Hospital emergency department visits involving the illicit drug Ecstasy increased 75% between 2004 and 2008, according to a report released recently by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. More than two-thirds of the 17,865 visits in 2008 involved patients aged 18-29, while 18% involved adolescents.
Eight in 10 visits related to Ecstasy also involved alcohol or other drugs, which can increase the severity of adverse reactions to the substance. "The resurgence of Ecstasy use is cause for alarm that demands immediate attention and action," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela Hyde.
The report is based on data from the agency's Drug Abuse Warning Network, which monitors drug-related hospital ED visits.
[ via AHA News Now ]
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