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CBS4 Investigates: The Dangers Of A Popular Drug Called Molly

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Its name sounds so innocent, and with some music stars seemingly raving about, teenagers, college students, and even young professionals, are finding the drug Molly even more alluring. CBS 4's Chief Investigator Michele Gillen hit the streets to find out why Molly is the talk of our town, and the growing concern of Law Enforcement.

"Everything feels better on Molly," that's the word from a young man fighting to save his life from Molly. Now in recovery in Miami, once a drug user, Gillen refers to as Frank, hopes to save other young people from the path he followed.

Like many Molly users, he believes the allure of Molly was heightened with the listening of certain music stars.

A former user and trafficker, who Gillen refers to as CJ, echoes the same thought.

"Once kids hear their idols, their rap and pop stars singing about it, it kind of makes it okay in their mind."

But strip away the image being sold to kids and you will find a frightening man-made chemical—Metholone. Also known as MDMA, it can cripple  the body into crisis and leave users feeling they are on fire.

The drug can cripple the body into crisis and leave users feeling as if they are on fire.

Dr. Jeffrey Berstein, Florida Posion Control Center, Jackson Memorial Hospital told Gillen, "Once the body goes over 105 or so your body starts to break down...at 107, they start to go into organ failure."

In fact, Police suspect four recent deaths, three in just one day, of young concert-goers in New York, Boston and Washington DC are linked to Molly.

Law enforcement sources tell CBS 4 News that Molly is often bought over the internet from overseas countries like China. It arrives in its so called pure form before being cut into a powder and put into capsules for street sale.

"Keep in mind these places in China that are manufacturing it, there is no regulation there. It is laboratories making this chemical. Packaging it...not to be used for human consumption," an undercover officer with the Broward Sherriff's Department tells Gillen, who asked that we not identify him.

".....We have seen it labeled car wash substance. We have seen Floor shine. We have seen a bunch of different labels on it," he said.

He also said that the demand for Molly on the streets of South Florida is higher than ever and CJ, the former trafficker, agrees.

"It's big business," he said.

He started using Molly as a teenager and decided his high was from making lots of money selling it. It's a dangerous business he said, especially knowing the internet roadmap to finding suppliers.

"Just put in the order and tell them where to ship it. You have people that will test it for you....I am not going to die trying it," CJ said.
Who would risk their life and test it, Gillen asked.

"People on the street who need drugs," said CJ.

"For me the way I abused it, it kind of made me lose my mind. I am not the same person, said a former user Gillen calls Jack, who is in recovery in Miami.

"I got to a point I was taking 15 to 20," in a night he said, that would turn into a three or four day binge.

As Jack knows, and warns, the real danger is in local traffickers mixing molly powder with other drugs such as heroin and cocaine—making the mission to get Molly off the streets more urgent than ever.

With music festivals a magnet for molly use...South Florida's law enforcement is trying to prepare.

What police say they discovered at last year's Ultrafest?

"We found out at the end of the day that they were using mixing the molly in the water, shaking it up and then they were Molly hits. People would come up and take a hit from some unknown person for five to 10 dollars," the veteran undercover officer shared with Gillen.

Leaving former users, like Jack, to hope that not just kids, but the music industry sobers up on the issue of Molly.

"What is your message to the music industry?" Gillen asked Jack.

"You're killing kids. Killing kids." he said.

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