• Introduction
• Survey Design
• Limitations
• Survey Results Summary
• Survey Data Tables & Graphs
• References & Bibliography
• References that Say Ecstasy Users Believe Ecstasy to Be Safe
• Comments by Respondents Data Table

It has been common for anti-ecstasy media, government publications, and researchers to say that ecstasy users believe ecstasy to be safe. Although it has been repeated many times, there is little data to support this claim. In fact several articles, such as Boot et al. 2000, cite a book (no page numbers given) by Cohen that has no data at all about this issue. In the summer of 2002, spurred by a recent article by Koesters (Koesters 2002) that specifically criticized MAPS and DanceSafe as fostering "misperception that the club drugs can be safe", several of us set out to look for what evidence existed that ecstasy users misunderstood the risks associated with use and believed ecstasy/MDMA to be "safe".

An analysis of the literature revealed several researchers restating this 'ecstasy users believe ecstasy is safe' thesis as fact, but there appeared to be a surprising lack of basis for the claim. One of the major national surveys in the United States, Monitoring the Future (MTF), asked teen students about their perception of ecstasy's danger and found that it was increasingly viewed as dangerous over the previous few years, increasing from 34% in 1997 when they first asked about it to 56% by 2003. Unfortunately, the MTF report provides no data about the correlation of those who report ecstasy use themselves and how they perceive its risks.

Based on common sense, survey trends from the MTF, and an overview paper by Johnston (Johnston 2003, see below), there is reason to think that those who believe an illegal drug is very dangerous are less likely to try it. This appears straightforward and obvious, and thus it seems likely that those who try ecstasy for the first time may be less likely to perceive it as harmful than those who do not try it. However, initiating use of ecstasy (or anything, really) may actually make users more aware of the risks than the general public because they are more motivated to learn about dangers and take part in social communities that discuss well-publicized impact on health. A open question is whether ecstasy users are more likely than the general population to believe ecstasy is dangerous, and whether they are more or less able to assess the relative risk of ecstasy compared to other drugs and medicines.

Sumnall, Erowid, Gamma, and Jerome created a simple survey to try to take a look at what online ecstasy users thought of the risks of using ecstasy. The survey grew, in part, out of annoyance that ecstasy research and news often state, without supporting references, that ecstasy users believe it is a "safe drug". The insinuation seemed to be that if people use ecstasy, they must, by definition, believe it to be without risk. People assume risks for activity all the time, such as when driving an automobile, and awareness of risk does not always preclude engaging in the behaviour.

The survey included questions about:

• age
• level of education
• number of times ecstasy had been used
• how much ecstasy was taken per time on average
• the maximum amount of ecstasy taken at one time
• how many times ecstasy had been used in the last six months
• how pure they felt their ecstasy generally was
• what other drugs or supplements they took with their ecstasy
• how useful or enjoyable ecstasy had been for them
• whether they would continue using ecstasy if it caused them harm
• how likely they felt their own use would lead to long term harm
• how likely their own use would lead to long term benefits
• how reliable they felt different sources of information were
• the two main risk questions:
  
  • The main risk questions were a relative risk question and an absolute risk question. The relative risk question presented 11 different drugs or groups of drugs and asked the respondent to put them in order from most dangerous to least dangerous, using an active web interface (DHTML/javascript). They were instructed to think about danger in broad terms and include acute risks, risks of addiction, and other problems associated with use. The list was: Amphetamines, Aspirin / Ibuprofen / Tylenol, Cigarettes, Cocaine, DXM, Ecstasy, Heroin, LSD, OTC & Prescription Medications, and PMA.
  • The second risk question, using the same list, asked the respondents to give absolute ratings for risk from "Very Safe" to "Very Dangerous", with a "Don't Know" option.
• two optional questions
• The first optional question asked the respondent to rank different information sources by "trustworthiness and reliability". The sources listed were: Friends, Personal Doctor, Dancesafe.org, CNN News, Erowid.org, DARE and other Classroom Drug Education Programs, Government web sites (e.g.clubdrugs.org, freevibe.org), New York Times or Times of London, Parents, Police / DEA, and Public School Teachers.
• There was also an open-answer question asking for comments and feedback about the survey.

The survey ran for a few weeks during the summer of 2002. After the responses were collected, they were initially evaluated by Sumnall and then statistics were calculated and examined by Gamma, Liechti, and Jerome. The final version of their paper was submitted in December 2003 to Alcohol and Drug Dependence and accepted for publication in August 2004, although it has not yet been published as of November 2004. The Gamma et al. paper does a good job of describing and summarizing the results and it should eventually be read by those interested in a full accounting of survey data.

Some lessons learned for making future surveys of this kind include: allowing a way to specify "I don't know" within the relative rankings of risk and reliability, and asking some more open-comment questions about perceived risks to give more context to responses in the multiple-choice questions. A future survey on this topic should include check questions on the reliability of information sources to ask about their absolute (rather than relative) reliability. It would also be better to ask two sets of questions: "how dangerous is this for the general public" and "how dangerous is this for you in the way you use it". Finally, it would be good to include a more explicit description of what are considered risks and harms rather than leaving it mostly up to the reader to decide.

Obviously, the primary limitation of the findings from this survey is simply that it was conducted on a website where the average visitor is likely better informed than the general ecstasy-using population. Although respondents were recruited from many different webboards, a further, larger study including on-site visitor questionnaires at large parties and the specific targeting of younger users should be conducted to see if these results hold true. When the survey was designed and posted, there was the consideration that ecstasy users may want to try to skew the results by saying they thought ecstasy was less dangerous, but this turned out not to be the case.

There are a number of other problems with the survey, including the fact that some sources, like "friends", can mean very different things to different people. As some of the comments pointed out, "friends" can include doctors and MDMA researchers or could include uninformed youths relying on rumours. Also, this survey was the first of its kind and future surveys about these issues should be able to improve on the questions asked and better represent the views of ecstasy users.

The survey ran on Erowid for a few weeks and resulted in 923 valid responses, with 883 who reported having tried ecstasy at least once. The primary findings were that most ecstasy users who responded to the survey recognize that there is risk associated with the use of the drug and tended to say that Erowid was the most reliable of the information sources. The majority of ecstasy users responding did not perceive ecstasy use as safe. 73.2% of respondents said that ecstasy use involved at least some risk: 49.3% 'some risk', 18.0% 'dangerous' and 5.9% 'very dangerous'. About 26% of respondents thought that ecstasy was either 'safe' or 'very safe'. As Gamma et al. describe, "[These results show] that the perceived relative risk of ecstasy does not substantially diverge from its scientifically recognized risks relative to other drugs."

When asked to rate the relative risks, Ecstasy was rated less dangerous than alcohol, amphetamines, cigarettes, cocaine, DXM, GHB, and heroin. Over-the-counter painkillers and prescription medicines were considered to be safer, and LSD was considered to have about equal risk to ecstasy. Overall, heroin was rated the most dangerous substance in the relative rankings.

