Other Drugs that Can Be Found in Ecstasy (MDMA) Tabs

Ecstasy (MDMA) is one of those drugs where what you see is not always what you get, or more accurately what you think you're getting is not all you're getting. Ecstasy is a synthetic psychoactive and since it's illegal it must be produced on the black market by less-than reputable peddlers. Thus, in order to spread the ecstasy around into more tabs in order to turn a higher profit, many black market manufacturers cut the ecstasy with other drugs. These drugs might be benign, but some of them can produce dangerous side-effects or even adverse reactions when paired with ecstasy. This is not a diatribe against the use of ecstasy or other drugs. What you choose to put in your body is your choice. But you should know what drugs can possibly appear in the tabs you purchase and the co-effects they might have with the ecstasy.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a relatively harmless drug that a significant portion of Americans use on a daily basis. By itself, the only real problems it can create are tachycardia (elevated heart rate), irritability, high blood pressure, or trouble sleeping. Those side-effects generally only appear with heavy use of caffeine, and the small portions of caffeine found in ecstasy tabs aren't likely to cause any of them. However, caffeine is a stimulant, just like ecstasy and can possibly produce a synergistic effect. An already rapid heart rate can elevate further and you might get very wired and jittery for the duration of the drug experience.

Methamphetamine

As far as stimulant drugs go, methamphetamine is a high-end substance. When used alone it produces a range of stimulant effects such as elevated heart rate, increased energy, agitation, and irritability. Therefore, when used in conjunction with ecstasy, methamphetamine can prolong the energized feeling associated with pure ecstasy use. However, the potent stimulant nature of methamphetamine increases the stress put on the cardiovascular system when used in conjunction with ecstasy.

Procaine

Procaine belongs to a family of drugs that are used in medicine to produce local anesthesia and for other pain-killing purposes. Procaine has the ability to reduce bleeding by constricting blood vessels, which doesn't bode well for ecstasy use. Since ecstasy increases heart rate, constricted blood vessels can elevate blood pressure to dangerous levels. The stress of dancing and other physical activities that many users partake in while on ecstasy could further exacerbate the risk of cardiovascular complications.

Ketamine

Ketamine belongs to the dissociative family of drugs and is one of the most popular recreational dissociatives. Like other dissociative drugs, ketamine can dull pain, produce contemplative and introverted effects, and also produce hallucinations in high enough doses. It has the ability to raise blood pressure, which as we've seen with procaine can potentially cause side-effects when used with ecstasy. Ketamine is a popular drug to be used in conjunction with ecstasy because it can magnify the effects of the drug. However, since dissociatives already are one of the most potentially dangerous families of drugs on brain chemistry, using them with ecstasy is inviting an elevated risk to side-effects.

Diphenhydramine

Diphenhydramine is known by the trade name of Benadryl and has been used in over-the-counter preparations as an antihistamine and sedative. Anyone who has taken Benadryl in significant quantities before knows it can cause marked drowsiness. Taking diphenhydramine with other drugs like ecstasy can increase the risk of a dangerous loss of inhibition. Other potential side effects include elevated blood pressure and the synergistic effect of tachycardia on the ecstasy.

Pseudoephedrine

Like diphenhydramine and other antihistamines, pseudoephedrine can cause an elevated heart rate. However, it is important to note that with any of these drugs, the dosage has a large effect on what they're capable of doing in conjunction with ecstasy. Pseudoephedrine is generally used in ecstasy preparation because it is cheap and legal to procure. It has potential side-effects, yes, but not as many as ecstasy cut with dissociatives or analgesics.

Those are the primary drugs that you will find in ecstasy tabs containing other drugs. Although the risks involved in taking cut tabs vary a great deal, it is still imperative that you understand what you're putting into your body. Take the time to visit Ecstasydata.org to identify your tabs before you take them. The site has information on more than 1500 different tabs of ecstasy from around the country. Be informed and be safe.