Ecstasy toxicity is unpredictable

NarTest Drug Analyzer NTX2000 recognizes ecstasy (MDMA) and differentiates it from related products like MDA in few minutes. MDMA can be ‘cut’ or combined with other substances, such as metamphetamine, ephedrine and ketamine. Drugs sold and consumed as ecstasy may contain little or no MDMA. NTX2000 vizualizes the drug content and makes it clear for expert eyes.

Ecstasy is an illegally manufactured drug that comes in tablet or capsule form. The appearance varies considerably ranging from brown, white or pink tablets to yellow, clear, red and black or red and yellow capsules. Some also have pictures, designs or logos on. 

The chemical name of ecstasy is 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine or MDMA for short.

While most ecstasy is sold in pill form, crystal MDMA is starting to appear. Similar in appearance to crystal methamphetamine, it is believed to be the cause of several drug-induced seizures and overdoses, mainly because of its high purity (95%-100%).

Ecstasy is called Club drug. Although ecstasy users may think this substance is harmless, researches have shown that club drugs can produce a range of unwanted effects, including hallucinations, paranoia, amnesia, and, in some cases, death. When used with alcohol, ecstasy can be even more harmful. Some club drugs work on the same brain mechanisms as alcohol and, therefore, can dangerously boost the effects of both substances. Also, there are great differences among individuals in how they react to this substance and no one can predict how he or she will react. Some people have been known to have extreme, even fatal, reactions the first time they use club drugs. Young people may use Ecstasy to improve their moods or get energy to keep dancing; however, chronic abuse of MDMA appears to damage the brain's ability to think and regulate emotion, memory, sleep, and pain. Ecstasy can also make an individual more vulnerable to risky sexual behavior, increasing the chance of contracting HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases.

Ecstasy is manufactured primarily in North America, Western Europe and Oceania, though there is some production in East and South-East Asia and the majority of precursors (the 3,4-MDP-2-P, piperonal and safrole needed for the production of ecstasy) are trafficked out of South, East, and South-East Asia. Trafficking routes of precursors continue to develop in places that lack the enforcement and forensics infrastructure to detect precursor trafficking. These new routes have a wide geographical spread and include even Africa and West Asia, South and Central America, often starting from East Asia, or South Asia.

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