done drugs on recreational but regular basis say they have had a bad time once or twice but only when they feel they have done too much

[malcolm]

yes. im really sure that these guys wanted to have the drug used for phsycological purposes. that's why it was introduced to theclub scene first cus we all know the most depressed people in the world go to big parties.

[Morning Glory]

quick! send it to *******! it's not too late to save some emo kids!

[MistressJennifer]

I know too many girls that have either died from drugs or just completely changed and become crazy, to really think that E could help anyone...

[TheDeathKnight]

It really just depends if people are capable of just trying a little bit of something, or if they are out to obliterate reality, and party like crazy. People who are out to party like mad, will eventually have problems if they do too many drugs. But people who just drop acid once in a while, or smoke a bowl, or occasionally do X, seem to be ok. It's the meth fiends, coke feinds, heroin junkies, and other really hardcore addicts that seem to have problems. It seems like it's more of an issue of personality than anything. Drugs are looked at as something to do for fun. To party. So people overdo it. If they just took a little bit, they would probably be fine. Not that I have a ton of experience, but I have seen a lot of people go both ways. Either dead, or perfectly fine after years and years of use. But it seems to be mostly about how they were doing the drugs, and how much and how often.

[MistressJennifer]

It really just depends if people are capable of just trying a little bit of something, or if they are out to obliterate reality, and party like crazy. People who are out to party like mad, will eventually have problems if they do too many drugs. But people who just drop acid once in a while, or smoke a bowl, or occasionally do X, seem to be ok. It's the meth fiends, coke feinds, heroin junkies, and other really hardcore addicts that seem to have problems. It seems like it's more of an issue of personality than anything. Drugs are looked at as something to do for fun. To party. So people overdo it. If they just took a little bit, they would probably be fine. Not that I have a ton of experience, but I have seen a lot of people go both ways. Either dead, or perfectly fine after years and years of use. But it seems to be mostly about how they were doing the drugs, and how much and how often.

OK you can do a couple of lines of coke on the red tape that I am wearing as you drive me around in your red Porsche! That will be OK!

[TheDeathKnight]

Sounds like you are having a flashback to high school...

[mmmcherry]

I know too many girls that have either died from drugs or just completely changed and become crazy, to really think that E could help anyone...

yeah not to mention that some of the E out there has some horrible shit in it that im sure isnt in the stuff made by that "dr extacy" dude... isnt some of it just a mix of a bunch of left over drugs from someones basement? EW...

[Morning Glory]

yeah not to mention that some of the E out there has some horrible shit in it...

I don't know, The Soup is pretty good. I do think that sometimes True Hollywood Story get's a little carried away, and paris hilton doesn't qualify as real news.

[aXa]

improperly made ecstasy often contains MDA rather than MDMA. it gives off a more amphetamine type high than a touchy feely buzz. or so i read when i was looking into trying it a few years back.

[malcolm]

yes, he really looks depressed alright.......

[TheQuietPlace]

Kind of like speed makes hyperactive children chill.

I'm glad I'm not taking the shit anymore... my doc had me on too high of a dose recently, and it made so chill I couldn't focus in school. Even after lowering it from 72mg to 36mg it was still too much. I've just completely stopped taking it, and started to make myself learn how to chill out when I need to.

[OliX]

improperly made ecstasy often contains MDA rather than MDMA. it gives off a more amphetamine type high than a touchy feely buzz. or so i read when i was looking into trying it a few years back.

did u know that MDA is used in tranquilizers for big animals like elephants....

now imagine what kind of mixture is it when it get's you up... torns u apart...

I was thinking to post picture of a brain after years of E usage, but is to much even for you... yes, i'ts neurotoxine

and, from my own experience.... 1 or 9 E's at the time is almost same (depends on the other substances inside)

recently I had pure MDMA tablets... fakeeee loveee everywhere


* other fact... after using mdma just once your "thing in brain" that releases serotonin needs 2 years to fully recover... so, that means no chocolade will help you... watch out!!!

people, stop drugs, or never begin if you didn't tryed... It's not fun to hook up on something that actualy isn't fun after while.. and thank god I moved out of country

[Morning Glory]

when did you get so mature?

[malcolm]

this is what you look like on drugs.......any questions?

[OliX]

when did you get so mature?

asking me?

if yes.. I never got mature enought
I didn't had proper chilldhood due to moving from conutry to country so this is my chilldhood and I rather live like this than like other ants of society

[Thurbane316]

Some quotes on drugs by the late, great Bill Hicks:

"Actually, I'm against drugs being legalised, and this is why. Last weekend, my friend and I went into a farm, took some mushrooms, and we sat on a field, I looked up into the sky, and saw God, he told me that there is nothing to fear, that he loves every single creature on this planet, and he showered gifts of forgiveness and love onto the earth, and I realised that there was nothing to fear, and I loved everything...Now, if that isn't a bad thing for this country, I don't know what is. How can we continue to make weapons if we love everything?"

