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Club drugs more agony than ecstasy for young patients

Physicians are urged to offer guidance, information about the dangers of the illegal drug Ecstasy.

By Susan J. Landers, amednews staff. Aug. 13, 2001.

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Washington -- Physicians should be aware that ever-increasing numbers of their young patients are using illegal "club drugs" such as Ecstasy, a synthetic, psychoactive drug that many users consider to be relatively harmless.

But the drug is far from harmless. "It's a dangerous drug," said Michael Miller, MD, secretary of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, "with both stimulant and hallucinogenic properties."

Patients tend to place Ecstasy in a different category from other illicit drugs, said Stuart Gitlow, MD, medical director of Nantucket (Mass.) Behavioral Services. "When we question people about using drugs they say no, but when we ask them if they are using Ecstasy they say yes," he said.

Ask young patients how they spend their leisure time, suggests Dr. Miller. Ask them if they attend concerts or all-night dance parties and what experiences they've had with people using club drugs. Such conversations could lead to discussion about the patient's own drug use.

Physicians in New England have seen a huge increase in Ecstasy's use over the past two years, said Dr. Gitlow. And the same is true in Wisconsin, where Dr. Miller practices.

"Now that the marketing of the drug is being revved up," said Dr. Miller, "we can expect to see Ecstasy in every corner of the nation and in every size community."

Young people 12 to 27 years old are the primary users of Ecstasy, which has been around for at least 30 years. The drug also bears the ponderous name, methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA. [...]