Without wanting to try and be too verbose, or too concise, here is my first attempt:
How do I know what's in my pill?
In theory, the contents of a pill sold as "ecstacy" can be
anything. Ideally, the contents will be anything between 50mg-150mg of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) but in practice, the contents can be just as much of a gamble and risk as the initial purchase of such a pill. There are many reasons that a pill may contain other drug or non-drug ingredients, the primary one is cost of production. To make a cheaper pill (especially in the likeness of an existing "good" pill that has circulated), chemists may substitute other drugs in an attempt to churn out a quick batch of drugs that cashes in on the popularity of a pill type.
The short answer is that you can never be certain on the exact contents of a pill, but indications can be gleaned from the use of an
EZ-Test. This test will give an idea as to what kinds of chemicals (MDxx family, Speed, 2CB, DXM) are present, but short of gas chromatography, there is no quantitative measure.
Other information (most recent information from the area where the pill was purchased is usually most applicable) may be available at
www.pillreports.com,
www.dancesafe.org,
www.the-peak.com.au, and
www.bluelight.ru, to name a few possible sources. It should be noted, however, that all information should be taken "with a grain of salt" because as usual, you can never believe all that you read. If in doubt, EZ-Test the pill for yourself, and insist on it. Do not take anybody's "word" for the contents of a pill you are unsure about, because in terms of your personal safety and health, their word is as good as the paper it isn't printed on.
What is an E-Z Test?
E-Z Test® is a trade name for an indicating test kit containing Marquis Reagent. The reagent reacts to to several substances, changing colour dependent upon the contents of the pill sample tested. See
www.ez-test.com for more information on this essential test.
BigTrancer
[This message has been edited by BigTrancer (edited 22 May 2000).]