There were several significant relationships between how dangerous this population thought ecstasy was and the dangerousness of other drugs. Ecstasy users seem cautious about the potential harm resulting from use of many other drugs, although this was not reflected in use patterns, i.e. heavier ecstasy users did not think ecstasy was less dangerous than lighter users (r = -0.058; p=0.084, NS).

Gamma et al. write:

"In the present investigation, we were concerned with the factual basis of claims made in the literature that ecstasy is perceived to be safe by the majority of ecstasy users, young people, or the general public. How should we now answer the question of ecstasy's perceived safety? The answer depends on the intended meaning of the claim as stated. Researchers who make the claim may primarily intend it to mean that ecstasy users (or young people, or the public) believe that ecstasy produces little or no adverse consequences, despite scientific information to the contrary. In this respect, perceived safety essentially means a lack of risk awareness or risk knowledge. Construed in this way, an on-line survey of a sample largely comprised of ecstasy users, and a review of the literature both failed to support this claim. Nearly 75% of the respondents in the online survey associated use of ecstasy with at least some risk, 24% considered its use to be dangerous or very dangerous. Risk awareness extended beyond ecstasy, and there were significant associations between perceived harmfulness of ecstasy and other substances. This may reflect the normalisation of polysubstance misuse within populations defined as ecstasy users (Sumnall et al., 2004)."
-- Gamma A, Jerome L, Liechti ME, Sumnall HR 2004

While the results of the survey were not much of a surprise to those who actually interact with initiated ecstasy users, it is useful to have a decent sample size for looking at the question of how ecstasy users view the health risks of their use. Many questions remain to be answered and we hope further research will address some of these same questions among younger and less informed ecstasy users.

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Use History
Variable	N	Mean	SD	Range
Total Uses	920 (883)	44.59 (46.46)	134.32 (137.79)	0-2000
Use per session	922 (883)	1.78 (1.85)	1.20 (1.17)	0-10
Maximum used/session	921 (883)	3.45 (3.58)	3.12 (3.10)	0-24
Uses in last 6 months	920 (883)	6.79 (7.08)	15.14 (15.40)	0-250

Relative Risk Ranking of Substance
Drug	Rank	Total 'risk' score	Mean 'risk' score
Heroin	1	9332	10.62
Cocaine	2	7534	8.57
Amphetamine	3	7000	7.96
PMA	4	6580	7.49
GHB	5	6076	6.91
DXM	6	5759	6.55
Alcohol	7	5543	6.31
Cigarettes	8	5384	6.13
Ecstasy	9	4739	5.39
LSD	10	4447	5.06
Prescription	11	4268	4.86
Aspirin / Ibuprofen / Tylenol	12	1896	2.16

Absolute Risk Per Substance
Drug	N	Mode	% reporting 'some risk' or greater
Heroin	884	Very Dangerous	96.4
Cocaine	888	Dangerous	92.3
Amphetamine	884	Some risk	86.2
Cigarettes	885	Dangerous	84.2
Ecstasy	888	Some risk	73.2
Alcohol	895	Some risk	71.8
GHB	884	Dangerous	71.02
Prescription	887	Some risk	67.7
DXM	883	Dangerous	66.71
LSD	888	Some risk	66
OTC painkillers	887	Very Safe	15.9

Age % 22-25 22 18-21 37.5 13-17 24.9 45-54 0.2 35-44 1.6 26-34 13.4

Education Completed % Some College 34.1 High School 29.1 College Degree 13.6 Masters Work 2.8 Masters Degree 2.1 Missing 0.5 Grade School 17.9

Purity % Always Certain 10.9 Usually Certain 31 Sometimes Certain 16 Ocassionally Certain 11 Never Certain 23.7 Don't Know 7.2 Missing 0.2

Has ecstasy been of useful or enjoyable in your life? % Very Useful 63.1 Somewhat Useful 9 Somewhat Harmful 21.8 Very Harmful 1 Don't Know 2.5 Missing 2.6

Would you stop use if ecstasy was causing you problems? % Definitely Continue 6.1 Perhaps Continue 16.5 Not Sure 15.6 Probably Stop 28 Definitely Stop 28.5 Missing 2.6 Not Tried 2.7

Can Ecstasy use lead to long-term benefits? % Definitely 12.6 Likely Some Benefits 22.3 Maybe Some 27.2 Unlikely 19.6 Definitely Not 9.4 Don't Know 5.9 Missing 2.9

Can monthly use lead to problems? % Missing 2.9 Don't Know 5.1 Definitely Yes 8.7 Likely Some 20.6 Definitely Not 4.6 Unlikely 26.1 Maybe Some 32

Do you think your own use of ecstasy has caused you problems? % Definitely Yes 5.4 Likely Some 11.1 Maybe Some 27.4 Unlikely Problems 39.1 Definitely Not 9.5 Don't Know 4 Missing 3.5

Scores were allocated by assigned ranking: most reliable = 11 points, least reliable = 1 point. This was an option question and we received only 668 responses. It should be noted that the initial positions of the sources in the list were alphabetical (CNN first), so there may be some artificial weighting towards those appearing at the top of the set.

Relative Reliability of Information Sources
Source	Rank	'Reliability' Score	Mean score
Erowid	1	7327	10.09229
DanceSafe	2	6957	9.582645
Doctor	3	5238	7.214876
Friends	4	5042	6.944904
CNN	5	4456	6.137741
Times	6	3921	5.400826
Government website	7	3623	4.990358
Parents	8	3593	4.949036
DARE	9	3376	4.650138
Teacher	10	2197	3.026171
Police	11	2186	3.011019

Monitoring the Future 2003 #: "The data presented next show inverse relationships in any given year, at the aggregate level, between (a) the level of reported use of a drug and (b) the level of perceived risk and disapproval of using that drug. For example, of the illicit drugs, marijuana has the highest level of use and one of the lowest levels of perceived risk and disapproval of use. These relationships suggest that individuals who believe that the use of a particular drug involves risk of harm and/or who disapprove of its use are less likely to use that drug; indeed, strong correlations also exist at the individual level between use of a drug and attitudes and beliefs about those drugs (Johnston 2003). Those seniors who use a given drug are less likely to disapprove of its use and to see its use as dangerous."

Prevalence of Ecstasy use in the UK, Sumnall May 2002
Gamma A, Jerome L, Liechti ME, Sumnall HR. "Is ecstasy perceived to be safe? A critical survey". Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2005; 77(2):185-193
Row erupts over ecstasy dangers, BBC 2002
Drug and alcohol use among young people aged 12-18, drugscope.org.uk


All but one verified by Earth to contain the data-less factual statement that ecstasy is perceived to be safe. One cites Cohen's book, but no page number is given and we were unable to find support in Cohen for this.

