Friday March 29th, 2024
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Legal Ecstasy?

MDMA might be coming to a pharmacy near you.

Staff Writer

The streets of Cairo could soon be swamped with hug-happy Egyptians, grinning ridiculously and declaring their love for complete strangers. The reason, we hear you ask? Club drug Ecstasy could soon(ish) be available over the counter making the love drug as easy to pick up as well...Tramadol.

In a move set to make pill munchers even more irritatingly happy and talkative, experts from the Multi-disciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) claim that MDMA, the main ingredient Egypt's favourite club drug, may be available over the counter by 2021.

MAPS Director of Clinical Research Amy Emerson has revealed that the drug – consumed in sweaty clubs and dubious boat parties across Egypt  – is currently in stage two of a three stage trial designed to test the safety of the substance. The tests come as manufacturers hope to launch a fresh bid to have the drug licensed.

The third phase of the scheme is set to end in 2020 meaning Cairenes could be walking around chewing their faces off while looking like cartoon characters as early as 2021. Some commentators have suggested that the substance, which is credited with briefly stamping out football hooliganism in parts of Britain and playing a key part in the country's famous rave culture – might be just what Egypt needs.

However, others claim that the substance can cause depression and memory problems, along with liver, kidney and heart difficulties and even death. But hey – who's worried about dying when you're off your face, right?

Here at CairoScene, we're not entirely sure the city could handle 20 million moody Egyptians on a comedown. Stay in your homes people.