Pubdate: Tue, 28 Nov 2000 Source: Bergen Record (NJ) Copyright: 2000 Bergen Record Corp. Contact: http://www.bergen.com/cgi-bin/feedback Website: http://www.bergen.com/ Bookmark: ecstasy clippings http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm THE AGONY OF ECSTASY HERE ARE SOME of the effects of Ecstasy, the so-called "club drug" that's a favorite among teens at all-night dances: confusion, depression, sleep problems, anxiety, and paranoia. The immediate effects, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, last three to six hours. But the same symptoms have been reported to return weeks after the drug was taken. In high doses, the drug can lead to seizures, heart attacks, and strokes. That's why it is disturbing to learn that the use of Ecstasy, while still relatively low, has doubled among teens in the past five years, according to a survey by the Partnership for a Drug Free America. The non-profit group, which strives to reduce the use of illegal drugs, questioned 7,290 students this year in Grades 7-12 nationwide. There was a margin of error of plus or minus 1.5 percentage points. The survey showed that one in 10 teenagers tried Ecstasy during the past year, compared with 7 percent the preceding year. The survey had some good news, too. Marijuana use by teens declined to 40 percent, the third consecutive drop since 1997, when marijuana use among teens was reported at 44 percent. But the most important message of the survey is that parents must act immediately to teach their youngsters about the dangers of using Ecstasy. - --- MAP posted-by: Thunder