How Long Does THCA Stay in Your System? Learn the Detection and Elimination Process

However, drug metabolites can be detected by various types of drug tests for days, weeks, and sometimes months after use. The effects of ecstasy can appear as quickly as 30 to 45 minutes after taking it. The amount of time the effects last can vary depending on the dosage, but they usually peak after about minutes and fade away after 4-6 hours. However, some people How Long Does MDMA Stay in Your System report having side effects for longer periods, sometimes up to a week. The longer the effects last, the longer drug tests may be able to detect MDMA in your system. One paper suggests the detection window is 48 hours after use, based on the standard testing levels and protocols issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Because drugs like MDMA are not regulated, you will hardly find ‘pure MDMA.’ This is because even the supposedly pure MDMA contains other substances such as cocaine, ketamine, and ephedrine. We rely on donations to continue to promote evidence-based information about drugs without political or commercial interference. This myth may come from an experiment where researchers accidentally gave methamphetamine (crystal meth) to laboratory monkeys instead of MDMA. There is a horribly toxic chemical with a four-letter acronym, MPTP, which does cause parkinsonism. It has appeared as an unwanted impurity in a heroin-like (opiate) drug called MPPP, causing the people who took the contaminated drug to ‘freeze up’ by destroying dopamine neurons in the brain, just as Parkinson’s disease does.

Whether MDMA is mixed with other drugs

For most people, it is hard to know what to think when considering the possible long term harms of MDMA. There is strong evidence from brain imaging studies suggesting that most changes in the brain areas affected by MDMA (serotonergic system) are not long term. General fitness should also be taken into account; those with a low levels of fitness may be under greater pressure from the effects of MDMA on the body, and so should avoid the drug or start with smaller doses. MDMA could cause problems for those with existing liver issues (as the drug is processed through the liver) and the drug is shown to negatively affect liver-health with repeated use. Those with kidney issues should also avoid the drug because of its effect on the body’s diuretic system.

Dehydration is also a risk, so users should ensure they drink roughly the correct amount of fluid. Anecdotal evidence suggests higher doses of MDMA only increase the energising effects of the drug, not the emotional or euphoric effects. Unpleasant sensations like feeling overly hot, anxious, over-stimulated or confused are more likely to occur on higher doses and are far more likely to overshadow the positive effects users’ feel. MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, mandy or molly, is a drug of the stimulant class but which also can have mild hallucinogenic properties. MDMA’s common effects include euphoria, increased energy and a vastly heightened sense of empathy.

Stay Informed

This myth probably comes from experiments where researchers measured breakdown products of serotonin in the spinal fluid of animals who had taken MDMA. This myth comes from messages broadcast by anti-drug campaigns in the late 1990s/early 2000s. MDMA is considered to have low potential for addiction, especially when compared to alcohol, nicotine or heroin, but that does not mean it cannot be addictive at all. If you have pills it is almost impossible to know how much dosage is in each pill. In this case, after testing the pill with a reagent test, start with a small amount (a quarter to a half of a pill) as there is no standardisation of dosages across pills.

• That’s because it hasn’t gone through a process called decarboxylation yet.
• Having a slower metabolism—which can come with older age, poor kidney function, or other health issues—may lengthen the detection window.
• Outside of a professional therapeutic setting, there is significant concern about substance purity.
• You’ll also receive psychoeducation on drug use and the physical and emotional effects of this, meaning you can start your journey to recovery and wellbeing.
• Its appearance differs because various ingredients are used to bind the powder into a tablet or pill form.6 This is one of the greatest risks of drug-taking as you may never really know what a particular drug contains.

Contact us today to learn more about MDMA addiction treatment programs that can help you begin a healthier, drug-free life in recovery. Scientists continue to research effective treatment options for withdrawal from Molly, but there are currently no specific treatments for it. Some people have reported behavioral therapies to be helpful in treating MDMA addiction. However, this can be tricky because ecstasy is often cut with other drugs that are highly addictive.