UNDERSTANDING ECSTASY'S DANGER

Re: The Agony And The Ecstasy Panic, Colby Cosh, March 27.
As a researcher who examines living and deceased users of Ecstasy (MDMA), I
take issue
with several points raised by Colby Cosh.

I agree that (pure) Ecstasy fatalities are rare, but the forensic
literature suggests that deaths are not necessarily due to an
"overdose" but to a highly unpredictable reaction that occurs in a
small minority of drug users who have special sensitivity to the drug,
perhaps even at "normal" doses.

Mr. Cosh is quite upset with a statement by the RCMP reporting
preliminary evidence of Ecstasy in youths. While I think a good case
can be made that the public needs to know when deaths occur due to any
street drug, Mr. Cosh provides only speculation as to whether Ecstasy
(or, for example, a combination of street drugs) was in fact a
contributing factor in the deaths. The answer in the form of a
suspected cause of death will be obtained by the Alberta coroner, who
will decide whether it is in the public interest to release such
information.

Stephen Kish

Human Neurochemical Pathology Laboratory, Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health

Toronto.