Illicit Drug Use Is on the Rise

There has been an explosion in recreational Ecstasy use in the last several years.

Between 1993 and 1998, use of the drug increased by 500%, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. The heaviest use is by people age 18 to 25, with an estimated 1.4 million young adults using the illicit drug regularly.

Ecstasy has become as common as marijuana in high schools. One in 10 youths ages 12 to 17 have tried the drug at least once, according to a study by the University of Michigan.

Is It Ecstasy or Not?

Experts agree that street use of Ecstasy can be dangerous. Because the synthetic drug is manufactured in illicit laboratories, it is often laced with any number of other drugs, including amphetamines, PCP, Ketamine, baby aspirin, cocaine, caffeine or dextromethorphan (DMX), which is the active ingredient in over-the-counter cough suppressants. Teens and young adults attending dance parties sometimes take pills masquerading as Ecstasy, which are cheaper to produce but can be lethal.

They include:

* PMA (paramethoxyamphetamine): This is similar to Ecstasy but gives a less intense high, so users may increase their intake. However, PMA can raise body temperature to dangerous levels that can result in internal bleeding and organ failure. PMA has been linked to eight drug overdoses in Florida and one in Illinois.

* Ketamine: An anesthetic often used for animals. Large doses can cause dreamlike states, hallucinations, delirium, impaired motor function and potentially fatal respiratory problems.

* Methamphetamine: A toxic, addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. Chronic users often have serious health problems, including memory loss, psychosis and cardiac and neurological damage.

* LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide): A hallucinogen that induces abnormalities in sensory perceptions.