• Boot BP, McGregor IS, Hall W (2000) MDMA (Ecstasy) neurotoxicity: assessing and communicating the risks. The Lancet, 355, 1818-1821 - verified
• Hurley RA, Reneman L, Taber KH (2002) Ecstasy in the brain: a model for neuroimaging. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci, 14(2),125-129 - unverified
• Koesters SC, Rogers PD, Rajasingham CR (2002). MDMA ('ecstasy') and other 'club drugs'. The new epidemic. Pediatr Clin North Am 49: 415-433. - verified
• Psychiatric services, 2002. Ecstasy, Psychiatr. Serv. 53 (6), 667. - verified
• Reneman L et al. (2001) Effects of dose, sex, and long-term abstention from use on toxic effects of MDMA (ecstasy) on brain serotonin neurons. The Lancet,358,1864-1869 - verified
• Reneman L et al. (2001) Cortical serotonin transporter density and verbal memory in individuals who stopped using 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy"). Arch Gen Psychiatry 58,901-906 - verified
• Reneman L et al (2001) Prefrontal N-Acetylaspartate is strongly associated with memory performance in (abstinent) ecstasy users: preliminary report. Biol Psychiatry, 50,550-554 - verified
• Smith KM, Larive LL, Romanelli F (2002) Club drugs: methylenedioxymethamphetamine, flunitrazepam, ketamine hydrochloride, and gamma-hydroxybutyrate. Am J Health-Sys. Pharm, 59, 1067-1076 - verified

Before excluding invalid survey responses, there were 714 surveys that did not respond to the optional open comment question that asked respondents to comment on the survey or the topic of the survey. Many of the comments mentioned problems with judging the reliability of information and the risks of taking an illegal drug, and many mentioned the assumption that the media around ecstasy is exaggerated. Comments were removed if they included particularly foul language.

I have used e on and off for a few years. its not something i have been doing every week or month for the past 3-4 years. Its a likeing that i fall into and out of as time goes bye. I have only had one bad experience on e, however it was of my own makeing. I didn't want to be afraid of it for the rest of my life, so after a few months I did it again. It contrast, after my first bad trip on lsd after many good ones, I have never touched that stuff again. Scared me silly.

I have never had a bad ecstacy experience. I've tried more than 15 different pills circulating and have only gotten unpure pills maybe 1 time. My boyfriend and I got much closer after several sessions together. Our relationship is 10 times better since ecstacy helped us talk about things openly together.

I just wanted to say that as long as the person using recreative drugs is responsible for his/her actions then the use of ecstacy is not extremely dangerous, its really up to the individual at the end..

was up was up yo this is james aes this is a hot website but it would be really good if you would put the prices of all the drugs because when i try something new some stupid dealers are always playing with the prices. thnnx 4 reading peace and im 17 years old if that has 2 do with anything.

The questions regarding long term problems with esctasy use dont take into account pre/post loading. The comparitive risks question shoudl be described a little better. For myself the most dangerous substances are the ones that do the most dammage because I have no trouble with addiction. For another person who has no education on drugs GHB may be the most dangerous because it is easy to OD on it. Or a person who has tourble with addiction may find Herion to be the most dangerous.

Extacy is like any other drug in the world. Should know what your taking what it is going to do and you must be willing to take the tole if something does not go the you and your friends planned. Live by the sword die by the sword. The choice is yours. Do what you do I just hope your ready for what can happen and what this drug does to you mentaly. you know after the parties over.

not sure what GHB and DXM were, so i left it alone.

i have used many drugs including heroin, PCP, cracked cocaine, lithium, valuum, morphine, pot, LSD, alcohol, and huffing gas. i have OD'd 9 times in the past 5 years since i started using drugs and have had two near death experiences and one out of body experience. i firmly believe that God wants me to live long so therefore i can be careless about drugs and still not get harmed. i have been arrested 3 times for possesion, sale, and use of PCP. and after all this, i think ecstacy should be made legal! up the punx!

Most of the gorvenment's information about drugs are most likle to give you fake information about MDMA in order to stop you from doing it.Therefor it is better to relie in erowid.com, or other dancesafe. They provide you with the thrut.

I have used e for about 6 months, gradually increasing my dosage. I also smoke cannabis regulary. I have found my memory to be affected as i cannot remember what i would be talkign about in conversation, i often find myself forgetting what i was talking about, totally. I have experienced severe depression as a result of taking e. I have quit now, but i still know deep down i will never be truly happy again, as i have experienced my minds peak.

Too much conspiracy in the government and too many stupid people.

I feel that M.D.M.A. is uncharted territory that must be looked into further. I believe it is very beneficial in allowing people to "open up". In return, this is an extremely useful tool with therapy. On the other hand, I feel more studies need to be acomplished to explore the long term effects this drug might have on a person. Thank you for letting me share. God bless America.

I feel that the government and the news is way too biased about the information they put out.

For the reliability question, I can't meaningfully make a ranking difference between DARE, Police/DEA, and government websites, as far as i am concerned, they are all equally untrustworthy.

There is a definite resurgance of ritual and theraputic use of Ecstasy in the underground intentional dance culture. My community is extremely intentional, well-researched and knowledgable about the possible risks and benefits and use drug experiences to continue creating strong communities and as a creative catalyst for community projects. It would be interesting to see a study about the varied set & settings that users create for themselves when choosing to use drugs. *Thanks for all of the work that Erowid does to promote factual, non-biased info about safer drug choices. At a time where pop culture and the status quo promote overuse of drugs, and then regularly absolve themselves of any responsibility, it is vital to have projects like Erowid to turn to for balanced knowledge.* Many thanks.

parents and friends usually have the best information about the effects due to past and present experiences, but there is no better way to know the effects then from personal experience. im not saying that taking drugs is good, just its the only way to know how they are going to effect you personally

Non-biased education is key to making responsible choices. Every drug has inherant risk, but knowing these can highly increase safety.

although lsd and phsylocbin are two very similar chemicals.. they are also very different... and i know many people who consider them very very differnt.. i think phsylosybin should have been included on here

yes i use ecstacy. and yes i understand the risks. maybe not all of them because of the way information is distrubuted to the public. there is no list of concrete benefits and downfalls instead only accusations and beliefs. i would like a way for me to know what exactly i am doing to myself.

When Talking MDMA if you play it safe and do your reaserch, I feel brain damage and other complications will fade or be no existant, Taking 98%HTP before sleep reduces the crash and depleation of seritonin. A paxil at the same time reduces risk of long term brain damage.

it is a raly pity that after the drug was illegalised in the late 80's, there are so many rules and regulations preventing positive testingand experimenting with the drug. The australia police are taking forward steps though, eg: turning a blind eye to ppl offering a pill testing serice at raves. by law they arent allowd to handle the pill, or they could be arrested. It makes it safe for us. we need more of this kind of action and less dodgy dealing.

I'm sure my bias to ecstasy's being "safe" is from having used it without harm on occasion.

I feel that many of the problems with drug use is people not being responsible. Doing any drug for a extended period of time will cause significant damage. When used responsibly some benifits may come from drug use. From my point of view and what I have experienced is that MDMA is used frequently all at once by individuals, then once people start building a tolerence they tend to move on. The habit is to expensive and the results start to fade after frequent use.

