Ecstasy Use in Teens

Ecstasy is a club drug teens use to feel euphoric when they are partying at a club or all night rave. In this article parents will find information and resources to help determine if their teen is using ecstasy.

Ecstasy statistics on teens using ecstasy and more facts about this teen drug use problem.

Brain imaging research in humans indicates that Ecstasy causes injury to the brain, affecting neurons that use the chemical serotonin to communicate with other neurons.

Parents, here is another good reason to actively prevent teen drug use in your home. A five-year study found that 15 to 16-year-olds who took MDMA (ecstasy) or speed (amphetamine) had a 70 percent greater risk of suffering from teen depression a year later.

Calling it the "rave generation's cocaine," a nonprofit antidrug group is putting out a stern warning about Ecstasy, an increasingly popular drug that is being embraced by more and more teens.

Ecstasy is a slang term for MDMA, short for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a name that’s nearly as long as the all-night parties where MDMA is often used. That's why MDMA has been called a “club drug.” It has effects similar to those of other stimulants, and it often makes the person feel like everyone is his or her friend, even when that’s not the case.

According to the The 22nd annual Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, teen ecstasy use has increased 67 percent between 2008 and 2010.