Crime and Violence among MDMA Users in the United States.

Michael G Vaughn,David Cordova,Christopher P Salas-Wright,Matt Delisi,Brian E Perron

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2015.1.64

Abstract

The question of whether MDMA use is associated with increased crime and violence has not been adequately explored especially in nationally representative samples. This study used data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) to assess the association between MDMA use and violent and non-violent antisocial behavior while controlling for sociodemographic variables, lifetime psychiatric, alcohol and drug use disorders, and family history of antisocial behavior. MDMA users, both male and female, were involved in a number of crimes in acts of violence including drunk driving, shoplifting, theft, intimate partner violence, and fighting. Notably, female MDMA users were more antisocial than male non-MDMA users. Although adjusting the results for numerous confounds attenuated the relationships, MDMA users were still at significantly greater odds of engaging in violent and nonviolent crime than non-MDMA users. Although MDMA has been considered a facilitator of empathy and closeness, the current study suggests a dark side as MDMA is associated with a broad array of crimes and transgressions. Additional tests of the MDMA-crime link are needed to properly inform policy.

Highlights

MDMA (3,4 methylene-dioxymetamphetamine), known as Ecstasy is a phenethylamine that is similar to both amphetamine and methamphetamine [1,2]
Individuals reporting having used MDMA were significantly more likely to be male (AOR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.57–1.83), to reside in a household earning less than $20,000 per year (AOR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.24–1.67), to have completed some college (AOR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.11–1.29), and to be either separated/divorced (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.40–2.03) or never married (AOR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.73–2.05)
MDMA users were significantly less likely to be between the ages of 18 and 34 (AOR = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.20–0.26), to be either African-American (AOR = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.12–0.17) or Hispanic (AOR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.57–0.72), to have graduated from high school only (AOR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.78–0.94) and to reside in a region other than the Western United States

Summary

Introduction

MDMA (3,4 methylene-dioxymetamphetamine), known as Ecstasy is a phenethylamine that is similar to both amphetamine and methamphetamine [1,2]. MDMA became popular as a street drug in the 1980’s and was made illegal in 1985 [3]. MDMA users report rapid onset, euphoria, added energy, and enhanced closeness to others [5,6]. Despite these pleasurable effects, users can report anxiety and irritability, impulsiveness, paranoia, muscle cramps, potentially fatal hyperthermia, and mood changes that heighten aggression [1,7,8,9]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion