Following last week’s news report on the increasing popularity of ecstasy across Australian culture, inthemix takes a closer look at the new research that indicates the drug has gone ‘mainstream’. Titled Containing ecstasy: analytical tools for profiling an illegal drug market, the report was funded by the National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund and it was unveiled at a recent national drug conference on the Gold Coast. Noted academics Greg Fowler and Stuart Kinner from the University of Queensland were responsible for putting it together, with help from Leigh Krenske of Crime and Misconduct Commission in the state.
Bringing together data from a number of different sources, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the National Drug Strategy Household Survey that is conducted every three years, as well as from its own research and interviews with consumers and dealers across the country, it claims that the number of Australians over the age of 14 who have ever tried ecstasy has climbed to around 1.2 million. More than 550,000 people had used ecstasy within the last 12 months in 2004, and levels are also rising dramatically – the proportion of Australians who tried ecstasy shot up from 3.1 per cent in 1993 to 7.5 per cent in 2004. And looking at data collected by the UNODC, Australia is believed to be one of the highest per capita ecstasy consuming countries in the world.
Containing Ecstasy attempts to construct a profile of the typical ecstasy user in Australia. According to the report there is a clear link with the use of the drug to age and gender. “The relationship between age, gender and the prevalence of ecstasy use indicates that young men aged between 20 and 29 years are the group most likely to report ecstasy use,” it says, pointing out that it’s least prevalent among those aged 40 or over. Not surprisingly, ecstasy use seems to drop off sharply when individuals reach certain milestones in their life. “Some of the life events that can affect the frequency of ecstasy use include marriage, career advancement, or… starting a family.”
If there’s still any perception in the wider society of ecstasy users being unemployed dropkicks, Containing Ecstasy claims that reality is markedly different. The evidence shows that users tend to be young, well educated and either employed or involved in full-time study. This point is illustrated with an excerpt from one of the subjects who was interviewed for the report, in this instance with a female user who hails from Brisbane. “It‘s not the dole bludgers that take it… with ecstasy it‘s just a totally different ball game. Usually it’s people with really good jobs, like their parents think they’re really good and it’s all hidden, they don‘t look like users.”
In response to this quote, the report claims that her statement, “...reinforces the idea that ecstasy consumers are socially and financially secure. They are capable of managing their consumption and remaining highly functional. There is a general perception among ecstasy users that ecstasy use does not necessarily lead to severe health and social problems.”
And, if there is still the perception out there that ecstasy is restricted just to nightclubs and dance parties, the research is telling of something different entirely. The impact of ecstasy still weighs heavily in the dance scene, but that’s far from the only section or subculture of society that it has permeated and the reality is a lot more complicated. “While there is evidence to suggest that ecstasy consumers can be generalised to a certain degree, it is important to acknowledge that ecstasy is consumed by a diverse array of people in a range of social contexts.”
If you think that the only place ecstasy is being consumed in Australia is in nightclubs, you’d be very wrong. According to the report, ecstasy is used in a diverse array of public and private locations. While the most common place that respondants report using of the drug is still nightclubs, at 77.3 per cent, it’s followed closely by private parties at 57.2 per cent, at the home of friends at 56.8 per cent, in their own home at 51.1 per cent and at one-off dance party events at 50.7 per cent. But it gets even wackier than that: 6.6 per cent of respondents reported using ecstasy in restaurants or cafes, while 7 percent have used it at work!
In terms of use becoming ‘mainstream’, Containing Ecstasy argues there is increasing evidence to suggest the drug increasingly being normalised and accepted as an ordinary part of everyday life for many Australians. “Representations of ecstasy consumers are increasingly found in mainstream culture, and subcultural codes and signifiers of use are frequently used by the advertising industry to sell products to the general community,” the report says. The drug’s increasing prevalence means also that more and more people are becoming exposed to it, either directly or indirectly.
“The regular use of ecstasy is perceived to be as acceptable as cannabis and more acceptable than the regular use of other illegal drugs. It is rarely associated with a ‘drug problem’ by the general community,” the report claims. The biggest factors emphasised as responsible for this normalisation include the popularity of use; the way in which it is consumed (swallowing a pill is a little more socially acceptable than injecting or smoking, for instance); the perceived benefits of ecstasy use (identified in the report as “enhanced closeness/bonding/empathy, enhanced communication/talkativeness/sociability and enhanced mood”) and the fact that it’s become associated with the social codes of a number of different subcultures (again, stretching well beyond the clubbing world).
