Ecstasy users could ease up on the alcohol and have just as much fun, a University of Otago researcher says.
A University of Otago study explored people’s MDMA use New Zealand and the worrying trend of people choosing to consume high levels of alcohol while taking the drug.
The research was published in the journal Drug Science, Policy and Law, and more than 1100 people completed, or partially completed, an online survey.
To participate, people were required to have used MDMA in New Zealand at least once, and had to have used it in the past five years.
PhD candidate Jai Whelan said MDMA use in New Zealand was relatively high and the vast majority of people had positive experiences, but its prevalence was not well-researched.
"This indicates that many users report long-term positive impacts of their use, not just acute euphoric experiences."
However, he said the results from the survey also showed a significant number of people were mixing MDMA with large amounts of alcohol.
"I would encourage people to be mindful about drinking large amounts of alcohol on top of MDMA and whether it is necessary for a good time.
"Reducing drinking when taking MDMA is unlikely to make it less fun and is likely to reduce your risk of harm while you save money."
When using both drugs in the same session, the median number of standard drinks was seven to nine, the study found.
About 44% of people consumed six or less, and 31.5% consumed 10 or more.
Otago accounts for the highest usage of MDMA in the country, exceeding the national average by almost double, police wastewater drug testing in 2023 showed.
The study showed 88.9% of test subjects had used MDMA in the past year — mostly commonly at house parties.
About 30% of people use it every two to three months, 14.9% once a year or less, and 14.9% fortnightly or more.
Most men administered MDMA orally (53.4%), while females primarily reported nasal use (47.4%).
