Increases in the use of drug testing kits among nightclub and festival attendees in New York City who use ecstasy, 2017-2022.
Nicole D. Fitzgerald, Joseph J Palamar
Drug and Alcohol Review May 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13829 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Repeated cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adults entering randomly selected electronic dance music events in New York City who reported past-year ecstasy use |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Adulterants Drug checking Harm reduction Harm-reduction Drug-testing Nightlife-safety Substance-analysis |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key findings | The proportion of EDM event attendees who tested their ecstasy increased from 23.1% in 2017 to 43.1% in 2022, while suspected adulteration among those who tested decreased from 59.6% to 18.4%. |
Abstract
Ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine [MDMA]) is a drug commonly used by people who attend electronic dance music (EDM) events at nightclubs and dance festivals. Drug checking has gained popularity in recent years to test for adulterants, but epidemiology studies are needed to estimate potential shifts in prevalence of drug checking to further inform harm reduction efforts. Adults entering randomly selected EDM events in New York City were surveyed in 2017 and 2022. Those reporting past-year ecstasy use were asked if they tested their ecstasy in the past year using a drug testing kit and whether they found out or suspected their ecstasy contained other drugs. We compared estimates between 2017 and 2022. In 2017, an estimated 23.1% had tested their ecstasy, and this estimate increased to 43.1% in 2022 (86.6% increase, p = 0.006). Among those who tested their ecstasy, in 2017, 31.2% always tested their drug, and this increased to 60.6% in 2022 (94.2% increase, p = 0.026). In 2017, 59.6% of those who tested their ecstasy reported finding out or suspecting their drug was adulterated, which decreased to 18.4% in 2022 (69.1% decrease, p < 0.001). Suspected methamphetamine adulteration in particular decreased, from 21.9% in 2017 to 3.6% in 2022 (83.6% decrease, p = 0.007). The use of drug testing kits has increased among EDM event attendees who use ecstasy and, at the same time, among those who had tested their ecstasy, suspected adulteration has decreased. Continued interest in understanding ecstasy contents among this population suggests the need for formal drug checking services.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recreational MDMA use in Sydney: a profile of ‘Ecstasy’ users and their experiences with the drug Recreational Ecstasy users recruited via snowball peer network | 1992 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 100 |
| Reducedin vivobinding to the serotonin transporter in the cerebral cortex of MDMA (‘ecstasy’) users Male regular ecstasy users and well-matched controls | 1999 | Cross-sectional association study | n = 20 |
| Patterns of simultaneous polysubstance use in drug using university students Drug-using university students | 2006 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 149 |
| Patterns of recreational drug use at dance events in Edinburgh, Scotland Drug users at dance events in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, aged 16-47, 80% between 18 and... | 2001 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 122 |
| Acute, sub‐acute and long‐term subjective consequences of ‘ecstasy’ (MDMA) consumption in 430 regular users Regular MDMA users | 2003 | Cross-sectional study | n = 466 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 12
- Human psychobiology of MDMA or ‘Ecstasy’: an overview of 25 years of empirical research Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental July 1, 2013
- Trends in drug use among nightclub and festival attendees in New York City, 2017-2022. International Journal of Drug Policy May 1, 2023
- Specific harm reduction strategies employed by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetmine/ ecstasy users in the United States and the United Kingdom Drug Science, Policy and Law 2017
- Profile and correlates of colorimetric reagent kit use among people who use ecstasy/MDMA and other illegal stimulants in Australia. International Journal of Drug Policy November 1, 2021
- Patterns of ecstasy use amongst live music event attendees and their opinions on pill testing: a cross sectional study. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy August 5, 2020
and 7 more in the library