Syracuse, N.Y. -- Hospital emergency room visits involving young people under 21 who took the street drug "Ecstasy" more than doubled between 2005 and 2011, according to a federal report.
The report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows the number of ER visits nationwide by young people on Ecstasy, also known as "Molly," increased from 4,460 in 2005 to 10,176 in 2011.
"These findings raise concerns about the increase in popularity of this potentially harmful drug, especially in young people," Dr. Peter Delany of SAMHSA said in a prepared statement.
Ecstasy has both stimulant and hallucinogenic properties, and produces feelings of increased energy and euphoria among users. Abuse of Ecstasy can produce a variety of undesirable health effects such as anxiety and confusion, which can last one week or longer after using the drug. Other serious health risks associated with Ecstasy include becoming dangerously overheated, high blood pressure, and kidney and heart failure.
There have been several recent deaths associated with Molly, a variant of Ecstasy, among young people taking it at concerts. On August 31, a 23-year-old Syracuse University graduate and a 20-year-old University of New Hampshire student died after taking what they believed to be Molly during an electronic music concert in New York City.
The federal report also shows about one third of ER visits associated with Ecstasy also involved drinking. The combination causes a longer-lasting euphoria than Ecstasy or alcohol use alone and may increase the risk for potential abuse, according to the report.