JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
Molly isn't your teenage son's mysterious new girlfriend, but just one encounter with "Molly" could lead to a path of destruction.
"It's dangerous. It will kill people," states Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Director Marshall Fisher.
So who is Molly and why is she dangerous?
"It's a type of ecstasy. It's still ecstasy, but it's a much purer form. A lot stronger than the regular pills, sometimes maybe 100 times stronger," confirms Fisher.
The most common users are between the ages of 16 and 25, making it even more important for parents to listen up and learn. The latest drug craze is hitting the hip-hop and rap music scene, seemingly glorifying the dangerous new substance.
Jackson State Professor Dr. D'Andra Orey says the clever wording is no mistake.
"When an artist, as the kids say, 'drops it' in their lyrics, then they simply are endorsing [the drug] and that's the way they see it, as an endorsement of the drug. [Kids think] 'surely they can't be telling me anything wrong'," explains Orey.
Dr. Orey argues the music becomes another form of peer pressure and hearing about Molly repeatedly can affect a young mind.
"If you don't have the words associated with this particular drug in your vocabulary or in your mindset then it's easier to reject the drug," says Dr. Orey.
Fisher explains that Molly is short for molecule. It's found in various forms, and the state crime lab says it can look just like meth, in powder or crystal form.
"It looks - gives you a look sort of a crystalline look from a distance. Some of what we're recovering had a little bit of a light green tint to it. It had a look that reminded you of shards of glass," describes Fisher.
It can be crushed up, snorted, put in liquid to drink or even swallowed in capsules. It's commonly put into gel capsules that can be purchased at most pharmacies.
While the name may sound innocent, the side effects are far from it, including spikes in heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature.
"Extreme nervousness, paranoia, depression," adds Fisher.
Even more disturbing is Molly's availability. In a 2011 undercover operation, MBN was able to successfully buy Molly on every college campus in the state.
"It's looked upon in the culture that uses it as less harmful, as less evil, so to speak, than the meth or the cocaine. It's been identified as the 'love drug' because it sort of softens people's inhibitions and they wanna hug everybody," explains Fisher.
While the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics has not seen high volumes of Molly this year, they say that can change any day, and the fact that teens have access to such a dangerous drug is reason enough for parents to be alarmed.
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The latest drug craze is hitting the hip-hop and rap music scene, seemingly glorifying the dangerous new substance.
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