I just want to say that ecstasy use is a personal preference, however everyone that i know that has ever used it has absolutely loved it. I guess thats why they call it ecstasy. I appretiate the information your site provides along with ecstasydata.org, without sites like yours i would be much less informed than what i am now, THANK YOU.

In the 'comparative risks', i placed lsd as the safest drug on the list, as physically, i believe it is quite safe and not very toxic to your body. However, in the 'specific risk by substance' question, i gave lsd a 'dangerous' as i believe you need to have your head sorted out to use it.

I didn't know some information sources and never have tried some of the drugs listed and you guys have forgotten to list cannabis - my opinion is that this is the safest drug

Hard to rank reliability of sources when so many are government influenced...not enough room at the bottom :)

It is stupid to do any drug if YOU are stupid. If your smart you will not have any problems with drugs!

I'm not counting the 1 fake roll i took, it was tylenol or something of that sort. And each time I've done it its been about a month apart.

long lasting benefits i think are caused by ecstacy use, because i feel that every trip or roll gives insight into myself or others or something, i always come out feeling better than before, that feeling doesnt fad for a long time either, adn everytime i think of my times on ecstacy, it brings me back to it all.

I have been in the rave culture for a while now and use E as a personal release. I consider myself to depend on the drug to keep a calm state of mind. But with me its not just me sitting around at home downing mad pills cause im depressed. I go to raves enjoy myself and indulge in the overwhelming expierence of the scene. I have alot of expierence with drugs, ive experimented and tryed almost everything because i think drug influence is interesting, and i am always trying to figure out every aspect of any "high" that i am currently on. All i can say if play it safe and know your drugs. Nothing is safe.

i enjoy taking xtc, i dont think that policxe and teachers fair in giving advice because they dont know what they are talking about, having most likely never takenb the drug themselves. thx

fuck the govt and all it has every said....its all a bunch of lies....."ANARCHY THREW CAPATILISM"

All the questions I answered about the safety of ecstasy were answered assuming the survey meant pure MDMA, which I have never obtained. The instance in which I consumed four tablets was one of the worst experiences of my life. The pills were horribly impure, and my behavior that night and for the week that followed was completely out of character and at times frightening to both my friends and myself. Because of that experience, I would urge everyone to stay away from ecstasy due to purity issues alone. I never want anyone to feel what I had to endure because of those pills. They are the reason why I am terrified of ecstasy now

I think the goverments scare tactics are rediculous. If for once they actually showed me a relibale study that wasnt flawed, I might actually listen

I come from a middle class family. I have been brought up in the best possible way by my parents, told that drugs are bad, smoking bad, drinking too much is bad. The things that only really good parents that care for you a lot tell you. I completed 12 GCSEs all at A-B grade I completed A-Levels... tried Pot a few times Went to University, studied and completed with a 2.1 honours degree Found out some freinds were on ecstasy. and i was angry. I then did the biggest research project i have done in my entire life (bigger than my university dissertation) to prove to my friends they were risking death every week. The research, done from many sources proved to me, ecstasy is so much safer than a lot of people think. It is safer than alcohol. It is even safer than amphetamines, cos amphetamines wear away your bones. The only reason it is not safe, is people abusing usage. using with alcohol, not resting, not drinking water, drinking too much. not testing their ecstasy pills for dangerous substances. The key to safe times is to research. And this is what i do. I have a good job, an intelligent lifestyle and i have been using ecstasy for 12 month now. I do not use it as much as i did in the first 4 month, but after a weekend i was not affected, and would work as normal, where as alcohol has me feeling ill for days. Ecstasy should be legal.

X has changed my life and my outlook on life for the better. The afterglow stays with you forever.

The final, subjective sections were very tough - some answers were influenced by my philosophy, some by my personality, and the final question is a beauty contests with few lovlies!

I would like to say that if i had never tried any form of drug, i would not be the person today. it has opened me up to a world that most dont know exists. it has aided in my creativity as a designer, made me question most things, and search for deeper answers. if i hadnt done these drugs, i feel that i would be a boring person, or another ant in the colony.

since this is about e... i think that the human factor is definitly a contributing element as to why the media has taken such an interest in mdma... people find things that they like and go overboard with them... e is no exception... and with the negative veiws of e came a negative view of raves... which is where i came into contact with the drug... even tho... i prefer to roll at home with a select group of people i know are good... as with anything that alters your mind... you need to be very careful in the amount in which you take... ive taken e about 7 times over the span of 4 years... and one pill is all i have ever needed... but i smoke weed just about everyday... so that about makes me a hypocrite. props on the website... you guys seem to give somewhat impartial information... i do believe you would qualify as a reliable source for an essay...

Your website is very helpful, Ive been visisting it for around a year and it just keeps getting better. Prescription drugs are much more addictive than cocaine or heroin. I know many people who have done everything under the sun and only had problems with benzos and pain killers.

ecstasy has really had some serious benefits for me.. only thing I regret is that in the beginning when it _WAS_THE_THING_ I did it too much.. wish id been smarter back then.. used instead 3-4 times a year and had that same magic all the time :) eventho its still very fun.. it isnt the same. was pretty close after I had a 2 month break though, with weak pills that my friends needed 3-4 to even feel it :)

officials only choose to "educate" us on how dangerous drugs are. its kind of like those truth guys. yeah, they are speaking truths to us but there is a flip side to every coin. like how to use responsibility and common sense while having fun. speaking specificly on mdma, wasnt it perportedly taken off of the market way back when not just because of the street use, but it actually cured depression when used properly in some csaes....and ect, and so on

I didnt answer the Reliablility chart since I havent gotten any information from most of those sources

drugz r bad but people do them and there is really nothing anyone can do to stop them its just good to have information u can trust on the drugz your gonna do

Please dont take it as an insult that I ranked your website as rather unreliable... the truth is I dont trust the internet much... you never know who is behind a website... furthermore, I am not a big drug user, and Id believe someone that I can see in front of me over something I read.

About this sources...Im from slovenia and we dont realy have a lot of sources...only the drogart org...so it is most reliable

Basically xtc has given me the opportunityy to learn more about myself and enable me to express myself in a more uninhibited and outgoing manner. I am unsure of the long-term of this drug, and I am looking to gain a more thorough understanding of such effects, so that I can make an informed decision as to whether I wish to continue using this drug :)

many of the questions cannot be acuratly answered because of the lack of tests on the drug and the short amount of time it has been widly used

Advice from a user so dont just think Im some !@#$ who doesnt know what Im talking about! When you wanna do something your gonna do it rite so that the end result is not failure isnt it? ... so why treat drugs differently if you know that there is a risk involved aswell, think about it, drugs wouldnt be illegal if it didnt do you any harm. If your gonna be taking a little more than usual do it the rite way and know what your doing first, cause yes fine the outside looks great but can you see whats going on inside?! Dont do what your not sure of cause to you it seems fine but something is going to happen some or other time, not relevantly to you, but you will know why because why!

I think most drugs are safe if used in moderate amounts in moderation.

