Bad ecstasy is the term given to
pills or
capsules sold as
MDMA but contain little or no
MDMA. If you're lucky the pills will contain a
substance that is not
psychoactive,
corrosive or plain
poisonous. If you're not so lucky the pills can contain anything from
ketamine to
PMA...
The problem here is that the buyer is not counting on the effects of (for example) ketamine and has no way of interpreting his or her altered state. This will, in most people, create a sense of panic which in it's turn will make the whole experience an unpleasurable one, to say the least.
Another possiblity is that the pills sold as ecstasy contain not MDMA but MDEA or MDA. Both of these are closely related to MDMA. Their effects differ slightly but as every ecstasy 'trip' will be a different experience (because of different mindset, circumstances, dosages, etc.) the distinction between these three is not easily made while under the influence.
The difference between MDMA and MDA is bigger than the difference between MDMA and MDEA. MDA is more likely to cause (mild) hallucinations and will last around eight or ten hours. MDEA is harder but it's duration will probably give it away: about four hours. Your typical MDMA experience will take six hours.
Most users will not complain when given MDEA instead of MDMA, they probably won't even notice. MDA has a greater potential for freaking you out if you're not expecting something that goes on a lot longer than you were counting on and during this time you are placing your drinks on a bar that is not there and everybody around you seems to be wearing glasses. Which of course they are not. Or are they?
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My personal experience is that most ‘bad ecstasy’ is either a pill with too little MDMA (it should be around 110 and 140mg) or a pill containing no MDMA but amphetamine... This is my expierence living in one of the 4 largest cities in the Netherlands. Although the quality used to be better* most of the ecstasy here is good.
*1994/1995