NEWS: Drug researchers concerned by rise in ecstasy use

[Tronica]

Drug researchers concerned by rise in ecstasy use

Last Update: Monday, August 29, 2005. 5:14am (AEST)

The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) says addiction to ecstasy is a real concern among regular users of the drug.

NDARC spokesman Paul Dillon says the concerns were revealed in results of a survey of 850 ecstasy users performed last year.

He says depression and dependency were major concerns for the 17 per cent of those users who had sought medical advice in the previous six months.

"I think ecstasy is definitely a major issue in terms of drugs in Australia," Mr Dillon said.

"The use of ecstasy has almost quadrupled in the past decade and it's really the only drug that we're seeing significant rises in prevalence of use."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200508/s1447929.htm

 

[Pleonastic]

Why's that so hard to believe? I've met plenty of people who "need" ecstacy to have a good time. Remember that not all people with addictions look like a stereotypical addict, and just because you're able to support yourself financially doesn't mean you're immune to addiction.

How many people claim to go on a drug break, but can't last past the weekend? That's a sign of addiction.

 

[Cowboy Mac]

Paul Dillon was on Triple J's 'Hack' program and he did state that it is psychological addiction due to the social factors surrounding use such as the scene/group of friends. This is contrast to physically addictive drugs such as heroin where users suffer withdrawal symptoms if they discontinue use.

 

[Leprechaun]

It is a sign of habituation, which is not a physical addiction. You could say that watching television is an addiction. One addiction I would say is worse for your lifestyle than many other addictions we have been conditioned to reject.

 

[endlesseulogy]

One thing that does concern me about the use of MDMA in Australia is its apparent lack of direction. Its fast turning into the new alcohol. Now that rave culture is a thing of the past, todays "rave" parties lack the energy that was present in the early 90s.. People treated MDMA usage in a ritualistic and spiritual manner (consciously or subconciously), to defy the prevailing collective conscious of the time and create a new reality for party goers. When you have this stucture, users tend to respect the substance and dont fall into usual addiction patterns. Ive met people these days who's only focus is to get AS fucked up as they can, as incoherant as they can within the space of a few hours.. Its this, "go hard or go home" attitude that creates this psychological addiction. People have to keep in mind there are two types of drug takers. Oblivion seekers and god seekers. Oblivion seekers are what i was refering to above. God seekers tend to want something deeper out of their drug experiences. I would also go as far as saying that the wrong people are using MDMA. It can go either way.. You can use MDMA and respect it and become inriched by the experience or you can turn into a incoherant, angry, habituated individual that takes a drug to escape emotional problems.. Lets face it, once your in heaven, why would you want to leave?

 

[doofhard]

Now that rave culture is a thing of the past, todays "rave" parties lack the energy that was present in the early 90s..

All too true!

 

[endlesseulogy]

The government plays their part in this little dilemma too.. Its all reverse psychology. The government says MDMA is bad therefore it encourages the oblivion seekers to use more of the drug because rebellion is a part of their cause. To defy the system. The government pushes all the negitive propaganda while leaving out all the good stuff.. For example, when i have conversation with MDMA users, many refuse to believe me when i say that MDMA was once used to help people in psycho-therapy, thats right, MDMA once helped many people with emotional and psycho-social problems. These days when combined with Meth and alcohol in many cases, it turns the user - excuse my french, into a drug fucked incoherant retard who will , in thinking that MDMA is bad, take more - which leads to excess use, health problems and psychological dependancy. Round and round we go 8(

 

[Cheshire Cat ^..^]

All too true!

And very very sad.

My selfish self says that it's good that the drug is so popular these days. While the harm reduction self is very much against it. More and more wrong people start using it.

However, on another hand, maybe it's not that bad. The same people would just use something else to get fucked up. If it's GHB, alcohol, K, weed, etc. I think it's better that they get "addicted" to E than other things.

 

[endlesseulogy]

^^ On the same token, K and Cannabis have a very health giving aspect to them. Its the way we use these drugs, government propaganda and the social scene involved that brings out the negitive effects. Cannabis tinciture was the bread and butter for most doctors at the dawn of the century and to this day cannabis has been implicated as an effective treatment for many ailments. There are also studies going on right now involving Ketamine in psycho-therapy. Many promising results are comming out too.

However, on another hand, maybe it's not that bad. The same people would just use something else to get fucked up. If it's GHB, alcohol, K, weed, etc. I think it's better that they get "addicted" to E than other things.

In my opinion MDMA is one drug you dont want to be dependant on. Its street price is rather high, its effects are short term and there is little short term tollerance, meaning you can keep dosing to reach a similar level of desired effect.

