Editing Ecstasy (section)

== History in the Rave Scene ==

=== Origins ===
MDMA was first synthesized in 1912 by the pharmaceutical company Merck, though it was not widely studied until the 1970s when chemist [[Alexander Shulgin]] re-synthesized and popularized it within psychotherapeutic circles. It was used by therapists throughout the early 1980s as an aid for couples counseling and PTSD treatment before its recreational use became widespread.

=== Ibiza and the Second Summer of Love (1987–1989) ===
The connection between MDMA and rave culture is widely traced to [[Ibiza]], Spain, where British DJs and holidaymakers encountered the drug alongside the nascent [[house music]] scene in the mid-1980s. Upon returning to the United Kingdom, they brought both the music and the drug with them, igniting what became known as the '''Second Summer of Love''' in 1988–1989.

Large illegal warehouse parties and outdoor raves began appearing across the UK, particularly in and around London and Manchester. Ecstasy became the social glue of these events, with attendees reporting that the drug dissolved social barriers and created a sense of universal unity among strangers.

=== The UK Rave Scene (1988–1994) ===
The UK rave scene of this era was profoundly shaped by ecstasy use. Events like those promoted by '''Sunrise''', '''Biology''', and '''Universe''' drew tens of thousands of attendees, fueled largely by the drug's popularity. The government response — most notably the [[Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994]] — was in part a reaction to the scale and perceived danger of these gatherings.

=== Spread to the United States ===
The American rave scene emerged slightly later, taking hold in cities like San Francisco, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles in the early 1990s. Ecstasy was similarly central to the culture, particularly in the [[warehouse party]] scene and later in licensed club events.