STRUCTURAL ELUCIDATION OF UNUSUAL POLICE EXHIBITS .3. IDENTIFICATION OF 3,4-METHYLENEDIOXYETHAMPHETAMINE (MDEA) HYDROCHLORIDE IN ECSTASY STREET TABLETS

Some unusually marked and single scored tablets, bearing the image of a bird as an impression on the opposite face, were analyzed for illici t drug content. Two of these tablet seizures contained 3,4-methylenedi oxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ''Ecstasy'') hydrochloride per se. One of these, that had been touted as being the date-rape drug Rohypnol (TM) (Flunitrazepan), ''Roche'', or ''the Horny Pill'' was found instead to contain MDMA . HCl. An earlier seizure of promoted ''Ecstasy'' tablet s was found to contain the N-ethyl analog of MDMA, i.e., 3,4-methylene dioxyethamphetamine (MDEA or ''Eve'') as it hydrochloride salt in a la ctose matrix. The latest seizure of these similarly appearing tablets was found to contain a 40:60 mixture of MDMA and MDEA, respectively, a s their hydrochloride salts. In the MDMA/MDEA mixture tablet exhibits, there were little or no excipients found; the tablets (av. 300 mg), t herefore, represented dangerous, potent, illicit formulations. These a re the first instances of MDEA and mixed MDMA/MDEA tablets having been found in Canada.