MEDICAL EMERGENCY
Undoubtedly the most popular dance party drug around is ecstasy. There are many myths which surround this drug, the most concerning being that it is completely safe. As has been said many times before, all drugs, whether legal or illegal, have some level of risk attached to them -” ecstasy is no exception.
Ecstasy (MDMA) interferes with the body’s ability to control temperature. When someone takes an -˜e’ and spends hours dancing in a hot environment, there is a risk of overheating and dehydration. Some strategies for reducing this risk are:
1. Rest regularly -” stop dancing, sit down and sip fluids
2. Dress light -” I know it will be difficult, but tight absorbent clothing is better than bare skin when it comes to keeping cool
3. Find a cool space to recover
4. If someone is too hot, get them to medical attention
Water is essential. It prevents dehydration and keeps body temperature down. If you are losing fluids (eg sweating), these need to be replaced. The recommended levels of water are 500 ml per hour if active, and 250 ml per hour if inactive.
Water intoxication can occur if water is building up in the body. If someone has been active for a while and finds that they can’t urinate or aren’t sweating, then they are not getting rid of water. This can be dangerous and a sign that medical attention is needed.
One question that I get asked a lot is how to tell when someone needs medical attention. Everyone is different and what may be normal for one person may be a danger sign for another. However, there are some warning signs that everyone should heed:
-¢ nausea or vomiting -” as much as many people think an -˜eccy vomit’ is normal, it is a sign that your body is not responding well to what you have taken
-¢ needing to drink lots of water (more than 2 bottles per hour)
-¢ severe headache -” many people ignore this and pay the consequences later
-¢ feeling -˜too hot’
-¢ unable to speak or feeling very confused
-¢ heart racing above 120 beats per minute
-¢ convulsions
Immediate medical attention is essential.
If someone is in trouble make sure that you get them to medical help as soon as possible.
Remember: If you do not want any negative consequences, do not use the drug and no matter how many times you have used a substance -” never be blase.
Editors note: Elliot, while we acknowledge the use of recreational drugs is illegal, the fact remains members of the gay and lesbian community use them recreationaly. Far from promoting drug use, this column is designed to give those who chose to take recreational substances information about what to do should something go wrong. It also provides substance users with information on how to recognise if something bad is happening to them, the dangerous composition of the drugs they take and details about the long-term side effects of their use.
Another “how to take drugs safely” article – This actually promotes drug taking, its against the law you should not be condoning drug taking by talking about the “do’s” and “donts”, its you that’s making it sound like its a safe drug – not the myths. People seem to think that its better to educate people it will mean less deaths and people will still use them etc etc blah blah blah NO – Its against-the-law. Hello?