Re: MAPS: MDMA: other health-related effects?

[RickMAPS@xxxxxxx]

To the Forum: 

MDMA was NOT developed by Merck as an appetite suppressant in Europe before WW
I,  was never marketed, and was not withdrawn  due to complications associated
with its use. The emergence of MDMA in the mid-1970's was probably the first
time that it was used in humans. It was, however, one of thousands of
compounds studied in animals by the CIA during the early 1950's and beyond, as
part of the effort to develop mind control weapons. There is no evidence that
MDMA was ever used other than in animals in this program.    Rick Doblin
 
The following is from an earlier MAPS Bulletin
http://www.maps.org/news-letters/v08n1/08157for.html

A footnote on the history of MDMA 

Maybe this is of interest to people interested in the history of MDMA and
especially MDMA research. Furthermore, it is a telling illustration of the
mindless copy-paste syndrome to which most of us are prone. Maybe you could
spread this little anecdote to the many contacts MAPS has. 
In virtually every book and article on MDMA I've come across so far it can be
read that MDMA was originally synthesized and patented by Merck (Germany) as
an appetite supressant, but that it was never marketed. Countless times this
information has been copied from text to text--I am guilty of having spread
this little bit of history in numerous talks. Still, it is simply wrong.
Pascale, a thesis canditate in our group, wanted to be sure and contacted
Merck, Germany, for the true story. She found out that:

*	Merck stumbled across MDMA when they tried to synthesize Hydrastinin, a
vasoconstrictive and styptic medicine. MDMA was merely an unplanned by-product
of this synthesis. As usual, the process of its synthesis was patented. 
*	It can not be reconstructed to what extent Merck tested MDMA and what the
results of such testing were, but it can be excluded with certainty that MDMA
was ever considered as an appetite supressant (and, as Merck adds, this
indication was not relevant in 1912, something which could have certainly
occurred earlier to the more clever minds among us...) 
*	It is also certain that MDMA was never considered for marketing by Merck.
So, thinking of Public Enemy who said, "Don't believe the hype," I would even
go further and say: "Don't believe anything unless you've checked it for
yourself!" 

Alex Gamma 
 

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