1. Ecstasy
By: Anuja, Marie, Anushka & Maha

2. What is Ecstasy?
A 3-4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), best known on the street as "Ecstasy." An illicit drug, considered a recreational or party drug. It acts as both a stimulant and a hallucinogen. Ecstasy achieves its high by preventing the brain from reabsorbing the chemical serotonin, thereby prolonging its effects in the body.

3. How and why do people use it?
As said before, Ecstasy is able to cause hallucinations/is able to cause the user to be more energetic. Teens, young adults, and other users often take Ecstasy for the following reasons.
-Makes the user enable to go days without rest, in other words, energetic.
-Makes users feel a rush of good feelings (high)
How and why do people use it?
Ecstasy can be snorted as a powder or swallowed as a pill or tablet.

4. Is it legal
According to kidshealth.org Ecstasy is a drug that is illegally made. It’s illegal in all countries around the world under the UN agreement. So yes, it is illegal.
Or Illegal?

5. Is it addictive?
Ecstasy is not physically addictive but it is psychologically addictive. Meaning, an addict will not suffer physical withdrawal symptoms when they quit. As mentioned before, ecstasy makes users feel a rush of good feelings (high), so people will crave more of this feeling, leading to addiction. Like all drugs, scientists believe ecstasy activates the brain’s reward system by increasing the release of the chemical dopamine from neurons in key areas of the brain. Therefore, ecstasy is addictive.

6. What are the consequences?
As said before, users think the drug will make them feel better and more energetic, without realising the consequences. According to kidshealth.org, some of those consequences include
-The drug increases the user's heart rate and can cause blurred vision, make the user feel paranoid, and other side effects.
-Ecstasy can cause direct damage to the brain cells, which affects your thinking and memory.
-Taking the drug can cause permanent brain swelling/permanent damage and seizures
-Most importantly, if a user uses Ecstasy before physical activity, their bodies can overheat. This leads to muscle break down, kidney, liver, and heart damage.
What are the consequences?

7. What type of substance is it?
Ecstasy is a stimulant drug that can cause hallucinations. It is known as a designer drug because it is created for the purpose of making someone feel high. The drug is popular with teens and young adults who go to clubs, concerts, or "rave parties.”
Where does it come from?
Ecstasy was first introduced by a pharmaceutical company in It was used for medical purposes only. It wasn't until 1970 that people started abusing it for reasons other than medical purposes. It was later on banned in 1995.

8. Long term & short term effects
-Brain damage (thought, memory, learning, sleeping, emotion)
-Memory loss
-Kidney Failure
-Degenerated nerve branches and nerve endings
-Convulsions
-Death
-Cardiovascular (heart & blood vessels) collapse
-False sense of affection
-Confusion
-Depression
-Sleeping problems
-Anxiety
-Paranoia
-Craving for drugs
=Muscle tension
-Faintness/chills/sweating
-Blurred vision
-Nausea

9. Where can you purchase Ecstasy?
The drug dealers get the powder that they use from a professional, because making the powder is complicated. Once they get the power, they compress it into a tablet and put a certain design on it. Then people who want to purchase ecstasy wilł buy it from them. People also buy ecstasy off the internet.

10. What should your peers do if they are faced with choosing to use this substance?
Pretend – sometimes when people are under the influence of drugs, they can be more persistent and pushy than they realise. This means that saying ‘no’ is harder than it could be in other situations.
You could pretend you need to go home (because you feel sick or you forgot about something else you had to do, or even fake that you received an important phone call) to avoid being pressured into drug taking.
5) Change your peer group – you usually choose your peers, so if your peer group is pressuring you and you want to avoid that pressure, then it might be an option to change peer group. Get involved in a new activity and meet new people.
2) Say ‘no’ – having the strength to say ‘no’ may be hard, but you need to stick with what you believe.
3) Try not to judge others Respecting someone else's choice will help them to respect yours. Try to remember that you don't have to agree with their actions. Focusing on the reasons why you don't feel happy with the choice may help you not to judge them.
6) Suggest activities that aren’t drug-related – it’s useful to get a bit creative and think of other activities you can all enjoy that don't revolve around taking drugs, for example, like going to the movies, reading, or playing a sport.

11. Who can your peers speak to for support with regards to the abuse of this substance?
If your peers really want to go back to a life where they were not addicted to Ecstasy, they need to be ready for temptations and many bumps through their journey. They should speak to their parents and be honest so they can help them. Talking to doctors to learn about treatment options and programs can also be a very useful way. Personally I would encourage my peers to go to a support group.

13. Bibliography
"What You Need to Know About Drugs: Ecstasy." KidsHealth. Ed. Mary L. Gavin. The Nemours Foundation, Jan Web. 10 May 2017.