Stress, not identity, drives riskier cannabis use among sexually diverse youth, new study finds

Mixing ecstasy with other drugs can have serious consequences on your health. I had quit smoking for three months up until that night, and then I rolled used ecstasy and then I smoked 3 packs of cigarettes. Then that’s when I started back smoking … smoking is like the greatest thing in the world when you’re on X…Just ‘cause of the way it makes you feel. Alcohol doesn’t make ecstasy last longer, but it makes it more exciting. Well, like with alcohol, you can drink a lot of alcohol to where you can’t get drunk. It’s like if you drink and you get to the point where you get drunk, you’re not going to get any drunker.

MDMA AND WEED

As is common in such qualitative interviews, not all topics were addressed in all interviews. New topics raised by a respondent were introduced in the ongoing data collection. The average length of the qualitative interview was 90 minutes (range from 1 to 2.5 hours). The study respondents were reimbursed $15 for participating in the open-ended interview. In contrast, there is evidencethat MDMA does chronically impair complex memory tasks (hippocampus) and,in heavier users, higher executive information processing (frontal cortex)as well.

And all my friends were completely blown out of their minds, and they were, like, man, what’s your problem? And I got kind of pissed off ‘cause I wasted my money, and I got to reading up on that and figured out what the problem was. And, you know, I came to a conclusion, well, ecstasy makes me happy, and I’m taking anti-depressants and I’m still depressed. And it makes me more depressed that I can’t take a drug that I really like. Marijuana was the most popular drug to use while on ecstasy and while coming down from ecstasy.

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MDMA, also known as ecstasy, is a synthetic drug that belongs to the amphetamine class of drugs. It is chemically similar to both stimulants and hallucinogens, and it works by increasing the activity of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain. On the other hand, marijuana is a plant-based substance that contains over 100 different cannabinoids, with the most well-known being THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol).

The concurrent use of cannabis and MDMA is often shaped by social, psychological, and environmental factors. Many users combine these substances in recreational settings to enhance sensory experiences and prolong euphoria. MDMA’s empathogenic effects make it popular in nightlife and festival environments, while cannabis is often used to modulate its intensity. Some report that cannabis amplifies MDMA’s effects, while others use it to ease the comedown. Ecstasy is different from many other drugs in that its users tend not to take it on a daily basis.

What about combining MDMA with other drugs?

It increases the activity of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, creating a mood-enhancing effect. It comes in several forms, including tablets, gel capsules, powder, crystal and liquid. These forms vary in purity and potency, making it important for individuals to be cautious and informed about what they’re using.

Duration of Effects

Finally, we add to the literature a clearer distinction between the types of poly-drug experiences, as well as the motivations for the various types of use and the influence of the setting. Heavy MDMA users were impaired in self-ratedprospective memory, as well as in verbal and semantic fluency tasks comparedto a MDMA naïve polydrug group. In the first study,subjects with subjective problems attributed to MDMA (mean of about 372 tablets)were compared with MDMA users without these problems (mean of about 357 tablets)and controls (42).

However, reported experiences indicate that the outcome of combining marijuana and MDMA is unpredictable, with some experiencing enhanced euphoria and a reduced comedown while others experience extreme anxiety and vivid hallucinations. Taking marijuana and Ecstasy together also brings some potentially dangerous physiological side effects. When using Ecstasy, individuals tend to increase their physical activity and sweat more, and they may become very thirsty.

  • You will be connected with one of our experienced and compassionate rehab admissions navigators who can answer any questions you may have, including those about paying for rehab with health insurance and and additional rehab payment options.
  • While people can use fentanyl testing strips to check their ecstasy for the presence of fentanyl, there is a wide margin of error since every portion of the pill must be tested.
  • He is former director of multimedia at STAT, where he oversaw all visual, audio and interactive journalism.
  • MDMA metabolism primarily involves CYP2D6, which converts MDMA into its active metabolite, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and subsequent breakdown products.
  • Both substances impact overlapping neurotransmitter systems, particularly serotonin and dopamine, but in different ways.

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Unsurprisingly—given that one’s an upper and one’s a downer—it’s not a mix that’s very good for your heart, or your general wellbeing. However, it does create a whole new different kind of high in itself, which is possibly why so many people end up reaching for their phones once they’ve got a few beers inside them. The extent of effects may vary depending on factors like height, weight, how much of the drug is consumed and whether the person is used to the drug.

