@article{ref1,
title="Fatal and non-fatal health incidents related to recreational ecstasy use",
journal="Journal of psychopharmacology",
year="2020",
author="van Amsterdam, Jan and Pennings, Ed and van den Brink, Wim",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND:The recreational drug ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is currently used world-wide. Severe (including fatal) health incidents related to ecstasy have been reported but a risk assessment of acute non-fatal and fatal ecstasy-related health incidents has never been performed.
METHODS:In the current risk assessment review, national data of non-fatal health incidents collected in the Netherlands were combined with the nationwide exposure to ecstasy, that is, last-year prevalence of ecstasy use. In addition, the annual number of ecstasy-related deaths in Great Britain (Scotland, Wales and England) was used to assess the risk of fatal ecstasy-related cases.
RESULTS:In the Netherlands, the estimated risk of a moderate to severe acute health incident following the use of ecstasy is one in 900 pills (0.11%), whereas for cocaine it is one in 1600 doses (0.06%) and for gamma-hydroxybutyrate one in 95 doses (1.05%). With respect to ecstasy-related deaths in Great Britain, the estimated risk of ecstasy alone per user is 0.01?0.06%, which is close to the range of the fatality risk in chronic alcohol users (0.01?0.02%), amphetamine users (0.005%) and cocaine users (0.05%), but much lower than that of opiate use (heroin and morphine: 0.35%).
CONCLUSION:The current review shows that almost no data are available on the health risks of ecstasy use. The few data that are available show that ecstasy is not a safe substance. However, compared to opiates (heroin, morphine), the risk of acute ecstasy-related adverse health incidents per ecstasy user and per ecstasy use session is relatively low. Language: en
",
language="en",
issn="0269-8811",
doi="10.1177/0269881119897559",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269881119897559"
}