That's why something like Falungong is so popular. References to the outlawed spiritual movement come up often in conversations about ecstasy. That link reflects the way casual drug use may pose a similar threat to the Communist Party's ideological monopoly. Not that ecstacy users are protesting in Tiananmen Square. But they are saying that the Party matters less than partying.
Ecstasy is a cult drug.
The government is trying to crack down so far with little success. A nationwide campaign called Spring Thunder ended last month. In the southern province of Guangdong, police arrested 1,072 suspects after investigating 104,679 clubs and karaoke parlors, according to the state media. Hauls of ecstasy and methamphetamine were up tenfold compared with three years ago. That increase is seen nationwide.