About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 (August 14, 2002)

handle is hein.crs/crsuntaaalr0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Order Code RS21108 Updated August 14, 2002 Ecstasy: Actions of the 107th Congress to Control MDMA Mark Eddy Specialist in Social Legislation Domestic Social Policy Division Summary Legislation has been proposed in the 107'h Congress to combat the use and abuse of Ecstasy (MDMA) and other club drugs. The Reducing Americans' Vulnerability to Ecstasy Act of 2002 (S. 2633) would intensify the federal effort to control Ecstasy by amending the crack house statute to more directly target rave promoters. It has been reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee and placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar. Another bill, the Ecstasy Prevention Act of 2001 (S. 1208/H.R. 2582) would encourage local communities to crack down on raves and authorize additional funds to be used in High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas for anti-Ecstasy law enforcement activities. The Senate added S. 1208 by amendment to H.R. 2215, the Department of Justice authorization act, which has gone to conference. H.R. 3138 and H.R. 3782 would also combat Ecstasy and other club drugs but have not seen action. This report will be updated as further congressional actions occur. Background1 Ecstasy is the street name for MDMA or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine. As its full, scientific name indicates, MDMA is in the amphetamine family of drugs, although its effects are unlike other amphetamine compounds. Discovered and patented by Merck Pharmaceuticals in Germany before World War I, MDMA was first tested on animals in the 1950s by the U.S. Army in its search for a brain-washing drug. Civilian researchers became interested in it in the 1970s and were the first to study its unique psychological effects in human subjects. It seemed to reduce fears and barriers to intimacy, while enhancing communication and empathy, and showed promise as an adjunct to psychotherapy in the treatment of such problems as drug addiction, phobias, post- traumatic stress, depression, suicide, and the difficulties of dealing with terminal illness. 1 The early history of MDMA is documented in a variety of sources. The facts here, which are recounted elsewhere, are drawn from: Grob, Charles S., M.D. Deconstructing Ecstasy: The Politics of MDMA Research. Addiction Research, v. 8, no. 6, 2000. p. 549-588. Congressional Research Service **** The Library of Congress CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most