1970s–1990sReputable sourceWell documented
Ecstasy and Rave Culture
On the timeline · around 1970s–1990s ·
What happened
MDMA, first made by Merck in 1912, was rediscovered by chemist Alexander Shulgin, who saw its potential in therapy in the 1970s. By the late 1980s 'ecstasy' had escaped into nightclubs, powering the global rave scene — and in 1985 the U.S. banned it as Schedule I.
Why it matters
Ecstasy defined a youth subculture and reignited debate over whether some banned drugs might have real therapeutic value — a question now returning in clinical trials.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Ecstasy (drug) · Reputable source