Each year, NHSDA reports on the nature and extent of drug use among the American household population age 12 and older. The 1998 survey is the latest for data relating to MDMA use. It found that an estimated 1.5 percent (3.4 million) of Americans had used MDMA at least once during their lifetime. By age group, the heaviest use (5 percent or 1.4 million people) was reported for those between 18 and 25 years old.
Monitoring the Future Study (MTF)
From 1999 to 2000, the use of MDMA increased among all three grade levels measured in this study - 8th, 10th, and 12th. For 10th and 12th graders, this is the second consecutive year MDMA use has increased. Past year use of MDMA increased among 8th graders from 1.7 percent in 1999 to 3.1 percent in 2000; from 4.4 percent to 5.4 percent among 10th graders; and from 5.6 percent to 8.2 percent among 12th graders. Also among 12th graders, the perceived availability of MDMA rose from 40.1 percent in 1999 to 51.4 percent in 2000.
African American students showed considerably lower rates of Ecstasy use than white or Hispanic students in the 2000 MTF. For example, past year use among African American 12th graders was 1.3 percent, compared to 7.6 percent for white 12th graders and 10.6 percent for Hispanic 12th graders.
National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA)
Related Resources
• Effects of Ecstasy
• Ecstasy Damages the Brain and Impairs Memory in Humans
• Ecstasy Pictures
Ecstasy Use by Students, 2000:
Monitoring the Future Study
| 8th-Graders | 10th-Graders | 12th-Graders | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ever Used | 4.3% | 7.3% | 11.0% |
| Used in Past Year | 3.1% | 5.4% | 8.2% |
| Used in Past Month | 1.4% | 2.6% | 3.6% |
"Ever used" refers to use at least once during a respondent's lifetime. "Past year" refers to an individual's drug use at least once during the year preceding their response to the survey. "Past month" refers to an individual's drug use at least once during the month preceding their response to the survey.
Source: The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
