LE TEMPS D’UNE BIÈRE

MDMA and Beer Combined

What Happens When You Combine MDMA and Beer?

Vous êtes-vous déjà demandé ce qui se passe quand vous mélangez MDMA et alcool? Le MDMA est souvent la drogue de choix dans les concerts et les raves. En elle-même, cette substance peut s’avère rapidement très dangereuse. Elle l’est encore plus lorsque combinée avec une autre drogue : l’alcool.

Have you ever wondered what happens when you mix MDMA and alcohol? MDMA is the go-to drug for concerts and raves. On its own, this substance can quickly become very dangerous. It’s even more so when combined with another drug: alcohol.

What is MDMA?

Also known as Ecstasy, MDMA is a synthetic drug mistakenly identified as methylenedioxymethamphetamine. It’s a recent substitute for amphetamines, a drug widely used by various armies during World War II.

MDMA’s properties are both stimulating and hallucinogenic, acting notably on three neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline. The effects of MDMA include euphoria, increased energy and pleasure, as well as sensory perception distortion, and alcohol consumption enhances these sensations. Users describe a powerful sense of euphoria and an overload of empathy. Indeed, MDMA blocks the reabsorption of neurotransmitters it activates in the system. The result: an exceptional abundance of happiness particles.

Physically, MDMA increases blood pressure and heart rate. Long-term effects of MDMA include paranoia, depression, kidney damage, altered libido, and significant appetite loss.

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MDMA alcool

MDMA is often consumed in capsules. On the streets, it’s also known in the United States as Adam, Beans, Biscuit, Clarity, Disco Biscuit, E, Eve, Go, Hug Drug, Lover’s Speed, MDMA, Peace, STP, X, XTC.


What happens when you mix MDMA and beer?

Alcohol is the most commonly used drug in combination with MDMA. Among users and the general public, the popular belief is that the effects of both substances cancel each other out (stimulant versus depressant). Research shows the opposite. This combination is worse than using the two drugs separately and can be fatal.

Firstly, both MDMA and alcohol cause dehydration. Moreover, alcohol’s diuretic properties, which make you want to go to the bathroom, are counteracted by MDMA’s urine retention effects. The effects go far beyond that. Cardiac arrhythmia is the main concern caused by this cocktail. Like cocaine, MDMA particularly affects the heart, leading to a whole host of unpredictable but worrying effects.

Alcohol, which we must remember is a drug, also tends to amplify the effects of other drugs, making the consequences of MDMA particularly problematic. Heavy alcohol consumption increases the intensity of the post-MDMA crash. Conversely, MDMA slows down the elimination of alcohol from the body.

Let’s remember that metabolizing ethyl alcohol requires significant mobilization from the body. Ethyl alcohol must be converted into acetaldehyde before being eliminated as acetic acid. But acetaldehyde is much more toxic to the body; it directly attacks the cells.

MDMA also exposes users to the risk of hyperthermia, a phenomenon often masked by alcohol consumption. In a study by Davison and Parrot (1997), 90% of recreational MDMA users described « increased body temperature, » 85% described « increased sweating, » and 85% described « dehydration. »

Why is this combination so dangerous for the brain and behavior?

This combination is so perilous because it has two mutually opposing effects on the brain. Alcohol is a depressant (after the initial stimulating phase), while MDMA is a potent stimulant.

Alcohol consumption can lead to drowsiness and slowed reflexes, while MDMA can induce hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors. The serotonin surge masks the discomfort caused by dehydration and cardiac arrhythmia. Likewise, the body easily overheats, which can lead to death. The phenomenon is exacerbated when nightclubs or concert venues already have high ambient temperatures and the person is already dehydrated.

Les effets néfastes de la MDMA et de l'alcool sur la santé sexuelle
L’alcool est l’une des cinq drogues les plus mortelles. Breuvage de choix dans les bars, le breuvage n’en reste pas moins un poison à consommer avec modération

What are the effects on sexual health?

Researchers have established a correlation between combined MDMA and alcohol consumption and sexual desire. In a study of 679 individuals, 75% of nightclub regulars reported that alcohol made others more attractive, compared to 64% for MDMA. However, the effects on performance remain negative. While alcohol complicates orgasm, both drugs are associated with male impotence.

Does MDMA have any positive effects?

However, the substance remains classified as a Schedule 1 drug in the United States and therefore prohibited for recreational use. This category pertains to drugs with a high potential for dependency but no potential medical use. Similarly, in Canada, MDMA is listed in Schedule I of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Possession of this substance carries a penalty of up to seven years imprisonment, while trafficking and production carry a penalty of life imprisonment.

That being said, Canada grants exemptions for medical research through its Special Access Programme, simplifying access to restricted drugs and other controlled substances. MDMA is authorized in some countries for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and eating disorders.

In Canada, it is estimated that 1.1% of the population aged 15 and over consumed MDMA in 2020. In 2019, 5.5% of individuals aged 20-24 had consumed MDMA in the past year.

Qu'arrive-t-il lorsqu'on mélange alcool et MDMA?

Pierre-Olivier Bussières is the Editor-in-Chief of Hoppy History and Uber Optimized. He is Sales Director at Uberflix Studio. He writes about travel, geopolitics, and alcohol markets, and has published articles in The Diplomat, Reflets, The Main, Go Nomad, Global Risk Insights, and Diplomatie.

Sources

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