Rolling is the greatest thing ever for a peroid of time...i was hooked with the connection for rolls and i could get however many i need whenever for 7$ a piece...i had the time of my life for maybe 5months but then one time after i came down i just realized it was making me depressed as hell when i was wasnt rolling and i was getting stupid....es some bad shit

Hey man, now I love MDMA and all and love to read about other peoples experiences, but I just dont get this real "touchy" thing that so many people seem to report. I get the "i love yous" but I have seen an overall decline in the intensity of my X experiences over the past year that ive been using it. Its not stopping me though.

Its not that Im saying that most government agencies are completely wrong and unreliable. I just think they try too hard and exaggerate. Most parents are unreliable for the most part because of there limited drug education and research. Friends are unreliable considering they only know what other clueless ones have told them.

Keep in mind that although MD** was my drug of choice I had a serious drug problem. I was using cocaine on a regular basis. Because I am an addict drugs do me serious harm, it does not matter what drug it is. I also did not see Marijana up on your list, you may want to consider it for an un bias data result.

safe exploration with psychedelics, while non addictive, is far more threatening to the status quo than the ravages of the common addictors, which are an understandable and desirable pothole for modern society to fall prey to. Keep up the good work.....

I think that if researched more extensively, ecstasy could be used again in a medical setting to help -not all, but most- people who may be depressed or have some other psychological problem.

Personally I believe Ecstasy has many beneficial things to it, but I also believe that with over use it will also hurt you not only emotionally but also mentally.

I think its difficult to answer some of these questions because my personal experiences with things make them appear more dangerous than others, while i fully admit i do know how the exact answer to which is more dangerous. if the information was disseminated then people truly would know what is dangerous to mess with, and people would be educated about what they choose to take.

I think there needs to be some clarity regarding the question about the damaging efftects of ecstasy use once/mo. for a year. Although I doubt this will cause lingering problems, it very well could if the dosage is high enough (example 300+ mg per session). I also think all drugs are extremely dangerous (not just very safe, mostly safe, etc.) when used irresponsibly. An educated user, on the other hand, could use just about anything recreationally and be reasonably safe.

I love ecstasy and I hope it doesnt lead to long term problems because it fuckin rocks.

you have to thik first then have selfcontrol and the its time for ectasy......its not made for stupids

The survey is asking questions even MDMA professionals cannot answer in all seriousness. Fact is, long-term consequences, if any, are debated.

Well, I always made a distinction between XTC and mdma ... the 1st for all mixes containing mdma, dxm, speeds and all the "shit" ns the 2nd, real caps of mdma... the real deal I can be months without taking xtc.. and suddenly, a good day, i feel like i wanna do mdma... so i do it... i only take mdma to have fun a different way, i feel too good on that. I never have a real psychologic down after tho, i know the effect is leaving and im going back to normal... im happy in life... mdma doesnt give me a false happiness impression, it just make me feel so f**ckin good. For reliability, medias, gorvernment and police dont inform people, they try to scare them. News, try to make this mysterious and bad at the same time. Finally, sites like Erowid and Dancesafe give people facts about drugs.

i dont really think there are very many truly reliable sources of information when it comes to drug use, the personal experiences of friends and myself as well as websites like this which take an honest yet open minded look on them are the only sources i would trust.

I use ecstasy infrequently because of its cost, my belief that dosing your brain with high levels of any serotonin increasing narcotic is very dangerous, and the fact that I suffer severe depression (serotonin level relapse) for up to 2 weeks after using ecstasy. Nevertheless I use it, partially because its immediate primary effects are enjoyable but why I started and probably why I continue is because its such an integral part of rave culture and part of the promise of being and feeling like youre part of something. Ecstasy can make you think youre getting in touch with your feelings and make you feel close to people but when the drugs arent around, neither is the intimacy -- its just longer duration beer-goggles, forcing people to use it frequently.

ive had alot of experience with drugs and especially ecstacy. i feel that it is the most productive drug on the market. instead of just getting fucked up, you can have a mind expanding experience

I know that ecstacy has some very bad effects to the human body especially long term results. I do take ecstacy often but I am slowing down. I am going to stop and I usually to take ecstacy because of the party/rave scene and just to get some good vibes with around close friends. I do not encourage others to start taking ecstacy because it is dangerous and can harm you. I dont have anything to say to the people who take ecstacy because it is none of my concern.

As I am from australia, im not sure about some american organisations so comparative reliability thing might not be accurate.

Government information is almost never reliable and almost always contains bias propoganda intended to skew the views of parents, politicians and law enforcement patrons that read said articles.

Reliability depends on plausibility, no plausibility, no reliability.

Grrrr... I dont like the comparative anaylasis of dangerous/safe and reliable/unreliable sections here... Everybody has an opinion. Its hard to distinguish fact from opinion. So I tend to listen to a lot of people / websites. And then go with my level of comfort... Everything has risks. Some are more focused to body harm where as some my be environmental ( ie...driving under the influence)... Some people might have a problem with "a" and not "b" and the next person might be the exact opposite...

Moderit drug use is one of the safest ways to use drugs and having a dealer that you know and trust As far as trusted info, im not so willing to trust the news and government info sites due to biest oppinyons and one sided storyes, shure the things they tell your are true, to an extent, but half truths are just as bad as lies. They leave you with a perseption of the situation revalving aroud what they wont you to know about it insted of giving you the good bad and the ulgy and letting you deside for your self. They almost make the dession for you witch leads to conserned upset parents and this is just my conspearacy theroy you can read it if you like All the hipe in the meada latly about the horid things e can do doesnt tell you about how it can only really do it. If your over doing it witch menny people espeshaly kids are but it leavs parents really upset and setting the stage to abolish raves and if you dont read the fine print on the Òrave actÓ you may think thats what its all about just my oppinyon

I think that usiing E in moderation can be a very valuable experience. Its when people abuse, or let a situation get out of control that messes up the expirence. I also want to say that people that use E should remember that if they flaunt it to parents, media, etc. that is when they associate it with the kind of music we like, and raves, clubs, and parties get a bad name and subsequently are shut down and not accepted.

Nice survey..I must say that I have not used E in like 2 years and before that it had been 5 years give or take a month or 2

I quit using ecstasy, but these are my answers with what I know now.

What Id like to see is real, impartial, nonpartisan drug research. MDMA has helped me in ways I cant even express, and Id like to know the real risks involved with its (occasional) use, as I find it a valuable part of my personal growth process. At this point, (being a lefty commie pinko) I have plenty of reason to believe that the government has made every conventionally held "fact" about the health effects of MDMA use out of wholecloth. I mean, why not? Theyve done it concerning nearly every other drug that has strong potential for effecting societal change.

My expiriences are based on 3 years of use. Since then I have stopped and noticed the long term effects. I hope this helps a little.

