Rise of a Recreational Drug
June 29, 2023 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198867364.003.0004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis |
|---|---|
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Recreational drug Chemist Documentation Law |
| Key points | Argues that MDMA's early distribution was limited and it was initially produced as a legal alternative to MDA, with two 1970s use hotspots in the Midwest and later Oregon and California. |
Abstract
Abstract This chapter provides an overview of the early, rather unknown, phase of MDMA as a recreational drug. MDMA was first detected by scientists in a forensic laboratory in 1970, and then a few more times up until 1976. A previously unknown document of the United States DEA has been used to describe these early detections. The evidence shows that up until 1976, the distribution of MDMA was rather limited and MDMA was initially produced as a ‘legal alternative for MDA’, which had been scheduled in 1970. Mention is made of a 1970 science fiction novel by the prominent writer Stanislav Lem, which seemed to describe the effects of MDMA, as well as of new documentation suggesting that the American drug chemist Alexander Shulgin had synthesized MDMA in 1975. A description of the American drug guru Timothy Leary’s first experiences with MDMA in 1978 is also given. There were two ‘hotspots’ for MDMA use during the 1970s: initially in the Midwest, and from 1976 onwards in Oregon and California.