Ecstasy and Designer Drugs

Question 1

What are ecstasy and designer drugs also known as?

Answer 1

Novel psychoactive substances (NPS)
(Lecture 18, Slide 2)

Question 2

What is the primary recreational use of ecstasy and designer drugs?

Answer 2

Increased energy and a sense of euphoria
(Lecture 18, Slide 2)

Question 3

What are legal amphetamines used to treat?

Answer 3

ADHD
(Lecture 18, Slide 4)

Question 4

What are the effects of ecstasy in comparison to amphetamine?

Answer 4

Ecstasy is less stimulatory than amphetamine
(Lecture 18, Slide 5)

Question 5

What are the effects of ecstasy compared to mescaline?

Answer 5

Ecstasy is less hallucinogenic than mescaline
(Lecture 18, Slide 5)

Question 6

Name 3 effects of ecstasy.

Answer 6

Euphoria
Feeling of being at love and peace with others (empathy)
Locomotor stimulation (may lead to dancing)
Increased heart rate and sweating
Raised body temperature
Mild hallucinations
Heightened senses
Insomnia
(Lecture 18, Slide 8)

Question 7

What is the mechanism of action of ecstasy?

Answer 7

It inhibits the uptake of 5HT (serotonin) so more of it remains in the synapse
(Lecture 18, Slide 9)

Question 8

How quickly does tolerance of ecstasy occur?

Answer 8

Rapidly
(Lecture 18, Slide 10)

Question 9

What is the typical withdrawal reaction of ecstasy?

Answer 9

Depression (opposite of drug)
(Lecture 18, Slide 10)

Question 10

What 3 things may heavy uses of ecstasy be tipped into?

Answer 10

Clinical depression, anxiety or mental health disorders
(Lecture 18, Slide 10)

Question 11

What makes the damage of ecstasy worse?

Answer 11

Alcohol
(Lecture 18, Slide 10)

Question 12

What seems to reduce the damage of ecstasy?

Answer 12

Cannabinoids
(Lecture 18, Slide 10)

Question 13

Name 3 problems with investigating the toxicity and long term effects of ecstasy.

Answer 13

Lack of purity (differing potency)
Other constituents present in the drug
Binders and fillers needed to press into tablet form
Most ecstasy users abuse multiple drugs (can’t guarantee what drug is doing what)
Different initial conditions in users
(Lecture 18, Slide 11)

Question 14

Name 3 acute toxicity effects of ecstasy.

Answer 14

Agitation
Nausea
Headache
Sweating
Bruxism (makes you grind, clash or clench your teeth)
Insomnia
Blurred vision
Increased heart rate
Raised blood pressure

In severe cases:
Hyperthermia
Serotonin syndrome (too much serotonin in the body)
Seizures
Arrhythmia (irregular heart beat)
(Lecture 18, Slide 12)

Question 15

How can ecstasy result in death?

Answer 15

Ecstasy an cause increased body temperature > breakdown of thermoregulatory mechanisms in the brain > a variety of very severe symptoms (such as, convulsions, brain damage , multiple organ failure etc.)
(Lecture 18, Slide 13)

Question 16

What is the definition of a legal high?

Answer 16

A controlled substance that has been designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug, while avoiding classification as illegal and / or detection in standard drug tests (also known as analogue drugs)
(Lecture 18, Slide 14)

Question 17

What is the legality of NPS in the UK?

Answer 17

2016 Psychoactive Substances Act made it illegal to possess NPS if the user is in a custodial institution (such as a prison) but not otherwise.
It also made it illegal to supply NPS
(Lecture 18, Slide 18)