Molly, Molly, Molly, I am a huge fan of all types of music and in the last couple of years I feel like I should know Molly on a personal level. Molly seems to be referenced in almost every hip hop song that you hear on the radio and I do find myself singing right along with the lyrics with references to Molly’s. I knew I had to find out what Molly actually was once I heard grade school kids referencing it and I honestly at the time could not explain what Molly was because I myself did not know. The references of Molly and drugs in general have come apart of our music culture…references to Molly can be seen a lot in hip hop with lyrics such as:
“MDMA got you feeling like a champion/the city never sleep better slip you an Ambien.” Jay-Z “Empire state of mind;
“Something about Mary, she gone off that Molly/Now the whole party is melted like Dali.” Kanye West “Mercy”; “Taken four door Bugatti/I’m the life of the party/let’s get these hoes on the Molly.” Rick Ross “Pop that”; “Now you know I’ on that Molly/told her I’m not trying to polly.”-French Montana “Molly”.
It’s clear that the talk about Molly runs rampant through hip hop but it’s not only just there. Miley Cyrus is catching steam behind her coming back on the scene summer song “We Can’t Stop” that references using Molly while partying “So la da da di we like to party/dancing with Molly/doing whatever we want.” Icon Madonna is also catching slack for referencing Molly at the Ultra Music Festival, while introducing a performer. “How many people in the crowd have seen Molly?” That one question erupted with cheers from the audience. Did everyone in that crowd see Molly? Obviously it has nothing to do with music genre, it’s not just one type of music promoting and referencing Molly but a whole culture of music together. It’s clear that Molly is on a lot of people’s guest list some more than others but none the less she’s always on the VIP list.
1914 when the U.S. was waged in the First World War, Merck a German pharmaceutical company synthesized and patented the compound called 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetaine (MDMA). With an intended use to be for dieting and a blood clotting agent but the synthesized compound had no commercial success and was left on the shelf until the its patent expired. In 1970 almost a half a century later Alexander Shulgin an American scientist resynthesized MDMA and began experimenting with MDMA believing that MDMA could deem medically useful in treating people with psychological disorders, helping to create trust between patient and therapist. Like Shulgin researchers today are still interested in the potential therapeutic value when MDMA is administered under careful and monitored conditions. Although Shulgin and researchers that share the same medical theory there are scientist and researchers of today that do not see that MDMA has any useful medical benefits. MDMA is a derivative of the amphetamine family (causing a rush or high along with increased energy and wakefulness) and a relative of the stimulant methamphetamine. MDMA is an euphoria-inducing stimulant and hallucinogen. Taken its effect within an half an hour, being a hallucinogen it produces psychological effects; heightening one’s sensory signals but this comes with the loss of control over what psychological effects occur. Legally MDMA is classified as a hallucinogen, but pharmacologically classified as an entactogen- a drug with both stimulant and hallucinogenic qualities. MDMA has the chemical structure that has properties similar to both amphetamine and hallucinogens, these chemical similarities are directly responsible for the psychoactive, mind altering effects of the drug. MDMA increases the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin and blocks it’s reabsorption in the brain; with the increase of serotonin the negative effects can be confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, and anxiety; this can occur right after consumption or even days, weeks, later. Most are familiar with MDMA in the pill form and taking it orally but there have been reports of snorting, injecting, and suppository use of MDMA. MDMA can be altered from the existing synthetic drug called MDA once termed the “mellow drug of America” (Robbins p32). MDA and MDMA are both chemically similar to speed. 50 to 150 milligrams would be a “effective hallucinogenic dose” (Robbing p32) although users of the drug can consume double, triple the “effective hallucinogenic dose”. One can never be sure what is going to happen when using MDMA; using this psychoactive drug can be an uncertain venture. Researcher Ronald Seigal commented “when doses are pushed, we get madness, not ecstasy” (Robbins p36). Users of MDMA when on a “up” can experience heightened self-awareness, reduced social inhibitions, feelings of happiness and well-being, increased energy, euphoria, emotional warmth, empathy towards others, feeling closer to others that are present at the time, communicate better, reduces pain, talkativeness, intensifies sensory sensation (taste, touch, etc), allows people to feel distant from themselves, heightened sensual awareness, and attention span is focused on the here and now not the past and future. It should be noted that when one feels more loving towards others this may be due to the situation in which the person uses the drug (at a party, get together, in a sociable manner) and not necessarily the action of the drug itself. With these “ups” come definite “downs”. Down’s that I believe nobody would want to experience even if having that “up” for a few hours was out of this world. MDMA can cause muscle tics, severe muscle tension, tremors, skin rash, pimples, teeth clenching, muscle cramps, nausea, faintness, chills, sweating, blurred vision, increased blood pressure and pulse (poses a threat for those with high blood pressure and heart problems), dehydration, confusion, depression, paranoia, distortions in sensory and time perception, degrades thinking process, and can cause persistent and sometimes