COLUMN: Forget alcohol, here comes Ecstasy

From Todd Wise's, "Where Lovely Mermaids Flow," Fall '99 From Todd Wise's, "Where Lovely Mermaids Flow," Fall '99Penn's administration has got it all wrong. They frown upon alcohol and are eager to tell mommy and daddy all about it. But what they fail to recognize is that there's a far more threatening drug on campus with less predictable results. Belladonna is Ecstasy's core ingredient. Indigenous to the deadly nightshade plant, Belladonna is used primarily as a sedative. Taken alone, it relaxes the muscles and dilates the eyes. But E includes other substances as well. And E pushers are not licensed pharmacists. So each tablet or "roll" is like a box of chocolates -- you never know what you're getting. And therein lies the problem. Usually, E is laced with speed or cocaine. But these narcotics are expensive. So in an effort to boost profits, E pushers use substitutes. Lacing a pill with a little rat poison is a common alternative to your garden variety narcotic additive. That is not to say, however, that cocaine and speed are good for you. But at least you know what you're getting. And thus it depresses me to find that the "cultured" types who lecture on the evils of over-the-counter medication are often the same people popping rat poison before a night of partying. Of course, E can be quite pleasurable. Most "rollers" report a two- to three-hour high. The ride down, however, is a different story. Dehydration is unavoidable. To combat the problem, raves dispense lollipops, fruits and bottled water. But even with the necessary precautions, people still die from heat stroke or oversaturation -- literally drowning themselves with fluids. One sophomore reported a surge in sexuality and boldness. "I was more self-confident than I've ever been. People looked more attractive and my teeth felt an indescribable tingle." And then came the ride down: "The next day I felt like dog shit. I was depressed and dehydrated." For an Emory student, who we'll call Melissa, one bad roll was all it took. Just 24 hours after taking a pill the size of a Tic Tac, she fell into a coma and died. In talking to some friends down South, I learned that Melissa was an active member of the Hillel and various other community service organizations. And sadly, she was a first-time user of Ecstasy. Luckily, E deaths are few and far between, but the long-term effects of popping E are only now being discovered. If you're a chronic user, you can look forward to depression, liver disease and permanent damage to muscle tissue. So while you won't be reliving a bad acid trip like your parents ("chasing rabbits" and whatnot), you'll suffer osteoarthritis with a touch of depression and liver failure on the side. Sounds cool. Like acid in the '60s or coke in the '80s, E is having its day in the sun. But be advised, this drug is not harmless. So while the administration creates another task force to disseminate trite warnings about alcohol abuse, here's a word of advice: Know your E.