Have you ever heard of molly?
No, we are not talking about a person; we are talking about a drug. 
Molly is the drug of choice for many avid concert-goers and youth around the country. Posters and flyers around many music festivals feature the question, “Have you seen molly?” – a tool many use to obtain the drug.
What is molly?
The Drug Enforcement Agency classifies molly as the powder or crystal form of MDMA—or 3,4-Methylenedioymethamphetamine. MDMA is more recognizable in its pressed pill form, Ecstasy.
A mixture of caffeine and methamphetamine commonly laces Ecstasy. Molly derives its take from the shortened version of the word “molecule” because most people think it is a “pure” form of MDMA. The DEA labels molly as a Schedule 1 controlled substance. Schedule 1 controlled substances have a high potential for abuse and no acceptable medical use, which means they are illegal.
Is molly as pure as advertised?
Molly’s initial taste is bitter, but it soon wears off as the high kicks in. The high lasts for a few hours, depending upon how much of the drug a user ingests. One young Michigan professional says the high from the drug is “euphoric” and feels like an “adrenaline rush”. Highs from the drug usually involve dancing, moving and talking. Like all highs, molly’s high eventually ends.
According to the DEA, MDMA acts a stimulant and a psychedelic. MDMA is ingested through inhalation, eating or parachuting (swallowing the drug in a tissue). MDMA then floods the brain with neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine causing an elated, emphatic and energetic feeling.
MDMA and Ecstasy first became the drug of choice for ravers at underground nightclubs in the early 1990s. Many people began to question the purity of Ecstasy, causing people to seek a purer form of the drug. Molly became the go-to drug because of its purity. The street name “molly” has been in use for about a decade. Prior to the name “molly”, the drug users referred to the drug as simply MDMA. The name “molly” classifies a variety of legal substances with similar chemical structures.
Users and experts disagree on the exact makeup of molly. The DEA labels mollies as MDMA, but many researchers including Carl Hart, a Columbia University associate professor of psychology, consider molly to be the chemical 6-APB, also known as Benzo Fury. Some researchers also believe MDPV, methylone, mephedrone and butylone all sell as molly. Rumors also are swirling that molly is created through fertilizer.
How popular is molly?
Hard data on the popularity of molly is hard to find. Researchers believe molly users to be between the ages of 16 and 24. Finding the exact number of molly users is hard because U.S. health organizations such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration usually only quantify use of MDMA or Ecstasy, not specifically molly. It does seem that molly is growing in popularity.
Many attribute the gaining popularity of the drug to the growth of the electronic music scene. Many users reported seeing molly references at one of the largest electronic music festivals in the country, Ultra Music Festival in Miami.
Molly users are harder to catch by law enforcement than marijuana users. Police can usually catch marijuana users in the act because of the drug’s odor. It is difficult to know if someone is misusing molly because usually law enforcement responds after the ingestion of the drug, if they are even called at all.
In 2011, a DEA Investigation of a large-scale drug trafficking ring turned over 25 kilograms of molly that is worth an estimated $525,000. The bust occurred in Syracuse, New York, a college town. Twenty people faced charges in connection with the bust.
South Carolina Drugs Crimes Lawyer
Are you or a loved one facing charges stemming from MDMA or molly possession? Schedule 1 drug possession charges like possession MDMA/molly or possession of marijuana may result in stiff penalties including hefty fines and imprisonment. A South Carolina drug crimes lawyer at the Strom Law Firm understands what is at stake and will fight to get your drug charges reduced or ultimately dismissed. Call us today for a free consultation.
