LABOUR CALLS FOR RESEARCH INTO POSITIVE SIDE OF ECSTASY

MEDICAL experts should conduct studies into the possible benefits of
ecstasy, Labour's spokesperson on health Liz McManus, said.

Ms McManus said while she did not condone the use of the killer drug,
specialists should carry out examinations to see if ecstasy could help
patients who suffer Parkinson's disease.

"In general, I think we should look at all the ways to relieve a victim's
pain, including ecstasy. But I am not singling out ecstasy as a drug that
could have benefits.

"I would think that anything that could possibly help a patient's condition
should be looked at. Just because a drug is commonly misused does not mean
it should not be studied to find out if it has beneficial sides to it."

Ms McManus made the remark after British scientists confirmed they were
studying the use of the deadly drug. The scientists' investigations follow
claims by a man that ecstasy relieves the pain of Parkinson's disease. The
usually bedridden man claims using the drug allows him to do somersaults.

Londoner Tim Lawrence was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease six years ago.

He claims using ecstasy brings relief for several hours to pains brought on
by the disease until the effects of the drug wear off.

The 39 year old will feature in the BBC's Horizon programme, Ecstasy and
Agony, which will be screened on February 15.

Last night Michael Dineen, chief executive of the Multiple Sclerosis
Society of Ireland, said tests on ecstasy could prove valuable if it is
found to have qualities that could be used to improve the treatment of
patients.

"There is no known cure for MS and we would welcome any type of research
into possible cures," he said.

Mr Dineen said the public must not risk taking illegal drugs until proper
clinical trials are carried out.

"We wouldn't advise anyone to break the law or use illegal drugs until they
are properly tried and tested," he said.

But Marie Byrne, director of the Aisling Group (a community drugs
prevention group), said it would be outrageous for such research to be
carried out into ecstasy while the public is still not aware of the drug's
real dangers.

"We often hear about the possible benefits of drugs, especially cannabis.
But if the bad effects of taking ecstasy haven't even been properly
researched, then why should we want to see if there are positive effects?"
she asked.

Ireland has the highest level of ecstasy abuse among 15 to 16 year olds in
the European Union, with one in 10 students using the mind altering drug.

Department of Justice figures last year indicated ecstasy has overtaken
heroin as the second most common illegal drug abuse in Ireland, behind
cannabis resin.