Chemical name: MDMA (currently many tablets contain MDEA, MDA, MBDB).

4% of 16 to 25s have used ecstasy in the last 3 months.

Tablets of different shapes, size and colour (but often white) which are swallowed.

Ecstasy is a chemical that is usually taken orally as a capsule or tablet. It is a man-made drug that is chemically similar to both stimulants and hallucinogens.
Taking ecstasy causes chemical changes in the brain that affect your mood, appetite and sleep

While taking ecstasy some people experience muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, faintness, and chills or sweating.  Some people also experience confusion, depression, sleep problems, and severe anxiety while taking ecstasy, even for days or weeks after.• users feel alert and in tune with their surrounding;

• sound, colour and emotions seem much more intense;

• users may dance for hours;

• the effects last from 3 to 6 hours.

Ecstasy has been shown to damage nerve cells in the brains of animals.  The cells most vulnerable, are those that are involved with mood, appetite, sleep, and memory.  Animal research has shown that ecstasy is also linked to long-term damage to neurons that are involved in mood, thinking and judgment.  

Ecstasy can make it difficult for your body to control its temperature.  This can cause hyperthermia, which is an increase in body temperature that can lead to liver, kidney and heart failure Although this is a rare event, it is also unpredictable.

• can leave users feeling tired and depressed for days;

• risk of over-heating and dehydration if users dance energetically without taking breaks or drinking enough fluids (users should sip about a pint of non-alcoholic fluid such as fruit juice, sports drinks or water every hour);

• use has been linked to liver and kidney problems;

• some experts are concerned that use of ecstasy can lead to brain damage causing depression in later life;

• mixing viagra with ecstasy may increase the risk of heart problems.