Molly Overdoses Point Up Risks Of Designer Drugs

Four college students remain hospitalized after overdosing on the designer drug Molly at Wesleyan College in Connecticut last weekend, according to the Hartford Courant.

Eleven students were rushed to the hospital this weekend after taking what is being called a “bad batch” of Molly, the powdered form of the drug MDMA. Two of the students are in critical condition and Salvatore Pardo, MD, says that when it comes to designer drugs, the risk of a bad batch is high.

“Molly is a street drug in terms of how it’s made. It can be impure and have additives that have different effect,” said Dr. Pardo, vice chair, Department of Emergency Medicine at North Shore-LIJ Health System. “You don’t know what you were actually getting.”

Highly popular among college students, Molly, also known as Ecstasy, produces a feeling of euphoria and boundless energy, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

“Molly is more of a social drug, where you would find it at parties” said Dr. Pardo. “It revolves around the party culture.”

He says evidence of the designer drug culture isn’t hard to find, such as Molly references in the lyrics of Miley Cyrus’s hit “We Can’t Stop”.

The doctor says continued abuse of the drug can have long lasting effects on the body and mind.

“There are studies that show it actually changes the brain chemistry, and makes a person more susceptible to things like depression,” said Dr. Pardo.

The danger is not just limited to repeat abusers. Even first-time Molly users face the threat of heart and liver failure, and even death, due to the drug’s ability to raise body temperatures. According to Dr. Pardo, the best way to combat side effects is through hydration and temperature controls, things users aren’t paying attention to when high. In the end, though, he suggests just avoiding recreational drug use entirely.