A variety of sources indicate that substantial numbers of young people have experimented with the drug ecstasy (Leitner M, Shapland J, Wiles P. Drug Usage and Prevention: the Views and Habits of the General Public. HMSO: London, 1993; Balding J. Young People and Illegal Drugs, 1989–1995, Facts and Predictions. Schools Health Education Unit, University of Exeter, 1994; Balding J. Young People and Illegal Drugs in 1996. Schools Health Education Unit, University of Exeter, 1996; Mott J, Mirlees-Black C. Self reported drug misuse in England and Wales: findings from the 1992 British Crime Survey. Research and Planning Unit paper 89. London: Home Office, 1992; McMiller P, Plant M. British Medical Journal, 1996;313:394–397; Parker H, Measham F, Aldridge J. Drug futures: Changing patterns of drug abuse amongst English youth. London: Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence, 1995; Ramsay M, Percy A. Drug misuse declared: Results of the 1994 British Crime Survey. Research findings No. 33. London: Home Office, 1996). Although a substantial amount has been written about ecstasy, there is very little data which centres specifically on those who use the drug and hence we know very little about patterns of use amongst those who use the drug. A number of known fatalities and casualties associated with it’s use (Chadwick IS, Linsley A, Freemont AJ, Doran B, Curry PD. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 1991;85; Henry J, Jeffreys K, Dawling S. The Lancet, 1992;340:384–386; Milroy CM, Clarke JC and Forrest ARW. Journal of Clinical Pathology 1996;49:149–153) suggest that ecstasy is not always a safe drug to use in recreational circumstances. It is important that we begin to understand more about use patterns and their possible relationship to the number of accidents amongst ecstasy users. In order to examine these patterns, a survey was administered in one of the monthly dance music magazines, to which 4042 ecstasy users responded. The questionnaire examined; who uses ecstasy, their patterns of use and normative influences over use. Respondents were most likely to be male (63.7%), spanned a wide age range and were engaged in a variety of occupations. Respondents reported a range of different use patterns, with high levels of poly-drug use. Normative influences were found to play a significant role in the uptake and maintenance of ecstasy use. Results are discussed with reference to their implications for the design of health education materials.