permanent organic changes in the brain. High doses of MDMA does interfere with the body being able to regulate body temperature; results in sharp increase in body temp which can lead to liver, kidney, and cardiovascular failure, which can result in death. MDMA can also interfere with its own metabolism causing harmful levels to build up in the body if taken repeatedly in a short span of time. Brain damage can be observed in consistent MDMA users and related to how much drugs have been used, size of dose, and frequency in which MDMA is taken; Grand Mal brain seizures have been attributed to the use of MDMA along with pneumomediastinum-an ailment involving severe breathing difficulty. Since MDMA promotes sexually charged contexts the use may encourage unprotected sex, putting any user at risk for contracting and spreading hepatitis and HIV. Although users of MDMA have reported becoming tolerable to the positive effects, the endless undesirable effects worsen with continued use. MDMA mixed with other drugs can be fatal. Confirmed by scientists alcohol increases MDMA’s reduction of immune system function which can increase the risk of infections. If mixed with the antidepressant phenelzine sulfate can produce excessive blood pressure, heavy sweating, muscle tics, and rigidity. If mixed with saquinavir (drug used for those with HIV/AIDS can be highly dangerous; at worse fatal. If mixed with dextromethorphan it can provoke “serotonin syndrome” involving muscle tremors, heartbeat and blood pressure abnormalities, changes in mental state and loss of consciousness; this mixture can be extremely fatal. Surprisingly, when treating a MDMA overdose water can worsen dangerous effects. Drinking a lot of liquid on MDMA is not recommended which seems odd as users experience rise in body temperature, perfuse sweating, and dehydration and water or any liquid seems like the first thing one would turn to. MDMA is not only a U.S. problem but abuse of MDMA can be seen in Australia, Spain, British Isle, and England where there is a reported one-half million people who use MDMA. Raves-all night dance sessions/parties is first linked to England in the 1980’s where the two-raves and ecstasy-became associated. British authorities started clamping down on these all night dance parties, leading the concept to be exported to the U.S. of course with some U.S. twist. Teri Randall writer in The Journal of the American Medical Association described raves. “….Party goers-attired in “Cat in the Hat” hats and psychedelic jumpsuits-pay $20 at the door to dance all night to heavily mixed, electronically generated sound, surrounded by computer-generated video and laser light shows. They pay another $3 to $5 for “smart drinks”-amino acid-laced beverages that repeatedly enhance energy and alertness. And for another $20, those so inclined can purchase an ecstasy tablet (Robbins p.39). Ravers using MDMA go without sleep, food, drink while physically exerting themselves; exhaustion follows when the drug experience is over. From Randall’s description it creates a vivid picture of the scene that unfolds going into raves; seeming colorful, vibrant, fun, energy driven, with the use of drugs used for recreational use flowing endlessly. It’s an all-night party! MDMA users tend to be between the ages of 16-30 with usage equally split among genders with high usage among whites. It is the choice of drug among white middle class young adults age twenty five plus. No longer just a rave/club drug but spread to dance parties, high schools, colleges; social setting involving teens and young adults. By 1985 MDMA was considered a schedule 1 controlled substance (DEA no. 7405) by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) meaning it has a high level for abuse along with no accepted medical treatment; though the DEA considers it less addictive than cocaine and heroin. Producers and sellers are subject to fines up to $125,000 and fifteen year prison terms. If caught with possession of MDMA can receive one year in federal prison. MDMA is fairly cheap and easy to produce. A single pill can cost pennies on the dollar to produce and be sold anywhere from $20 to $50 a pill. Profits can be hefty and because of this the ecstasy trade has become an abundant industry, spanning across various countries. Law enforcement has a hard time curtailing MDMA production. MDMA labs can be set up almost anywhere, operating undetected while making huge profits. This leads to a constant supply and high availability of MDMA trafficked throughout the U.S. every day.
All the talk I’ve been hearing through music about “Molly” It never occurred to me that all they did was slap a new name/label on an old product. Even with the name change MDMA being made and MDMA distribution seems to be doing just well and can be seen with hundreds of thousands of users from state to state (California, Texas, Florida, NY, and New England states have the highest use). Before one gets caught up dabbling in these pills that glamorize a good time and seem to offer endless amounts of euphoria in different forms get educated about what you are taking, just because it makes you feel good for the moment does not mean it is good for you! MDMA comes with incredible lows that don’t seem worth the chance of just that one high!
WORK CITED
LeVert, Suzanne. The facts about Ecstasy. Tarrytown: Marshall Cavendish Corp, 2005.
Robbins Paul. Designer Drugs. Berkeley Heights: Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2001.
Schroeder, Brock E. Drugs, the straight facts. Chelsea House Publishers, 2003.
Miller, Richard L. The encyclopedia of addictive drugs. Westport: Greenwood Press, 2002.
Encyclopedia Britannica Online; Berkeley College Library; 31 May. 2013. www.britannica .com.ezproxy.library.berkeley.org/EBchecked/topic/378657/Ecstasy.
Nuzzi, Olivia. “The truth about Molly, One of America’s Top Party Drugs.” Online posting. 24 March. 2013. www.alternet.org/drugs/truth-about-molly-american-top-party-drugs
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