PMA and PMMA - Effects on the Body

Effects on the Body

PMA and ecstasy have a similar effect on the body. Taking fewer than 50 milligrams of PMA without other drugs, alcohol, or caffeine brings on mild symptoms similar to those of ecstasy. These include heightened visual stimulation and rapid and irregular eye movements, an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, motion sickness, muscle spasms, difficulty breathing, and an increase in body temperature.

This dose may also provide extra energy and a general feeling of well-being by blocking the neurotransmitterA substance that helps spread nerve impulses from one nerve cell to another. serotonin in nerve endings. serotoninA combination of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen; it is found in the brain, blood, and stomach lining and acts as a neurotransmitter and blood vessel regulator. plays an important role in regulating mood, sleep, and sensitivity to pain. A person taking this same dose of PMA along with other drugs, alcohol, or caffeine may experience a more intense effect, and the danger of the drug increases. The dose of PMA by itself may not be deadly, but it could become lethal when taken along with other drugs.

PMA History: Decades of "Death"

PMA use can be deadly. In fact, one of the drug's street names is "death." The following chronicles various problems associated with the drug since the 1970s.

1970s

In 1972 and 1973, nearly a dozen deaths are attributed to ecstasy use in the United States and Canada. Some appeared to have been caused by PMA sold as ecstasy. PMA itself is sold as a recreational psychoactive drug under the names "chicken yellow" and "chicken powder." (Psychoactive drugs alter the user's mental state or change the person's behavior.) PMA is placed in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), making it illegal to buy, sell, or possess the drug in the United States.

1980s

PMA is no longer found on the street market. There are few, if any, reported cases of PMA-related deaths during the decade.

1990s

The rave phenomenon begins feeding the demand for and supply of club drugs such as ecstasy. In Australia, a twenty-six-year-old woman dies after taking what she thought was ecstasy. A search of historical files at the country's coroners' offices brings up cases of similar deaths. In total, six deaths in Australia originally reported as ecstasy-related deaths are determined to have been caused by PMA sold as ecstasy.

2000s

By 2005, the drug is associated with more than twenty deaths internationally. Three PMA-related deaths in Chicago and seven in Florida are reported after the drug is again sold as ecstasy. White mitsubishi pills that contain PMA cause deaths in Europe: one in Norway, one in Austria, and at least four in Denmark. Another four people are reported to have died from PMA tablets in Belgium.

Small amounts of PMA are found in Canada, and at least one drug-related death in the Toronto area is linked to PMA use. In June 2005, twelve people in Australia overdose on what they think is ecstasy. Some of those taking the drug suffer strokes after taking the pills. One nineteen-yearold girl dies after taking only half of a tablet. Later tests reveal that the pills contained PMA.

Nicknamed "Death" for a Reason

PMA doses of 50 milligrams or more are potentially deadly, especially when taken with other drugs. High doses may cause vomiting, heart failure, kidney failure, brain seizures, hallucinations, sudden collapse, and an extreme rise in body temperature—up to

PMA is most often sold on the illicit drug market as ecstasy. As a result, when police confiscate ecstasy pills during drug raids, they may also be taking the dangerous PMA off the street. Australian Federal Police/Handout/Reuters/Corbis.
PMA is most often sold on the illicit drug market as ecstasy. As a result, when police confiscate ecstasy pills during drug raids, they may also be taking the dangerous PMA off the street. © Australian Federal Police/Handout/Reuters/Corbis.

115°F (46°C). This increase in temperature sometimes results in convulsions, coma, and a complete shutdown of the organs of the body, leading to death.

Because the victims thought that what they took was actually ecstasy, it is first believed that their symptoms came from ecstasy poisoning, which is dangerous but not necessarily deadly. PMA, however, is a far more toxic drug and has a much higher rate of lethal complications than ecstasy. Whenever a user has unusually severe reactions to ecstasy, PMA is suspected. But it is only confirmed through urine tests.

In a suburb of Chicago in May of 2000, eighteen-year-old Sara Aeschlimann was partying with friends just five minutes from her house when she decided to take a form of ecstasy called mitsubishi double-stack. Within hours she went into convulsions and fell into a coma. Her body temperature reached 108°F (42°C) and with her blood cells erupting, she was bleeding internally and from her mouth. By the following day she was dead. Later testing determined that Sara had mistakenly overdosed on PMA.

Two others died of PMA overdose around Chicago that month as well, and dozens of people around the world have suffered the same fate. According to Fox News, Michael Hillebrand, of the Chicago branch of the DEA, compared PMA with ecstasy: "With PMA, taking the same dosage amount [as ecstasy], you receive a less-intensive feeling within your system. People then think that they're getting weak ecstasy and then they take two more. Now it's too late. Ecstasy is bad," he added, but "PMA is death."

Other Effects

The Australian drug and alcohol clinic Turning Point interviewed 100 regular ecstasy users age seventeen to forty-five who had taken ecstasy at least once a month during the previous six months. It was found that 84 percent suffered from confusion, 73 percent from appetite loss, and 66 percent from blurred vision.

