Abstract
Drug abuse is a huge problem of contemporary society. Beside the long lasting and known problems coming up with the use of opiates, cocaine and amphetamine there is a relatively new trend in drug use - intake of synthetic drugs of abuse.
The main representative is a drug called ecstasy, structurally 3,4- methylendioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Its widespread use within the young population is intimately connected to the spread of reproduced electronic dance music and dance parties (raves).
This drug, belonging to the new class of drugs called entactogens, brings intensive feelings of euphoria, happiness, love, insight as well as intense sexual experiences to users. Hand in hand with increasing experience there is more and more evidence of harmful effects of this drug on human health.
It has already been shown that MDMA is a selective serotonin and highly presumably also dopamine neurotoxin. Several neuropsychiatric deficits, notably cognitive alteration and mood disorders, immune system dysfunction and many other system and organ specific complications have been already described to date.
Yet still the use is increasing worldwide. The long-term impact of massive use of ecstasy on young generation remains unclear.