Over Labor Day weekend, two young people attending the Electric Zoo Festival, a music concert at Randall’s Island in New York, died after taking a form of the drug MDMA, reports Forbes.  The drug was in its pure crystalline form and is known by the slang name “Molly.”  In the past decade, Molly has surged in popularity, with mentions in the lyrics of well-known artists including Miley Cyrus, Rick Ross, and Kanye West.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse describes MDMA as a synthetic, psychoactive drug with stimulant and hallucinogenic properties.  MDMA is best known as ecstasy and is usually taken as a pill.  Molly is a purified form of MDMA.  Ecstasy creates feelings of euphoria, increase in emotional warmth and empathy towards others, and heightened energy levels.  MDMA is a popular combination drug, often being used with methamphetamine, cocaine, and ketamine.

A report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimates emergency department visits related to specific drugs.  In 2011, there were 22,498 emergency department visits with the presence of ecstasy detected.  Since 2004, emergency department visits related to ecstasy doubled.  Of these, 39.6 percent also involved the use of alcohol, confirming that it is a combination drug.

According to the Time Health and Family blog, there are a number of myths associated with Molly.  First, many consider Molly to be a new drug, but it has actually been around since the early 1900s.  At that time, it was synthesized by the drug manufacturer Merck.  Second, many consider the purer version of MDMA to be safer than traditional ecstasy.  However, this version continues to create the same bodily effects that put a person at risk for stroke.  Third, there is a myth that drinking water makes it safer to take Molly because it reduces the effects of the raised body temperature.  Unfortunately, drinking too much water can also create an electrolyte imbalance that is potentially fatal.  Finally, there are a number of myths associated with the use of other drugs in combination with MDMA.

Fox News points out that MDMA is popular because it does not have many of the side effects associated with other drugs.  With low addiction rates and limited obvious withdrawal symptoms.  However, medical experts caution against use because of the detrimental health impacts that are magnified as people take higher and higher doses of the drug.