Thanks for your question and I'm glad my talk made you think - I couldn't ask for more! I've been asked many times by regular ecstasy users about the difference between these two substances as they are often offered MDA as an alternative to MDMA (the drug ecstasy users are after when they buy ecstasy). It needs to be said right at the start that the chances of the person selling the drug actually knowing what it really is are pretty slim. The only way you can really know what it is that you are buying or selling is if you made it yourself (and even then it could be difficult unless you're a pretty amazing chemist, and if you know people who are actually making drugs like ecstasy, I would suggest you're hanging out with a pretty dangerous crowd!) or if you had it tested by a laboratory (which you are unable to do in this country).
MDA has been around for as long as MDMA and is possibly one of the least understood drugs around - certainly there is a lot of mythology about what it is and its effects. It tends to appear on the scene in cycles, particularly when ecstasy quality starts to drop. Users start to complain that "the pills aren't working" and all of a sudden dealers will begin to offer an alternative - MDA. It usually comes in capsules or powder form to note a 'point of difference' from pills and became particularly popular in the mid 90s to overcome the perceived 'heavy' effect of the ecstasy taken at that time. At that time users believed that MDA gave you extra energy and kept you going no matter how the ecstasy affected you! So there have been times when it has been sold for its stimulant effects ...
MDA and MDMA are from the same 'family' of drugs, with MDA having
properties similar to those of both LSD and amphetamine. In fact MDA was the original 'love drug'
until the emergence of MDMA as a street drug in the 1980s. There are no
approved medical uses for MDA. It was
patented in 1956 as a cough suppressant and in 1961 as a diet aid, although
there is no evidence that it was ever used for these purposes. In terms of effect, MDA appears to more similar
to LSD than amphetamine, i.e., it has more of a hallucinogenic effect. Some of the
perceived positive effects at moderate doses include intensification of
feelings, visual hallucinations or psychedelic-like visual effects, spontaneous recalling
of events long past and a belief of greater awareness and self-insight. On the other side of the coin, adverse
effects include confusion, fatigue and anxiety.
My greatest concern when I hear young people ask about the differences between drugs like MDMA and MDA is that they actually believe that the person selling them the drug actually knows what it is that they're offering! There is no way they could really know, no matter what they tell you and how convincing they are! They could certainly make an educated guess but that's about it ...
This highlights one of the major problems with illicit drugs – street drugs can contain a variety of substances, some harmless and others lethal, you simply never know what you are buying! Certainly it is important to try to find out as much about the drug you think you are buying and planning to use - but you must always have at the back of your mind that there is no way you could ever actually know what it is that you are putting into your mouth or up your nose or whatever (and even if you did, there is no certainty that something couldn't go wrong!) ... with that in mind, be aware that as soon as it doesn't feel right, seek help immediately!
First published: July 2015
This highlights one of the major problems with illicit drugs – street drugs can contain a variety of substances, some harmless and others lethal, you simply never know what you are buying! Certainly it is important to try to find out as much about the drug you think you are buying and planning to use - but you must always have at the back of your mind that there is no way you could ever actually know what it is that you are putting into your mouth or up your nose or whatever (and even if you did, there is no certainty that something couldn't go wrong!) ... with that in mind, be aware that as soon as it doesn't feel right, seek help immediately!
First published: July 2015