Do You Know Molly? She’s Not Just a Girl.

MDNA “Molly” tablets

Molly is a recreational drug, which is the powder or crystal form of MDMA, the chemical used in Ecstasy. Molly, however, is considered to be pure MDMA, while ecstasy generally has other ingredients, like caffeine or methamphetamine.

The drug is especially popular with teens and young adults at concerts and music festivals. Many popular songs specifically reference the drug in their lyrics. In Kanye West’s “Mercy” song he sings: “something ’bout Mary she gone off that Molly.” Other songs use “Molly” in their title: “Molly Girl” by Lil Durk and Wiz Khalifa; “My Last Molly Song Ever, I Promise” by Gunplay and Trinidad James; and simply “Molly” by Wiz Khalifa and Mally Mal.

MDMA was legal and unregulated until 1985, when it was classified as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning it had no medical value, high potential for abuse and was unsafe even when its use was supervised.

The DEA notes that MDMA can cause confusion, anxiety, depression, paranoia, and sleep problems. The drug also can cause muscle tension, tremors, involuntary teeth clenching, muscle cramps, nausea, faintness, chills, sweating, and blurred vision. The DEA also reports high doses of MDMA can interfere with the ability to regulate body temperature, resulting in a sharp increase in body temperature (hyperthermia), leading to liver, kidney and cardiovascular failure. Severe dehydration is also a concern because of the combination of the drug’s effects and the often crowded and hot conditions where the drug is used.

Although popular songs may attempt to glamorize the drug, the public and especially young people and their parents should be aware of Molly’s serious side effects, as well as the potentially severe criminal consequences of taking this illegal drug.

Image: CNN