Ecstasy

Ecstasy is not reported as the most common form of drug use in any country in East and South-East Asia. However, it is the second most common drug of use in Australia and, together with methamphetamine, the second most common drug of use in Indonesia. China reports ecstasy as the third most common drug of use, after heroin and methamphetamine, while it is ranked fourth in Viet Nam, along with methamphetamine and ketamine. Australia, China, Viet Nam and New Zealand have reported an increasing use trend in 2008 (Figure 8). In contrast, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand reported a declining use trend in 2007/2008.

Forensic data suggests that much of the seized drugs marketed on the street as ‘ecstasy’ contain substances other than MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), such as ketamine or methamphetamine. Subsequently, caution should be used when assessing statistics related to ecstasy in countries which do not have ATS data and classification system or the appropriate laboratory and analytical facilities.

Slightly more than 2% of ATS related arrests in the region are related to ecstasy, totaling 3,282 arrests in 2008, down from the 3,431 arrests a year earlier. The majority of ecstasy related arrests in the region were made in Indonesia which reported 1,984 arrests, representing two-thirds of the total figures for 2008.

Ecstasy pill seizures have fluctuated in East and South-East Asia over the past five years. This is partly due to different classifications of seizures, between ecstasy and methamphetamine, as well as improved disaggregation of data between the various synthetic drugs. However, the bulk of the regional seizures in 2007 and 2008 were made by four countries - China, Indonesia, Japan and Thailand.

Treatment admissions for ecstasy are low compared to other major drugs. However, these almost tripled between 2004 and 2007.