xtc deaths on the increase

[BigTrancer]

It's a terrible shame that fatalities related to the rave scene and drug use are on the increase. Some may see this as an inevitable statistical consequence of the huge growth of the drug using community in general, however I believe the rise in drug-related accidents and harm caused by overdose and poisoning is disproportionately large.
The current trend in the UK and other parts of Europe is an increasing average dose in pills containing MDMA, and also increasing doses (sometimes dangerously high) in pills containing drug-substitutes and adulterants. For example, the recent pill warnings from CheckIt* show pills containing combined doses upwards of 100mg PMA/PMMA [Para- methoxy- amphetamine/ Para- methoxy- meth- amphetamine], 150mg MDEA, and 33mg Methamphetamine. Undoubtedly these kinds of doses would be dangerous, particularly in users who are used to taking multiple pills in a night (particularly with reference in the above report to an increase in average MDMA dose from about 40mg last year to over 90mg this year). Even in a regular user consuming MDMA-containing pills, this carries an increased risk of complications concomitant to the increase in dose.
I still believe that education is 'the key', however it has always been the way with drug education that public perception and the attitudes of the drug-using community at large are rusty and obstinate 'locks' which take enormous efforts to break open. That is why we (and I'm sure I speak for many of us here) put as much effort as we do into making Bluelight the information resource that it is. If we can help to spread some quality information to some people, then hopefully we can help make a positive harm minimisation contribution to our own communities. There will always be a section of the community who involve themselves in high risk activities without educating themselves as to ways they can minimise the risks; this doesn't just apply to drug use. Every life lost is a tragedy, but each life potentially saved, or each person educated, is a boon.
BigTrancer

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Load universe into cannon. Aim at brain. Shoot.

 

[Mr E. Moore]

well guys if this trend keeps up it'll be up there with tobacco & alcohol.... in a few thousand years. Ah well.
I personally thought the article was well balanced and didn't try to make drug use look bad etc, not bad overall.

 

[SupaspeeD]

Just thought i'd point out, there's been no "perceptualisation" of any arguments to the contrary, so i assume we are agreed:
*no the media is not completely out to get you, articles may be scare-mongering, but we NEED it to open people's eyes, people don't think past having a good time fucked on drugs, they miss the consequences, the illegality and the comedown.
*yes you can die by taking ecstacy - trying to blame nightclubs, insufficient water, etc is a cop-out, as i say, "you bring knowledge to the table", learn about your chemicals before taking them. they must be illegal for a reason - or maybe just cause they are good fun and the newspapers and government want to stop me having a good time.
*articles like this (even if blatant sensationalism in your opinion - damn mat of propoganda and stigma!) may turn people on to bluelight, etc and maybe we won't see people dying here in Australia, and being quite harsh - ruining everyone else's fun.
Drugs cannot be made any more illegal - can they crack down harder? They are going soft on drugs at the moment, they aren't cracking down? Try telling anyone that story after being busted. I've had friends get busted for very minor amounts (1pt of speed, 1 pill, 2 cones, etc) it isn't something soft by any stretch of an imagination. A criminal conviction can fuck your life up, thats often over looked.
All this article can do is open your eyes and hopefull Jo Clubber's eyes to what could possibly happen. Complaining about the state of the media, and battles with GPs, punters welfare and other bollocks doesn't detract from the original point - XTC (yes pure, unadulterated MethyleneDioxyMethAmphetmaine (?)) can cause death. It may be by overheating, drinking too much water, crashing your car while chopped, eating too many pills and ingesting some pma/k/dxm/etc, having promiscuous sex and contracting something nasty, etc, whatever - xtc is dangerous, like all drugs legal and illegal, and this article will hopefully awaken a few people who still think they get heroin pills, tuesdays are for mind numbing comedowns and acid burns a hole in your brain.
K9 - my request still stands - get over yourself. please.
Throwing up flashing off-track arguments and ramblings can't blind everyone when you're missing the point. Chill bruva chill.

 

[lsd303]

You pointed out that the article in question will "hopefully awaken a few people who still think they get heroin pills, tuesdays are for mind numbing comedowns and acid burns a hole in your brain".
Ok - I know acid doesn't burn holes in my brain (cos there wouldn't be a whole lot left if it did), and I know there aint heroin in my pills - however, yesterday (tuesday), I spent all day feeling about as down as I have in months, after a particularly heavy Saturday night.. so, who says Tuesdays _aren't_ for "mind numbing comedowns"?

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Today a young man on acid realised that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration... that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively - there's no such thing as death, life is only a dream and we're the imagination of ourselves.. here's Tom with the weather!

 

[BigTrancer]

... those of us who take 5-HTP regularly. I haven't had a bad comedown in 18 months (not without giving it a try tho)