DRUG USERS RISK MENTAL HEALTH

Sir - If ecstasy or any drug use, including alcohol and nicotine, are so
safe, as three leading psychologists have claimed, why is it that people
die from using them?

The reality is that any drug is dangerous if used illicitly or not in the
way it was designed to be used by the pharmaceutical manufacturer.

Evidence shows that prolonged use of ecstasy affects the serotonin levels
in the brain. Altering one's serotonin level can lead to depression, sleep
problems and anxiety.

Just because a tenth of 15- to 29-year-olds have used ecstasy does not mean
that they will become mentally ill. However, prolonged use does appear to
increase the risk of mental health problems in later life. And as we have
also seen in a number of tragic though unusual cases, one tablet can kill.

From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)
Nursing Practice, Royal College of Nursing, London W1