A serious concern is the potential that MDMA may cause long lasting, or even permanent, damage to a sensitive portion of the central nervous system, the serotonin system. There is mounting evidence that MDMA causes the destruction of a portion of the serotonin cell, and that this has a functional impact. Furthermore, the extent of this damage may not be apparent for many years. Awareness of these particular substances, as well as their dangers, is an important step in order to implement more effective legal, therapeutic, and educational strategies. Introduction Much has been written about substance abuse within the youth culture.
Some recent evidence indicates that the rates of such substances are rising.
There are some illicit substances that are especially popular among young people. Raves first became popular in England during the late 1980s and have since spread to the United States and the rest of the world. Although their popularity has not grown dramatically, it has remained relatively constant. These events remain part of the popular youth culture, and are encountered in numerous venues. These events take place in unregulated and unlicensed locations such as stadiums, abandoned warehouses, and other surreptitious arenas.