"You see, I think drugs have done some good things for us. I really do. And If you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favour. Go home tonight take all your albums, all your tapes and all your CDs and burn them. 'Cause You know what the musicians that made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years? RrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrEAL fucking high on drugs... The Beatles were so fucking high they let Ringo sing a few songs."

"Not all drugs are good. Some... are great."

"If news is so fair and balanced and objective, why is it that there’s never a positive story about drugs? I’m sure many of you out there have had some bitchin’ times on drugs… where’s that story? If drugs are so bad, why is Keith Richards still up and around? He shot heroine in his eyeballs."

"Here is my final point. About drugs, about alcohol, about pornography and smoking and everything else. What business is it of yours what I do, read, buy, see, say, think, who I fuck, what I take into my body - as long as I do not harm another human being on this planet?"

...pretty much sums up my attitude, too

[mmmcherry]

What business is it of yours what I do, read, buy, see, say, think, who I fuck, what I take into my body - as long as I do not harm another human being on this planet?"

yeah this pretty much sums up what i think too

[malcolm]

it's not my business until your dumass gets behind the wheel of a car and runs someone I care baout over or you decide that the bestway to get your drugs is to steal my dvd player and rob my house or when you decide you dont like the way someone i care about looked at you while you were doped up and you decide to hit them or hows about you run out of cash and need a quick fix and decide to rob the store I work at at gun point and shoot either me or one of my co workers. then it's my problem so you can take your
"im not hurting anyone but myself" mentality and shove it up your junky ass-crackhead.

[malcolm]

sorry for the above said post but drugs really piss me off. I lived ina crack neighborhood when I got old enough to move out of the boyshome and that's the kind of shit that goes down out there. so no. hard drugs especially piss me off-I've had friends get killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time including one of my old close friends because a drug deal went bad and he got shot instead of the durg dealer. i've also seen first hand form my dad about what chemical dependency can do to a person-it aint pretty. drugs dont just hurt yourself-they hurt everyone around you wether you notice it or not.

[Morning Glory]

good point malcolm. some people can handle thier shit, but most people can't. and when that shit comes back to me, it aint cool. here's a good analogy, I know that I could take a gun onto an airplane, and i'd never have an impulse to do anything but let it sit in my suitcase while I read in flight magazine. does that mean that I think everyone should be allowed to carry firearms on planes? Fuck No!

[Thurbane316]

it's not my business until your dumass gets behind the wheel of a car and runs someone I care baout over or you decide that the bestway to get your drugs is to steal my dvd player and rob my house or when you decide you dont like the way someone i care about looked at you while you were doped up and you decide to hit them or hows about you run out of cash and need a quick fix and decide to rob the store I work at at gun point and shoot either me or one of my co workers. then it's my problem so you can take your
"im not hurting anyone but myself" mentality and shove it up your junky ass-crackhead.

Yes, but that would directly contradict the "as long as I do not harm another human being on this planet" clause, wouldn't it.

Newsflash: people who AREN'T on drugs do the things you complain about above all the time.

Another Newsflash: there is a HUGE difference between recreational drug users and criminally inclined junkies.

Final Newsflash: most of the criminally inclined junkies are created by the government's Big Brother like attitude towards drugs, and a completely broken social welfare and medical system and lack of social equity in an allegedly civlized society.

...anyway, you are entitled to your opinion. Of course, I do agree. If some junkie were to boost my stuff to pay for a fix, I'd be pissed off too. But that junkie is hardly indicative of drug users in general.

[Thurbane316]

good point malcolm. some people can handle thier shit, but most people can't. and when that shit comes back to me, it aint cool.

How very odd. I have a large, socially and economically diverse circle of friends. I would say that about 95% have taken illegal drugs at least once, and of those about 60% or more are regular drug users. And guess what? Not a single one of them has ever engaged in criminal activity or killed anyone in a car. Of course some people "can't handle their shit" - see my next reply.

here's a good analogy, I know that I could take a gun onto an airplane, and i'd never have an impulse to do anything but let it sit in my suitcase while I read in flight magazine. does that mean that I think everyone should be allowed to carry firearms on planes? Fuck No!

