Ecstasy Pill Testing

The need for adulterant screening programs

Adulterant screening or "pill testing" is an important harm reduction service for Ecstasy users. Many tablets sold on the illicit market as "ecstasy" actually contain substances far more dangerous than MDMA (real ecstasy). In the Spring of this year, for example, three young people died in Chicago after ingesting tablets they thought contained ecstasy, but actually contained PMA, a powerful stimulant that is cheaper and easier to manufacture than ecstasy but far more dangerous. PMA has been responsible for six deaths in Australia and many more in Europe and England.

In the summer of 1999 we discovered that tablets containing high doses of DXM were causing the majority of medical emergencies in the Oakland rave community, as well in many other cities across the US. DXM is a legal cough suppressant that in high doses can prevent sweating. Our laboratory analysis program, along with our onsite pill testing program, allowed us to correlate most of these cases of heat stroke to DXM pills, and we were thus able to warn users about this increased risk.

Many other drugs are commonly passed off as ecstasy, as well. Some of these, like PCP, DOB, and ketamine, can impair motor control and produce intense hallucinations. Such dramatic and unexpected psychological effects can be traumatic, particularly to those expecting the relatively mild empathy and mood-elevation produced by MDMA.

Other drugs found in "ecstasy" tablets have included speed, cocaine, atropine, 4-MTA, various prescription and over-the-counter medications, and many, many others. While no drug use is entirely safe, including MDMA, many of the fake tablets, as explained above, are far more dangerous. Adulterant screening is therefore a vital and necessary harm reduction service.

DanceSafe has three pill testing programs, a laboratory analysis program, an onsite pill testing program at raves and dance clubs, and a testing kit distribution program.