ECSTASY USE UP 300% IN DECADE

Researchers Alarmed

Rave kids aren't the only ones getting high on Ecstasy.

A recent survey revealed more than 200,000 people in Ontario have used the
so-called club drug at least once.

The survey, released yesterday by the Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health (CAMH), found Ecstasy use was highest among ravers, but could be
found far beyond those who party and dance until dawn.

The typical users, the survey found, are predominantly men, aged 18 to 29,
who hold full-time jobs and often mix Ecstasy with other drugs, including
alcohol, pot and cocaine.

"What is striking is that more than half who used Ecstasy are full-time
workers," said Dr. Ed Adlaf, lead author of the the study.

"These are not students and many are not ravers but rather people who are a
little out of that youth culture."

'One Dose Can Be Fatal'

The number of people using Ecstasy has skyrocketed since it first appeared
on the radar screen in 1991.

The latest CAMH research, compiled by phone interviews with 2,400 adults,
shows that nearly 3% of the population has taken Ecstasy, compared to less
than 1% a decade ago.

Although its use is still nowhere near that of other drugs -- studies show
more than 25% use cannabis -- the numbers are alarming, Adlaf said.

"There is a far higher hazard level with Ecstasy," Adlaf said. "Just one
dose can be fatal."

There have been 18 Ecstasy-related deaths in Ontario since 1998, according
to the province's coroner.

Effect Little Known

Despite a growing number of reports on Ecstasy, little yet is known of its
short- and long-term effects.

The survey results have spurred a public awareness campaign spearheaded by
Dr. Steven Friedman, an attending physician of emergency medicine at the
University of Toronto.

Friedman has been concerned for the past few years by the number of
club-drug related medical problems in the emergency department.

He helped develop a public service announcement that will air soon. "What
is surprising is the perception among users that these drugs are safer than
they actually are," he said.