By By SHERRY DIGMON
Advance Staff Writer
An Atmore man and Pensacola woman were arrested last week when law enforcement agencies seized 253 Ecstacy tablets being delivered to the Atmore area.
Johnathan Bradley Nall, 21, and Stephanie Shannon Wiggs, 19, were arrested and charged with possession and distribution of a controlled substance, Friday, July 27, according to Keith Hutchins, commander with the 21st Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force.
Nall is facing an additional charge on probation violation. He was on probation in Houston County on a similar charge.
The tablets had a street value of $7,000.
The Baldwin County Drug Task Force and the Mobile County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit assisted in the investigation.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, MDMA (Ecstacy) is a "synthetic, psychoactive drug with both stimulant (amphetamine-like) and hallucinogenic (LSD-like) properties."
Street names for MDMA include Ecstasy, Adam, XTC, hug, beans, and love drug. Its chemical structure is similar to other synthetic drugs known to cause brain damage.
According to the NIDA, many of the risks users face with MDMA use are similar to those found with the use of cocaine and amphetamines:
Psychological difficulties, including confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, severe anxiety, and paranoia – during and sometimes weeks after taking MDMA.
Physical symptoms such as muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, rapid eye movement, faintness, and chills or sweating.
Increases in heart rate and blood pressure, a special risk for people with circulatory or heart disease.
Also, there is evidence that people who develop a rash that looks like acne after using MDMA may be risking severe side effects, including liver damage, if they continue to use the drug.
In an unrelated case, task force agents arrested two individuals for unlawful possession of marijuana on Thursday, July 26. Agents received a call that people were smoking marijuana at 1128 Tower St. Responding to the call, they found marijuana in the residence and arrested Suzanne Dortch and a juvenile.
The 21st Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force is comprised of the following law enforcement agencies: Escambia County Sheriff's Department, Atmore Police Department, East Brewton Police Department, Brewton Police Department, Flomaton Police Department, Escambia County District Attorney's Office and the Escambia County Commission.