Paul Dillon has his say.
Paul Dillon from Drug & Alcohol Research Australia is one of the country’s most outspoken authorities on drug use, and inthemix spoke with him about some of the assertions found within Containing Ecstasy. Dillon claims that usage trends in Australia are bucking the figures seen in the rest of the world. “If you go to Europe you’ll see that ecstasy use is on the decline, while in the States the use is stable and declining slightly. But here we continue to rise; we’ve almost quadrupled in the past decade in terms of use, and that’s definitely a significant increase.”
He also supports the assertion that ecstasy is no longer strictly the domain of clubs. “I don’t think that’s anything new,” he says. “There’s a range of different ways and situations in which people use the drug, of course it remains very closely linked to the dance scene… But there are many other groups who use the drug as well.” Dillon affirms that while the long-term consequences of ecstasy use still remains “the great unknown,” he identifies some of the short-term consequences as what he terms the “social harms.” By that he means, “the effect it has on relationships, the effect it has on your work or your education, your finances. Those are the sort of things that impact on most ecstasy users. But we don’t talk about that enough.
“This is a drug where, for many users, it has quite a significant impact in the days after you use it. You’re feeling down, you’re feeling tired, you’re feeling lethargic and you can feel depressed. And what happens is that people simply don’t go to work, they don’t function as well as they normally would. If you’re a regular ecstasy user you could miss work on Monday for two or three weeks in a row, and there is research that shows that is what’s happening to many users.”
jamonika says...
Paul Dillon says "social harms".... what a wanker, is that the best he can come up with... The other day my dog died and i felt down, tired and even a little depresssed so i didn't go to work on Monday. I think we should ban dogs from dying because of the "social harm" it causes.
cydtrak says...
“the effect it has on relationships, the effect it has on your work or your education, your finances. Those are the sort of things that impact on most ecstasy users. But we don’t talk about that enough" Valid point, although you just described someone with an alcohol problem.
Ruthykins says...
Im not entirely convinced that the effects it has on my relationships, work, education and finances are really that significant. Then again maybe if Joey Johns didn't take X he might not just have been captain of a footy team but captain of the universe!
adrenalinjunkie says...
Considering the amount of people who use it, it's about time it was legalised.
trenthalliday says...
"If you’re a regular ecstasy user you could miss work on Monday for two or three weeks in a row".....Is this not a celebrated Aussie tradition, Chuckin a sickie??!! This report just puts in writing what we all knew, it will decrease eventually, once coke gets a bit cheaper....!
Lihan says...
It's funny even though we had Anna Wood's Mum come to our school saying we would die if we took drugs in the 10mins it took me to read the above article not once did I see a massive paragraph on health issues. Is this because they don't have that leg to stand on now? Or maybe they have noticed that most OD cases are from stupid people who don't know their limits!
ozzyrock says...
clearly more that 7% of australians above 14 have dumped a pill
Ruthykins says...
Im sorry to say this but Anna Woods parents need to SHUT THE F*CK UP or do some real research. I know its wrong to speak ill of the dead but that girl didn't know what she was doing, went into the situation without thinking it thru and subsequently died. Its all about knowing your limitations and what to do if things go wrong... EDUCATE PEOPLE SO THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN!!!!!!
tamolive says...
alcohol is just as bad.. so why is it so socially acceptable? men between 20 - 29 years? i would have thought more like 16-20..
TRJLUGARNO says...
i like the competition below the article, it would cover most of the category for where people get munted, at home(tick)dance party(tick)one off(tick) haha
claritus888 says...
Jamonika, way harsh! He's just pointing out that some ppl have problems because they pop too many pills. It's not his fault your dog died. Taken out of context.
shaboogen says...
Anna Wood is a sad statistic, but there's nothing said about everything else she was up to that day. There was clearly more than one pill that killed her. As for the rest of this, it's the standard anti-drug rhetoric that they've attempted to pedal for years that hasn't worked in the past. Considering the increase here, they should clearly be looking at new tactics to combat their apparent problem rather than simply admonishment and fear mongering.
isyV says...
