The study, which was carried out by American researchers at Harvard Medical School, said that most previous studies into the drug had made early conclusions despite insufficient evidence to actually suggest that its effects are long-lasting and detrimental.
Anti-drug campaigners have long argued that ecstasy can trigger memory loss, long term emotional effects and can reduce cognitive performance. The news is likely to shock such groups, however those that have stood firm that the drug is fairly safe have welcomed the new report with open arms.
Former chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, Alan Johnson, said that he had always suspected that when proper studies were carried out that no evidence to support that ecstasy has brain-damaging effects would surface. Johnson had lost his position as chairman when he said in public that he believed ecstasy to be less harmful than alcohol and tobacco.
The US government-backed study had been designed specifically to avoid the issues that had led to inconclusive studies in years past. The government granted some $1.8 million in the effort and the results were published this week the Addiction medical journal.
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