Clubbers Guide to Ecstasy (MDMA) 

Welcome to the Caned In Totnes Clubbers Guide to Ecstacy (MDMA). On these pages you will find information about 'The Love Drug', pill pics and our very own Caned In Totnes guide to MDMA.

A brief history of ecstasy (MDMA) 

Ecstasy first appeared on the streets in the 60s, but it wasn't really until the late eighties that it took off in a big way and has clearly influenced contemporary popular music.

Conservative estimates reckon over half a million pills are consumed in the UK every week and in Britain we are considered to be the fastest pill poppers in the west.

On the whole, people who take ecstasy have a good time time during the experience and do not die, though there are almost certainly long term health risks that are not fully known. Some people have been doing pills for over a decade with little or no ill-effect, however some of them are really fucked up.

MDMA (the chemical name for ecstasy) was invented in the early 1900's by a pharmaceutical company called E.MERCK and was originally intended as a dietary supplement until its more pleasent effects became evident. If you have ever tried eating a peanut butter sandwhich when on E - then you will understand why it was originally intended as a slimming pill.

As soon as our killjoy politicians found out that people were actually enjoying themselves and having a good time on ecstasy - they went ahead and banned it. (Presumably, they did this some time in-between dumping nuclear waste into the Irish Sea and shagging their secretaries in Parliament while securing an arms deal selling land mines to some tin-pot dictator in the Middle East.) As a result of making ecstasy illegal, it has made the pills more dangerous and has put the supply into the hands of organised criminals.

 The effects of ecstasy

Ecstasy can make you feel good at the time. Chemically induced Happiness. 'E' makes you happy while you are high! You may experience feelings of love, empathy, belonging and closeness to others.

Ecstasy increases awareness and appreciation of music - it goes particularly well with banging tunes, which explains why it is known as the clubbers' drug of the 90s. For some people it can bring about profound life-changing spiritual experiences that open up their mind to new thoughts and ideas, though regular usage can also bring about long term depression, mood swings and bad health. It can also give you an urge to hug and kiss people - so be warned!

 Ecstasy tips

If you are planning to take ecstasy - it is a good idea to get a good nights sleep the night before. Also, eat plenty of fruit during the day and perhaps take vitamin supliments. Eat a good meal before and not after you take your first pill. Also drink a moderate and regular amount of water while pilling (but not too much!) If you have never taken E before, consider just dropping half a pill and be with friends who are aware that you have taken some E. Make sure you have a reliable dealer, as there are some crap pills around and if in doubt about any of the above - don't take it at all!

Don't drop too many pills in one night, in fact, don't drop any at all, as good one's cost more. Always keep them hidden and make sure that they get in your mouth safely. There are supplements that you can take, if you feel that your serotonine levels are low (this could be the feeling of depression and out-of-touchness that sometimes occurs). Do not take MDMA if you are currently taking anti-depressants and it is not a good idea to get pilled up if you are suffering from a cold or feeling under the weather.

Smoking marijuana while you are pilling your socks off is particularly nice!

 Pill guide

Caned in Totnes - guide to ecstasy.
Pic	Name of pill	Description	Rating
	Crown	White pills with a crown on them, usually quite good.	8/10
	Euro	Though Britain has opted out of the single currency, many people saw the year 2002 in with quite a few of these.	8/10
	Mitsubishi	One of the most common Es found in the UK. Some are nicer than others - beware of crap Mistubishis laced with ketamine and/or speed. Ketamine is for horses - not for Clubbers!	7/10
	Medusa	Sometimes known as Versace. Not so good and possibly laced with K and speed. However, not all branded pills are necessarily the same.	5/10
	Motorola	A bit too chemically.	4/10
	VW	Seem to be popular.	8/10

 Ecstasy glossary

 What goes up must come down ...

While our politicians grossly exaggerate the dangers of taking ecstasy, by implying you will probably die if you take it when you almost certainly will not, there are certainly long term health implications you may wish to consider. In the immediate aftermath of taking ecstasy you will feel the notorious comedown; this can be negated by vitamins, water or E comedown remedies, but generally you will feel shit for a few days (or weeks) once the effects have worn off.

Research suggests MDMA can damage serotonin-releasing neurons and lead to serotonin deficiency. This will mean depression, mood swings which may or not get better after discontinued usage, depending on who you are. As is the case with all toxins that regularly enter your body; persistent usage of ecstasy will impair your immune system, which will mean susceptibility to recurring colds and other illnesses.

Deaths from ecstasy use have been widely reported in the media, even of first time users. According to the UK's Police Foundation, who made a thorough evaluation risk, 'although deaths from ecstasy are highly publicised, it probably kills fewer than 10 people each year, which though deeply distressing for the surviving relatives and friends, is a small percentage of the many thousands of people who use it each week'. It's not always clear what killed these unfortunate few, although the vast majority of deaths are caused by dehydration. This is because people on ecstasy dance for hours and are too high to realise they need to drink water to replace lost fluids and cool down. More than half of all ecstasy related deaths also involve other drugs, the most common being alcohol, so far there is no clear case of death actually caused by MDMA, except for the case of an unfortunate dog that died shortly after being given a massive amount of MDMA. Having said that, very high doses of MDMA in some people may cause serotonin overload, which can be fatal. This suggests it would be exceedingly unwise to take MDMA with an antidepressant that breaks down serotonin.

In addition, to illegal MDMA or ecstasy, in recent years there has been an increasing number of legal ecstasy alternatives availalbe to buy online or in head shops - click here to find out more about legal highs and legal ecstasy.

 And I quote ...

"Psychedelics, used responsibly and with proper caution, would be for psychiatry what the microscope is for biology and medicine or the telescope is for astronomy." - Stan Grof, M.D.

"No cunts on me drugstable " - Trogg.

When Napoleon invaded Vienna, Beethoven said: "If I were a General and I knew as much about war as I do about music, then Napoleon wouldn't even be here."

"Oh my God, somebody has spiked the pills with ecstasy!" - Craig.

"There is a note, if you hear that note take it down to Earth and share it with your family." - Leonard Bernstein.

"What the fuck was I just talking about?" - Universal amongst caners.

"I had a great time on drugs, ... sorry!" - Bill Hicks.

"Here I stand and here I rest, And this place shall be called Totnes." - Brutus of Troy 1170 BC.

Legal ecstasy and herbal highs

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