MDMA
MDMA has its roots in North American indigenous culture. MDMA was first derived from safrole oil which can be produced from the root bark of the Sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum), common to North American deciduous forests. Early American settlers learned about extracting safrole oil from Sassafras trees from Native American medicine people who had found multiple uses for different parts of the tree .
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) was first synthesized in 1912. It has been available as a synthetic drug since that time. It became popular as a legal alternative to a similar recreational drug (MDA) that was made illegal in 1970. In the U.S., a few dozen psychotherapists used MDMA to assist their treatment from 1977 - 1985, before it too was made illegal. MDMA is commonly referred to as "Ecstasy" or "Molly" in the underground scene. However, illegally purchased Ecstasy or Molly may not contain pure MDMA.
MDMA is still illegal, but robust FDA-approved trials over the last 20 years are opening a path toward FDA approval of MDMA for use in the treatment of PTSD. Most recent estimates suggest that MDMA may achieve FDA approval in the United States in 2024.
