Ten students from Wesleyan University and two visitors were hospitalized from what appears to be overdoses of the drug Molly, authorities reported on Sunday.
At least two of those hospitalized are in critical condition.
In a statement released to the school, Wesleyan president Michael S. Roth warned of the extreme potency of the drug going around campus, calling it a “more powerful form of MDMA.”
Molly, or MDMA, is the active ingredient in ecstasy and induces a euphoric and empathetic state that can last up to six hours. It has become a drug of choice on many college campuses, authorities warn.
Middletown Police Lt. Heather Desmond told the media of a series of hospitalizations that started at 7AM on Sunday. The authorities also reported that four patients were still hospitalized by Monday afternoon while the others had been released.
A portion of the students had attended a rave party at the Eclectic Society social house on the Wesleyan campus.
In his statement President Roth asked students to “please, please stay away from illegal substances, the use of which can put you in extreme danger. One mistake can change your life forever. If you have friends who are thinking about trying these kinds of drugs, remind them of the dangers… These drugs can be altered in ways that make them all the more toxic. Take a stand to protect your fellow students.”
Not only is the drug often far more powerful than dealers say it is, the drug often contains dangerous impurities and fillers. This contradicts the reputation the drug often has as being “pure.”
“You’re playing Russian roulette if you take these compounds because we’re seeing significant batch-to-batch variances,” associate deputy administrator for the DEA Al Santos recently told CNN.
The DEA says that Molly is the fastest growing illegal drug in the United States, as well as Australia, New Zealand, and other nations.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com