That's not a good analogy, it's a ridiculous one. What you are basically saying is ban everything that can potentially be harmful, because some people might misuse it. OK, better ban automobiles, for starters - you know how many poeple die because of them each year? Better ban movies, music and video games, because they have allegedly been a contributing factor in homicides and suicides. Heck, I could beat someone to death with a frozen leg of ham if I was inclined to: better ban that as well.

Hint: prohibition doesn't work. Read a history book sometime.

P.S. I find this attitude a little baffling with someone who has this in their public profile:

"Better that the whole world be destroyed and perish utterly than that a free man refrain from an act to which his nature moves him."-Karl Marx

[Morning Glory]

I agree with what you are saying thurbane, maybe my last post doesn't show that because I was adding onto what another member said...

anyway, just because I say that someone SHOULD not do something, doesn't mean that I think our current system of forced coercion is the right thing to deal with it.

I have a tendency to think that things which are harmful (as opposed to things that might be) are not a good idea. I don't think that people should drive cars. fuck, cars are a hell of a lot more dangerous then drugs. I try to refrain from driving them as much as possible. but I don't think we should ban cars or turkey legs because that would just be ridiculous.

as I've said before I don't think that it is in the majority of people to use "hard drugs" casually and without an ill side effects. either way, illegal drugs pose a problem to many and are indeed a legitimate problem in our society. That being said, while employing a BS "drugs are bad" campaign, we do very little to actually get people to stop using drugs. It should seem obvious that the first and most imporant step is creating an environment for people were they genuinly are happy and don't feel the need to escape from thier reality, and have little use for the drugs in the first place. secondly we need to stop throwing our money away on the disasterous "war on drugs" and use it to treat people for thier disease of drug addition, rather then just punshing them for making a choice that we don't agree with.

[TheDeathKnight]

I always try to look at other countries, and see what they are doing right, or wrong.

Some countries seem to work very well, and others are a mess.

A lot of countries in europe have laws that make drugs legal, as well as
prostitution, etc... And yet they have very low crime compared to the USA.
There are also countries with very lenient gun laws, but very little crime.
And some with very harsh gun laws, but they still have a lot of violence (UK).

Why?

I think it's their educational system.
In the successful countries in europe, the kids are all sent through school,
and college, so they all have some kind of future to look forward to.
There are not nearly as many uneducated kids in europe.
They put education first, and so their populations are smarter overall.
So they can make smart decisions about life, about drugs, etc...

We have a shitty educational system, so many people end up dropping out,
or not going to college. So they end up in shitty jobs, or without a job,
and of course, that kind of life sucks. It's hard work. And many people
get depressed, unhappy, and turn to drugs to help make life interesting.

When you spent all week at a shitty job, and have no money left over
to do anything cool, or to buy anything awesome, it makes total sense
that the average person will want to go out and party, to take their
mind off their shitty and tedious existence...

[tinstar]

I was thinking to post picture of a brain after years of E usage, but is to much even for you... yes, i'ts neurotoxine

and, from my own experience.... 1 or 9 E's at the time is almost same (depends on the other substances inside)


* other fact... after using mdma just once your "thing in brain" that releases serotonin needs 2 years to fully recover... so, that means no chocolade will help you... watch out!!!

OK... I am interested... What's the brain look like? Also, wondering where you got the info about serotonin levels... Got a link for that?




BTW, is that "thing in brain" called the hypothalamus? I can't remember my physiology classes for shit... Maybe it was the drugs that made me forget. How ironic.

[TheDeathKnight]

It's a well-documented fact that using E depletes the serotonin levels in the brain. It works by causing your brain to produce excessive amounts of "feel-good" brain chemicals. But doing so, causes that gland to work overtime. And if you use E too much, it damages that gland's ability to produce those chemicals. Which then means that you can't feel those happy sensations in everyday life. Which means you generally feel like crap. Which tends to make people want to do more E. Which makes for a bad cycle, and if you overdo it, you may end up with a brain that is unable to feel happy feelings.

[tinstar]

It's a well-documented fact that using E depletes the serotonin levels in the brain. It works by causing your brain to produce excessive amounts of "feel-good" brain chemicals. But doing so, causes that gland to work overtime. And if you use E too much, it damages that gland's ability to produce those chemicals. Which then means that you can't feel those happy sensations in everyday life. Which means you generally feel like crap. Which tends to make people want to do more E. Which makes for a bad cycle, and if you overdo it, you may end up with a brain that is unable to feel happy feelings.

Thanks for putting all that up here - good information to know. I am familiar with serotonin and reuptake and all of that. Was just wondering where he was getting the two year statistic. I had never heard that before, but then again, I just started getting into the idea of actually taking the drug this year.... Never had any other reason to know more, aside from what I already knew from my physiology and psychology classes.