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Hallucination?
Is it possible that an illegal drug capable of damaging the central nervous system, impairing the senses, ruining a person’s memory, judgment and coordination–not to mention one that could land the possessor in jail to face a pretty stiff sentence– can actually offer hope in the form of healing to those people who are presently suffering with certain types of blood cancers? Recent reports indicate that ecstasy, an illegal hallucinogenic drug, may actually contain certain components that could be modified and re-engineered to perform such a huge undertaking that could literally wipe blood cancers off the map for good and take back the death sentence that cancer has imposed upon so many people.Ecstasy entered the club scene several years ago and quickly became one of the more popular illegal drugs among young people. Ecstasy was named in part due to the warm fuzzy euphoric feelings that it produced. Categorized as a methylenedioxymethamphetamine (also referred to as MMDA), ecstasy is a stimulant/hallucinogenic drug. Although now illegal, ecstasy did not always have a jaded past. In fact, the drug was first introduced in 1914 as an appetite suppressant. Ecstasy made a comeback in the 1980s when it was first trialed as an antidepressant. In the last decade, however, the drug has been re-vamped, put into the hands of drug dealers, and has found its way into dance clubs and all night rave parties, not as an appetite suppressant or an antidepressant, but as a drug that has ruined countless young lives.
So, how can a drug responsible for causing such heartache among family members possibly find itself at the heart of something seemingly so good?
The down side
In order to use these drugs for the purpose of killing cancer cells, the dosages would have to be so high that they would actually end up killing the patient instead. However, knowing the lethal level of the drug has provided researchers with a glimmer of hope and also served as the springboard they needed in order to revamp the drug, lower its toxicity level, and make it safe to use in this regard.
How did they do it?
Evidently methlenedioxymethamphetamine is attracted to the fat stored in diseased cells. As a result, the drug attaches itself to the fat, which in turn weakens the cell wall and, like the Itsy Bitsy Spider, the cancer cells are essentially “washed” away.
What Does It All Mean?
Laboratory findings indicate that leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma cells have been obliterated in test tube research. While this is promising news, the revamped designer drug still needs to be tested on laboratory rats and ultimately on humans. Researchers may be on to something here; however, an actual FDA-approved cure may still be years away. Nevertheless, the news is certainly worthy of excitement because the number of people with cancer–blood cancers in particular–is still on the rise. Most people know firsthand the ravages
of cancer–whether you have lost a loved one, a friend, or perhaps you have recently received a diagnosed.
Cancer is an evil disease that has cut short the lives of millions of people the world over. While no one is looking to offer up a false sense of hope in this situation, the reality to this hopeful prospect may still be some years in the making. If these many reports are true, and an illegal drug has the power to kill cancer, then ecstasy may have just legitimately earned its name.
posted December 3, 2011 at 5:12 am
Interesting information.Thank you for such an eye-opener.Today’s youth needs to understand the importance of life and not misuse time to harm themselves and their parents in turn.
posted November 16, 2011 at 8:54 pm
Why don’t doctors give patients who are terminally ill these drugs and anyone else who has the debilitating lymphoma, leukemia, and other blood diseases a chance at taking these (Ecstasy pills. Where is the FDA is they are endangering our young people. Legalize Marijuana and ecstasy pills under a different name and make it so people have to have a doctor’s perscription to use them as perscribed. At least that way, our youth or anyone who uses these products would be under a doctor’s care legally. I would suspect that drug dealers and drug mfg of all types would not like this. Money would be taken away from them. Also, if a product is more accessible, most youth don’t won’t them if they are legal drugs.
posted November 14, 2011 at 8:04 pm
This was very hard for me to read, but at the same time, knowing that a drug that practically ruined the life of my youngest son can be modified and used for saving lives instead … heart-warming; divine intervention. It would, however, be even better if a way was found to eliminate its accessibility to our youth. But that, I’m afraid, is light years away. While there is a demand, there is a supply.
I’m happy, however, to share that my 21 year-old son has been in rehab voluntarily now for nine months and is on his way to moving into a halfway house, where he will be for another year. He now talks the talk and walks the walk.
Seven long years of a living hell, but finally, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
posted November 14, 2011 at 7:12 pm
They have found over the time that Marijuana helps glaucoma patients, so there is medical marijuana. It would be great if Ecstasy could find a useful place instead of a destructive one.