Regarding your question: "How likely do you think it is that Ecstasy use, once a month for 2 years, would lead to long term problems (brain damage, emotional problems, etc)?" my personal experience was for 2 years I did it at least once a month and was consistently getting 4.0s in my undergraduate work. Currently, I have graduated with a ~3.8 in Psychology and I am working towards my Masters in a PA program. I, in a broad generalization, have found, regarding cognitive ability, significant improvement in my conceptual ability, but struggle more with detail specific memorization. Additionally, I feel I have made momentous relational connections with people I have shared these wonderful experiences with. I have personally seen both sides of the coin, but have found a positive path through personal education, & commitment to decisions made by myself.

the news only points out the bad things of ecstacy use and police just try to scare kids.

I ranked heroin as dangerous mainly stemming from some problems caused by its illegal nature, leading more people to inject in high risk situations and/or without great access to education on how to inject safely/clean needles, among a few other things. I would like to have been able to rank various substances on perceived short-term, medium-term, an long-term risks. Cigarrettes, for example, I perceive as being rather harmless in the short-term, but the high addiction rates and obvious health problems associated with long-term use caused me to rank them as very dangerous (even though I smoke). Also, I feel that I have very knowledgable friends (some Erowid contributors, DanceSafe board members/volunteers, for example), but I would not believe MOST peoples friends to be good sources of unbiased info.

there should be a specific reliability selection also. On the bottom of the barrel, I wouldnt trust any of: Govt websites, DEA, DARE, or hearsay of friends. If a friend has experience, or has done research, they may be a valuable resource. Teachers, CNN, Doctors, NYT, and even Parents may provide valuable experience, or may be extremely biased based on little evidence. All are more likely to be stubborn. Dancesafe and Erowid, along with Lycaeum and Hyperreal, all provide realistic information, provided by users, doctors, researchers, and others. This information should be taken with a grain of salt; certainly many of the authors are not experts, but the information is still highly valued and balanced (if you read everything)

when someone buys E, they arent always looking for pure E, to get that, youd have to buy Molly. When i buy E, i want it cut with amephetamines, to make me trip more with visuals, or heroin when i was hyper/dance..

it makes u think a little more about using E and its longterm effects

Questions left blank did not apply to me. some questions were answered with "0" as they did not apply to my situation

why include a comparatively rare and little-known substance (PMA) instead of nitrous or ketamine (common) or marijuana (very common)....?

Very good questions... The reliability chart could use some improvement... With only two real reliable sources, it is difficult to come up with an accurate rank. Thanks!

ecstasy would solve almost all social problems, ecstasy parties are the best parties of all, raves are the ultimate environment almost nirvana, alcohol is a dirty gutter drug, alcohol is the elixier of evil and the work of the devil, MDMA is sent from above and could change the world for the better.

For the safety, its only safe when taken intelligently. Pure heroin is safe, however street heroin is not. Procedures should be taken with heroin, cocaine, etc. to purify them. Hence pharmaceutical opiates are safer, except for the APAP and aspirin they put in many. Also, anything below personal doctor on the last list is not trustworthy at all, in my personal opinion. Friends talk about what they have no clue about ("my friend thinks hes an orange"), and the media is not a good source for objective news. Even many of my personal doctors havent been able to answer things I know myself, and are willing to simply prescribe the newest drug, instead of the best drug for you. Drugs can be used safely, the key is moderation and intelligent use. Get a kit and test your pills, or at least look them up. Get multiple opinions from doctors. Dont trust the media. Parents arent always right. Medical research is the key. The fact is, we dont know enough about the long term effects of MDMA, or other chems in "E" to make a good judgement of true long term effects. I advise against abusing the drug, but not against using the drug.

Ecstasy is the most amazing thing thats ever happened in my life. I used to by slightly on the shy side and very quiet, ecstasy made me very social and meet TONS of new and amazingly awesome friends and people. But it can be very dangerous plz take it responsibly and get it from a trusted source

Living in the Netherlands, some of the questions were difficult to answer. The survay is mainly targeted at USA citizens. Yes, I do watch CNN, but I have no experience with DARE or the DEA.

Ecstacy is very fun and it helps you get away and be a happier person for even just a couple of hours. It sucks that it has long term effects ,but I feel that every person should research a substance before they take it.

With some of the dangers of drugs you should ask how dangerous I think they are short time and long term because some are less dangerous long term and short term like cigarettes

Ectasy is a cool Drug.I just wish the creators would keep it clean and not cut it with other shit.And i would reallyn love it if they made it legal the goverment can then control the intake there of,and make money of it.(Also the price would drop).How can stuff like tobbaco etc. Be leggal they have more devestating effects.E doesnt make u aggressive.Like alcholle

I believe that as long as people educate themselves and understand what Ecstacy does to thier body and dont abuse it--as with any drug--Ecstacy can be relatively safe. Some people should just not do drugs period due to health issues or maturity issues.

"All things in moderation"

I just wanted to add that even though i answered the last question, my only real resources is erowid and personal experience. You guys are great at what you do and i just want to thank you for all of the information you have provided me with. I know can learn about a substance before i take it with ignorance. I just wanted to tell you guys to keep up the good work, you people guide us teenagers all throughout the country and we thank you for that.

the only big qualms i have with the survey is just that it doesnt allow you to be specific enough... its hard to honestly rank a drug in terms of "how bad it is" or "how reliable are they" i would rank dance-safe and erowid at the same level... The same way i would rank DARE, and cops/DEA in the same place... Or media outlets at the same place... i trust some friends about drugs more than others... Etc.

I think adding PMA to the list is wise because it allows Erowid to see if people know what they are talking about when it comes to the safety of drugs.

I was taking X just 2-4 pills on every Saturday during the month. After 6 months Ive lost 16 pounds wear sunken eyes, and feel like ive lost something. If people would only do once or maybe twice a month and thats with taking vitamins there mind and body could probaly handle the chemicals better.

1. you should add caffeine to your list of substances to rate risk. i would put it right behind amphetamines or cocaine. 2. I think the risks and long term psychological effects of E are severly understated, but then again my experiences may be exceptional. 3. I love E, and i would probably do it forever if there were no consequences, but I dont think I can do it again without going completely nuts (mostly from anxiety/panic problems)

I personally believe that taking drugs in moderation and infrequently wont harm you.

i feel that the benefits of using x far out weighs the cons, although a sensible approach is needed to minimise the risks and to reduce the damaging effects.

The long term effects of damage to the seratonin system in the brain be greatly reduced by taking 5-htp while on MDMA. This is most important when comming down and on the following day. It also makes the high last longer and come down time much more gradual, tappering off slowly for over a period of 24 hours. I recomend 1-2 grams of 5-htp spread over 2 days starting about 2 hours after ingesting the MDMA.

The questions were very specific. Adding a comment box next to the questions (i.e. when ranking drugs) so the user or non user can explain his or her thoughts on why they chose what they did. Everyone is different in terms of their body and mind. Maybe leaving a comment in that area would let us get a better idea as to why people believe the things they do. This may help us put out better prevention information and gives us an insight as to what is being circulated as true or false.

im straighternin up with this shit its gonna fuck up my head if i keep doing it. Im done.

i havent done MDMA since last christmas...im a occaisional user and i doubt i would do it again for a while

Thanks to you guys at Erowid for providing people with such accurate, value-judgement free information. Youve helped me and many people I know more than I can say.