 

[endlesseulogy]

Abuse is a very sketchy and vauge term when used in corellation with drug use patterns. I could "abuse" cannabis and do it in a setting where i am about to use it to my advantage. Cannabis, used in the right way can enable users to expand and express their creativity, for example.. I think intelligent use and abuse are two inter-related terms. If intelligent use is lacking, abuse is present. The governent dosnt promote intelligent use therefore it is the root cause of abuse. Its so ironic its completely laughable or sad



"Every tree which is in Paradise, whose fruit may be eaten, was created for
you. But beware! Don't eat from the Tree of Knowledge. If you do eat, you
will die." - case in point

 

[endlesseulogy]

Oh fuck yeah... The authorities are god and the drugs are the apples.. ofcourse certain people are going to eat from that fucking tree nomatter what the government says. Humans have a very natural rebellious streak, esspecially if they feel threatened in some way. If all our politicians and church leaders started using MDMA tommorow and started claiming how "cool" it was, i believe you would have a whole bunch of users stopping or taking a long hard look at the way they use the drug. Oblivion via MDMA and other drugs would be a part of the mainstream, therefore all the users who get off on the fact that they are being daring, taking risks and fucking themselves up, would suddenly become disillusioned and move on. Maybe my example is a bit far fetched so im going to ground myself for a minute. Maybe if the authorities came out and accepted drug use as a natural human urge and looked at it in a different light you would have less oblivion seekers and less incedenses of abuse, habituation and death. More people are using MDMA because of the attention given to it.. negitive attention on the part of the authorities and media can very realistically achieve positive results in the eyes of the oblivion seekers. Attention is attention.

 

[dialated665]

One thing that does concern me about the use of MDMA in Australia is its apparent lack of direction. Its fast turning into the new alcohol.

So True !

 

[Cowboy Mac]

great posts endlesseulogy.

 

[Stuart]

So True !

but because it can not be taxed it is a dangerous and stupid drug.. that we should not take..

per 10 000 uses of alcohol and per 10 000 uses of MDMA, wonder what ends up with the most hospital visits?

and how many police call-outs state 'offender became violent and dangerous after taking MDMA'

i use MDMA because IMO it is not a 'stupid dumb drug' such as alcohol.

 

[Cheshire Cat ^..^]

One thing I just don't get. How can it not be taxed???

 

[HaLo_FouRTeeN]

You're right, it could be taxed.

But everyone just loves to quote Human Traffic

 

[Stuart]

You're right, it could be taxed.

But everyone just loves to quote Human Traffic

i have not seen human traffic..

 

[endlesseulogy]

but because it can not be taxed it is a dangerous and stupid drug.. that we should not take..

per 10 000 uses of alcohol and per 10 000 uses of MDMA, wonder what ends up with the most hospital visits?

and how many police call-outs state 'offender became violent and dangerous after taking MDMA'

i use MDMA because IMO it is not a 'stupid dumb drug' such as alcohol.

Im sorry but you are missing my point. There is no doubt that at the moment, alcohol is more of a dangerous drug, however i wasnt really talking about danger. I was talking about the pattern of abuse. Many people eat an MDMA pill as they would drink a pint, and another, and another, without really thinking about how they are messing with their own psyche.

Also on other note, humanity was so close at letting the new consciousness cat out of the bag in the 60s. Governments learnt from this and i think many who are high up in authority are not willing to let it happen again. Their very future and beliefs lie at risk. As excessive alcohol dulls the consciousness and turns you into a slobbering baby which replicates your return to your mothers womb, it dosnt really pose as much of drive to a paradigm shift in human thought and consciousness, therefore becomes our own politically correct drug. It keeps us inside our security bubble therefore its good for you 8)

MDMA on its own in reasonable doses is not a "stupid dumb drug", far from it. Its when people combo it with other dumb drugs like alcohol and use it excessively, that it becomes this dumb drug.

 

[ayjay]

^all too true. I think a large part of this shift in usage patterns can be explained by the shift towards mainstream acceptance and use of MDMA. There is a culture of binge consumption within mainstream (youth and young adult) alcohol culture - which is easily translated to other substances as they become more widely available.

The increased combination of MDMA with alcohol can probably also be at least partly attributed to police and local council efforts to regulate the scene. Impromptu, outdoor and warehouse parties have become progressively more difficult to run without interference, with a corresponding shift into clubs and other licensed venues. Guess where it's easier to get alcohol!

And it's really not surpising that people associate intoxication with a good time - people do this with any drug. The question is how does this impact on behaviour - will you choose not to go out because you can't get your drug of choice? How far are you prepared to go to get what you think you need? As an interesting parallel - how many people do you know who "can't start the day without my coffee"?

 

[notneo]

How many people claim to go on a drug break, but can't last past the weekend? That's a sign of addiction.

How about everyone who goes clubbing? The amount of people that I know that dont even know the risks associated with taking pills or just completely ignore them is crazy. Theyll be claiming to go on a break after a big weekend, next friday comes and where do you think they are?

I really think clubs and pubs should be giving more information about the dangers of drugs, that's where drug users go to take drugs, alot more direct than a stupid add on tv trying to scare people that most party goers don't even see because theyre too cool for tv....