Liquid ecstasy is heading for the list of controlled substances. Health Minister Nelson Bascome yesterday tabled an order to that effect in the House of Assembly.

Ecstasy has been gaining popularity in recent years, said the Minister.

"We want to make sure we are protecting the persons who end up abusing it," he said. Ecstasy has been available in tablet form in Bermuda for a number of years. The drug speeds up the heart rate and increases body temperature and can lead to death.

The Minister is also adding a number of performance enhancing drugs and crystal meth otherwise known as ice, to the list.

"What's been happening is that methamphetamine (ice) is used in California quite a bit in smokable form that is highly addictive - like crack cocaine but even more potent," said the Minister.

"Although we haven't had widespread knowledge of it in Bermuda, it's on the list because we know it's a world-wide trend which has taken hold in many communities".

Performance enhancers are prescription drugs, but can cause death if abused, said Mr. Bascome.

"It's not a big problem but the drugs are here and we want to make sure that individuals don't abuse them and end up losing their lives".