MDMA
Timeline
| 1898 | Some claim that Fritz Haber was the first to publish a synthesis for MDMA, but this appears not to the case. 1 [Details] | |
| Dec 24, 1912 | MDMA patented by Merck Pharmaceuticals in Germany. [More Info] [Details] | |
| 1953 | The Army Chemical Center studied MDMA toxicity by giving MDMA to guinea pigs, rats, mice, monkeys, and dogs. It is determined to be less toxic than MDA. 2 | |
| 1965 | Alexander Shulgin synthesizes MDMA but does not yet try it. 3 | |
| c. 1967 | The first small underground batches of MDMA are synthesized. Relatively few individuals have tried it at this point. 3 | |
| c. 1968 | Alexander Shulgin begins working with MDMA personally and introducing others to it. 3 | |
| Aug 1970 | First published case report of recreational MDMA use. 4 | |
| 1976 | The first scholarly article on MDMA is published. 5 | |
| c. 1977 | MDMA begins to be available on the street as a recreational drug. 6 | |
| 1977 | Great Britain amended its Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) to include as Class A all compounds structurally derived from an N-alkyl-alpha-methylphenethylamine by substitution in the ring with an alkylendioxy substituent. This legislation encompassed all ring substituted amphetamines (including MDA, MDE, MDMA, etc). Class A is the most controlled category of drugs in Britain. | |
| 1977 - 1981 | Only eight individuals seek emergency room treatment after the use of MDMA during this four year period according to the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). 6 | |
| 1981 - 1985 | There are zero people who seek emergency room treatment after the use of MDMA during this four year period, according to the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). 6 | |
| Jul 1, 1985 | MDMA temporarily placed into Schedule I by the DEA under emergency scheduling provisions. | |
| 1987 | First published report of a human death due to MDMA use. 7 | |
| Dec 22, 1987 | MDMA is removed from schedule I because of improper procedure in its original emergency scheduling by the DEA. 8 | |
| Mar 23, 1988 | MDMA permanently placed in Schedule I. 9 | |
| Mar 23, 1988 | MDMA is placed back into Schedule I without challenge. | |
| 1991 | Alexander and Ann Shulgin publish PiHKAL, documenting over 250 phenethylamines, including MDMA, mescaline, 2C-B, 2C-T-7, 2C-T-2, and many others. 3 | |
| 1994-1999 | During this 5 year period, there were 27 Ecstasy-related deaths in the U.S. as reported by SAMSA 10 | |
| 2000 - 2001 | Nearly 20 deaths around the world are attributed to tablets containing PMA sold as Ecstasy. 11 [Details] |
References
- Cousto H. Forschung und Praxis der Gesundheitsfoerderung. 2001.
Schmidt-Semisch H. "Ecstasy: Die Droge der 90er-Jahre?" in Hans Gros (ed.). Rausch und Realitaet. Eine Kulturgeschichte der Drogen. Klett, 1998;Vol 3:136-151. - Shulgin AT, Shulgin A. PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story. Transform, 1991.
- Eisner B. Ecstasy, the MDMA Story. Ronin, 1994.
- DEA. "The Hallucinogen PMA". Drug Intelligence Brief. Oct 2000.