In 2001, ecstasy tablets seized in north-west England contained between 20 and 109 mg of MDMA, with most tablets averaging 60–69 mg. Some tablets also contained MDEA. The most common type, Mitsubishi tablets, spanned the full range of MDMA content. Analysis of 80 samples from a single large seizure of White Dove tablets showed low variation, indicating consistent manufacturing. Comparing these data with UK-wide analyses from 1991 to 2001 shows that the average MDMA content in ecstasy tablets has been declining over the decade. The authors argue that because the amount of MDMA per tablet is dropping, studies of long-term effects and neurotoxicity must account for actual ingested doses.
A commentary discusses two papers by Pekala and colleagues that examine relationships among trance or altered state effects, suggestibility, expectancy, hypnosis, and hypnotism. The first paper reviews these concepts and introduces the PCI-HAP assessment instrument. The second empirically tests whether these concepts predict hypnotic depth scores, concluding that multiple processes are involved in hypnotism, while hypnosis itself consists only of altered state or trance effects. The commentary raises methodological, semantic, and conceptual issues, arguing that many problems in defining hypnosis-related terms could be clarified by historical context. It suggests difficulties in identifying origins of hypnotic experiences may stem from insufficient attention to suggestion and expectancies and over-reliance on induction procedures.