A Texan who built an empire of ecstasy

Prevalence of “Responsible Casual” Drug Use

• Many commenters identify as infrequent, intentional users (e.g., MDMA once a year, mushrooms a few times a year, low-dose edibles instead of nightly beers).
• Several argue such users are “invisible” because drugs don’t define their identity and they keep quiet for social and professional reasons.
• Others report that in their social circles people either quit entirely or slide into heavy use; they rarely see stable light use.

Legal Context and Access

• Some say this is a “golden age” for casual cannabis users: dispensaries are ubiquitous in many US states, often more common than liquor stores.
• Others stress that federal illegality still applies, which complicates the idea of “legal” use and affects what “responsible” means.
• Harm-reduction strategies mentioned: buying via darknet with crypto, using test kits and lab services, drug-checking at festivals.

MDMA Experiences vs. Risks

• Positive accounts: profound feelings of love, empathy, and connection; long-lasting changes in how people relate to friends and partners; some find it helpful for depression-like states.
• Heavy users describe long periods of intense use without obvious perceived cognitive decline, while others report enduring short-term memory problems and career difficulties.
• A long subthread debates neurotoxicity:
  • One side: strong concern that every dose likely causes some lasting serotonergic damage; rat and human studies showing memory deficits, especially in heavy users.
  • Counterpoints: many studies use extreme doses or very heavy users; meta-analyses show little evidence of harm at low, infrequent doses; effect sizes may be small.
  • Disagreement over “safer” strategies (e.g., SSRIs post-use) and over whether MDMA can ever be considered “safe” for recreation.

Addiction, Genetics, and Other Drugs

• Some frame addiction risk as largely genetic, making “responsible use” impossible for a sizable minority; others say that’s an oversimplification.
• Comparisons to alcohol: daily drinking is widely normalized despite clear harms; some argue MDMA risks are overstated relative to chronic alcohol or cannabis use.
• Modafinil, benzodiazepines, anticholinergics, and methadone are discussed as examples where “therapeutic” and “harmful” blur.

Safety, Consent, and Misuse

• A commenter reports being dosed with MDMA without consent multiple times, calling it attempted rape and warning that MDMA’s “love” reputation may be exploited by predators.
• Others note much “ecstasy” is not MDMA (could include other stimulants or fentanyl), and that communal use plus decreased sexual performance may limit its effectiveness as a rape drug—but agree nonconsensual dosing is severely wrong.

Culture, Aging, and Life Tradeoffs

• Several describe moving from heavy use in youth to rare, curated use in midlife, often after having children.
• There’s extended reflection on quality of life vs. longevity: whether avoiding all drugs is worth it given inevitable aging and decline.