healing the mind
In 1965, the American biochemist Alexander Shulgin rediscovered ecstasy while searching for psychotherapeutic drugs.

Uniquely, Shulgin had a special license from the Federal Drugs Administration to develop and synthesise psychedelic drugs. In his career (documented in his book Phikal), he created over 300 substances including 2-CT-7 and 2CB.

After a dramatic experience with mescaline, he was personally convinced that drugs could heal the mind, and was determined to prove it.

After creating a batch of MDMA, he took a nibble.

"I made it in my lab and nibbled. It gave me a pleasant lightness of spirit. That's all. No psychedelic effects whatsoever. Just a distinct lightness of mood. And an indication to get busy and do things that needed doing."

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couples therapy
In the early 1980s, Ecstasy (known then as 'Empathy' or 'Adam') was legal and available in bars across America, replacing cocaine as the middle class drug of choice. It was also widely and legally used by a network of over 4,000 psychotherapists in the US, proving itself particularly effective for couples therapy.

The public and unashamed use of such an obviously powerful drug could only go on for so long.

banned
Ecstasy was banned in America on the 1st July 1985 but the publicity raised by the crackdown helped spread illegal ecstasy coast to coast.

But the fuse had been lit and ecstasy was well on its way to becoming to the biggest dance drug of the century.

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