MOLLY: Information Parents Should Know about the Drug with an Innocent Name

Molly, a potent form of the drug ecstasy or MDMA has taken the lives of at least seven people since March, according to MV Times.

This pharmaceutical femme fatale lures her victims with the promise of low cost euphoria, where inhibitions melt and everyone loves their fellow man and they dance the night away. But as the recent spate of deaths and overdoses in the Northeast has shown, the promise of an unforgettable night with Molly can end with devastating consequences.

A survey of local authorities finds that Molly has arrived on the Vineyard, and it is attracting the attention of Island law enforcement, parents, and adults who work with young people. Use of ecstasy among young adults has risen steadily since the mid-90s.

According to a study done by Drug Abuse Warning Network, from 2004 to 2009 there was a 123 percent increase in the number of emergency room visits involving ecstasy. Almost eight in 10 ecstasy-related visits to the emergency room involved ecstasy in combination with alcohol or other drugs. About 70 percent of the patients were between ages 18 to 29.

Molly is supposed to be a more pure form of ecstasy, but the user never knows what they're ingesting, or how potent it is. "Young people tend to think this stuff isn't dangerous, and it is dangerous," a DEA spokesman recently told the Boston Globe. "This stuff gets manufactured in someone's bathtub. You just don't know what's in it."

Molly is made in labs around the world and often bought and sold on the Internet. Samples of confiscated Molly have contained methamphetamine, baking powder, and even fertilizer.