WHO'S MOLLY?

Molly is the street name for a drug that is pushed as the pure powder form of MDMA, the main chemical in Ecstasy. In the last five years, Molly has made its way into popular culture. The drug's dangers became more apparent after a rash of overdoses and four deaths this past summer, including two at a music festival in NYC.

Ecstasy was popular in the ‘80s and early '90s. When a number of deaths and hospitalizations were attributed to its usage, its attraction began to wane. That's when Molly was introduced. However, Molly has proven to be just as dangerous. As the amount of drugs sold under the name of Molly has risen, so too has the number of visits to U.S. emergency rooms and deaths. 

One spokesman for the DEA said, “There’s no ‘good batch’ of molly. You have no idea what is in this stuff. Dealers want to make more money, so they’ll mix and adulterate the stuff with meth and any number of other drugs to addict people to it.”

Narcotics, such as heroin and cocaine have been found in Molly capsules. Adulterants, such as caffeine, speed, ephedrine, ketamine, LSD, talcum powder, aspirin, have been found to be mixed in as well.  Eighty to 90 percent of the time, a chemical presented as Molly is something completely different. 

Says the director of drug information and professional education at New Jersey Poison Control, "People are buying things called Molly, and nobody knows what it is."

Doses of the drug can cause rapid heartbeat, overheating, excessive sweating, shivering, involuntary twitching, agitation, dizziness, motor restlessness, insomnia, delusions, mood changes, dilated pupils, increased blood pressure, irreversible high fevers, heart and liver failure. Taking this drug can also cause Suicide Tuesday - a deep depression caused by sudden drops in serotonin. 

    From the summer of 2013:

•  A 20-year-old female University of New Hampshire student collapsed into a seizure and died after taking Molly during dance festival concert in Randall’s Island.
•  A 23-year-old male Syracuse University graduate attending that same concert overdosed and died 11 minutes after arriving at the hospital.
• At that same concert, several other reported overdoses and four concert-goers were placed in intensive care.
• That same weekend, a University of Virginia student died at a rave in Washington, D.C., after taking what her friends said was Molly. Her father said that she was a dream child who made one mistake.
• Three people reportedly overdosed on Molly at the Boston club during a recent concert, including a college student who died. One male said he blacked out after taking one dose of Molly.

Kids should be warned:  

• Not to let their drinks out of their sight, for Molly can easily be slipped into a liquid. 
• Not to take any drugs for fear of addiction and dependence.
• To call 911 right away if they or someone they know is in danger.

                           A VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN IMAGE MAGAZINE.

This article was adapted from the following sources: 
http://yhoo.it/1xLDYEU, http://bit.ly/1BBwMs1, http://yhoo.it/1xLDYEU, http://fxn.ws/1DbJaDn
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