Angela Massingill knows there is a common perception that most college students use the drug ecstasy; but she’s working to change that.
“Media exposure given to the drug has led to a popular misperception that everyone is doing it,” the human biology senior said. “Shows on MTV made it seem like the increase in use was huge.
“Yes, there has been an increase in the past few years but that does not mean everyone uses it.”
Massingill works with the Olin Health Center Health Advocates and recently compiled a poster containing facts and precautions on ecstasy, which was distributed to all residence halls and greek houses.
She said there was a study conducted last spring semester where MSU students were surveyed on their experiences with the drug.
More than 90 percent of those students said they don’t use ecstasy.
Ecstasy, sometimes called X or E, can have many effects varying from extreme relaxation to dizziness and restlessness. It can also enhance the senses, making things feel, smell and taste better.
The drug is illegal because it has no approved medical use.
“We want to counteract the hype surrounding the drug and let people know what the real facts are,” Massingill said. “If students know that it is not the norm it will give them the ability to make an informed choice.”
Chemistry junior Alex Julien said he saw the poster in Holmes Hall where he lives and stopped to read it.
“I usually don’t read anything hanging on the walls in the hall,” he said. “But I saw it was talking about ecstasy and you are always hearing something about that.”
Before seeing the poster, Julien said he thought the drug was a bigger problem. Still, he thinks it is important to address the issue.
“I think it’s good that they recognize that there are people who are still going to choose to use the drug,” he said. “By giving precautions and things to do if you are going to take the drug, they can possibly prevent even more problems.”
Massingill said she has been working on the project since January and the health advocates have received good responses from both residence hall managers and greek organizations.
“The poster is applicable information to everyone in the college age group,” said Gerri Barker, president of the Phi Mu sorority. “There is a current period of ecstasy abuse.”
Although she said the drug should be recognized as a serious problem, she said her experience has shown her that it is more of a problem with high school students.
“It’s not a problem in my sorority,” the criminal justice senior said. “But I agree that there is a need to address the issue and this can give them the information they need to make the right choices.”
Barker said she thinks it is important to make people aware of stereotypes placed on young adults, like the ones involving ecstasy.
“By showing that most people do not use the drug it reinforces the positive and not the negative that people are used to seeing,” she said. “We need to get the word out that hype is sometimes wrong.”
