The article ‘Rolling in’ and the subsequent letter to the editor regarding it still have some fundamental factual flaws and omissions. Unlike what Sasha Almasian said, ecstasy is an amphetamine. Indeed, MDMA stands for Methylenedioxymethamphetamine. It is the ‘methylenedioxy’ part of the molecule that gives it its serotonin-releasing effects and, therefore, the sense of intimacy and mood-elating properties of the user. Without the ‘MD’ part, MDMA is no different from the potent stimulant methamphetamine. The article (and the letter to the editor) fails to mention that MDMA also releases large quantities of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, much like how methamphetamine does. The release of dopamine in the reward centers of the brain induces the euphoric effects of MDMA and also contributes to the development of addiction. The release of norepinephrine is mostly responsible for the stimulating properties of the drug.

‘Rolling in’ fails to elaborate on the current debate between the short- and long-term damage MDMA may cause in human brains and merely glosses over perhaps the most pertinent information regarding Molly. There are plenty of studies available on the Web with a quick Google search that could confirm depression, malaise and dysphoria as short-term aftereffects in the days following a dose of Molly. This is due to the depleted stores of serotonin in the brain. Longer-term effects, such as neurotoxicity to serotonin-producing nerve cells, have been observed but, like Dr. Tibor Palfai said, are not entirely conclusive. It would have been nice if the article mentioned explicitly the studies and effects to which Palfai was referring. After all, the purpose of a newspaper is to inform.

Instead, this article merely demonstrates the sensationalism surrounding this drug and perhaps perpetuates factually incorrect information. For example, MDMA does not itself cause dehydration, as the article states. Rather, the prolonged dancing and raving associated with its use, combined with users not re-hydrating themselves, serve as the primary causes of this condition.

And finally, I’m not sure how one student’s opinion of ecstasy constitutes the claim that ‘students who take MDMA perceive the drug as benign in comparison to other drugs, such as cocaine or a hallucinogen.’ The bias in this column is deplorable. With just 10 minutes of research on the Web, this could have been an excellent article discussing a trending party drug. Rather, it falls very short of the mark you would expect coming from a respected publication and a respected journalism school.

Brian Birnbaum

Senior biochemistry major