Molly is a Popular Companion at Music Concerts

When you send your teen off to enjoy a concert with friends, there are probably some worries niggling in the back of your mind. What will they see, hear or do when they are largely free of adult supervision and surrounded by a large group of other young people? Young people who attended music festivals this past summer were definitely confronted with opportunities to use illicit substances. The most popular substance found among kids attending these events has been a substance commonly referred to as Molly.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America recently published an online news piece discussing the use of Molly by kids at concerts. The name Molly is a nickname for the word molecule. Molly is the name used for the chemical MDMA in crystalized or powdered form. That chemical is the chief ingredient used in the manufacture of the drug Ecstasy. Ecstasy, which is MDMA mixed with either methamphetamine or caffeine, also enjoyed a period of popularity among young people who visited night clubs – clubbers. Unlike Ecstasy, Molly, is pure, uncut MDMA.

The drug is dangerous in any situation, but in a crowded atmosphere either inside a concert venue or out in the hot summer sun, the effects of the drug can become even more serious. MDMA inhibits the body’s normal temperature regulation. The person using it often experiences high body temperatures. Place that person in a hot, stuffy environment and you have a recipe for dehydration or worse. High body temperatures can lead to serious harm in the kidney liver or heart.

Kids who use Molly may feel anxious, confused, paranoid or depressed. They may become restless and unable to sleep, have muscle cramps and muscle tension like clenched teeth, or show flu-like symptoms such as sweats and chills, nausea, lightheadedness or fuzzy vision.

Parents do need to give teens some freedoms as they grow up, but should be aware of the dangers that come with certain freedoms. Educate your teens about the dangers of drug use and practice how to refuse the offer of drugs before your kids ever pull out of the driveway.