Earlier today, Dean Mike Whaley sent two emails to the Wesleyan community regarding several health incidences linked to MDMA/Molly. Currently, 11 students have been hospitalized with symptoms consistent with overdoses of the drug.
We will continue to update this post as more information comes out about the situation.
The original emails from Dean Whaley and other updates can be found after the jump.
Update 2/23/15, 1:56pm: Dean Whaley sent us a short email about the situation:
Many of those who went to the hospital yesterday have been released, but there are still several students at Hartford Hospital, some in quite serious condition. Parents and family members are with each of them, and we continue to keep them in our thoughts. My team has been busy connecting with students here on campus to provide support – through CAPS, chaplains, class deans and Res Life staff. Incidents such as these shake many of us to the core, and I encourage students to talk with each other and with us about these events.
Update 2/23/15, 12:01pm: President Michael Roth sent an email update about the hospitalizations:
Dear friends,
As many of you have heard, ten Wesleyan students and two visitors received medical treatment yesterday for complications arising from the use of a version of the drug Molly, a refined and more powerful form of Ecstasy (MDMA). The effects are extremely dangerous, and as of now, four students are in Middlesex Hospital in Middletown (we expect them to be released today) and four others are being cared for at Hartford Hospital.
I ask all students: Please, please stay away from illegal substances the use of which can put you in extreme danger. One mistake can change your life forever. If you have friends who are thinking about trying these kinds of drugs, remind them of the dangers. If you are aware of people distributing these substances, please let someone know before more people are hurt. You can make a confidential report at (860 685-2345). These drugs can be altered in ways that make them all the more toxic. Take a stand to protect your fellow students.
Resident Advisors, Counseling and Psychological Services (x2910) and class deans have all been reaching out to students but may not have been in touch with everyone. If you know of anyone who may need their support, please let them know.
And please keep those still hospitalized in your hearts and minds. Please join me in supporting their recovery with your prayers, thoughts, and friendship.
Take care of yourselves. And let’s take care of each other.
Michael S. Roth
President
Update 2/22/15, 5:28pm: The Wesleyan Argus is now reporting that Dean Whaley says the number of students hospitalized has reached at least 11, with several students voluntarily choosing to check themselves in to medical care facilities.
Sent by Dean Mike Whaley around 1:30pm on February 22, 2015:
Dear Students,Since my message to you earlier today (below), we have had three more students transported by ambulance to the hospital with similar overdose symptoms. Initial indication in all of these cases is that the students took Molly (MDMA) last night. Some of the students are in serious/critical condition. Public Safety and Residential Life are conducting well-being checks in some areas, but I’m asking for your immediate assistance in two ways:
First, and most importantly, please check in with your friends immediately to make sure that they are okay. Do this right now! Immediately call Public Safety at 860-685-3333 if anyone needs medical attention.Secondly, Public Safety and Middletown Police are actively investigating these serious incidents. Please contact the Director of Public Safety if you have any information. 860-685-3333.Finally, I ask that you keep these students in your thoughts and share my hope that they will fully recover.I will provide an update when there is more information that I can share with you. Many thanks for your help.Sincerely,Dean Mike Whaley
Sent by Dean Mikey Whaley around 11:30am on February 22, 2015:
To the Wesleyan Community:
A Wesleyan sophomore was transported to Middlesex Hospital early this morning and is in critical condition as a result of an apparent overdose. Two other students were transported in less serious condition but with similar symptoms. The parents of these students have been notified. A full investigation is underway; anyone with information should contact Wesleyan’s Director of Public Safety at 860-685-3333.
Michael Whaley
Vice President for Student Affairs
Advice for Director Rohde:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLDBiQ3L4oQ
Was President Roth actually tweeting about Women at Princeton https://twitter.com/mroth78/status/569670748740186114 while his own students were hospitalized? This is obscene. Please deal with the real problems on your campus which are the rampant illegal drug use and underage drinking and leave the independent fraternities alone. Your agenda is clearly showing and it is sickening, Wesleyan deserves better. Shame on you.
it’s my guess that this post was sent out by someone working on social media updates and not by Michael Roth himself. It may have been set up earlier to be sent out automatically.
Bullshit Paula. They have accountability for CEOs now so you can’t use the “I’m the King and didn’t know what was going on excuse”.
I am worried for these students, and know that everyone makes mistakes, the drugs could have been laced/mis-labed, etc. Yet. As an alum, I find stuff like this and that senior cocktails event gone awry at the CT museum a few years ago so embarrassing. We partied when I was at Wesleyan, too, but we didn’t end up on the news every weekend as a result. It’s one thing to blow of steam in college, but it’s another to thoughtlessly waste your expensive education in an MDMA haze. I know there’s no way to express this sentiment without sounding heartless and lame, but so be it.
Stop whoring for Wall Street.
http://www.showrealhist.com/yTRIAL.html
http://patrick.net/?p=1223928
Theres literally a zero percent chance this is mdma, mda, or mde. I would bet all my earthly possesions on that. Whenever these types of mass ODs happen, its always something else. I would imagine its a psychedelic amphetamine in the 2C or NBOMe families, an analogue of ketamine, or a new amphetamine/cathinone type stimulant, such as 4FA or ethylone. Possible, but less likely, are MDxx analogues such as PMA, PMMA, or something in the APB family. This is why drugs should be legalized. People are willing to make themselves guinea pigs for untested, potentially dangerous drugs simply because theyre legal, eschewing illegal ones with well understood safety profiles and years of research behind them. Sad.
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Always test your drug before using. There are few notable reagents you should use on a sample before consuming such as the Marquis reagent and Mecke reagent.
I’m thinking it’s possible that this drug could be MDA sold as MDMA. Far more active at low doses, and if it’s taken at an MDMA dose then it can be very problematic – especially if the taker has also been drinking or using other drugs.
One of the biggest problems is that most commercially available drug tests cannot differentiate between MDA and MDMA.
Simon’s Reagent does. the Health Center at Wesleyan and, for that matter, at any college nationwide, should provide test kits free of charge and anonymously to any student who wants one.
People are going to use drugs in college – there is no way to prevent it entirely. Perhaps you can decrease the frequency, but how, and with what effort? Harm reduction and education will do substantially more good with little expenditure. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be the policy of the Wesleyan dean’s office.
Instead of testing your drug there is a simpler solution.
DONT USE DRUGS!!!!
fuck that
From a wannabe Gangsta like you that would be the answer, fool.
I would expect that type of answer from a Wannabe Gangsta like you, FOOL.
lolllll ur comment was so awesome you posted it twice. play on playa