The MDMA versus alcohol debate sure is an interesting one. Legions of misinformed cynics will hastily propagate that as a class A illegal drug, ecstasy is as bad as meth, heroin and cocaine, and causes huge damage to society. Many of these same sceptics likely spend their Saturday nights drinking beer after shot after whatever other liquids they can pour down their throats because, hey, it’s legal, right? Hypocrisy notwithstanding, people such as these ought to take a closer look at the facts of these two substances before condemning one and consuming the other.

In 2010, the British Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs published a comprehensive study on the top 20 recreational drugs, detailing each drugs respective harm levels to the individual and to society. The results were interesting, to say the least. Unsurprisingly, heroin and cocaine occupied the top two spots on the personal harm list. Not far below as fifth most harmful, however, was alcohol. On the other hand, way down the list in 18th position was ecstasy. Similarly, alcohol was found to be the most detrimental to society – above heroin, crack, and crystal meth. Ecstasy came in at 17th possession. Perhaps some people ought to reconsider their condemnations?

Research conducted by the National Institute of Drug Abuse recently found that, contrary to popular belief, ecstasy does not cause brain damage. Certain do-gooders will similarly be shocked at the revelations that smoking one joint will NOT give you schizophrenia. In fact, the long-term side effects of MDMA are relatively minimal given its reputation and status as a class A illegal drug. If you eat too much red meat, you put yourself at risk of cardiovascular disease. If you smoke too many cigarettes, chances are you’ll get lung cancer. If you drink too many beers, you may just royally screw your liver. If you consume too much ecstasy – and by that I mean abuse the drug every weekend – there is a possibility that you will be left with slight cognitive impairment, memory loss and perhaps become prone to depression. Compare this with its positive long-term effects; increased feelings of empathy and intimacy with others, as well as its tendency to help cure anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorders. Small price to pay, right?

The thing about MDMA is that most of the risks associated with it stem as a direct result of its illegality. If the government chose education over petty scare-campaigns and fear mongering, users would learn about harm reduction. They would know that they should space rolls out by at least a month. They would know to buy test kits to ensure what they have to buy illegally is the real thing, as opposed to a deadly concoction of other chemicals. They would know to load with 5-HTP pre and post rolls to reduce risk factors. Instead, we have teenagers who go out every weekend to “get on the gear”, not knowing the risks of MDMA, let alone whether or not what they are told is ecstasy is even the real thing, simply because they think it’s cool.

Personally, my main gripe with the demonization of MDMA is the hypocrisy of it all. Considering the damage it causes to individuals and to society, there is no way that alcohol would be made legal were it invented today. Unfortunately, it is so ingrained into western culture that it will always be readily available. It seems that the government feels that people who spend their weekends dancing awash with waves of euphoria and generally loving life are more of a danger to society than the mumbling, stumbling buffoons that crowd our streets, throwing up in trash cans and starting fights, because hey, if it’s illegal, it must be worse. Right?

If you have any thoughts on this issue, please comment 🙂