This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (49)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

To the Editor: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has achieved notoriety as the drug "ecstasy" and has been associated with dance events called "raves." Few reports of the content of ecstasy pills from the United States are available,¹ but European reports suggest that ecstasy commonly contains substances other than MDMA.² We sought to describe the range of drugs found in ecstasy pills in the United States.

Methods

Samples were solicited by DanceSafe, a national organization active at dance events, using a Web site (http://www.dancesafe.org) and informational tables at dance events. Individuals were informed they could anonymously mail pills to the analyzing laboratory along with a money order for the cost of the assay ($100) for each sample.

Pills were dissolved in methanol and assayed by gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy in full-scan electron impact mode (70 eV). Compounds were identified with a computerized reference library and confirmed with analytical standards. Complete methods are available . . . [Full Text of this Article]

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography/Electron-Impact Mass Spectrometry with Cryofocusing for Simultaneous Quantification of MDMA, MDA, HMMA, HMA, and MDEA in Human Plasma
Kolbrich et al.
Clin. Chem. 2008;54:379-387.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The varieties of ecstatic experience: an exploration of the subjective experiences of ecstasy
Sumnall et al.
J Psychopharmacol 2006;20:670-682.
ABSTRACT  

MDMA in humans: factors which affect the neuropsychobiological profiles of recreational ecstasy users, the integrative role of bioenergetic stress
Parrott
J Psychopharmacol 2006;20:147-163.
ABSTRACT  

Ecstasy in the Brain: A Model for Neuroimaging
Hurley et al.
J. Neuropsychiatry Clin. Neurosi. 2002;14:125-129.
FULL TEXT  

Dextromethorphan and Ecstasy Pills
Boyer et al.
JAMA 2001;285:409-410.
FULL TEXT