By Kate Drexel | Managing Editor –
You’re on the dance floor at the Coliseum with your friends, having the time of your life. You pop the white circular pill, ready for the fun to rise up to a whole new level. The bright, flickering colorful lights blur and you feel like you’re floating, on top of the world if you will. Suddenly, your temperature rises, you’re sweating way more than you should, your muscles begin to ache and your heartbeat becomes irregular. Then it’s lights out, you drop to the floor and begin to ascend towards the staircase to heaven. Sounds like fun, right? This deadly “fun” white pill is known as Molly.
Molly, in the form of a pill or powder, is the street name for molecule and according to The Providence Journal, it refers to the chemical compound found in Ecstasy, MDMA. It is used in hot crowded places like clubs and in a lot of cases, at concerts. “It’s the newest thing, it’s basically destroying a whole ‘nother generation,” said Jay Nippert, one of Salve Regina University’s security guards. “It’s gone past perks now and it’s just sad, it really is. People don’t know what they’re doing and…it’s killing kids, that’s what it’s doing.” As of earlier this month, The Providence Journal has reported such cases, at least three deaths by molly one of them was a Rhode Island resident. Not only is it the purest form of ecstasy, but it is said to be mixed with other substances, according to Anthony Pettigrew, DEA spokesperson of the New England region
Other than irregular heartbeats, aching muscles, and sweating; the side effects of Molly are tremors, jaw clenching, grinding teeth and vomiting. The internal side effects include spiking of the blood pressure and temperature, quickly leading to severe dehydration, seizures, heart attack and as mentioned above, sometimes even death. These side effects were listed by Dr. Jason Hack, a physician at Rhode Island hospital and an associate professor at Brown University.
Due to these deaths, certain concert venues such as the Dunkin Donuts Center have heightened security. Salve Regina’s Health Services insist that if you’re worried about yourself or a friend, please call either Security, Campus Life, Health Services, Counseling Services or the Dean of Students.
