Crime and Violence among MDMA Users in the United States
The question of whether MDMA use is associated with increased crime and violence has not been adequately explored especially in nationally representative samples. This study used data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) to assess the association between...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AIMS Press
2015-03-01
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| Series: | AIMS Public Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.aimspress.com/aimsph/article/224/fulltext.html |
| _version_ | 1818906408646606848 |
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| author | Michael G. Vaughn Christopher P. Salas-Wright Matt DeLisi Brian E. Perron David Cordova |
| author_facet | Michael G. Vaughn Christopher P. Salas-Wright Matt DeLisi Brian E. Perron David Cordova |
| author_sort | Michael G. Vaughn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The question of whether MDMA use is associated with increased crime and violence has not been adequately explored especially in nationally representative samples. This study used data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) to assess the association between MDMA use and violent and non-violent antisocial behavior while controlling for sociodemographic variables, lifetime psychiatric, alcohol and drug use disorders, and family history of antisocial behavior. MDMA users, both male and female, were involved in a number of crimes in acts of violence including drunk driving, shoplifting, theft, intimate partner violence, and fighting. Notably, female MDMA users were more antisocial than male non-MDMA users. Although adjusting the results for numerous confounds attenuated the relationships, MDMA users were still at significantly greater odds of engaging in violent and nonviolent crime than non-MDMA users. Although MDMA has been considered a facilitator of empathy and closeness, the current study suggests a dark side as MDMA is associated with a broad array of crimes and transgressions. Additional tests of the MDMA-crime link are needed to properly inform policy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T21:38:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-20cc07e6f0da4542850e778594b4bf48 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2327-8994 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T21:38:45Z |
| publishDate | 2015-03-01 |
| publisher | AIMS Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | AIMS Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-20cc07e6f0da4542850e778594b4bf482022-12-21T20:04:43ZengAIMS PressAIMS Public Health2327-89942015-03-0121647310.3934/publichealth.2015.1.6420150106Crime and Violence among MDMA Users in the United StatesMichael G. Vaughn0Christopher P. Salas-Wright1Matt DeLisi2Brian E. Perron3David Cordova4School of Social Work, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO 63103, United StatesSchool of Social Work, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United StatesCriminology and Criminal Justice Studies, Department of Sociology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50013, United StatesSchool of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United StateSchool of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United StateThe question of whether MDMA use is associated with increased crime and violence has not been adequately explored especially in nationally representative samples. This study used data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) to assess the association between MDMA use and violent and non-violent antisocial behavior while controlling for sociodemographic variables, lifetime psychiatric, alcohol and drug use disorders, and family history of antisocial behavior. MDMA users, both male and female, were involved in a number of crimes in acts of violence including drunk driving, shoplifting, theft, intimate partner violence, and fighting. Notably, female MDMA users were more antisocial than male non-MDMA users. Although adjusting the results for numerous confounds attenuated the relationships, MDMA users were still at significantly greater odds of engaging in violent and nonviolent crime than non-MDMA users. Although MDMA has been considered a facilitator of empathy and closeness, the current study suggests a dark side as MDMA is associated with a broad array of crimes and transgressions. Additional tests of the MDMA-crime link are needed to properly inform policy.http://www.aimspress.com/aimsph/article/224/fulltext.htmlecstasyMDMAcrimeviolencedrug usegender |
| spellingShingle | Michael G. Vaughn Christopher P. Salas-Wright Matt DeLisi Brian E. Perron David Cordova Crime and Violence among MDMA Users in the United States AIMS Public Health ecstasy MDMA crime violence drug use gender |
| title | Crime and Violence among MDMA Users in the United States |
| title_full | Crime and Violence among MDMA Users in the United States |
| title_fullStr | Crime and Violence among MDMA Users in the United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | Crime and Violence among MDMA Users in the United States |
| title_short | Crime and Violence among MDMA Users in the United States |
| title_sort | crime and violence among mdma users in the united states |
| topic | ecstasy MDMA crime violence drug use gender |
| url | http://www.aimspress.com/aimsph/article/224/fulltext.html |
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