Ecstasy now cheaper than a pint

Ecstasy has become cheaper than a pint of lager, it was revealed today. The price of the clubbers' drug has fallen to around £2.70 a tablet - less than the cost of a pint in many bars.

New figures show the slump has been accompanied by a surge in the average number of pills taken per night - dramatically increasing the health risks.

More than 430,000 people in Britain admit to taking ecstasy, with up to two million tablets consumed every weekend.

The drug, which was responsible for 43 deaths in 2001, is readily available in nightclubs across Britain. It cost about £25 a pill when it first hit the dance scene 20 years ago.

The Government's National Criminal Intelligence Survey estimates that the average pill now costs about £5. But a survey of 2,000 British clubbers, to be published this week by music magazine Mixmag, reveals that prices are far lower.

Its research - widely regarded as the most accurate snapshot of drug taking in Britain - shows that the average clubber now pays £2.78 per pill, compared to £7.50 in 2000.

Mixmag's clubs editor, Nick Stevenson, said: 'Ecstasy is still the number one drug of choice for clubbers, and dealers are having to sell it cheaper and cheaper.

'They are being undercut, so they are having to make it more affordable.'

Ecstasy, a Class A drug that carries a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment for possession, has mild hallucinogenic effects and triggers feelings of euphoria.

Mixmag's research, which will be studied by Government health chiefs, suggests that it is the preferred recreational drug of 72 per cent of clubbers.

The relatively low number of deaths has encouraged many to view the pills as a 'safe' option.

While Home Office figures suggest that the total number of ecstasy users has fallen slightly in the past year, Mixmag's research suggests that people who are using the drug are taking more of it.

Its survey reveals the average number of pills taken by clubbers has risen by one in the past year - with most users now taking almost five tablets a night.

In 2002, the figure was 3.7. The National Criminal Intelligence Survey estimates that the average ecstasy tablet is 25 per cent weaker than it was five years ago - encouraging users to take more to sustain the 'high'.

A separate study, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology today, found regular users are 23 per cent more likely to report problems with remembering things than those who steer clear of the drug.

Drugs expert Professor John Henry, of Imperial College London, said: 'This is a very serious situation. We knew that ecstasy was getting cheaper but it is incredible that it has become as cheap as this.

'When it is so affordable, and so readily available, more people may very well be tempted to try it out.'

Factfile:
What are the health risks of taking ecstasy?
Ecstasy is a stimulant drug that has mild hallucinogenic effects. It has been blamed for 200 deaths in Britain.

The effects of taking a moderate dose start after 20 to 60 minutes and can last up to several hours.

The pupils become dilated, the jaw tightens, and users often feel hot and nauseous. Blood pressure and heart rate also increases.

The most immediate risk is dehydration. Most ecstasy-related deaths have been connected with non-stop dancing in hot, crowded clubs.

Concern over long-term risks focuses on memory loss. Nearly 80 studies have been carried out into the impact on the brain. The vast majority suggest it can seriously affect the memory.

Can it be used safely?
It depends what's in the tablet and who is taking it. Ecstasy is an umbrella term for a variety of drugs.

The key ingredient is methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA. But, as the tablets are manufactured illegally and without quality control, they can contain other drugs (such as amphetamines) and other substances (such as common cooking or cleaning ingredients).

Some pills have even been found to be fish-tank cleaners or dogworming tablets.

Many users appear to be able to take the tablets without any ill effects. Others suffer serious sideeffects - and may even die - the first time they use the drug.

Because the drug appears to make users feel affectionate to each other, American therapists, especially marriage counsellors, once used to use it to help couples patch up their relationships.

Some therapists in Switzerland still prescribe the drug in this way.

What do other countries do?
Ecstasy is illegal in most European countries, with users and dealers risking heavy penalities.

It was banned in the USA in 1985. However, at some clubs in Holland, users can submit their pills to a rough test to assess the quality before deciding whether to use them.

A company recently introduced a similar testing kit in the UK but this was criticised by the Government as encouraging drug use.