Party drug “molly” in Lincoln

posted by: Laurann Robinson

lrobinson@klkntv.com

MDMA, better known as “molly” continues to gain popularity. Last weekend, it sent 12 college students from Connecticut to the hospital. Investigators think they had a bad batch that came all the way from China.

Although the origin of the drug can be hard to predict, Chris Peterson, the Narcotics Task Force Commander with the Lincoln Police Department says the drug is definitely here. “I wouldn’t say we have an over–whelming presence, but I wouldn’t minimize it either. It is here, it has been seized in a number of investigations that we have conducted and continue to investigate. And has caused some medical emergencies.”

Students at the University of Nebraska are familiar with “molly” and say they’ve seen it going around. Freshman, Cody Tomlinson said, “On campus, yeah, I know people who party a lot who talk about it. And especially at raves and stuff that happens all around town at Bourbon Theater or at the Pinnacle Bank Arena. I mean, just big venues I guess always bring all types of drugs, I know molly’s a big one for party scenes.”

One UNL student says she first found out about the drug when she was in high school. “I knew some people who used it in high school, I didn’t hear about the term until senior year. I knew what ecstasy was before that” said student, Sydney Mischnick.

“Molly” is a more powerful form of the drug Ecstasy. It is known to give its users a boost of energy and feelings of euphoria, but can also be followed by a harsh emotional crash.

Topher Hansen, CEO at CenterPointe, a treatment and recovery center said, “The reason that molly, ecstasy, MDMA is popular in the rave parties and that whole scene is the euphoria, the clarity. It’s got some hallucinogenic properties as well. But that clarity and high from the drug are what make it attractive to people.”

Police warn about the popular misconception that “molly” is a pure form of Ecstasy. The reality is, most of it is diluted, with a variety of substances, many of them dangerous. So with an unregulated drug like “molly,” there’s really no telling what you could be taking, or if the reaction could be lethal.