ECSTASY MAKING A COMEBACK BY BRIAN LIVINGSTON

Lpd Narcotics Agent Robert Strickland Says Young Adults And Teens Are
Targets For This Drug

As if law enforcement officials didn't have enough to worry about.

Adding to the proliferation of crack cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, and
the always present marijuana, narcotics agents with the Laurel Police
Department are beginning to see more and more evidence ecstasy is becoming
another preferred illegal drug used by young adults. But this time, instead
of predominately being a partying drug used within the young white
community as was the case in the 1990s, the drug is showing up on the club
scenes in the black community today.

"It sort of ran its cycle through the young, white crowd in the nineties
but it is seeing a resurgence in the black communities especially in
regards to partying and clubbing," said LPD Narcotics agent Robert
Strickland. "We are seeing a lot of pills but we haven't quite gotten a
handle on who is bringing this stuff in."

Unlike crystal methamphetamine, where the ingredients are easy to get and
the drug easy to manufacture almost anywhere, ecstasy is more complicated.
For that reason the pills the agents and other law enforcement officials
are coming across on the streets are shipped in from other parts of the nation.

For those who don't remember the ecstasy boom of the 90s, the drug, whose
other technical moniker is MDMA, named for the main ingredient
methylenedioxy-n-methylamphetamine, is a hallucinogenic drug first created
in the 70s by chemist Alexander Shulgin. He developed the drug to help with
psychotherapy. With widespread use have come reports of confusion,
paranoia, psychosis, anxiety, depression, sleeping difficulties, and many
other psychological effects. The modern forms of ecstasy can include traces
of cocaine, meth, and heroin.

"You have you regular ecstasy or "X"," said Strickland. "If you get what is
called a single stack it is laced with meth. A double stack has meth and
cocaine and a triple stack has meth, cocaine, and heroin. Very dangerous
stuff and it can kill you very quickly."

The problem with the euphoria many experience with ecstasy is that the
heart rate rises dramatically. Strickland said the drug is like a souped up
"upper" in that it makes your energy level go out the roof.

"That is why you see it in so many clubs," he said. "They can dance all
night but they are also on the edge of killing themselves."

Also known widely as the date rape drug, ecstasy can also put the user in a
state of intoxication to the point in which they can't say "no." It is much
like a drunken stupor in which the next morning they may not even remember
what happened the night before. The drug was designed to take away normal
inhibitions in order to psycho analyze a patient. In doing so, Shulgin also
developed a drug that drops the guard of users so they are more susceptible
to experiences they'd normally not participate in.

The proliferation of the drug has prompted Strickland to warn parents to
watch their children.

"Especially the young adults and teenagers still in high school,"
Strickland added. "They are the targets for this drug. If you notice any
type of behavioral changes or see their grades start falling off, you might
want to look more closely with who your children are socializing with and
what they are doing."

Other physical signs may be sweating profusely as the drug raises the
temperature level of the body along with the heart rate. Insomnia is also a
frequent indication of ecstasy use.

To make matters worse is the fact ecstasy pills come in a wide assortment
of shapes and colors complete with common logos.

"We have some with even M&M candy logos on them," Strickland said. "You
know the Sweet Tart brand candies? These pills look much like them. Parents
may have seen them at one time or another but thought they were just candy."

Strickland said drugs will have numbers, manufacturer or both on them.
These pills try to slip past curiosity with animals, insects, logos, and
letters stamped on them. Just because there is a butterfly on the pill
doesn't necessarily mean it is harmless.

Strickland is most concerned young adults will experiment with the drug
just because it is new. He reasoned that is one of the reasons why they are
seeing more and more of the pills in recent months.

"It may be a phase and it may be the newest epidemic in Laurel," said
Strickland. "We don't want it to be either one. This is a dangerous drug
that's addictive and can kill. Parents and young adults need to be aware of
those facts and stay away from ecstasy." Many of the pills will have logos
such as the Mitsubishi automobile manufacturer, McDonald's, MTV, and even a
butterfly.