Now it is widely used as a chemical accessory by those who think it is unfair that they should ever feel low. The British users are breaking their country's law. The Americans are not. Which raises an important question. Its sales have soared.
Ecstasy is older.
It was developed in 1914 and became popular in the 1970s as an adjunct to psychotherapy because of its ability to reduce anxiety and facilitate communication. German marriage-guidance counsellors regularly recommended it. It, too, is good business. This suggests that the British market alone is worth well over 300m pounds a year. Both drugs affect the level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that is thought to influence sleep, appetite, aggression and mood.