ANTI-DRUG GROUP SEES NO JOY IN ECSTASY SURVEY

A large-scale study showing the danger of even occasional use of ecstasy is
unlikely to put users off, a Christchurch-based anti-drug group says. The
British survey found ecstasy users suffered significantly more memory
problems than people who had never used the drug, while they also made more
errors in completing an online questionnaire than users of other drugs and
drug-free participants.

The results came as no surprise to Drug Arm New Zealand Foundation national
director Graeme Bisseker.

"I think we will see more long-term impacts as the speed-type drugs start
to show themselves in society as more people are using them frequently,"
Bisseker said.

"But I doubt it will register much. I think people just ignore (the studies)."

One Christchurch ecstasy user, who wanted to be identified only as Bob,
said he was sceptical of the various studies conducted.

The 38-year-old started using ecstasy eight years ago and had suffered no
lasting ill effects. He took the time to read about what he was taking.

"The trouble with the drug thing is that people are pointing the finger at
things that are reasonably safe with dubious science," he said.

"I suppose you do take some risks, but there are a lot worse drugs (than
ecstasy) around."

Published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, the study was based on the
responses of 763 respondents to an online survey.

The 81 respondents who had taken ecstasy more than 10 times were 14 per
cent more likely to report long-term memory difficulties than users of
other recreational drugs. They were almost 25% more likely to have memory
problems than people who used no drugs.

Ecstasy users also made 21% more errors than other drug users when filling
in the questionnaire and almost 30% more than people who did not take drugs.