DANGEROUS ECSTASY RIPOFFS ARE ON THE RISE

Drug dealers hoping to capitalize on the popularity of club drugs are
trying to pass off a variety of chemical concoctions as Ecstasy.

The pills are appearing at dance clubs and all-night dance parties in
California, Oregon, Ohio, Florida and at least 10 other states. Last month,
the Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued an alert for two of the
drugs known as Foxy and AMT.

Drug experts regard Ecstasy as harmful, and officials warn that the use of
research chemicals such as AMT and Foxy is particularly hazardous because
scientists have not studied their effects.

Of particular concern are:

* Foxy, also called Methoxy Foxy, which is known chemically as 5-MeO- DIPT.
It is a hallucinogen that comes in tablets and capsules. Users report
diarrhea, nausea, severe anxiety and a high or "buzzing" that can last 14
hours.

* AMT, also called IT-290 and known chemically as alpha- methyltryptamine
is a hallucinogen that usually comes in a capsule with orange or off-white
powder. Users experience increased energy, empathy, visual patterns,
nausea, headaches and vomiting.

Both drugs mimic some of the effects of Ecstasy, which has stimulant and
hallucinogenic properties and produces a feeling of sensuous well- being.
Foxy and AMT, however, produce more intense hallucinations without the warm
and fuzzy feeling.

"About half the pills we test are not (Ecstasy)," says Tim Santamour,
executive director of DanceSafe. His organization tests pills for 3,4-
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), the chemical component of ecstasy, in
an effort to reduce harm on users.

"Drug dealers know there is a market for Ecstasy right now, and they are
willing to put their customers at risk," Santamour says.