Combining Ecstasy With Other Drugs

Taking Ecstasy With Other Drugs

When people use MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy or molly), it’s not unusual for them to use other substances alongside it. This is often called polydrug use. Some of the most commonly combined drugs include:

• Alcohol: Frequently mixed with MDMA at parties or festivals, though it can increase dehydration and strain on the liver and heart.
• Marijuana: Used to either enhance relaxation or counteract the stimulating effects of MDMA.
• Other stimulants: Such as cocaine or amphetamines, sometimes used to intensify energy or euphoria, though this raises the risk of dangerous heart effects.
• Psychedelics: Like LSD or psilocybin (“shrooms”), occasionally used to create a more intense sensory experience.
• Prescription drugs: Benzodiazepines or other anti-anxiety medications may be used afterward to help with comedown anxiety or sleep issues.

It’s important to note that combining MDMA with other substances increases the risk of serious side effects, including dehydration, overheating, heart problems, and dangerous drug interactions.

Ecstasy And Other Drugs: A Common Combination

Despite the fact that taking ecstasy and other drugs at the same time can lead to adverse health effects, it is still a common practice. In fact, ecstasy users are more likely to use other drugs than marijuana users. One study compared the two and found:

• 46% of ecstasy users used cocaine compared to 2% of marijuana users in the last year
• 38% of ecstasy users used inhalants compared to 10% of marijuana users
• 38% of ecstasy users used LSD compared to 5% of marijuana users
• 17% of ecstasy users used heroin compared to 1% of marijuana users.

It is common for ecstasy users to be indoctrinated into a polydrug culture where it is common to use multiple drugs at the same time.

A study published by the National Institutes of Health found that using ecstasy made it more likely that someone would try other hard drugs, specifically cocaine and methamphetamine. The study stated that users thought of ecstasy as a low-risk drug, but their use of ecstasy led to them using other high-risk drugs.

Another study found that ecstasy users often used marijuana to enhance their ecstasy high. The study also found that half of the respondents used prescription drugs, including drugs that were actually prescribed to them as well as illegal prescriptions. For some, their prescription antidepressants prevented them from experiencing an ecstasy high and they were more likely to give up their prescriptions than give up ecstasy use.

Dangers Of Mixing Ecstasy With Other Drugs

Mixing ecstasy with other drugs greatly increases the risk of severe and potentially life-threatening effects. For instance, combining ecstasy with alcohol can worsen dehydration and overheating. When mixed with stimulants like cocaine or amphetamines, it can put a strain on the heart and dangerously raise blood pressure.

Using ecstasy alongside depressants, such as benzodiazepines or opioids, can hide signs of overdose or cause serious breathing problems. Even milder substances like cannabis can unpredictably change ecstasy’s effects, increasing feelings of anxiety, paranoia, or confusion. Overall, using multiple drugs with ecstasy leads to unpredictable reactions that raise the risk of serious health issues, including seizures, organ failure, and death.

Distribution Of Ecstasy

The majority of ecstasy in the United States is from China or clandestine laboratories in Canada. Asian transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) are the main supplier of MDMA in the U.S., and they work closely with Canada-based Asian TCOs to import MDMA into the U.S. across the Northern Border. It is produced and smuggled in both tablet and powder form. Sometimes, meth is misrepresented as ecstasy, so the user does not know what they are actually getting.

Throughout 2018 and 2019, there have been many incidents where meth appeared in pill form to mimic ecstasy tablets. Ecstasy tablets appear in a variety of colors with a variety of images pressed onto them. Similar cases have appeared with counterfeit Adderall pills containing meth. Synthetic cathinones, more commonly known as bath salts, are often misrepresented as ecstasy and sold in nightlife and rave scenes because of the euphoria and energy they provide. Bath salts can cause panic attacks, delirium, paranoia, and are addictive. The danger of ecstasy and other drugs is majorly impacted by the fact that a user has no idea what they are consuming, in some cases when it is too late.

Explore These Featured Centers

Find Treatment

Using ecstasy and other drugs is sometimes treated as a normal and acceptable behavior in the nightlife scene, but it should not be a practice that is considered low risk. Whether ecstasy use leads to other high-risk drug use, or if the ecstasy is combined with other dangerous drugs, it is never a safe exercise. If you or someone you love is abusing ecstasy or other drugs, contact a treatment provider.