I agree that prolonged ecstasy use can cause "social harm" although when you read the statistics (and you can quite easily find them online) more people die from alcohol and Tobacco related deaths than Ecstasy use and yet there both legal. Having said that rather than focussing on the whole "say no to drugs" which obviously doesn't work why not focus on educating people on harm minimisation... all drugs are dangerous to a certain extent and yes the side effects mentioned are real but there are ways to counteract these "social harms" and prevent overdose so that IF people choose to take ecstasy they are atleast doing it in the safest manner possible. For example; TEST YOUR PILLS: You can buy complete tester kits for around $70 which will tell you exactly what is in the pill you are taking... the general rule here is to try and stick to MDMA and MDA as these are the purest forms. Anything that is Ketamine or PMA based can make you sick especially if you add alcohol to the mix. STAY HYDRATED.... BUT do not consume any more than 500ml of water per hour as this can also lead to the drowning of the brain
mojination says...
I definitely think the impacts should be discussed more. It's an extremely common thing for users to immedietly point out how bad the effects are of other (legal) drugs, physically and socially, as if this negates the effects of pingers. We're such a sensitive lot! We're up in arms anytime someone mentions it (if they themselves haven't used it). This isn't a judgment, just an observation. I've always been an advocate of self awareness. People should do their homework on drugs and make informed choices.
mojination says...
I definitely think the impacts should be discussed more. It's an extremely common thing for users to immedietly point out how bad the effects are of other (legal) drugs, physically and socially, as if this negates the effects of pingers. We're such a sensitive lot! We're up in arms anytime someone mentions it (if they themselves haven't used it). This isn't a judgment, just an observation. I've always been an advocate of self awareness. People should do their homework on drugs and make informed choices.
Radic says...
Those that defend ecstacy are idiots. Ecstacy causes brain damage. Learn to accept it if you are a user.
lesweetheart says...
googs for life.
Furiousxr says...
Why do the media kick up such a stir about ectasy use ? There is a lot more things that have cause a bad impact , killed people etc then ectasy , look at achole abuse , smoking , car crashes , even "religons" have caused more deaths through wars then probally all the drug death in the world . I would rather to go to a dance club were major amount of people use ectasy .It is a way more enjoble experince and least you will know there will be no fights like with drunk people at pubs and other clubs etc , as ever one there is there for a good time and enjoys life . As long as you can control your self and do it in moderation which is the key!! . Too much of any thing is bad for you .Education and self control here are the importnat things with use of any thing . You wouldnt go drive a car if you didnt know any thing about driving as you would probally end up dead or injured . Same as if you drive to fast (If you take to much ) you will probally end up dead or injured . Moderation , self control and education is what is important I hold down a very well paying educated job and havent missed one day of work with sickness, am really healthy go exercise and go to the gym 5 days a week , eat well and have a good family , friends and girlfriend relation ship with no problems . If the goverment legilised it at least then they would be able to control the quality of the pills out on the street . The majority of death from ectasy are from bad pills which arent even ectasy . "Life will kill you " So you might as well enjoy your life and get out there meet people have a good time and not live under a rock worrying about ever thing that might kill you .
dirk1080 says...
The only time I have been a victim of random violence in a club is from a drunk arsehole. And I see it often enough from other drunk arseholes. Give me friendly ravers any day - you just get hugged by them!
mcdoofus says...
“This is a drug where, for many users, it has quite a significant impact in the days after you use it. You’re feeling down, you’re feeling tired, you’re feeling lethargic and you can feel depressed. And what happens is that people simply don’t go to work, they don’t function as well as they normally would. If you’re a regular ecstasy user you could miss work on Monday for two or three weeks in a row, and there is research that shows that is what’s happening to many users.” Not in my experience... some people still choose to use ecstasy responsibly and that includes not taking it the day before you have other commitments.
apho3 says...
i dont think its nice to impose rules on people....we all know whats good and bad right and wrong....ciggarettes are bad and they kill but the govt wont ban those coz it brings in the money.....at the end of the day these are personal choices..frankly legalise the drugs!!! it has nothing to do with the drug itself and more to do with the user.....i take ecastasy once in a blue moon for fun taht doesnt mean im some crazy addict ruining my life..im fairly levelheaded and cool...ive smoked pot as well but i didnt exactly ruin my life getting addicted to it...on the other hand i know someone who went a bit weird on it..so its an individual thing...there aint no point saying t someone this is bad dont do it coz if they want to theyll go ahead and do it anyway.... these scinece people can keep spending time and energy on research its quite pointless....just like putting those gross photos on ciggarette boxes has been super stupid!!!
