DRCNet Response to the
Drug Enforcement Administration

Many chemical variations of mescaline and amphetamine have been synthesized for their "feel good" effects. 4-Methyl-2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine (DOM) was introduced into the San Francisco drug scene in the late 1960s, and was nicknamed STP, an acronym for "Serenity, Tranquility, and Peace." Doses of 1 to 3 miligrams generally produce mood alterations and minor perceptual alterations, while larger doses can produce pronounced hallucinations that last from 8 to 10 hours.

Other illicitly manufactured analogues include 4-bromo-2, 5-dimethoxyamphetamine (DOB), 3, 4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, also referred to as Ecstasy or XTC) and 4-bromo-2, 5dimethoxyhenethylamine (2C-B, NEXUS). These drugs differ fromm one another in their potency, speed of onset, duration of action and their capacity to modify mood with or without producing overt hallucinations. These drugs are widely used at "raves." (Raves are large all-night dance parties held in unusual settings, such a warehouses or railroad yards, that feature computer-generated, high volume, pulsating music.) The drugs are usually taken orally, sometimes snorted and rarely injected. Because they are produced in clandestine laboratories, they are seldom pure and the amount in a capsule or tablet is likely to vary considerably.