MOLLY What is it?

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, molly is the powder or crystal form of MDMA -- or 3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a chemical drug most commonly known for its use in the pressed pill Ecstasy. Unlike Ecstasy, which has a reputation for being laced with everything from caffeine to methamphetamine, molly -- a name shortened from "molecule" -- is thought of as "pure" MDMA. The DEA labels it a Schedule 1 controlled substance, considered to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted use in medical treatment, which means it's illegal.

What is MDMA? MDMA acts as a stimulant and a psychedelic, according to the DEA. After being inhaled, eaten or parachuted -- folded into a tissue and swallowed -- molly ushers in euphoria. It floods users' brains with neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, making them feel elated, empathic and full of energy. MDMA first found popularity in the form of Ecstasy as the drug of choice among ravers at underground nightclubs in the early 1990s. But when questions arose over the purity of Ecstasy --- the drug was often mixed with other ingredients ---- people turned their attention to a purer form

Rapper 2 Chainz performs onstage during the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards at Staples Center on September 6, 2012 in Los Angeles, California to Molly in hip-hop lyrics – such as Kanye West’s in “Mercy” (“Something about Mary, she gone off that Molly”) and those of 2 Chainz in “Beez in the Trap” (“Got your girl on Molly and we smoking loud and drinking”) – leaves listeners wondering who or what she is.

Verses to “Mercy” Let the suicide doors up I threw suicides on the tour bus I threw suicides on the private jet You know what that mean, I’m fly to death Something' 'bout Mary she gone off that Molly Now the whole party is melted like Dalí Now everybody is movin' they body Yeah, it's prime time, my top back, this pimp game hoe I'm red leather, this cocaine, I'm Rick James hoe I'm bill droppin', Ms. Pacman is pill poppin' ass hoe I'm poppin' too, these blue dolphins need two coffins

Molly “the girl next door” See video above Bitter taste Everything amplified Lasts a few hours depending on dose Street name that has been in use for a decade Exact make-up is confusing; different substances Ages of users 16 to 24 Gaining popularity (see next slide) Why? Associated with raves, concerts, electronic dance music 2 kilograms=$525,000 Short for molecule

What are the effects? MDMA, even in its pure form, can produce elevated heart rates and distortion of thought processes, causing users not to realize their rising body temperature or fading stamina as they continue to party. Combining MDMA with alcohol or other drugs can also be the cause of its more serious side effects.

Other effects: blurred vision anxiety depression paranoia confusion blurred vision anxiety depression paranoia sleep problems drug craving muscle tension tremors involuntary teeth clenching muscle cramps Nausea faintness chill, Sweating High doses of MDMA can interfere with the ability to regulate body temperature, resulting in a sharp increase in body temperature (hyperthermia), leading to liver, kidney and cardiovascular failure. Severe dehydration can result from the combination of the drug’s effects and the crowded and hot conditions in which the drug is often taken

What do you think? There is now greater permissiveness and lax attitudes toward drugs such as marijuana, so people move on to other substances, such as molly, and give themselves permission to use them. We're seeing a softening of drug laws and a softening against drugs.

'A softening against drugs' "We're at a place here historically that people don't think marijuana is a drug anymore." Although marijuana, like molly, remains on the DEA's list of Schedule 1 controlled substances, it's a drug that many citizens think of not only as minor but as one that should be legal. And 17 states have legalized it for medical use.