As far as the trustworthiness almost all are not reliable. Most just portray the ultimate consequences and not that thoe results are highly unlikely with moderated use.

I liked the survey, though its interesting to inquire about the long term effects of ecstasy, especially considering the recent emergence of the drug.

i think that x is ok as long as it doesnt control you and you control it.it also helped me get out of other drugs and i only tryed it one time.

I have no memory now because of ecstacy, but i really dont regret doing E because it has changed my life for the better. PLUR.

the 150+ times ive used exctasy, it really doesnt seem like ive used it that much.

When I first started taking MDMA (always known 100% pure), I was blown away by what it could do. It has played a major part (along with other psychedelics) in helping me become a fully self-actualized adult. I now take MDMA about four times a year, because I think I have outgrown the kind of intoxication it produces. I feel that ecstasy (even pure MDMA) *IS* a dangerous drug, but at the same time I think that it is an EXTREMELY beneficial drug. I went through a short phase of using a lot of MDMA when I was depressed, and I didnt like what it did to me. And yet at other times it has helped me grow up like nothing else ever could.

THANKS to ectasy I can now socialize with others easily and no longer suffer from social anxiety disorder

It is always difficult to guage how many times that I have taken Extacy. I havent done very much of it in the past couple of years. Many years ago I was taking it rather frequently (once a week, usually, in large blocks of time).

I am in Australia (just in case you find it relevant for the last question). When judging "risk" in SPECIFIC RISK by SUBSTANCE I am taking into account the substance as a whole; ie I believe alcohol is dangerous simply because I see so much alcohol abuse, and so much alcoholism. For me personally, I dislike alcohol, so it would be low risk.

I would group everyone after dancesafe in the same group as very bad source.

Not in US - Ive never heard of things like DARE. Didnt fill in "most reliable" at all.

I am interested in research. I am a teacher who is afraid of the damage I did to my body.

ecstacy has changed my life, given me self confidence at a time when suicide was a possibility. with the experiences i hae laernt lots about myself, and coupled with my reliasation of my intelligence (i am a dentistry student) has made me a force to be reckoned with in all areas of life!

Please take in to consideration that all the questions I answered , I had in mind that all the XTC was pure... or at least mostly pure. Thank You. I likes surveys. you should make some more up.

i havent tried the mayority of the drugs metioned in the survey. Some of ecstacy tablets i have consumed contain 150mg not 100 ( the standard of the survey)

Responsible drug use is solely up to the user.If people cannot use drugs responsibly and accept the consequences of what may happen then they shouldnt be using them.They give everyone else a bad name.People who are trying to good things are held back because some people dindt look into what they were doing,and couldnt deal with what happened.

Ive never taken X but Im here because Im considering trying it.

I take all sources into consideration. That is why I did not change any of the above.

No guarantee for anonymity will amke less people answer. Please make the results available for anyone not only in a report, but also DL of all raw data.

the only reason i believe that the government does not have good information or police officers, is because it is their duty to keep these types of drugs off of the streets. If it were legal, they wouldnt give anyone any type of shit. Listen to websites only if the people who make the websites, have done those drugs, and used message boards like these to get other peoples reactions. Yes, some drugs are bad, but the government doesnt like people using these drugs only for the fact that they are made illegally and they dont get any money off the drug deals that go on. I myself sell a variety of drugs. But just because i obtain these drugs illegally, the government will hate me because they do not get a cut of the money i bring in.

Most of my answers may not make any sence to most people.Because most people that have done as many drugs as myself and have enjoyed doing most of them like e,would say nothing but good things about the drug.But i know what i was doing and what i will possibly do in the future is not the smartest nor the healthies thing in the world.So i know that there are bad side affects and long term affects that i would raher avoid having.But these were my own choices so i will deal with the results.

What is the most ecstasy you have taken in one session / day / evening?-this was a double stack, not sure if that is one or counts as 2

i have yet to try ecstasy. i am interested somewhat in experimenting because i think i can handle myself on drugs. i dont keep feelings bottled up inside and am always open with people so i dont think i need ecstasy to help me in any way. i think i will try it sometime in my life. i hope that it wont be at a rave because i have been a party kid for a while. drugs did not get me into the scene at all. my parents and i have always been open and they let me go to parties cause they know i am there for the music and dancing. raves are there to keep me off drugs. i find that when i am bored i will smoke pot but if i have a rave to go to it is something to entertain meand keep me from doing drugs. everyone i know who does drugs does them when they are bored. i never do anything at a rave cause that is my sober fun. it really sucks how they get sucha bad rap from irresponsible e users and retarded police and the uneducated public. people do stuff at concerts too. it always seems like the media and police target whatever kids are into ...musicwise... cause they dont understand it. look at all of the alcoholic politicians. i see how legal substances are abused and how they are harmful even in their "safe" amounts. but then i dont really know if all drugs should be legal....argh! i am just bitching and rambling....

There are some drugs like GHB, DXM, DMA, which Ive never tried and dont have much information about, so I felt awkward trying to rate them on the comparative risks table. I did my best...

ecstasy can kill you if its filled with rat poison or you dont drink or you drink 50 gallons it can screw your brain aswell taking to much it gets less good and boring and you get worse comedowns

Most people I know that use Ecstasy have followed the same path. Heavy usage at first until it begins to effect your daily life (i.e., confusion, difficulty remember stuff, increased length and intensity of depression) and then have slowed way down. I was using 2-3 times a month when I started 14 months ago. Now its 2-4 time a year. It truly is not as much fun as I remember it beging.

its a fun drug as long as you know how to control yourself. anything taken to exces is never good. i stoped using mdma about 4 months ago, it was fun while it lasted.

I did not answer the optional source. I consider my knowledge on Ecstasy as well as drugs to be quite large, so im interested in what erowid thinks of my classification of drugs for specific risk by substance - I hope its fairly accurate. I also hope this survey is successful and more USEFUL knowledge is gained out of it. Good luck!

Purity is the main problem. Ive tried it 4 times but only really had the effect onceight. I suspect that the pills taken on the other occasions were bogus. I further suspect that research will show that most cases of ecstasy-related death and serious illness are attributable to tainted, impure, or misidentified pills.

with friends being somewhat reliable only if they close to the pill source.

Any drug can be unsafe, Knowledge is the key to safety on these drugs.

I beleive there are only positve results from the responsible use of MDMA

Dare LIED to us in school about marijuana!

Ecstacy is a drug that allows people to release their emotions and be happy and free. It is one of the safer drugs on the market.

Its hard to say which drug is more safe or more dangerous, because different drugs are worse in different areas. Also, the individual is the greatest factor in determining which drugs would be good or bad for him/her self. Age, emotional level, current social situation, and how informed the person is are all factors. Experience with drugs or drug users also play roles. Everything in moderation, know yourself, know your source.