SKOOCH says...
i think that the main reason why alcohol and tabacco are legal drugs is not because of the affects that they have on people, rather the $$$$ that these drugs bring into our economy. I dont think that the government and these anti-drug organisations are that stupid.....people waste $100's on alcohol and ciggies a week. and In clubs, its 100's of $ a night per person - thats HUGE revenue for the state/nation. Look at esctasy on the other side.....on average people would spend far less on a pill....i dont think that the government cares THAT much about our health and a bit more on the $ that goes into their pockets.......if X was legalised....wouldnt sales in alcohol go down? because it would be socially accepted to swallow a pill rather than sit there drinking glass after glass of alcohol......my opinion is that the government would loose revenue then....maybe that is why they still keeping it under wrapps? Drugs affect society no matter what they are...i know that i would rather get a hug from a complete stranger than a punch in the face......but when it happens outside of the city steps waiting for a ngiht-rider home...it would look pretty fucked wouldnt it?
ikey_bro says...
Every 1 remember Roger Ramjet!!?? he used to lob-up every day and he was the "hero of our nation"... so why all the slander on the good ol "proton" pills....?? provided its kept to special ocasions...
ikey_bro says...
Anyone remember Rodger Ramjet...?? He used to "lob-up" everyday and he was the "hero of our nation"... Whatever happened to my 4.30pm hero...maybe he lobbed to many...? please make up a diferent "nickname" as thats my email name thanks.. "dufus-man" will do : )
thee_direct_influence says...
As with all substances both legal an illegal there is "use" then there is "abuse". In my opinion so long as you do not start to abuse a substance you will not have a problem. Know your limits and be aware of your surrounding relationships
lysh22 says...
when u think about it its all drugs that take affect on people. people who take x take other drugs to. Mybe they dont start off thinking it would happen to them but by the time the x stops working for them and not having the fun on it like they have been, people will then turn to other drugs to make them feel great.RONG this to do cause it will make a differents when u have nothing left in your life.
LukeIrwin says...
its all about harm minimisation... one word, BZP... if NZ is doing it and its working fine why dont we do it here. that way everyone can still continue partying in the way they want but have pills which have controlled doses and no adulterants. having X illegal and educating people about it is not going to lower the amount of use as its illegal now and it doesnt stop anyone and most x users are reasnobly educated about the risks of use anyway. give people a safer and legal alternative and people will stop using pills... easy
JukeBox says...
Its is unbelievable that anyone could say that x should be legal, not saying that alcohol and cigarettes are not bad but x does destroy relationships and effects your results at tafe/uni, not to mention other aspects of life. I have experienced first hand, when u first start taking, u think it is fine and has no harmful side effects, after a few years i realised the opposite. X is highly addictive it is terrible for memory (was passing subjects when started dumping failed almost everything in the first semester i started) and causes depression, destroys relationships and yet i still dump.. idiot you say? i agree but hey thats what it does to you, fucks your life. might not have the same effect on everyone but from my experience it is a terrible drug and no one should ever say it should be legalized.
staceyleigh says...
your all kidding yourself. face it, its bad. but fuck its why we do it. who cares. flare up and rocknroll.
Funckyelectrochicky says...
It is commented in this artical that X enhances your mood therefore those people who put themselves into a situatin to take the drug in a bad or not good mood it is going to be enhance, hence why it should only be taken to make a good time great not to make a bad time good , Which I feel within my own socail network is why it is taken not that we are dependent or are evryday user it's that we have a great time and know how to make it FUCKIN AWESOME!!!!
KayPea2007 says...
Ecstasy is something which has become part of festival/club culture and should be legalised: that way people know what they're getting. Whether or not it'll happen remains to be seen, though. I've never seen anyone have a fight, either verbal or physical, whilst on a pill. On alcohol, it's a GIVEN that an arguement ensues - I've seen it so many times it's ridiculous!!!
blondebirdk says...
I agree with many people on the site that say, alcohol makes people more aggressive, E does make you a lot calmer, happier and confident
blondebirdk says...
I agree with many people on the site that say, alcohol makes people more aggressive, E does make you a lot calmer, happier and confident
blondebirdk says...
I agree with many people on the site that say, alcohol makes people more aggressive, E does make you a lot calmer, happier and confident
washout02 says...
RADIC YOU DO MORE HARM TO YOUR BRAIN JUST OUT HAVIN A FEW QUITE ONES DOWN THE LOCAL WITH YOUR MATES ??
charzii says...
just make it legal, lmao.