Crossword Genius

Having taken drug, groups of people head for emergency detox (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

cleanse

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'having taken drug groups of people head for emergency detox' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.

'having taken drug groups of people head for emergency' is the wordplay.
'having taken' indicates putting letters inside.
'drug' becomes 'e' (e is another name for ecstasy).
'groups of people' becomes 'clans' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'head for' says to take the initial letters.
The first letter of 'emergency' is 'e'.
'e' inserted within 'clans' is 'cleans'.
'cleans'+'e'='CLEANSE'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for cleanse that I've seen before include "Make free from dirt" , "do some laundering?" , "clear of muck" , "Make pure" , "purify from sin" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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