Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), is a synthetic psychoactive drug that has hallucinogenic properties. MDMA is also a stimulant and an anti-depressant since it contains variations of methamphetamine (SPEED), amphetamine and a hallucinogen such as mescaline. It's effect lasts four to six hours and creates a feeling of infinite energy so users do not have urges to sleep, eat or drink. Because of this, many users suffer from exhaustion and/or dehydration.

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), Ecstasy, is used mainly by adolescents as a "party drug" for it's stimulants and hallocinogenic effects. There are many reported ways of taking ecstasy such as snorting, injecting and anal suppository but most are taken orally in pill form.

Not all ecstacy pills are methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Many dealers and scam artists pass off various other drugs as ecstasy. Most new "designer" drugs are passed off as ecstacy by the manufacturers in hopes it will catch on and make a quick buck. In reality, only about 30% of the ecstasy street pills tested by government labs contain (MDMA). Many of these "ecstasy" pills are actaully dangerous designer drugs such as 4-MTA and DOB which can lead to death.

It was first discovered in 1913 in Germany by a pharmaceutical company, Merck. It was intended to be used as a diet drug but was never marketed because of it's side-effects. In the 1950s, MDMA was briefly researched by the US Government for it's chemical warfare values but it wasn't until the 1970s when it was rediscovered as a psychotherapeutic drug and was used with psychotherapy. In the early 1980s, MDMA developed a nonmedical use as a hallucinogenic under the name of ecstasy

Currently, the majority of MDMA in North America comes from Western Europe where clandestine laboratories produce large quantities in tablets.