Other effects associated with ecstasy and PMA use are: 1) recurring paranoia, or abnormal feelings of suspicion and fear; 2) hallucinations or flashbacks, which occur when someone re-experiences the effects of a drug after the user has stopped taking it; and 3) psychotic behavior, which is the dangerous loss of contact with reality, sometimes leading to violence against self or others, long after taking the drug. Regular users of PMA or ecstasy may develop a psychological dependenceThe belief that a person needs to take a certain substance in order to function, whether that person really does or not. on these drugs.

The most dangerous effect of ecstasy, however, is related to hyperthermia, or a dangerous rise in body temperature. After taking ecstasy, some people drink a lot of water and take rests and cold showers to help keep their temperatures down. However, when hyperthermia is a result of PMA, these means are not an effective treatment.

Research on Lasting Effects

Although little research has been done on the long-term effects of PMA, it is assumed to be very similar to effects of ecstasy. In 2001 the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) found that ecstasy damages the brain's nerve cells, or neuronsA cell in the central nervous system that carries nerve impulses., that use the chemical serotonin to communicate with other neurons. Neuron damage may bring on depression, a mood disorder; anxiety; loss of memory; learning problems; lack of self-control; sleep disorders; and sexual problems.

When a toxin or poisonous substance such as ecstasy or PMA is taken, neuron death occurs immediately, but the effects might not be noticed until months or years later. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), research in animals indicates that ecstasy causes long-term damage to neurons. Dr. Alan I. Leshner, former director of NIDA, was quoted on the Drug-Rehabs.org Web site as saying: "People who take ecstasy, even just a few times, are risking long-term, perhaps permanent, problems with learning and memory."

Fact or Fiction?

Lots of stories and myths surround the use of ecstasy and PMA. It can be hard to distinguish fact from fiction. Here are a few examples of the myths and whether there is any truth to them.

  • Ravers often wear baby pacifiers around their necks as pendants. Fact—Yes, some do. The use of ecstasy and/or PMA creates excessive jaw muscle tension, which makes users grind their teeth involuntarily. So, ravers often chew on baby pacifiers or lollipops to calm this unwanted side effect.
  • Club drugs such as ecstasy and GHB have gained popularity because users think they are not as harmful as mainstream drugs such as cocaine or heroin. Fact—Some users do believe that club drugs are less harmful. However, all of these drugs are dangerous at any dose, particularly PMA. Club drugs are potentially fatal if a user takes too much and overdoses. Plus, some club drugs are associated with date rape. Psychological dependence can occur with any of these drugs. All club drugs have negative long-term effects on the brain.
  • Some ecstasy (and PMA) users take breaks from physical activity and use cold showers to cool down. Ecstasy and PMA use combined with intense dancing can elevate body temperature to dangerous levels. Drug users have tried cold showers as a way to safeguard against rising temperatures caused by these drugs. Fact—A cold shower does not help a person suffering from a high body temperature due to PMA poisoning. If the brain reaches 108°F, no shower can fix that. If PMA poisoning is suspected, emergency medical help is needed immediately.
  • The Marquis Reagent Testing Kit can be used to test if a pill contains ecstasy or PMA. Fact—The kit produces a dark blue-purple color if the substance is ecstasy but produces no color change if the substance is PMA. However, some pills containing PMA also contain ecstasy, so a positive result for ecstasy does not mean the pill is free of PMA.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University studied the effects of the drug on red squirrel monkeys. They found that just four days of exposure to the drug caused damage to serotonin nerve endings that was evident up to seven years later. This supports earlier findings done by the research team that indicated that people who had taken ecstasy scored lower on memory tests.

PMAs effects on the body are believed to be similar to those of ecstasy. Long-term health effects may include depression, anxiety, loss of memory, learning and logical reasoning deficits, and sleep disorders, among other problems. Tom Dee Ann
PMA's effects on the body are believed to be similar to those of ecstasy. Long-term health effects may include depression, anxiety, loss of memory, learning and logical reasoning deficits, and sleep disorders, among other problems. © Tom & Dee Ann McCarthy/Corbis.

More Long-Term Problems

A person's memory consists of all that has been experienced in one's life, including sounds, sights, smells, tastes, and emotions. Drugs like PMA and ecstasy can distort these memories and emotions, causing the user to lose touch with reality and changing his or her impression of time and space. Over time, the drugs tend to damage a person's natural ability to feel good. This results in severe depression—and a craving for more of the drug to bring back the good feelings again.

According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health of Canada, there are other long-term problems that may come up long after taking ecstasy. These problems may or may not also occur during ecstasy usage. They include muscle spasms in the jaw, neck, and lower back; low blood pressure; changes in blood flow to the brain; and persistent problems with involuntary teeth grinding. Researchers suspect that PMA use may cause similar effects, but long-term data are not yet available.

A youth is shown sucking on a pacifier at a rave. Drugs like ecstasy and PMA cause excessive jaw muscle tension, which can lead users to grind their teeth involuntarily. The pacifiers help to stop this unwanted side effect. Photo by John Gress/
A youth is shown sucking on a pacifier at a rave. Drugs like ecstasy and PMA cause excessive jaw muscle tension, which can lead users to grind their teeth involuntarily. The pacifiers help to stop this unwanted side effect. Photo by John Gress/Liaison.