The Strange Case Of The Man Who Took 40,000 Ecstasy Pills In 9 Years

[Mark E. Smith]

The Guardian 04/04/06

- Usage increased to 25 tablets a day at peak
- Memory problems and paranoia may be lasting

Doctors from London University have revealed details of what they believe is the largest amount of ecstasy ever consumed by a single person. Consultants from the addiction centre at St George's Medical School, London, have published a case report of a British man estimated to have taken around 40,000 pills of MDMA, the active ingredient in Ecstasy, over nine years. The heaviest previous lifetime intake on record is 2,000 pills.

Though the man, who is now 37, stopped taking the drug seven years ago, he still suffers from severe physical and mental side-effects, including extreme memory problems, paranoia, hallucinations and depression. He also suffers from painful muscle rigidity around his neck and jaw which often prevents him from opening his mouth. The doctors believe many of these symptoms may be permanent.

The man, known as Mr A in the report in the scientific journal Psychosomatics, started using Ecstasy at 21. For the first two years his use was an average of five pills per weekend. Gradually this escalated until he was taking around three and a half pills a day. At the peak, the man was taking an estimated 25 pills every day for four years. After several severe collapses at parties, Mr A decided to stop taking Ecstasy. For several months, he still felt he was under the influence of the drug, despite being bedridden.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/drugs/Story/0,,1746333,00.html

Too bad Mr A wasn't born here. I'm sure he could get a GOP nomination for something.

[400Years]

1. sad, sounds like his life is over

[crispini]

2. wow, that's wild.

that's a lotta X!

[walldude]

3. Change Ectasy to Oxycotin and you could be talkin bout Rush... n/t

[Bombtrack]

4. I think I've been effected strangely just from rolling a few dozen times

I stopped a couple years ago when the rave thing started to dissipate in the northeast. And I never did more than like 5 hits in a 24 hour period. And also when I really started to believe that the horror stories were more widespread than the die-hards want to believe.

I just don't think it's worth it no matter how many hot chicks you can get in clubs/raves. Very stupid, vapid culture, better to just be a rocker.

[atomic-fly]

5. how'd he afford it...amazing he is alive.

crazy sh*t.

[bee]

6. Good thing it wasnt tylenol. He'd have been dead LONG ago.

or 25 sodas, or 25 pork chops, or 25 cups of coffee.....

[elvisbear]

7. Should be known as Mr. X not Mr. A.

:)

[soothsayer]

8. lol!