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- Newsgroups: alt.drugs
- From: an13187@anon.penet.fi (H-Man)
- Subject: MDMA article #4
- Message-ID: <1993Jul3.005749.5817@fuug.fi>
- Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1993 02:06:34 GMT
-
-
-
- MDMA - FDA REPORT, 1985
-
-
- RESPONSE:
-
- The Food and Drug Administration has received inquiries about
- the drug MDMA (3,4-METHYLENEDIOXYMETHAMPHETAMINE) referred
- to in news media stories as an unregulated "DESIGNER DRUG."
-
- The following may be used to answer inquiries.
-
- MDMA is a psychotropic drug, street named "ADAM" and
- " ECSTASY, " popular among a small number of therapists and
- psychiatrists, although it has never been approved by FDA. The
- therapists claim that MDMA increases perceptions of self-insight
- and empathy. Recreational users claim that the drug relaxes
- inhibitions and enhances communications and sex. However, no
- INDs have been filed with FDA.
-
- Chemically, MDMA is related to both the amphetamines and
- mescaline and especially to a potent stimulant known as MDA.
- Although it was developed in the 1970's, there was no
- enforcement activity involving MDMA manufacture or possession
- prior to last July. At that time, after a strong upsurge of
- MDMA street use, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- proposed listing it as a "Schedule 1 Controlled Substance" --
- the category for drugs with no medical use and a high abuse
- potential. In the Schedule 1 category (which includes heroin,
- LSD and MDA), clandestine production or sale of MDMA would be
- punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $125,000 fine.
-
- The DEA proposal was protested by some nurses, physicians and
- professors of pharmacology who wrote letters demanding a
- hearing. They challenged the proposed scheduling on the grounds
- that the drug has only a low or moderate abuse potential and has
- great therapeutic usefulness.
-
- DEA announced May 31, 1985 it will not wait for hearings before
- acting because recent data indicate that the drug is being
- abused in 28 states. DEA is using a 1984 change in the
- Controlled Substances Act which allows emergency scheduling of
- drugs for one year. DEA's emergency ban will become effective
- July 1.
-
- The emergency action is an interim measure to curb MDMA abuse
- until the longer administrative process can be completed. DEA
- has scheduled hearings June 10 and 11 in Los Angeles and July 10
- and 11 in Kansas City. A third hearing will be scheduled later
- in Washington, DC. FDA will participate in the hearings to
- testify on the pharmacological aspects of the drug.
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