Club drug addiction is a growing problem in the United States among tens of thousands of young adults. In fact, what makes the sale of club drugs unique is that they are intentionally marketed to a young demographic of users. Drugs like MDMA, Ketamine, Rohypnol and ecstasy are being sold at raves, clubs and other gatherings frequented by young people as safe alternatives to other types of drugs like crack, cocaine and heroin. However, club drugs are actually more dangerous than traditional types of street drugs. Serious physical consequences including seizures, cardiac arrest, addiction and even death can occur with continued club drug use. As a result, creating awareness about this burgeoning problem will be essential to saving young lives.

Club drugs are especially dangerous because of the manufacturing methods used to make them. Often these chemical compounds are developed in dangerous labs and may be comprised of substances are known to be toxic to humans. The original chemical formulations for drugs like ecstasy or MDMA have been severely adulterated in clandestine backwoods laboratories, leading to the production of unsafe compounds that can have disastrous and potentially fatal effects on any person who ingests them. Once these drugs reach the market they are then sold as being safer than other drugs.

The average age of users targeted by club drug marketing efforts is an astonishing 13 to 19 years old. Scores of teens become addicted to club drugs each year and kids as young as 13 have been admitted to emergency rooms for symptoms related to club drug use. Some emergency room visits have been attributed to rapes that occurred while the victim was either knowingly or unknowingly under the influence of Rohypnol or a similar compound. Other reports from ERs and Urgent Care centers indicate that children as young as 15 have been admitted for severe cardiac issues and seizures brought on by club drug use.

But perhaps more disturbing than these nationwide reports of emergency room and urgent care visits related to club drug use is the high occurrence of club drug addiction and depression among people between the ages of 15 and 29. This has been attributed to the fact that club drugs interfere with the brain's natural ability to produce serotonin- a chemical that regulates mood, among other things. As a result people who become addicted to club drugs often become extremely depressed and are at great risk of suicide.

Social issues and other pressures for people in the club drug age group are often exacerbated by conditions related to club drug addiction. For instance, the typical depression that many teens face can become deadly if addiction becomes involved. Additionally, drugs like ecstasy, GHB and Ketamine are extremely powerful and can lead to a prolonged state of delusion that can have disastrous and permanent effects on young lives. As a result the campaign to sell these drugs and others like them to young adults must be countered with honest education about what the dangers really are and how they can be avoided.