Correlates of ecstasy use among high school seniors surveyed through Monitoring the Future

摘要

Media reports have suggested that the use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphet-amine (MDMA or 'ecstasy') is a prodigious problem across the USA. Unfortunately, little scientific evidence exists to support this contention. In the current study, the drug-using behaviors of 1679 high school seniors are examined with data collected in 1999 through the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study. Prevalence estimates of ecstasy use are generated and associations between ecstasy use, demographic characteristics, and alcohol and other drug (AOD) use are explored. Eight percent of the sample reported lifetime ecstasy use, 6% reported use within the past 12 months, and 3% reported use within the past 30 days. Compared to non-users, 12-month ecstasy users were significantly more likely to be white and to have used all other drugs of abuse during the 12 months preceding the interview. Implications for these findings are discussed.