Ecstasy is a synthetic hallucinogenic drug, one of the names of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also referred to MDMA which comes from looking at its name like this:

MethyleneDioxyMethAmphetamine.

This also gives a hint that ecstasy is in the amphetamine family. Ecstasy is illegal. It is a Schedule I drug, meaning that it has no current acceptable medical use in the United States. It was given that ranking in 1998.

Merck, the German pharmaceutical company, developed ecstasy in 1912 in the process of trying to find a substance that would stop bleeding. It was not studied on its own until 1927, and then again in 1959, but no human trials were conducted. It was re-synthesized in 1967 by US pharmacologist Alexander Shulgin. For a period, with its serious side-effects unknown, it was used in psychotherapy, particularly for people who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As it became better understood, this work ceased, and it was made illegal in 1985.

Ecstasy is known as a club drug due to its frequent use in the nightlife that goes on those establishments, being used in bars, nightclubs, raves, and trances. It was the most commonly abused club drug in 2005, favored for the creation of a euphoric state, as well as reducing inhibitions and fostering feelings of intimacy and empathy. It can also lead to a sense of increased energy, and increased sensitivity to sensations.

The undesirable effects can be extremely severe. Ecstasy is addictive, and it can cause users to become disoriented and suffer from blurred vision and difficulty focusing. The reduction in inhibition can lead to uncharacteristic choices in sexual behavior. Anxiety, panic attacks, hallucinations, and psychosis are also possible. Ecstasy use can cause hyperthermia, which can cause organ failure, arrhythmia, seizures, and even death.

The main form in which ecstasy is distributed in is tablets. The tablets often contain multiple substances, including amhetamines, caffeine, ketamine, methamphetamine, and MDA (3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine), which is very similar to ecstasy. Other substances that may be included are ephedrine, DXM (dextromethorphan), cocaine, heroine, and MDEA (3,4-Methylenedioxy-N-Ethylamphetamine), another substance related to ecstasy. It is reported that some pills sold as ecstasy actually contain no ecstasy whatsoever, but one or more of these other substances.

Besides pills and capsules which are taken orally, ecstasy is sometimes used as a powder, which is sniffed, or rarely ecstasy is smoked or injected. There are also reports of it being used as a suppository.