I have taken ecstacy for a few years now and have just recently graduated from university with a good job to go to. I believe it is a good way to have a blow out and then return to work with more focus and fresh enthusiasim, after the come down.

Ive never taken and know little about GHB or DXM. I havent taken Heroin, Cocaine or Amphetamines but I have been with people who have and feel I understand the effects. I dont know much about PMA but Ive heard a lot about its danger. I think a lot of the danger associated with E is media hype. Most of the stories Ive head about people having serious health problems or death resulting from using E were either not really doing E (they thought it was but it wasnt), were doing an excessive amount of it (several pills in a short period of time), or were combining it with other drugs (cocaine, speed, etc.).

A few drugs I did not know of. Im lucky to not have damage from the amount that I have done. I have had lasting benefits from the drug. It is such a bonding feeling that you get. My friends and I used to use it as a mediating drug. When two people or more were fighting,ecstasy always remedied it. Too bad its unhealthy. Its such a wonderful thing to experience.

Why isny marijuana on your survey? Is it because you too believe it is not as harmfull as a Snickers bar? Exactly.

I have just one comment, people need to calm the hell down. Just sit back... and relax...;-)

i stopped using ecstacy because i could no longer trust the purity of the pills i was getting. only once did i feel any emotional effects from the drug, which was why had i decided to use it in the 1st place. the other times only speedy/hallucinogenic effects.

After taking 20 pills of ecstasy i didnt feel less intelligent. After one use of coke i could clearly see the damage to my memory. Also cigarettes are outragously addictive, trying to quit.

dont trust police.

XTC is very dangerous and there is no excuse for doing it. But if you going to do it, do it extream moderation.

I believe that it would be more accurate if you let people comment by each of their answers. Most of these questions are hard to respond to in a multiple choice form.

ive done exctasy twice in the last month (and actually will do it again this month) but before that I hadnt done it for two years, so I dont actually do it that often.

Its difficult to rank substances by how dangerous they are. Obviously, physically addicting substances have a greater inherant potential for harm, but any substance can be dangerous if its disrespected or misused, even water.

It is unfortunate to think that our public school system could be so unreliable. With the lack of sufficent funds and how overworked these people are, it is a wonder that they can function to provide the most basic of information.

Of the people that Ive spoken with regarding MDMA, the vast majority seem to be under the impression that MDMA "Burns holes in your brain." Where and how this urban legend came into being is a bit beyond me. Furthermore, a substantial portion claim to have used pills containing heroin. Another urban legend. Most everyone seems completely ignorant about the substance that they are putting into their bodies, and completely unaware of the complex social issues that have surrounded and continue to surround this drug. Without a doubt, MDMA is one of the most poorly understood chemicals available on the black market, and certainly the most misunderstood chemical of my generation. Im constantly frustrated by MDMA being sold in pressed pills. The fact that it is sold without an indicator of dosage is absolutely deplorable. Why cant dealers simply dole out baggies of nice, white, pure powder? If a market for powder MDMA existed, surely it would be cut with something else, and once again make the dosage unknown. Its this kind of black market that makes drugs unsafe for consumption, and its the governments responsibilty to ensure that *all* of its citizens, drug users included, are safe. Legalization, or at least, decriminalization is the first step that needs to be taken to ensure my safety, and the safety of others. When it comes to MDMA, legalization is a cause that I stand behind 100%. I applaud the efforts of MAPS and others, and I sincerely hope that the FDA gives serious consideration to their claims regarding its use in treating PTSD.

Most of the things people say about ecstasy, are over exagerated lies. Its mostly from the government, and media trying to control the people. The people that have died on X, did not die from the drug itself, in most cases, but from things like overhydration, for instance. They just dont want us to live our own lives. Its your choice to do drugs, dont be blinded by your controllers, and look at both sides of the story before you decide what you want. You only live once, so make the most of. Peace, love and happiness.

I hope that this survey is usefull in some way. I just wanted to comnt on the last segment on Reliable sources of Information tat the bottom 7 answers are all unrealiable and are only sources of propoganda. Thank you.

why is there never anything positive on the news about MDMA?

Pretty good survey. Good job. And no I am not on ecstacy right now.

I tend to rate drugs that do (confirmed) damage to the body and are used socially ie; cigarettes and alcohol, as more dangerous than drugs that are taken recreationally. The reason being is that people tend to do what is socially acceptable more often. Also I rate drugs that are physically addictive as very dangerous as addictions in any form upset the balance of day to day life and become the prime reason for living rather than being something that is done to relax or have fun with. I understand that there are risks involved in taking any drug but personally I would rather take something that gives me a high lift occassionally than takes something that I am addicted too just so I could feel or function normally.

Although very new to taking XTC, I have smoked pot for nearly 10 years now and never thought I would progress to E or other harder drugs. XTC has had a VERY positive effect on my life / family life but I am also very weary of keeping it under control.

Ecstacy feels pretty safe when used in the correct setting, and used with antioxidants and/or SSRI... The biggest risk and problem for me is the fact that it is illegal. This makes it hard to know if you get real MDMA, and makes it neccessary to mix with "shady" people. Additionally being arrested is not very constructive in any way.

I wish I wish oh how I wish we knew more about MDMA. I wouldnt do it any more than I have already. But I sure would do it a lot less. The lies that I believed kept me healthy as a child and those same lies made me try Ecstacy for the first time.

wen ordering drugs i dont know about some of them....

i think ecstacy use is only as valuable as you make it. people who use it as a novelty to party and people who use it to inaproprietly bond with others will get minimal benefit from it. but people who use it in the right setting with close friends to explore their feelings and compassion can gain alot from it. i think it could be a valuable tool if used by patients of trained psychologists to come to terms with alot of the fucked up issues people develope in todays society.

I am sick and tired of hearing on the news about people who die from the use of ecstasy. When in fact they die from other substances mixed in with MDMA. If the governtments instead of making criminals out of drug users, would just provide the drug users with a reasonably safe and controlled version of the drugs. We could all have a good time.

Im from brazil and here is legal to have ayhuasca in rituals twice a year as like a religion... I hope someday the modern community will understand that mdma is a modern coupound that god give us like the possibility of man been flying or walking the moon. And someday this chemical will be sacred to be used in rituals twice a year and in very controlled way.

I dont trust any government sponsored organisation, nor mainstream media, friends no very little usually...I only trust independant organisations

note: I rated DXM as "very dangerous" because it caused me psychosis, brain damage, and serious digestive system problems. Permanently. In my opinion, DXM is more harmful than PCP, though not necessarily more dangerous, and should be used sparingly. I was only a casual, moderate user. However, I was also naturally predisposed to psychosis, brain damage, and digestive problems, so the DXM mostly just brought them out. Still, it made my life a living hell (Imagine a year with no emotions!). Also, it was difficult to rank substances according to risk, due to the many factors involved in determining risk. For example, in the case of LSD, I am assuming proper set and setting. A single dose of LSD could do far more damage to the average novice than a single dose of methamphetamine or cocaine.