Molly: A Rising Threat

Don’t mess with Molly. It can hurt you bad or even kill you. Molly is what many people on the streets or in the club scene call MDMA in its pure powder form. Molly is actually methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine. It is a synthetic drug which alters perception and mood. It is chemically similar to hallucinogens and stimulants. People typically ingest the drug as a tablet or capsule. It causes increased activity of the brain chemicals dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. The desired results are increased energy and a sense of euphoria.

Taking Molly also causes distorted perception and dangerously-high body temperature. It also contributes to an increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, confusion, sweating and faintness. Prolonged use can cause mental and emotional problems, kidney, liver, and cardiovascular failure.In some cases, it can cause death. Many people were attracted to the drug because it was marketed as a pure form of MDMA, the chemical used in the party drug Ecstasy. But the drug is often mixed with other dangerous chemicals to “stretch” it and make more money or make it more potent.

Most users don’t know what’s in the Molly they take. The drug is sometimes mixed cocaine, heroin, rat poison and other drugs that can be dangerous when combined with MDMA. Most sellers purchase the drug online from distributors in China and Canada and have no way to tell what chemicals are in it. In its pure form MDMA is a Schedule 1 substance with a high potential for abuse, according to the DEA. But the capsule, pill, crystal or powder form of Molly being sold in the streets or in the clubs could have anything in it. This has led to countless emergency room visits and several deaths nationwide.

The “Party Drug” of Choice

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Molly is now the drug of choice for many young people at music festivals, parties and clubs. While pure MDMA is promoted as not being addictive, the chemical mixture many users are buying and ingesting is highly addictive and very dangerous. Rihanna sings songs about Molly and moonshine and Miley Cyrus sings about dancing with Molly in her hit song “We Can’t Stop.” Presently, a growing number of college kids and young adults are getting sick and dying because they experimented with the drug.

Federal authorities in Central Florida are alarmed by the amount of Molly that is flooding the region. Recently in Boston three people attending a House of Blues concerted overdosed on the drug. One of them died and the other two were seriously ill. Federal, state and local authorities say there are significant health concerns associated with the use of Molly. The drug’s inconsistent chemical composition makes it extremely dangerous. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says Molly use is growing in popularity, but few users know the facts about the drug because it is so new. And that often puts them in danger.

People are hiding Molly inside Tylenol and other legitimate products to avoid detection and arrest. A former UCF tennis player had a kilo of the drug mailed to someone else’s address. The DEA was waiting and intercepted the delivery. People are willing to take grave risks to make money off of selling Molly. Dealers spend as little as $2,500 a kilo from online distributors and cut it and sell it for as much as $15,000 a kilo. With so much money at stake, the dealers certainly do not care what’s in it.

The Growing Threat of Molly

And no community is safe. Recently a dealer arrested in the low-income Parramore community in Orlando told officers he sells in the well-to-do Altamonte because they have ‘the money up there.’ And the glamorization of the drug by popular entertainers is making the situation worse. It’s helping to make Molly the new drug of choice. But while using Molly might look sexy in the video, its effect on the body is frightening and it poses significant dangers to people that use it. Many law enforcement officials and medical personnel say glorifying Molly use is dangerous and irresponsible.

There could be serious consequences if people do not stop dancing with Molly. While many young users feel like they’ll never die, the drug could lead to serious long-term health problems,. It can also lead to addiction and arrest. And they’ll need more than diamonds in the sky to pay the cost. MDMA isn’t something to play with. While the users want to feel warm and tingly and party all night, the distorted time and sensory perception using Molly causes can lead to all types of problems inside and outside the nightclub.

Impulsive and Dangerous Behavior

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Whether users swallow it as a liquid, snort it as a powder or take it in tablet or capsule form, Molly can be dangerous.  Feeling sexually aroused, emotional closeness and a sense of trust in a room full of strangers high on drugs is a recipe for disaster. And that’s what happens with good MDMA. Muscle cramps, blurred vision and profuse sweating will be the least of your worries when you ingest the bath salts and other chemical trash many unscrupulous drug dealers sell . Other users in the same room could be feeling irritable, aggressive and impulsive as well.

That might not bode well for anyone at that party. It can put people at risk for rape, robbery or unsafe sexual behavior. With HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, herpes and a whole host of frightening STDs running rampant, partying with Molly could end up meaning dancing with the devil. In the 1970s MDMA was used in psychotherapy to treat mental disorders under carefully controlled conditions. These days there are clinical trials in which MDMA is used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. It also treats terminally ill patients with anxiety and autistic adults with social anxiety.

If you or a loved one is struggling with the abuse of Molly, please contact us today. You can learn more about our recovery program and how we can help you.  Do not hesitate to make the call. You deserve to live life without the chains of addiction weighing you down. You never know when it might be too late.