Drug Fact Sheet
Molly
Molly (slang for “molecular”) is considered to be the pure crystalline powder form of MDMA, unlike ecstasy, which is generally laced with other drugs.
Trends & Statistics
Molly use is most common among 16 to 24 year olds. According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 12 percent of adults ages 18 to 25 have tried MDMA in their lifetime. According to the 2017 Monitoring the Future Study, 2.8 percent of 10th graders and 4.9 percent of 12th graders have tried MDMA in their lifetime.
DMA was initially popular in the nightclub scene and at all-night dance parties, or “raves,” but the drug now affects a broader range of people who more commonly call the drug Molly.
Trends & Statistics
Molly use is most common among 16 to 24 year olds. According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 12 percent of adults ages 18 to 25 have tried MDMA in their lifetime. According to the 2017 Monitoring the Future Study, 2.8 percent of 10th graders and 4.9 percent of 12th graders have tried MDMA in their lifetime.
Class of drug:
Stimulant
Active ingredient:
MDMA – a synthetic, psychoactive drug with hallucinogenic properties. Its chemical structure is similar to methamphetamine, which is known to cause brain damage.
What it looks like:
Molly is the powder or crystal form of MDMA, the same chemical used in ecstasy. Molly is generally white or yellow and looks similar to sugar. It may also be in pill or capsule form.
How it's used:
Molly is taken orally in powder, pill, or capsule form, dissolved in liquid, or snorted.
Duration of high:
For most people, effects of MDMA last for three to six hours. It takes about 15 minutes for MDMA to enter the bloodstream and reach the brain. It takes about an hour for the high to reach its peak.
Effects:
Molly floods the brain with neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine-making the user feel euphoric, elated, empathic, and energetic.
Other effects include confusion, anxiety, depression, paranoia, sleep disorders, muscle cramps, tremors, nausea, faintness, chills, sweating, blurred vision, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and seizures.
Dangers:
High doses of MDMA can interfere with the ability to regulate body temperature, resulting in hypothermia, dehydration, and liver, kidney, or cardiovascular failure. Despite claims of being pure, Molly is often still “cut” or mixed with other harmful substances without the knowledge of the user.
Sources: NIDA for Teens, SAMHSA, Drug Abuse Warning Network, Drugfree.org, Reuters