Ecstasy: America's new "reefer madness".
Marsha Rosenbaum
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 2002 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2002.10399947 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key points | Argues that the late-1990s media frenzy and government response to Ecstasy, including a public education campaign and proposals for exponential penalties for production, distribution, and use, will compromise harm reduction and safety. |
Abstract
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) was first used as a legal adjunct to psychotherapy in the 1970s. By the early 1980s, "Ecstasy" had become a tiny part of the recreational American drug scene, and was ultimately criminalized in 1986. For a decade use continued, but remained quiet. By the end of the 1990s, increased supply, demand, seizures of pills, arrests of distributors associated with organized crime, adverse reactions, and government reports of problematic brain changes created an Ecstasy media frenzy. The government's reaction led to a public education campaign and proposals for exponential penalties for production, distribution and use of MDMA. This article looks at the history, epidemiology, and politics of Ecstasy, the media's response, and the ways in which media and government reaction will compromise harm reduction and safety.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Differences Between the Mechanism of Action of MDMA, MBDB, and the Classic Hallucinogens. Identification of a New Therapeutic Class: Entactogens | 1986 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Background and Chemistry of MDMA | 1986 | Historical analysis | |
| The origin of MDMA (ecstasy) revisited: the true story reconstructed from the original documents* Original documents in Merck's historical archive in Darmstadt, Germany, years 1900–1960 | 2006 | Historical analysis | |
| Distinct neural mechanisms for the prosocial and rewarding properties of MDMA | 2019 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How could MDMA (ecstasy) help anxiety disorders? A neurobiological rationale | 2009 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 16
- MDMA Is Not Ecstasy: The Production of Pharmaceutical Safety through Documents in Clinical Trials. Medical Anthropology Quarterly March 1, 2021
- The History of MDMA June 29, 2023
- Early Use in Psychotherapy The History of MDMA June 29, 2023
- The Scheduling The History of MDMA June 29, 2023
- MDMA as a Dance Drug The History of MDMA June 29, 2023
and 11 more in the library