April 18, 2012

expert reaction to new research into speed and ecstasy and teen depression

Teenagers using speed and ecstasy were found to be prone to subsequent depression, indicated research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, independently of previous bouts of depressive symptoms or other drug use.

Prof David Nutt, Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London & Chair of ISCD (Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs), said:

“These data are not surprising, particularly regarding the effects of polydrug use. There are some caveats though, including that methamphetamine is not actually speed, it is crystal meth and more dangerous than speed (amphetamine). In addition, in the UK at least, ecstasy is rarely pure MDMA. A critical comparison in this area of research would be with pure alcohol users, as this too causes depression in adults.”

‘Prospective associations between meth/amphetamine (speed) and MDMA (ecstasy) use and depressive symptoms in secondary school students’ by Fallu et al., published in Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health on Wednesday 18th April.