Tesla’s are synonymous with strength and power, and back in September 2016 the high tech symbol became associated with a new potent form of ecstasy pills. Orange ‘Tesla’ pills became common at last years EDC Las Vegas and contained double the amount of the average dose of MDMA.
But how did Tesla become associated with the drug world? The answer is actually more clear than you would think. Ecstasy pills have been taking the names of many successful companies and popular cultural trends for a long time. Ecstasy and MDMA first became popular as a party drug in the 1970s but were banned in 1985 due to obvious safety concerns.
Molly has been the prevalent drug of choice for Americans while Europeans are choosing ecstasy pills. However, MDMA and Ecstasy are basically the same. Ecstasy is pressed 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) and Molly is MDMA powder.
Ecstasy pills named after successful tech companies have become the norm today. Company names like Netflix, Skype, TripAdvisor, and Instagram have been used as pill designs and have helped promote and market the drug by referencing a successful company. While none of these companies have an actual connection to ecstasy pills, their success has caused their names to be used as vessels of recognition and pill classification.
In an email interview with Forbes Mitchell Gomez, executive director of DanceSafe, a non-profit supporting health and safety in the dance community stated, “The phenomenon of pills and blotters being made with corporate logos is one that dates back many, many years. The modern phenomenon is [likely] about marketing and recognition. People remember corporate logos, and it’s a way to piggyback on their popularity as well as an easy way to describe a particular press.”
The trendy use of tech logos has also been explained by pill companies finding the shapes that accompany them easy to make. Mitsubishi was referenced as a popular pill by Forbes because its shape was easy to recreate. In addition, pill dyes are hard to find as well. Placing emphasis the names and logos of ecstasy pills has become a successful and economical way for the party community to categorize and classify the pills.
Source: Forbes, Drugfreeworld