Abstract
In 1993, in France, the increase in seizures of ecstasy by customs was an impressive 133,521 doses which represents an increase of 860 percent in one year. The drug, which first appeared in the United Kingdom and then in the United States, is being spread over Europe by vast movements of hippie populations (e.g., travellers or Ravers) and appears in night clubs or at parties in tablet form. The largest source of ecstasy is now Holland and Thailand. Recent studies have shown that the reputation of being an inoffensive drug, which has helped the spread of ecstasy, is no longer true. Its insidious effects on behaviour personality have made ecstasy an important factor in traffic accident mortalities. (A)