Have you ever heard the rap lyrics “Popped a Molly; I’m sweatin’?”  They come from a song by Trinidad James and reference the recreational drug Molly.  Molly is popular at dance clubs and concerts around the United States.  It has also led to many recent deaths from overdoses.

Molly, also called MDMA or Ecstasy, is made from a variety of chemicals and substances, according to www.teensdrugabuse.gov.  It comes in the form of colorful pills, capsules, or tablets; it is man-made and can contain caffeine, dextromethorphan (which is usually found in cough syrup), and sometimes even cocaine.  Molly usually causes a “high,” increased energy, and a stronger sense of touch.  However, it also leads to sweating and chills, dizziness, muscle tension, nausea, blurred vision, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and forceful clenching of the teeth.  Molly can also cause feelings of sadness, anxiety, depression, and memory difficulties that can last several days or weeks.

People who use Molly can become easily dehydrated in a hot environment, such as a club, which can lead to hyperthermia.  Hyperthermia (as opposed to hypothermia) occurs when the core body temperature rises so high that the major organs shut down.  Taking many doses of the drug in a short amount of time can lead to a higher risk of seizures and affects the heart’s normal beating rhythm.  Molly has been around since 2003, but it was recently in the national spotlight after the death of a college student at the House of Blues in Boston last August.  Shortly after that, there were two deaths at the Electric Zoo music festival in New York, and a death in Washington D.C. at a dance club called Echo.  All of the victims overdosed on Molly.  Everyone needs to understand that all illegal drugs are dangerous and there are no safe ways to use them.

For more info: www.teensdrugabuse.gov