Both sidesof the brain were implicated and the patterned deficit profile excluded explanationsbased on non-specific factors such as subjects’ motivation. Mood, as assessedby the Beck Depression Inventory, also did not affect results. Cannabis wasclearly identified as the next most commonly used illicit substance; however,none of the deficits showed any correlation with frequency or amount of cannabisused. Nevertheless, the difficulty in identifying a pattern to the MDMA deficitsprompted a second study looking more closely at the role played by cannabis.

You’ll like eat what you’re going to take to get high and then shoot one heroin dose before you feel the effects of the pills that you’ve just eaten. According to the DSM IV-TR, ecstasy is classified as a hallucinogen (American Psychiatric Association APA, 2000), but it also produces alerting effects similar to those of stimulants such as (meth)amphetamine. Its popularity partly is driven by effects such as an increased ability to produce a strong sense of comfort and empathy to others (Cohen, 1998; Elk, 1996; Hastings, 1994; Millman & Beeder, 1994; Schwartz & Miller, 1997).

Dangerous Effects of Ecstasy (MDMA/Molly)

It was dubbed “molly” because the acronym MDMA can be challenging to say, and “ecstasy” for its intense euphoric effects. Its popularity surged as it made its way deep into the party and rave scenes, prompting the US government to make it illegal in 1985. In fact, polysubstance use—a grand term for “getting fucked up with more than one drug”—tends to be the norm rather than the exception for most drug users. MDMA alters mood and perception by increasing levels of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin in the brain.

  • Before reviewing these, the cognitiveeffects of cannabis will be considered.
  • The comedown effects often lead people to use other drugs to moderate these effects, either in combination with ecstasy or during the withdrawal period.
  • Canada and Australia have already passed legislation allowing for MDMA use for mental health treatment.
  • The concept of combining different substances to feel the effects of both isn’t a new one.
  • Cannabis has also shown promise in helping to treat PTSD and other mental health disorders.

In terms of the settings where they used ecstasy during the past 90 days, use at raves, parties or clubs was mentioned most frequently (85.1%), followed by use at a friend’s place with a party going on (58.5%), and at home without a party going on (54.3%). Three-fourths (74.5%) of the study participants reported ever having taken a booster dose of ecstasy, with the most common reason being to make the high last longer (40.4%). Upon describing selected demographic characteristics of the study participants, we present a series of descriptive quantitative findings on their ecstasy use and their poly-drug use. Next we move into the qualitative findings as we distinguish between experiences of separate, synergistic, and indiscriminate poly-drug use from the perspective of the users. Of course, like anything else we put into our bodies, cannabis can also cause a range of relatively mild side effects including dry mouth, fatigue, temporarily impaired cognitive function, red eyes and short term memory deficits.

Ecstasy, I feel like I can do that maybe once a month or maybe even less than that because it’s fun but it’s an intense experience. As shown in Table 1, the majority of the study participants were male (71.3%), with slightly over one-half (53.3%) being between 18 and 20 years. The majority reported having completed high school or the equivalent thereof (43.6%) or some college education (36.2%).

In Florida, those who qualify for and obtain a Medical Marijuana ID Card can use medical marijuana for approved conditions such as cancer, chronic seizures, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. To complicate things further, various groups of young people may be more or less at risk of falling into these patterns. Of particular interest are sexually diverse youth (for example, lesbian, gay, bisexual or queer youth), as they are more likely both to use cannabis, and to develop problems linked to their use. “Affective reinforcement of simultaneous versus single use of alcohol and cannabis” was published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence. In addition to Wycoff, MU study author included Timothy Trull, Curators’ Distinguished Professor and Byler Distinguished Professor of Psychological Sciences.

Regardless, simultaneous use of MDMA and weed is likely to exacerbate racing ecstasy and weed heartbeat (tachycardia), which is a common side effect of both substances. At Sunlight Recovery, we realize how challenging it can be to resist drugs like molly and marijuana. We also believe that, with treatment, it’s possible to overcome substance use and regain control.

Approximately one-half of the study respondents self-identified as white (51.1%), with another one-third (33.0%) self-identifying as African American. Approximately three-fourths (77.7%) of the study participants identified themselves as heterosexual. In terms of their current relationship status, approximately two-fifths (43.6%) were single.