Editor,
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, you had a guest columnist, Kevin Killough, present an article titled "Exaggerated Ecstasy Hype Precarious."
Mr. Killough used a mortality figure from four years ago. The use of Ecstasy has gone up exponentially since then; the newest figures are much more alarming. He also quotes the deaths from tobacco and alcohol. Both these drugs have been around for thousands of years and are highly addictive.
The big difference is we know what damage these drugs do to our bodies. The studies on Ecstasy are ongoing; we do know Ecstasy can damage fragile nerve endings in the brain, especially the serotonin receptor system. This could lead to memory loss, depression and an increased chance of developing Parkinson's disease.
The above problems could lead to secondary deaths from suicide. Mr. Killough confuses me when he states, "Ecstasy is dangerous," then a few sentences later he states, "Ecstasy use has definite risks, but it won't necessarily kill every user." Mr. Killough is very angry about the Ecstasy Act of 2002, and I agree with him. Stopping the party won't stop drug use.
I also agree that scare tactics never work. There is, however, a lot of honest Ecstasy education out there and I urge people to learn more about Ecstasy before they ingest it. Having plenty of fluids on board and cooling-off periods are great for the short-term effects of Ecstasy (e.g., increased heart rate, body temperature and dehydration.)
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It's the long-term effects of Ecstasy that worry me.
Ron Besante
Nurse Manager
UNM Student Health Center
